For hundreds of years, the town of Montezuma has been known as the paradise of mosquitoes. Its original name, Squagonna, was given by American Indians because the marsh around the area made it a prime breeding ground for mosquitoes, said town historian Cheryl Longyear.

This weekend, the town will honor the name with its third annual Montezuma Mosquito Fest. In previous years, the festival was called Community Days. This will be the first year it is known as Mosquito Fest, said Linda Dailey, president of the Montezuma Auxiliary. The festival, which was revived in 2006 after a hiatus since the early 1970s, was renamed because the town is located in an area full of mosquitoes, she said.

“Anybody knows where we're from because our vehicles are caked with bugs,” Dailey said.

In the past two years, the festival had up to 1,500 people attend, she said. The activities this year include: carnival rides, a parade, DJs throughout the weekend, a nature walk of Erie Canal and fireworks.

“There's something for everyone of all ages,” Dailey said.

This year's Mosquito Fest will feature a mosquito sculpting contest. Those wishing to participate should make a mosquito out of any material and bring it to the Montezuma Firehouse on Friday evening or Saturday before noon. The judging will begin at noon.

There will also be a hot dog eating contest for children and adults, and prizes will be distributed to the winners.

The fire department has been in charge of the festival for the past three years and the Montezuma Auxiliary, the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Men's Church Society also help with the planning. Fire Chief Michael Dailey, Linda's husband, is looking forward to this year's event because the carnival rides are a new addition.

“I think that's going to draw much bigger crowds,” he said. “We just plan this as a family fun event. I just hope everybody enjoys themselves.”

Throughout the year, the fire department holds barbecues to raise money for different necessities, Michael said. The festival is a way to give back to the community.

“People always come out and support us and we're thankful for that,” Michael said. “We just want to show them how much we appreciate it.”

Gitana Mirochnik

253-5311 ext. 237

gitana.mirochnik@lee.net