-By Barbara Arnstein-
This festival will offer every possible form of fun for the while family! Just name your favorite festival event and it’s probably on their schedule September 17th and 18th, 2022. The 17th Annual Cuba Garlic Festival of Events, will bring you what festival contact Michele Conklin referred to as “a stinking good time”. There will be continuous live music all weekend along, with strolling musicians, a jazz band and an acapella group. There will be a beer tent, pony rides (two turns around a paddock) by the Winning Edge Horse Club both days, face-painting, cookie-decorating demonstrations, and much more, including blacksmith demonstrations, by Tom O’Connor, barn tours, bee exhibits and historical presentations and skits.
Master Gardener David Chamberlain will speak about “The Fall Garden and Garlic”. Children will especially enjoy the special Saturday shows featuring the Benjamin Berry “Circus for All”. They will be performed at noon, 2pm and 4pm, and there will also be interactive sessions the rest of the day. The clowns include one called Mr. Scribbles. At 11am Molly’s Sweets will have a session at the “Stinking Rose Tent”. “Stinking Rose” is an affectionate nickname for garlic.
Mural artist Vincent Alejandro will create a 16-foot mural. There will be lots of garlic-themed events, of course including cooking demonstations, lectures and more.
At noon on Saturday, Michelle Scutt, known as “The Garlic Lady” will demonstrate the art of garlic braiding on — what else? — the “Garlic Clove Stage”. There will be yoga sessions on both days for children. On Saturday, children ages twelve and up can participate in a one-hour session, while children between the ages of four and six can participate on Sunday.
You probably have tried your hand at carving a pumpkin for Halloween over the years, but now you have the chance to see someone famous for such carving demonstrate the art. On Sunday, Eric Jones, who is competing on the Food Network’s show “Outrageous Pumpkins” on September 25, will demonstrate pumpkin-carving and also do caricatures.
“The grounds will have a fall theme, provided by the Cuba Beautification Committee and festival volunteers,” said Conklin. The festival will be held at Empire City Farms at 102 South Street in Cuba, NY. So, get the family together and get ready for all kinds of great fun. For more information, contact the Cuba, NY Chamber of Commerce, which is sponsoring the festival, by calling (585) 968-5654 or emailing cubachamberofcommerce@gmail.com.