The flowers have bloomed and the trees have blossomed. Spring has arrived in Cayuga County, and the village of Union Springs is going to greet it this weekend with a good, old-fashioned party.
Chet Susslin / The Citizen
Cayuga Street in Union Springs will be the site of the village's first Spring Fling, which functions as a fundraiser for the Frontenac Museum.
Cayuga Street in Union Springs will be the site of the village's first Spring Fling, which functions as a fundraiser for the Frontenac Museum.
The village is holding its first-ever Spring Fling celebration downtown Saturday. Originally meant to be a fundraiser for the Frontenac Museum, the event has evolved into an afternoon-long celebration of food, fun and local business.
“We wanted to show what's blooming in Union Springs,” said Dawn Locastro, a village trustee and organizer of the festival. “But I wanted it to also be an event where people would want to come and hang out for the day.”
The fling will kick off at 11 a.m. and last into the evening, Locastro said. Local and out-of-town businesses are scheduled to participate by offering activities like wine tasting, wagon rides, bounce houses for the kids, live music, face painting, craft booths and more.
There will also be plenty of food, with Skaneateles favorite Doug's Fish Fry selling dinners and steamed clams, as well as chicken and beef barbecues, hamburgers and hot dogs.
Visitors will also be able to buy raffle tickets for dozens of prizes and offer donations to the museum, which Locastro said was the original reason for putting this event together. Throughout the day, there will be tours for visitors, and people will have a chance to see the museum bell ring.
“(The Frontenac) is a nice place, and we're hoping to get a lot of work done there,” said Locastro, who added that one of the main priorities at the Union Spring structure is the ceiling. “But it's a big job, that's for sure.”
Locastro, who also used to be a museum board member, said she has helped organize past fundraisers for the Frontenac. She started organizing a simple raffle in recent months, but more and more local businesses jumped on board.
Soon, it had grown into its own event, she said. While she said there will still be a fund-raising component to the Spring Fling, it is now as much about helping out local businesses as it is about helping out a piece of local history.
“I don't think I was really too surprised with how many people got involved,” Locastro said. “We really need to pull more people into the village, because I think people from outside of the village will enjoy what we have to offer.”
She envisions people from both outside and inside Union Springs spending a day at local businesses and hopefully enjoying the spring weather, though the event will take place rain or shine. While annual spring festivities are not out of the question, Locastro said she will wait and see how this event goes before making a decision.
“Times are tough. I thought maybe people will be able to bring some visitors into their businesses,” Locastro said.
Christopher Caskey
253-5311 ext. 282
christopher.caskey@lee.net
What: Spring Fling
When: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, May 9
Where: Route 90, downtown Union Springs
Cost: No entry fee
Info: Visit www.unionspringsnow.com/Union_Springs_Now/Union_Springs_-_New_York.html
“We wanted to show what's blooming in Union Springs,” said Dawn Locastro, a village trustee and organizer of the festival. “But I wanted it to also be an event where people would want to come and hang out for the day.”
The fling will kick off at 11 a.m. and last into the evening, Locastro said. Local and out-of-town businesses are scheduled to participate by offering activities like wine tasting, wagon rides, bounce houses for the kids, live music, face painting, craft booths and more.
There will also be plenty of food, with Skaneateles favorite Doug's Fish Fry selling dinners and steamed clams, as well as chicken and beef barbecues, hamburgers and hot dogs.
Visitors will also be able to buy raffle tickets for dozens of prizes and offer donations to the museum, which Locastro said was the original reason for putting this event together. Throughout the day, there will be tours for visitors, and people will have a chance to see the museum bell ring.
“(The Frontenac) is a nice place, and we're hoping to get a lot of work done there,” said Locastro, who added that one of the main priorities at the Union Spring structure is the ceiling. “But it's a big job, that's for sure.”
Locastro, who also used to be a museum board member, said she has helped organize past fundraisers for the Frontenac. She started organizing a simple raffle in recent months, but more and more local businesses jumped on board.
Soon, it had grown into its own event, she said. While she said there will still be a fund-raising component to the Spring Fling, it is now as much about helping out local businesses as it is about helping out a piece of local history.
“I don't think I was really too surprised with how many people got involved,” Locastro said. “We really need to pull more people into the village, because I think people from outside of the village will enjoy what we have to offer.”
She envisions people from both outside and inside Union Springs spending a day at local businesses and hopefully enjoying the spring weather, though the event will take place rain or shine. While annual spring festivities are not out of the question, Locastro said she will wait and see how this event goes before making a decision.
“Times are tough. I thought maybe people will be able to bring some visitors into their businesses,” Locastro said.
Christopher Caskey
253-5311 ext. 282
christopher.caskey@lee.net
What: Spring Fling
When: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, May 9
Where: Route 90, downtown Union Springs
Cost: No entry fee
Info: Visit www.unionspringsnow.com/Union_Springs_Now/Union_Springs_-_New_York.html
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