By Darlene Brace
The changing of the seasons is now upon us. If you are looking for something fun for you and your family to do on a beautiful autumn day, just go a few minutes west of Jamestown, to the historic lakeside community of Lakewood. On October 5, the Lakewood Fall Festival will be taking place on Chautauqua Avenue in Lakewood. Portions of Chautauqua Avenue will be closed to traffic, as vendors will line the streets starting at 10am, and the festival will continue until 6pm. Some of the southern sections of Chautauqua Avenue and the adjoining side streets will be available for parking.
Many of the stores, like Pea Pod and Juniper I and II, Cotton Thistle Boutique, Good Neighbor Bookstore, Watch Shop, Bag and String Wine Merchants, Vitality Natural Health and Wellness, and most of the other village businesses will be open. You can stop in, browse, and shop. They may be having some discounts, so you will have to stop in and see.
There will also be a variety of artisan vendors along Chautauqua Avenue starting on the north end near Terrace Avenue. Some vendors will also be set up in the parking lot of the Town of Busti office building. These artisan vendors will be selling a variety of items such as artworks, candles, jewelry, home décor, clothing, accessories, seasonal and specialty items, and a whole lot more.
To entertain your children, there will be some fun activities for them to do. When you arrive, look for a bright yellow tent. The bright yellow tent will have eighty children’s books that will be given away for free to the first eighty children. These children’s books are written by Deejay McKay, and she will be there to sign the books and provide a corresponding coloring sheet.
Nearby, Scott Farms will be selling pumpkins of various sizes. You can take your purchased pumpkins to the Lakewood Tent to paint them for free. Your kids can enjoy free face painting provided at the Lakewood Library booth, and it will be available from 11am-11:45am and from 1pm-1:45pm.
In connection with National Fire Prevention Week, The Lakewood Fire Department will be near the Lakeside Park. They will have firetrucks and equipment for children to explore, and the firemen can answer questions. Also, the Lakewood K9 Unit will be giving a demonstration at 10am.
As a fundraiser for the Lakewood Fire Department, Lakewood Fall Festival tote bags will be available for a small donation. Many of the festival vendors are also donating some of their proceeds to the Lakewood Fire Department and other Lakewood First Responders.
For more entertainment, there will be live music near Ryder’s Cup. Charity Nuse and Jeremy Bunce will perform from 12pm-3pm. They play a fun mix of originals and cover music, ranging from country, Americana, blues, folk, and rock. Come and enjoy listening to these talented musicians and maybe they will even get you moving to the beat in the street.
When you are looking for refreshments, Ryders Cup will be open first thing in the morning at 7am, and they will be open all day until 4pm. Ryder’s Cup is a coffee shop that has a wide variety of hot and cold beverages. They also sell breakfast sandwiches and homemade scones and muffins. Later that day, if you have worked up an appetite, Group Ther-Happy will be serving food from their delicious menu starting at 11am. Stella’s Kitchen and Bar will also be open at 5pm.
Besides the village restaurants, there will also be plenty of food vendors for you and your family to choose from. Mystic Smoke BBQ will be serving barbeque foods, Bear Ridge Farms will provide a variety of tasty items, and Wanderlust Seafood from Westfield will be there with their lobster rolls and other delicious seafood. To satisfy that sweet tooth, you will likely find kettle corn, ice cream, homemade pies and baked goods, and other treats to choose from. Yum, Yum! (It should be noted that many of the vendors are cash only, but there are ATMs nearby.)
So come to the beautiful lakeside community of Lakewood on October 5th. Join in the fun with the Lakewood community for their Fall Festival celebration. There will be plenty of food, vendors, music, and activities for the whole family to enjoy on a beautiful fall day. See you there.