Scaled-down June Fest returns to Holley

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 3 June 2022 at 9:31 pm

No parade or fireworks, but still plenty of chances for fun

Photo by Tom Rivers: Holley June Fest organizers, Keith Lutes and Rainey Losee, are pictured in the Public Square near the Salisbury Fountain. The downtown area will have many sites as part of a scavenger hunt to learn about Holley during June Fest on Saturday.

HOLLEY – June Fest returns to Holley on Saturday after being cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to Covid-19 restrictions and concerns.

The festival is easing back. It won’t have a parade in the morning or fireworks to cap off the occasion at night.

But there will still be opportunities to get together and see friends and meet other community members.

There will be about 40 vendors at the main area for the festival near the playground area along the canal trail.

Rainey Losee is co-leader of the festival with Keith Lutes. They responded in March when they heard the festival needed coordinators. They are hopeful with more time – and funding – that the parade and fireworks will return for June Fest in 2023.

The event includes many activities from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The schedule includes:

9 a.m. to :15 a.m. –Opening ceremonies and welcome at the gazebo by the canal
9:15 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. – Band introduction and kickoff
10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. – Blues Crew Band
11 a.m. to 2 p.m. – Anita Lyn’s Lounge
11 a.m. to 1 p.m. – Scavenger Hunt starting place is at the museum.
12 p.m. to 4 p.m. – Special hours at Holley Falls Bar and Grill
1 p.m. to 2 p.m. – Nick LaDue Band
1 p.m. to 1:15 pm – Scavenger Hunt winners announced
2 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. – Raffle Baskets must be present to win
2:30 p.m. – 50/50 Raffle drawing must be present to win
3 p.m. – Line Dancing by The Whole Approach
5 p.m. – Festival ends
4 to 6 p.m. – Community Free Library’s 75th Anniversary Party
6 p.m. – Red, White and Moo Grand Opening

Losee moved to Holley in October. A Wellsville native, her husband is from Brockport. They were looking for a small town environment. Losee soon joined the Holley Garden Club and started volunteering at the Eastern Orleans Community Center. She heard the June fest Committee needed volunteers. She offered to help and said she has met many Holley residents and business owners in only a few months.

“It’s all about the community and the village,” she said. “This is a very close-knit community.”

She encouraged people to come to the festival. She thinks they will link a scavenger hunt where they learn about the village through many clues.

There will also be wine-tasting, a petting zoo and food trucks. People can also leave ideas in a suggestion box for the next June Fest.

Lutes is a Holley native and he is glad to see the festival come back, even at a smaller scale.

In addition to the festival, Lutes said many garage and yard sales will be happening in the village and those are always a draw. He expects the village will be busy on Saturday with all of the activities.