By Carol Fisher-Linn
Winter itself, with the annual solstice promising a return of the light, is the time we look for and appreciate light and the reflections it creates. At the end of each year, it is good to reflect on what has been but also to look to the light revealing what is to come. With that in mind, let’s review some of the events that have taken place in 2024, always keeping an eye on the present and the future, and the excitement for what is to come.
The beginning of a new year in Ellicottville always begins with an ending. The Torchlight Parade on New Years’ Eve at Holiday Valley celebrates the past and ushers in the future with light and enthusiasm. That enthusiasm extends throughout the year beginning with the annual Winter Blues Weekend where over 20 bands entertained us in 2024.
Always supporting community growth, the Cattaraugus County IDA in January revealed a few projects it supported: The Lincoln Boutique Motel previously known as Cadillac Jack’s offers a new, updated, and unique lodging and restaurant option (Pour Taproom); Allegany Crossing (former Kmart Plaza) where Turbo Machinery leased 15,000 square feet of space with plans to employ 20 within 3 years; and The Woods at Bear Creek in Machias, a 733 acre camp off Route 16 with renovations and upgrades have been worked on all year, with plans for RV electric and water, concert venue, glamping, a trail system, etc. We will update you. Until Bear Creek is open, for the ultimate treat, two-time Olympian Tricia Mangan and her brothers brought portable saunas to Ellicottville. Get this! They deliver. For more information visit Peakheatsaunas.com or call (716) 472-4804. (See full story in this week’s paper.)
EBC Little Valley hosted its first Galentine’s Day Brunch with my faves, Swan Street Florists. The ladies loved it so much, it is coming again on 2/2/25. We also learned about the annual Doors Open – Jamestown, where residents are incentivized to go to local attractions and business by offering free admission to greater Jamestown area attractions, prizes, restaurant specials, and more. Local communities, take note.
We joined our American and Canadian friends hoping to catch a glimpse of the total Solar Eclipse on April 8th. Who knows, by August 12, 2026, when it happens near us again, it might still be considered over the “New United States” since it will travel across Greenland. Haha.
The Tri County Arts Council flocked homes and businesses in Olean with pink flamingoes to raise funds to support the kids arts programming. www.tricountyartscouncil.org/flocked.
The Ellicottville Historical Society put out a call for safe storage of documents and artifacts. Ideas, or building to donate? Call Dawn Westfall 716-790-0304.
Winter’s freeze welcomed Celeron’s annual Fire and Ice festival, Mayville held their Winter Festival, Holiday Valley successfully introduced its first Uppenovr event supporting Roswell Park, HoliMont celebrated local contractors, HoliMont sponsored Leslie Baker Brown and her Women 2 Women Project, and the Ski Club of Lockport at HoliMont hosted Ski 4 A Cure. Whew – so many of these support good causes. Mardi gras parade again welcomed Punxsutawney Phil to share the fun while the HV Ski Patrollers generously showed up where they generally collect between $3500 to $5000 and 80 or more cases of food for the Ellicottville Food Pantry.
The Bob McCarthy Foundation partnered with Interfaith Caregivers of Olean establishing a Senior Help program in Ellicottville including transportation, medical equipment here in the village, and support for hearing and sight impaired. 585-376-4488 or call Greg Capelli 716-474-7832.
The all-inclusive Ellicottville Playground kicked off their fundraising, opening the door for organizations and locals to help fund this very deserving cause. Inner-city kids got a chance to ski at HoliMont during their Ski With Me Program. Holiday Valley hosted an International snowboard Parallel Giant Slalom event. Good people are everywhere. We found more jobs (Indeed or ZipRecruiter) at the new Great Lakes Cheese Plant in Franklinville and we cheered for the new lighted Ellicottville village parking lot which boasts 4 EV stations! Kudos! The Ellicottville Bake Shop opened, and Cygaro Cigar Club provided a membership-based establishment to enjoy a drink and premium cigar. Guess what? There is now a Purple Doorknob 2 in Buffalo!
Summer brought out Ellicottville’s Hometown Heroes flags (Thank you to all wo served). Artscape Jamestown, through the Chautauqua Art Gallery, treated the public to both indoor and outdoor art exhibitions. Springville welcomed a new antique shop – Rusty Bones Southtown Antiques, previously Route 219 Antiques. Ellicottville Chamber of Commerce happily welcomed the statue of chemist and astronaut, Tracy Caldwell Dyson for display on the Gazebo lawn, celebrating the accomplishments women have made in Ellicottville and worldwide. (Note: the majority of business owners or co-owners in Evl are women.) Adding to the list of women are the Anzivino ladies who opened Anzivino’s Sweets and Boutique in the former Tee Bar location on Washington Street. Ellicottville also welcomed Good Vibez CBD & Wellness owner Jeannine “J-9” Gicewicz who offers a combination of massage therapy and CBD products.
Summer brought more events than we can count, starting with the beautiful floral displays throughout the village by our all-volunteer Alley Katz (we are so blessed!), to the Ellicottville Gazebo Series, the HillTap at Holiday Valley, Jamestown’s Scandinavian Folk Festival, artists at Bemus Point, the opening of Farmer’s Markets throughout the area, the debut of Bower’s Bryant Hill’s Good Vibes Farm and Produce, Fourth of July celebrations, The Ellicottville Summer Festival Queen Tribute Show, Ellicottville’s Jazz and Blues Fest, Bob Newhart at Jamestown’s National Comedy Center, County fairs, and the annual Taste of Ellicottville.
Fall gave us Labor Day celebrations, Art Trails in Chautauqua County Arts and Crafts shows, Becky Szpaicher got a hole-in-one on Hole 5, Elvis was in the room as part of Ellicottville’s Rock N’Roll weekend, Jamestown held its annual Celtic Festival and Ellicottville held its 7th annual Lacrosse Festival. New businesses opened with names like Fredonia’s Whiz-n-Smash (peanut butter by Dawn Murphy) and we were introduced to funky and cool 2Che scissors invented by Chautauqua county prodigy, Kourtney Shuman.
Fall festivals abounded, spooky ghost walks resumed with Ellen Frank of the Historical Society of Ellicottville, nightlights came back to Griffis Sculpture Park, RocketCup Coffee Company in Cattaraugus launched another location, and Bigfoot was sighted at the Bigfoot Park Golf in Ellicottville on Robbins Road. Evl Subway vacated and turned into Green Room Sports Lounge. Ellicottville Rotary Club held a successful fundraising Chili Cookoff event at Madigan’s, bike rides, golf tourneys, 5K footraces and a turkey trot took place throughout the year. We celebrated beer and wine and learned about their story, we read the Cattaraugus County Department of Aging RSVP program still needs volunteers (Call Ellen Herner-716-373-8032 if you can help). We met Alicia Ekstrom who curates custom gift baskets through U-Picknic of Chautauqua County.
Christmas celebrations took place throughout the counties with Santa, his elves and in some places, holiday markets, lighting ceremonies and horse rides. An event that would do well to catch on in more communities was the first annual Children’s Business Fair in Mayville. www.childrensbusinessfair.org/
In Ellicottville, FTP (formerly Finnerty’s Tap Room) closed (alas!) and new owners Brenda Smith and Audrey Snow reopened (yea!) and welcomed back Billy Finnerty himself (see full story in this week’s edition) Mill Street Sports Pub at the location. Irishness was alive and well in Ellicottville at the Bob McCarthy Irish Christmas celebration and fundraiser. Historic Fredonia’s Landmark White Inn was newly renovated and reopened. Santa, elves, angels, the Holy Family and stable animals once again strolled the streets of Ellicottville (since 1987). And, no surprise, but delighted anyway, Travelmag.com ranked Ellicottville as one of the topmost charming towns in NYS, thanks in part to the efforts of Chamber of Commerce Executive Director, Brian McFadden. Brian is retiring and is passing the torch to Barbara Pump, who will take the reins as of January 1, 2025. Congratulations to Brian for a long and successful run (25 years) and to Barb for a well-deserved promotion.
Finally, a glorious snowfall early December provided the snow base for an easy opening for the 24-25 ski season in Ellicottville. Which brings us right back to the ski hills to begin a new year. After all, no season is an ending – it just opens into the new and unknown possibilities of tomorrow. Focus on the pluses of this past year, roll with the negatives, and look forward to only the best for the coming year. Happy New Year one and all.