MONTEZUMA - A unique take on a typical summer festival is taking place this weekend in Cayuga County's own mosquito paradise, Montezuma, as the town hosts its third-annual Mosquito Festival along the Seneca River.
The Mosquito Festival is a revival of the Montezuma Community Days of the 1970s, and has been developed by the Montezuma Fire Department as a way of thanking the local people for their support and providing them a time to get together and enjoy themselves. The name change came about as a way to personalize the festival, borrowing from some of Montezuma's unique qualities to make this festival a one-of-a-kind event.
“This festival is a great time to bring the community together,” saidMontezuma Fire Department Assistant Chief Glenn Baliva. “It especially lets the kids come out and see that there are more young people around town than they might realize. Usually the people in town see us during emergencies or some other bad note, and this lets everyone get together without anything bad happening.”
The festival included local vendors, a DJ, Saturday night fireworks and carnival rides, a first for Montezuma. There were even some special visitors from MaxMan Reptile Rescue, including Junkanoo, a Monitor Lizard, and Dante, a Burmese Python.
Early in the afternoon Saturday there was a crowd walking around the carnival that manifested on the small field in front of the Montezuma Firehouse and VFW Post 8137.
“A lot of people showed up last night, and there should be even more coming tonight for the fireworks,” Montezuma firefighter Shawn Smith said. Smith, along with other volunteers, sold hamburgers and hot dogs and organized a donation collection while the rest of the temporary fairgrounds were given over to residents and visitors milling about.
“You know what, if we make something back on this, that's great,” Baliva said, “but it's not the point. It's just fantastic to have a reason to get everyone together and have a great time.”
If you go
What: Montezuma Mosquito Festival
When: 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. today; firefighters ball water tournament at 10 a.m.
Where: Erie Street, Montezuma
“This festival is a great time to bring the community together,” saidMontezuma Fire Department Assistant Chief Glenn Baliva. “It especially lets the kids come out and see that there are more young people around town than they might realize. Usually the people in town see us during emergencies or some other bad note, and this lets everyone get together without anything bad happening.”
The festival included local vendors, a DJ, Saturday night fireworks and carnival rides, a first for Montezuma. There were even some special visitors from MaxMan Reptile Rescue, including Junkanoo, a Monitor Lizard, and Dante, a Burmese Python.
Early in the afternoon Saturday there was a crowd walking around the carnival that manifested on the small field in front of the Montezuma Firehouse and VFW Post 8137.
“A lot of people showed up last night, and there should be even more coming tonight for the fireworks,” Montezuma firefighter Shawn Smith said. Smith, along with other volunteers, sold hamburgers and hot dogs and organized a donation collection while the rest of the temporary fairgrounds were given over to residents and visitors milling about.
“You know what, if we make something back on this, that's great,” Baliva said, “but it's not the point. It's just fantastic to have a reason to get everyone together and have a great time.”
If you go
What: Montezuma Mosquito Festival
When: 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. today; firefighters ball water tournament at 10 a.m.
Where: Erie Street, Montezuma
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