BY Karen Gadiel
If you grew up here or ever visited Seneca Lake in July, you’ll remember the Valois Logan Hector Firemen’s Fair as the crest of the summer season. Excited sounds of children on the midway, lights, music, the mingled scents of fair food—much of it fried, sweet or both—and enjoyable chance encounters with friends and neighbors created smiles and laughter.
For the past three years, it was a casualty of the pandemic. However, a group of friends who grew up with the fair, many now parents themselves, volunteered to organize and bring it back.
The Hector Family A-Fair, scheduled for Saturday, July 29, from 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. at the Hector Firemen’s Field at the corner of Route 414 and Ball Diamond Road, will bring together most of everyone’s favorite parts of the fair with a focus on family and kid-friendly activities, a variety of great food, entertainment, even the excitement of fireworks. It took a lot of people and uncounted people-hours to put it all together. Their driving energy is fueled by two goals—all attendees can make new memories of having a wonderful time here, while helping to meet their goal of raising $50,000 for the fire company.
One of the lead planners, Deanna Burt, met in January with Abigail Ganton, Nancy Adams and their three husbands to begin planning. They had a bit of a head start, because they’d been planning on assisting Fire Company planners with earlier fairs before COVID nixed their 2020 and 2021 plans. By the beginning of this year, they knew what they wanted. “We needed to do it for the community,” Burt says. “And it’s more than a fundraiser, we needed to bring everyone together, at least once a year.” They concentrated their energy on a single day, scheduled for the last weekend in July when the fair was traditionally held.
Their plans met a few setbacks, one being the scarcity of rides. Instead, they’ve contracted for a variety of elaborate inflatables, kids’ games and a wealth of children’s activities from face painting to a balloon artist, to arts and crafts projects, music and movement. Compost Theatre will perform and later collect compost. Having a parade required so much advance permitting for the closure of a state highway that plans for it had to be scrapped for this year, though they will be revisited in the future. Likewise, a bingo proved complicated, requiring a special permit obtained well in advance of the event, so that too is on hold for the future.
Carnival games, including a dunking booth, are being constructed, food trucks are supplying an array of fun things to eat, and the fire-fighters are putting on a chicken barbecue. The cake wheel is returning. The Hector Library will have a two-day sale of used books in the fire hall. “We’ll have 80 percent of the stuff the fair had,” Burt promises. And in the family-friendly spirit, an affordable $10 wristband gives each child access to most activities, all day.
Because this is a community that loves and wants to support the fire company, and perhaps also because the group working on putting the fair together is so highly organized—“Lots of spread-sheets,” explains Hillary Niver-Johnson—local businesses have been generous in their support, combining monetary and in-kind donations. Grist Iron Brewery is running the always-popular clam tent; Solera Taphouse is providing all the domestic beers. Wineries have donated wine, Pioneer Printing in Lodi is providing printing services, and help has been received from the Hector Lions Club, U.S. Salt, Watkins Sporting Goods, WENY, Scale House Brewery, the Johnson family and 70 other sponsors. Niver-Johnson, sponsorship co-chair, notes help from additional sponsors is still gratefully accepted; those donating before July 28 will be acknowledged during the festivities.
“Thank goodness for our sponsors,” she says. “We appreciate any amount of support. We’ve been truly humbled by the community. This shows us how many community members really wanted this to happen!”
The number of craftspeople and presenters turning out to enhance the day has been another gratifying response. “We will have 30 crafts vendors selling various products,” says Kylie Rodrigues, sponsorship co-chair, naming a number of farmers and craftspeople offering a diverse range of produce and products. “And they’re mostly Finger Lakes oriented. I plan to do some of my Christmas shopping while I’m at the fair.”
Community agencies will also be on hand—23 of them at last count. “We wanted to offer some resources people can’t always get to,” Burt says. Among them, representatives are coming from Primary Care to do blood pressure checks, a couple of different health insurance agencies, the Humane Society, Habitat for Humanity, HeatSmart and the Hector Refugee Project will offer information and answer questions. “Some people don’t realize what’s available for them. We’re really excited about this.”
In the spirit of a country fair, Nancy Adams, who has been slowly compiling a community cookbook, had the idea for a pickle-judging contest. Naturally, this meant she became the organizer for it. The identities of her five judges remains a closely-guarded secret until the event; among other things, each applicant had to have an appreciation and tolerance for the hottest of hot foods, as various hot sauces are likely to be on their menu. Anything that can be put in a jar and pickled may be entered. Entries are free; she’s asked entrants to pre-register via the Facebook page or the group’s email.
Volunteers are still needed in several areas as are all attendees and financial contributions to help meet the goal. For more information, check their Facebook Page or email hector.a.fair@gmail.com. Or simply come, organizers say. Rain or shine, the fun is guaranteed.
If you grew up here or ever visited Seneca Lake in July, you’ll remember the Valois Logan Hector Firemen’s Fair as the crest of the summer season. Excited sounds of children on the midway, lights, music, the mingled scents of fair food—much of it fried, sweet or both—and enjoyable chance encounters with friends and neighbors created smiles and laughter.
For the past three years, it was a casualty of the pandemic. However, a group of friends who grew up with the fair, many now parents themselves, volunteered to organize and bring it back.
The Hector Family A-Fair, scheduled for Saturday, July 29, from 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. at the Hector Firemen’s Field at the corner of Route 414 and Ball Diamond Road, will bring together most of everyone’s favorite parts of the fair with a focus on family and kid-friendly activities, a variety of great food, entertainment, even the excitement of fireworks. It took a lot of people and uncounted people-hours to put it all together. Their driving energy is fueled by two goals—all attendees can make new memories of having a wonderful time here, while helping to meet their goal of raising $50,000 for the fire company.
One of the lead planners, Deanna Burt, met in January with Abigail Ganton, Nancy Adams and their three husbands to begin planning. They had a bit of a head start, because they’d been planning on assisting Fire Company planners with earlier fairs before COVID nixed their 2020 and 2021 plans. By the beginning of this year, they knew what they wanted. “We needed to do it for the community,” Burt says. “And it’s more than a fundraiser, we needed to bring everyone together, at least once a year.” They concentrated their energy on a single day, scheduled for the last weekend in July when the fair was traditionally held.
Their plans met a few setbacks, one being the scarcity of rides. Instead, they’ve contracted for a variety of elaborate inflatables, kids’ games and a wealth of children’s activities from face painting to a balloon artist, to arts and crafts projects, music and movement. Compost Theatre will perform and later collect compost. Having a parade required so much advance permitting for the closure of a state highway that plans for it had to be scrapped for this year, though they will be revisited in the future. Likewise, a bingo proved complicated, requiring a special permit obtained well in advance of the event, so that too is on hold for the future.
Carnival games, including a dunking booth, are being constructed, food trucks are supplying an array of fun things to eat, and the fire-fighters are putting on a chicken barbecue. The cake wheel is returning. The Hector Library will have a two-day sale of used books in the fire hall. “We’ll have 80 percent of the stuff the fair had,” Burt promises. And in the family-friendly spirit, an affordable $10 wristband gives each child access to most activities, all day.
Because this is a community that loves and wants to support the fire company, and perhaps also because the group working on putting the fair together is so highly organized—“Lots of spread-sheets,” explains Hillary Niver-Johnson—local businesses have been generous in their support, combining monetary and in-kind donations. Grist Iron Brewery is running the always-popular clam tent; Solera Taphouse is providing all the domestic beers. Wineries have donated wine, Pioneer Printing in Lodi is providing printing services, and help has been received from the Hector Lions Club, U.S. Salt, Watkins Sporting Goods, WENY, Scale House Brewery, the Johnson family and 70 other sponsors. Niver-Johnson, sponsorship co-chair, notes help from additional sponsors is still gratefully accepted; those donating before July 28 will be acknowledged during the festivities.
“Thank goodness for our sponsors,” she says. “We appreciate any amount of support. We’ve been truly humbled by the community. This shows us how many community members really wanted this to happen!”
The number of craftspeople and presenters turning out to enhance the day has been another gratifying response. “We will have 30 crafts vendors selling various products,” says Kylie Rodrigues, sponsorship co-chair, naming a number of farmers and craftspeople offering a diverse range of produce and products. “And they’re mostly Finger Lakes oriented. I plan to do some of my Christmas shopping while I’m at the fair.”
Community agencies will also be on hand—23 of them at last count. “We wanted to offer some resources people can’t always get to,” Burt says. Among them, representatives are coming from Primary Care to do blood pressure checks, a couple of different health insurance agencies, the Humane Society, Habitat for Humanity, HeatSmart and the Hector Refugee Project will offer information and answer questions. “Some people don’t realize what’s available for them. We’re really excited about this.”
In the spirit of a country fair, Nancy Adams, who has been slowly compiling a community cookbook, had the idea for a pickle-judging contest. Naturally, this meant she became the organizer for it. The identities of her five judges remains a closely-guarded secret until the event; among other things, each applicant had to have an appreciation and tolerance for the hottest of hot foods, as various hot sauces are likely to be on their menu. Anything that can be put in a jar and pickled may be entered. Entries are free; she’s asked entrants to pre-register via the Facebook page or the group’s email.
Volunteers are still needed in several areas as are all attendees and financial contributions to help meet the goal. For more information, check their Facebook Page or email hector.a.fair@gmail.com. Or simply come, organizers say. Rain or shine, the fun is guaranteed.
