I just love festivals and fairs. Even the corny ones 🙂 I have wonderful memories of my mom taking all 5 of us kids to the “Celtic Festival” that was held every summer up in Maine. We heard bagpipes, watched big men throw things, and saw women spinning wool. It was interesting, educational, and fun. Here locally we recently had a American Indian Festival. I was able to take Buddy and Princess down to listen to the drums, and watch the dancing, and even take a tour of an honest to goodness tipi. They had a blast and all it cost me was $.50 for a bag of popcorn to split.
These types of festivals are one of the things I love about summertime. Every little town seems to have some sort of festival or fair planned, there is something for everyone. If you look hard enough you can find strawberry festivals, historical town festivals, fundraising festivals, spinning festivals, historical reenactments, displays by firemen, car shows, dog shows, horse shows. Down by my mom they even have a pickle festival! Some of these events have admission fees, but most of them are very cheap or even free. Just remember to bring some snacks or your cheap/free venture can get quite expensive.
There are several ways to look for festivals and events. You can check your local “free” papers, or the entertainment section of your newspaper. You can keep your eye out for interesting signs hung along the road, or banners strung across the streets in towns you pass through reguarly. Or you can check the Festivals.com website.
I did a little mining for my local area. This is what I found going on this summer within an hour of the Binghamton/Norwich area:
The Norwich Family Bluegrass Festival, June 23-25th, Chenagon County Fairgrounds. $12 Fri & Sun, $24 Sat, reduced for kids, 5 & under free
Ukranian Festival, July 22 and 23, Johnson City-Free
Hyperflite Skyhoundz Norwich New York Local Championships (competative do athletic competition) July 29th, Norwich, free
Colorscape Chenago (Art Festival) Sept 9-10 Norwich & Oxford Free admission
Black Bear Winery Annual “Spin In” June 17th, 12-6pm
*****Thanks to reader and commenter Rebecca for this one: Owego Strawberry Festival, this weekend.
A little farther away:
Oswego Harborfest, July 27-30, 2 hrs away, free admission
Our state (WV) keeps a calendar of events on their website. It lists all kinds of cultural(ok no WV jokes please! LOL)events(including festivals), some free, some not. I would check out your state website too!
Funny I had a similiar post in mind for this week! 🙂
They do say that “Great Minds Think Alike”. 🙂
You are right, folks can also check town, county and state websites. They will have interesting things listed! Our County website has all the free activities that occur at the state parks in the county-there are guided nature walks etc. .
It is a little farther away than Binghamton, but about 20 miles farther west on Rte 17 is the town of Owego (not to be confused with Oswego). This Weekend is the annual Strawberry Festival. I think it may be the 26th or 27th year. It is a great time and can also be free…if you can avoid buying the strawberries!
Thanks Rebecca. I’m adding it into the post (just in case someone local pops on in the next few days) I might just have to head on over there with the kiddos and check it out.
BTW, nice to have a more local reader 🙂