Press Release, Orleans Renaissance Group President Chris Busch

MEDINA – Blue Thursdays, the popular Medina summer music series, is returning for another run in 2024 with seven of the best blues bands in WNY. The Print Shop, in partnership with the Orleans Renaissance Group/medinaalive.com, will again produce the series.

The free summer blues concerts takes place Thursday evenings, June 20 through Aug. 8, at the State Street Park Pavilion in Medina. There will be no concert on Thursday, July 4.

The Print Shop of Medina is the sole underwriter of the event and is the driving force behind the series. They have partnered with the Orleans Renaissance Group, Inc./medinaalive.com in booking top regional blues talent from the Buffalo area.

Headlining the much-anticipated opening night of the series is the Pat Harrington Trio, featuring Pat Harrington, lead guitarist with Grammy Nominated and Multi-Blues Music Award winning band Victor Wainwright & The Train. That performance is set for June 20 at 6 p.m.

The series, conceived several years ago, is the brainchild of The Print Shop and ORG.

“We decided that it was time we put our expertise and financial backing to work here in Medina to benefit the community,” said Ken Daluisio, owner/operator of The Print Shop. “Blue Thursdays brings an average of 800 people from across WNY to Medina every Thursday night, many of them new to Medina. These past two years, we’ve learned that many of those people have returned on other days to explore what Medina has to offer. The positive effects of this event on the community have been absolutely great in so many ways.”

The Print Shop is a full service, commercial printing, publishing and graphic arts operation in Medina. ORG, a local arts and culture not-for-profit, has been promoting and executing world-class music events locally since the late 1990s.

“The partnership has produced a premier music event featuring outstanding bands and professional promotion,” Daluisio said. “It’s a first-class event all the way and we’re very proud of what we’ve accomplished.”

The artists booked for the event are highly acclaimed, award-winning blues bands from the Buffalo area.

“We’ve booked top-tier spectacular talent that people may not have had a chance to see anywhere locally,” Busch said. “Many of these artists have been playing for years alongside some of the greatest names in the business. They’re hall-of-famers, nationally-renowned and award-winning musicians, songwriters and recording artists. We’re incredibly excited to bring bands of this caliber to Medina.”

The 2024 Blue Thursdays line-up includes:

• June 20: The Pat Harrington Trio, featuring Pat Harrington
• June 27: Dave Viterna Group
• July 11: Nickel City Blues Band
• July 18: Maria Aurigema
• July 25: Thurman Brothers Band
• Aug. 1: Frank Grizanti Band
• Aug. 8: Tommy Z Band

“We want to give a big shout out to Dave Viterna who at the outset of this project three years ago, opened the doors to many of these bands for us,” Busch said. “Dave was instrumental in helping us get Blue Thursdays off the ground. He’s a music legend in Medina and WNY, and the series just wouldn’t be right without DVG on stage.”

All the concerts are free and open to the public. Shows run from 6 to 8 p.m. There are no rain dates.

Concert goers will be able to enjoy a wide variety of food by Cusimano’s Pizzeria, Parker’s Pit BBQ and Greenlief’s On The Go. Refreshments will again provided by Leonard Oakes Estate Winery and 810 Meadworks, along with Blue Groove Coffee.

“For gig updates, any cancellations and venue information, people should go primarily to the ‘Blue Thursdays Medina’ Facebook page,” Busch said. “Further information and details can also be found on the web at bluethursdays.com and from weekly ads on The Orleans Hub.”

Information courtesy of Kathy Dreyfus, publicity chair for Medina Band Boosters

MEDINA – The Medina Band celebrated the 2023-2024 season at the band banquet on Monday at the Shelby Fire Hall and catered by their staff.

Special guests included Dr. Mark Kruzynski, district superintendent; Michael Cavanagh, high school principal; and Board of Education members, Debbie Tompkins and Jennifer Buondonno.

Booster officers were recognized for their countless hours of volunteer time and dedication to the program. These include Crystal Elliott, president; Heather Jackson, vice president;   Holly Roush, treasurer; Michelle Wright, secretary; Becky Rinker, student accounts;  Mindy Kenward, chaperone chair  and past president; Jen Lenhart & Misty Reese, uniform chair; Kathy Dreyfus & Janine Farley, publicity; Jason Clare, transportation; Paul Greean & Shirley Kepner, delegates. Holly Roush will be stepping down and Diana Baker will be the new treasurer. Nick Hartman will now be in charge of transportation.

The Harry L. Dinkle award recognizes a person’s dedication to the program and this year’s recipient is Jen Lenhart.

Instructional staff include: Percussion – Michael Denise; Color Guard – Melissa Jaeger, Kara Brown, Molly Jaeger & Katie Crooks; Pit Instructor – Tiffany Organisciak; Visual Instructor –  Ray Jones: Music Arranger & Instructor – Joe Organisciak; Assistant Band Directors – Kyla Leno & Andrea Busch; Percussion Arranger – Steve House; Visual Design – Tim Moshier.

Student Awards

• NYSFBC Scholarship – Alex Balaban
• Mustang Band Service Scholarship – Madisynn Stanton
• Steele Family Award – Alex Balaban
• Joseph C. McKain Award – Ryder Jones & Emma Jacobs
• Alfred Hartway Drum Major Award – Alex Balaban & Caiden Class.

Outstanding Band Member Awards were given in 3 categories

• Outstanding Rookie – Charlotte McGrath (brass), Grace Keppler (ww), Adler Class (perc), and Madison Hamilton (guard)
• Most Improved – Shonn Effner (brass), Adelynne Lacy (ww), Aidyn Jackson (perc), and Mackenzie Poynter (guard)
• Most Valuable – Cameron Kenward (brass), Caiden Class (ww), Emma Jacobs (perc), and Natalie Herbert (guard)

Director Awards:  Teagan Balaban, Carmen Stalker and Logan Trillizio.

Band members were recognized for the number of seasons they participated and the various positions they held.

Student staff were named for the various sections that they will be responsible for. The Drum Major is Mackenzie McGrath and Assistant Drum Majors are Ryder Jones and Riley Tompkins.

The Junior Prologue was given by Riley Tompkins and the Senior Epilogue by Alex Balaban and Caiden Class.

While the 2023-2024 season is coming to a close the 2024-2025 is already starting with rehearsals scheduled for June.

MEDINA – The ninth season of Medina’s Canal Village Farmers’ Market’s summer season launched on Saturday with a big crowd at the summer location in downtown Medina.

“Our winter market had a great season, but the summer market season is what everyone looks forward to,” said Chris Busch, president of the Orleans Renaissance Group, which sponsors the market. “Opening day was amazing, with more than 400 visitors who gathered throughout the morning and early afternoon to enjoy the vendors, live music and food trucks. Everyone had a great time.”

The Orleans Renaissance Group or ORG, is a local 501(c)3 arts and culture organization, which operates Canal Village Farmers’ Market on their corner lot at West Center Street and West Avenue. Gail Miller is manager of the market.

“We had a fantastic opening day,” she said. “We have a lot packed into the Saturday market, with regular and rotating vendors, food trucks, kids’ scavenger hunts, crafters and community groups. The vibe was incredible. One of the best ever.”

Regular vendors were joined by new vendors this season, including Confection Connection Bakery and Wild Dahlia Designs selling fresh flowers.

Wineries, mead and spirits will make a return. Scheduled throughout the season are 810 Meadworks, the popular Black Button Distilling from Rochester and other area wineries, to be announced.

Food trucks and vendors will again be at the market.

“We have a great line-up of food trucks and there’s a nice variety for all tastes this year,” Miller said.

TN Smoke House from Middleport had customers lined up at the opening day of Canal Village Farmers’ Market, selling out of their brisket and pulled pork.

TN Smoke House, El Gran Burrito and NOLA Concessions were a huge hit opening day, with TN Smoke House selling out.

TN Smoke House was a much-anticipated new addition, Busch said.

“We’re so excited to welcome pit-master Scott Gypson and TN Smoke House to our lot at 127 West Center St.,” Miller said.

Gypson, a Middleport native, spent a number of years living in Tennessee where he learned and mastered the fine art of smoking meat, Busch said.

“Many told us throughout the day that his brisket and pulled pork were the best they’d ever had,” Busch said. “The line at his truck was non-stop.”

TN Smoke House will appear at numerous times during the season. In addition to weekly anchor food truck, El Gran Burrito, other food trucks will be rotating in and out throughout the season as well, including Dubby’s Wood Fired Pizza from Albion and Greenlief’s on the Go from Middleport..

Another new food vendor is NOLA Confections, selling New Orleans style snow cones– a sweet made with a mound of fluffy shaved ice flavored with sweet syrups and topped or stuffed with a number of mix-ins and add-ons.

The ever-popular weekly Kid’s Scavenger Hunt also returned to the summer market. The scavenger hunt has again been generously sponsored by Maureen Hungerford.

Miller said that products available each Saturday are listed every week on the market’s Facebook page – Canal Village Farmers Market. Customers are encouraged to like and follow the page for up-to-date information on vendors, food trucks and general information on activities.

The market will again have multiple options for making sales transactions, including, cash, credit via Square, PayPal and Venmo, as well as also accepting Senior Coupons, WIC, SNAP and Fresh Connect Checks. Double Up Food Bucks to SNAP recipients will soon be available.

The market is open every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Miller can be reached at canalvillagemarket@gmail.com or via Facebook Messenger with questions or vendor inquiries.

MEDINA – Medina’s annual community yard sale on Saturday, sponsored by Medina Lions, certainly has to be one of the most successful in the event’s history.

Carol Bellack, Char Smith and Jason Cogovan dish up sides for Medina Lion’s chicken barbecue Saturday during the community yard sale. A record 559 dinners were sold.

Perfect weather, yard sales all over the village, shoppers filling the streets, an abundance of vendors and sold-out chicken barbecue made for a perfect day, said chairman Jim Hancock.

“Such a perfect day brought everybody out,” Hancock said. “Whether you went north, south, east or west in the village, people had signs up and tents in their yards.”

Streets were filled with cars, sometimes making them impassable. At the Olde Pickle Factory, there was hardly an empty parking spot in the entire parking lot.

The Lions sold a record 559 chicken barbecues, cooked by Chiavetta’s. The Lions’ Weinermobile, manned by Pete Kaiser, Howie Gardner and Vickie Hutchison was kept busy selling hot dogs all over the village, so shoppers could grab a bite and run to the next sale.

On the corner of Main and Center streets, volunteers chaired by Tim Moriarty handed out all 750 of their maps between 8:30 and 11:30 a.m.

The Lions’ food tent, chaired by Chris and Julie Keller, also had a very successful day, selling hot dogs and hamburgers.

One of the shoppers named Grace of Medina said this was the second community yard sale she had attended.

“I like doing community things, and everybody is out today,” she said. “With the sunshine and chicken barbecue, it’s a fun day. I did a few yard sales Friday night. I found an antique pitcher I’ve been looking for.”

Gary and Lisa Lemke and daughter Allison have had a yard sale almost every year, Gary said. He and Allison and her friend Katie Melock of Buffalo were watching the yard sale while Lisa was out shopping at other sales.

“We’ve been doing this for the last 10 to 12 years,” Gary said. “With prices so high these days, anything extra we can make helps out. And we clear out stuff we’re not using. What we don’t sell, we give to MAAC. They helped us out a few years ago and we want to repay them, now that we’re able to do that.”

Gary Lemke and family of 505 Erie St. have participated Medina’s community yard sale for more than a decade. Their yard was full of bargains, including beautiful cupcakes daughter Allison made.

Above all, Gary said they just liked talking to people who stopped by.

Allison said she loves Medina and yard sale day.

“It’s better than any others in the area,” she said.

She said she goes to Goodwill and buys things and stops at other yard sales and then saves the stuff to resell at their own sale.

The Community Yard Sale and other Lions’ projects allows them to support many causes and organizations in the community and in support of the blind, according to Hancock.

“At our last meeting of the Lions’ year this month, we will vote on giving away $10,000 to $11,000,” Hancock said. “I want to thank the community, because without their support, our events wouldn’t be a success.”

Vendors filled the field on the west end of the Olde Pickle Factory parking lot during the Medina Lions’ annual community yard sale and chicken barbecue on Saturday.

MEDINA – Friday night cruise-ins in Medina have a new look this year.

After decades of taking place in the canal basin under the organization of David Green of East Shelby, Green retired last year and his role was assumed by Rollin Hellner and Tom Snyder.

Hellner and Snyder have affected some changes in the event, namely, moving it to the parking lot of the Senior Center. Snyder explained the reason was lack of insurance coverage, which is required by the village, if they stayed in the canal basin.

“It would have cost us $400 a night for insurance at the canal basin,” Snyder said. “Here at the Senior Center, we are covered by the Walsh Hotel’s insurance.”

People check out the vehicles which were from many eras. There was also a hearse and an original Indy 500 pace car.

Hellner purchased the Walsh Hotel, which is across the road from the Senior Center, last year.

While the Senior Center location cannot accommodate as many cars, remarks from most cruisers were favorable. One car owner did say it was too crowded and didn’t offer near as much room for cars as the canal basin. Only 56 vehicles were displayed, while on most Friday nights in the canal basin, cars and trucks numbered between 80 and 100.

Timothy Caldwell of Medina, who brought his 2019 Corvette convertible, said it was nice there and he liked being able to get food from the Walsh across the street.

Photos by Ginny Kropf: Larry Albanese of Albion stands next to his 1922 Ford Model T, which he brought to Medina’s cruise-in for the first time Friday night.

Larry Albanese of Albion had never been to a Friday night cruise-in in Medina before, he said. A founding member of the Oak Orchard Lighthouse, Albanese has always volunteered at the lighthouse on Friday nights, he said. He got a friend to stand in for him so he could show his 1922 Ford Model T.

Dan Marek of Albion said he has been coming to the cruise-ins in Medina for years, and thinks the new location will be fun.

Peter Castricone of Medina recently purchased a new vintage automobile – a 1965 Plymouth pace car. He said only 32 were made and his was number one.

(Left) Tom Snyder and Kelly Fisk sell raffle tickets to Dan Marek of Albion, left, during the Medina’s Friday night cruise-in, which this year has moved from the canal basin to the Medina Senior Center, where 56 cars showed up. (Right) Steven Miller of South Buffalo sits next to his 2004 Lincoln hearse and a mannikin of the Grim Reaper. He hopes to come back next week and bring members of their Hearse Club.

Buffalo DJ Hank Nevins had provided music for the cruise-ins for most of their years, until his retirement last year. New entertainer this year is Medina disc jockey JT Thomas.

The summer cruise-ins will end as usual in August with a Super Cruise on Main Street, featuring Terry Buchwald as Elvis.

Peter Castricone of Medina proudly shows off his newly acquired 1965 Plymouth pace car at Medina’s first cruise-in Friday night.