Carol Fisher-Linn
It all began 49 years ago and a band of Bavarian dressed musicians….
How many have you attended? I might have attended fewer if it were not for my addiction to the sausage and onions and peppers at the Holiday Valley Ski Patrol tent. Put my personal count at about thirty. By 1977, I lived on Martha Street so a short walk into town got me my sausage and a stroll around the vendor tents checking off items on my family’s Christmas lists. In those days, I could cut my little ones loose. They knew they had to meet up with me at the Big Red Apple in front of the Historical Society Building at an appointed time. They always did, knowing a bright red candy apple awaited them for the walk back home. We never knew who we would find at home when we got there. I traditionally made a canning kettle full of chili for the weekend. The door was always open – the lawn always had space for many cars, the fresh bread, and Mayer Brothers cider were waiting for guests to arrive and eat their fill before they headed into town. I found notes a-plenty from grateful friends. Ahh, the good old days!
Before the Fall Festival in town, we celebrated Octoberfest at Holiday Valley which featured an art show and, of course, a band of Bavarian dressed musicians in their brown leather Lederhosen shorts embroidered with deer or floral designs with attached suspenders, plaid shirts, knee length socks and feather decorated brightly embroidered wool felt hats. Always, the ubiquitous stein of frothy brew was close at hand!
In 1975, that band followed the event into the village on a flatbed located in front of the Post Office on Jefferson Street. I close my eyes and I can still hear that OomPAH from the tuba ringing in my ears. They stayed around just a few years, replaced by the Jackson Five (remember their shiny pink, green and brightly colored one piece outfits?), Abba (in their very, very short miniskirts) or 70’s popular music coming out of the doors of every bar in town. The small art show soon got expanded into the massive event it is today. Just as they continue to do today, the all-volunteer Alley Katz created the beautiful barrels and hanging pots of flowers scattered around the village. Please be respectful of their work and expense put into these barrels when you visit our fair village. Photo ops are welcome if you stand next to them, and not sit in them.
Who of you can remember Ellicottville of the 70’s? Remember mud-season when the snow was gone? (Along with the visitors.) Summers on our main street might have reminded you of a quiet, out-of-the-way country village where not a whole lot happened. Perhaps not quite Mayberry, but one could likely see Barney Fife in his squad car as easily as seeing a bus load of tourists in those lean years. It was deadly quiet! What was great about the beginning of October is that was when the out-of-town homeowners (who in those years easily owned half of the residences in the village) came to town to open their buildings, clear them out, stock them up and get them ready for the upcoming ski season.
A local gentleman by the name of Dennis Signore was running an annual fall antique show in town. Several ladies in the community thought the art show, run by Betty Kerns, Mike Kerns’ (Balloons) Grandmother would do better if it were brought into the village in tandem with the antique show. So, thanks to Heidi Rounds (John Rounds’ mom – Adventure Bound on the Fly) and the other ladies the event grew like Topsy and the Fall Festival was born. From the onset, this festival was a blessing, bringing in much needed revenue to the community.
If you are reading this on one, plan wisely and get into the village early so you can find a place to park (there is now free community parking (heading south, turn left at the Kwik Fill – up a block + on the right); plan on lines for the restaurants (bring snacks); pay attention to the no open container and no public piddling laws; leave your fur-baby home – it is wildly packed with people – not a pet-friendly environment – particularly if you want to ride the chair lifts where animals, back-packs and coolers are not allowed. Please be extra courteous. Everyone is out to enjoy the weekend. Let’s make it fun for everyone, especially for those who are working the event- many are doing it for charitable causes – be kind and enjoy Ellicottville.