Special to The Citizen

Residents of Jordan know they have a jewel in their backyard, and they are prepared to take advantage of it. Resting on the original Erie Canal, Jordan boasts the only original Erie Canal locktender's house in the state as well as a popular, well-researched museum about the canal. On Saturday, Jordanians will celebrate their town with an “Erie Canal Celebration” right in the streets of the village.

The celebration will feature trolley rides, a petting zoo, crafts, antiques, tours, Erie Canal clogger demonstrations, music, yard sales and vendors.

Trolley rides are unlimited for $1 and will be provided by CNY Trolleys. Residents village-wide will open up their lawns selling trash and treasure and the Methodist Church will hold an ice cream social and book sale. Farmers will hawk produce at the market, an antique dealer will display more treasures and the museum will, of course, be open.

The petting zoo will do more than offer a llama for the petting, with children's rides on the Erie Canal tow path, including miniature horses and carts. Vying for the children's attention will be the Max Man Reptile Rescue with live, cold-blooded reptiles for the viewing.

Old-fashioned fun sure to draw a crowd comes with the Erie Canal Cloggers demonstrating their art at the Christ Episcopal Church. Clogging is an American folk dance similar to tap dancing.

Last year was the celebration's first year, said co-coordinator Maureen Doyle. The “Jordan NY passport program” installed for visitors was especially successful. Every visitor receives a mini passport to take to different locations throughout the celebration for stamps. Visitors then bring their passports to Scavenger Hunt, one of the village's shops, and they receive prizes.

The group plans to hold the celebration annually. Last year's date was chosen to coincide with “Cycling the Erie,” a statewide cycling event that begins in Buffalo and ends in Albany, along the Erie Canal. There are 400 cyclists from several different countries and three different continents who will pass through Jordan, and Doyle hopes in the future the celebration will encourage cyclists to stay over and enjoy what Jordan has to offer. This would entail the celebration stretching to four days instead of one, beginning on Wednesday when the cyclists come in, but Doyle is confident that there is enough enthusiasm in the community for the celebration to grow to its full potential.

If you go

What: Erie Canal Celebration

When: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday

Where: Village of Jordan

For details: Call 730-7498 or

689-1320