Weekend events include festivals, shows

TRI-COUNTY AREA--Residents and visitors to Penn Yan, Hammondsport and Watkins Glen will have many different summer events to choose from this weekend. These annual events include the Garlic Festival at Fox Run Vineyards, the Italian American Festival in Watkins Glen and a Motorcycle Weekend in Hammondsport. Whether it is cooking demonstrations, live music, parades, fireworks or motorcycle rides, the area has a wide variety of activities.
The 23rd annual Glorious Garlic Festival will take place Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 1 and 2 at Fox Run Vineyards along Route 14. However, the festival officially kicks off Thursday night, July 30 with a free concert by The Town Pants from 6 to 8 p.m. The festival itself runs from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day and features a variety of area garlic growers selling their produce, live music, wine tastings, cooking demonstrations and various food items and crafts for sale.
The 36th annual Italian American Festival will run for three days this weekend at Clute Park in the Watkins Glen village. The event startsFriday, July 31 and will go until Sunday, Aug. 2. Weekend highlights will include the annual parade, pasta eating contest, music, rides and a fireworks display.
Festival Chairman Don Stocum said thousands of people attend the festival each year. This year several new features have been added. Stocum said he is confident this will be a good year for the festival, adding a clear weekend of weather will make things even better. Stocum mentioned the more new features that are offered, the more the festival can grow.
"We are hoping and expecting it to be as good as always, if not better," Stocum said. "[...] We need to grow it to make it more successful so we can continue to have this year after year."
This year in the parade there will be 45 participating units, including floats, bands, the grand marshal and the festival prince and princess. The parade will take place along Decatur and Fourth Streets at noon Saturday. A fireworks display will also be featured over Seneca Lake starting at 10:15 p.m. Saturday evening.
Stocum said the new offerings include the L'Osteria marketplace in the Watkins Glen Community Center across from Clute Park. L'Osteria will feature Italian food, an Italian bakery and a bistro offering local wines. Dominic Versage will be playing live Italian music. A homemade wine and homemade sauce competition in L'Osteria will also be held over the weekend. The wine competition will be held Saturday and the sauce competition Sunday.
A large "Map of Italy" will also be featured where people of Italian descent may place their family name and information on the map. L'Osteria will be open from 1 to 8 p.m. Saturday and from noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. Trolley cars will be at the main entrance to the festival and are available for transport.
Also new this year, the Sgro Brothers will play Saturday in the entertainment tent after the parade. The first Battle of the Bands Competition will take place Sunday at noon. "The Salami Shack" will also offer a raffle game with prizes of Italian meats and cheeses. A puppet show will also be a new feature this year for children, with Bingo also making a return.
For more, visit www.watkinsglenitalianamericanfestival.org.
The Glenn H. Curtiss Museum in Hammondsport will again host their annual Motorcycle Weekend, along with the 10th annual Odd Ball Old Dog Motorcycle Show Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 1 and 2. Saturday will feature the bike show and swap meet, while Sunday will feature the ride around Keuka Lake and swap meet. Classic motorcycles will be shown during the event along with antique engines (running), motorcycle and food vendors, and tours of the museum, including an exhibit of antique and classic motorcycles. The exhibit will be on display in the museum through August. The museum is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.