Special to The Citizen

OWASCO - While the Great Race may well be the biggest single athletic event annually in Auburn, as soon as the race is over and Emerson Park is flooded with people, the post-race celebration may well be one of the biggest parties the area has ever seen.

This year, despite the soggy conditions at Emerson Park, hundreds turned out to cheer on friends and family competing in the race and to simply kick back and enjoy a Sunday afternoon.

As the race concluded, the sounds of the East Rochester All-Stars could be heard across the park as the band struck up to play the afternoon away.

Meanwhile, scattered around the park were numerous non-race tents for visitors to check out.

For several years, Daut's Catering has been providing burgers, hot dogs, Cajun chicken and salt potatoes to Great Race visitors and competitors.

Other staples of race day have been attractions such as the Cayuga County Dairy Queen. Each year, through the support of the Upstate Niagara Cooperative, which represents numerous dairy producers from western New York, the Dairy Queen hands out free milk. This year's queen, Emily Young, 16, was handing out Intense Chocolate Milk.

Other tents, such as the Hospice of the Finger Lakes tent, passed out balloons and did face painting for children and provided information about hospice care.

This is something that has touched the lives of many of the people involved in the race for the past three decades.

Marianne Mendzef, a member of the hospice 20th anniversary committee, said in the tent are pictures of friends and family of many race committee members and competitors, who received hospice care, something Mendzef can relate to, having gone through the same scenario with her husband.

“The idea is to remember the people that have passed away,” Mendzef said. “A lot of people involved with the race for a number of years have had their lives touched by hospice and what it offers. This is a way to get information out about hospice and celebrate those people that we have lost over the years.”

Knowing that post-race celebrations have become huge, Jim Hanley of the race committee said there has been a concerted effort to make sure everyone can enjoy themselves, but that it is done in a responsible manner.

During the post-race celebration, there is a strictly enforced ID policy and anyone drinking alcohol at the park is allowed one six pack per person, in addition, added security is on patrol on the lookout for any potential problems.

“We really do want people to have fun and enjoy themselves,” Hanley said. “But we want it to be done responsibly and we don't want anyone getting hurt or anything like that. We have a band and people use this time to get together with friends and everything and we do want people to enjoy the day, but we don't want anyone to lose sight of what this is really about. It is a good time, but the main thing is about the athletes and to have some good competition.”