For most of the year Lowville is a sleepy little community of around 4,000 people. However for one day in September the village comes alive with what Trip Advisor calls one of America's "10 wackiest summer events", its annual Cream Cheese Festival. The event is appropriately located in Lowville, the home of the world's largest Kraft Cream Cheese manufacturing plant. What are the other "wacky" summer events?
At Big Frog 104, we always try to stay on top of news that affects farmers. Now there's word about disaster assistance.
If your favorite song is Kip Moore's "Something About A Truck" you'll probably be heading to the New York State Fairgrounds for day two of the Regional King of Trucks event. According to YNN the event will feature a number of exciting activities, shows and family fun things to do. Just what can you expect to see?
Click your heels three times and say "There's no place like..Chittenango". Chances are you'll then be heading to the village of Chittenango's annual "Oz-Stravaganza" this weekend. According to the festivals website the theme this year is "The Witches Of Oz" with lots of fun activities planned for the entire family. Just in case you are new to "Oz-mania" there is a reason that the village holds this
"Wizard of Oz" celebration.
Memorial Day weekend marked the unofficial start of summer and now our thoughts turn towards our favorite warm weather activities. One of them is camping, be it in a cabin, a tent or an RV. We recently asked our listeners where their favorite camping spots were and, not surprisingly, most of them were within a short drive of the Utica-Rome area.
The kids will be out of school soon which means a lot of families will be heading for their favorite campsite for a week--maybe more--of fun in the great outdoors. My wife and I along with her family will be heading to Gilbert Lake State Park for a week having rented several adjacent cabins. Some of you may have your own getaway cabins or RV's but for most people a rental or even pitching a tent will do. But where?
We have all seen the lawn signs either promoting or--more likely--protesting the possibility of hydrofracking or "fracking" on public and private land in New York State. According to AP the debate has taken particular hold in the state's farming community as some financially strapped members of that community have taken the initiative in trying to influence New York's still evolving regulatory process. The major factor is, of course, economic.
Every summer thousands of Central New Yorkers head north to the 1000 Islands region to camp, boat and fish. One of the most popular attractions is Boldt Castle on Heart Island which, according to YNN, just opened for the season this past weekend. The castle is open daily through October and has a colorful history.
Everybody in the valley who loves a good burger knows all about Crazy Otto's Empire Diner in Herkimer. Now the rest of New York State knows about it too. YNN reports that the landmark, retro eatery has been named one of 10 regional winners in the New York State Beef Industry Council's "Best NY Burger" contest. While it may have been somewhat of a surprise to some owner Scott Tranter takes great pride in his offerings.
We do a lot of complaining about the weather here in the Utica-Rome area but the fact is it could be worse. A late April snowstorm has swept through Western New York leaving lawns coated and highways slush covered. Orchard Park, just south of Buffalo and home to Ralph Wilson Stadium had received almost 5 inches of snow by late Monday afternoon with more on the way. What's the outlook for the Mohawk Valley?
"Ladies and gentlemen, start your engines". The starting call at the Indy 500? Sure, but soon it will also be heard at the new Destiny USA mall in Syracuse . According to YNN a California company will be installing an electric kart track on the the 3rd floor as part of the mall's entertainment center. Check out the video from Pole Position, the manufacturers of the indoor track.
Anderson Cooper is having to backtrack after his latest giggle fit. He added Dyngus Day to his Ridiculist, a holiday celebrated in three parts of the country with the biggest in Buffalo. But he broke out laughing and couldn't stop. He even went so far as to say, 'it's so stupid,' but folks in Buffalo aren't laughing. They are demanding a personal apology.
