- Northern New York Newspapers
- Watertown Daily Times
- The Journal
- Daily Courier-Observer
- NNY Ads
- NNY Business
- NNY Living
- Malone Telegram
MASSENA - Although the Greater Massena Chamber of Commerces 33rd annual Heritage Festival is still more than a month away, the floor space is already starting to fill up with vendors, according to chamber officials.
Chamber Associate Director Penny Pullmain said 35 vendors have already signed up for the June 2 event, and theyve rented out nine double booths so far.
Theyre coming in on a daily basis almost, Ms. Pullmain said. We have a few new ones and a lot of the standard ones.
She said they usually rent out 80 booths for the one-day event.
The Heritage Festival kicks off at 9 a.m. with a parade from downtown Massena to the Massena Arena. It lines up on Water Street, heads down Main Street, turns left on Bowers Street and right on Grove Street, heading to the arena parking lot.
This years theme is 80 Years of Service, in recognition of the chambers 80th anniversary.
Entertainment will be a day-long affair inside the Massena Arena, starting with the Trinity Catholic Band at 9:45 a.m., and continuing with the Massena All School Band at 10:15 a.m., Gotta Dance Studio at 11 a.m., Tap-to-Toe Studio of Dance at 12 p.m., The Acoustic Brothers at 1 p.m. and Me and Floyd at 3 p.m.
I think the entertainment is going to be good. It runs straight through, Ms. Pullmain said, noting that it ended at 2 p.m. last year, and visitors started leaving the event, well before its 5 p.m. finish.
This will keep people in there, which will help the vendors, she suggested.
Some of the vendors have requested that their booth be near the entertainment, according to the associate director,.
Ive had vendors that were upset because they werent down by the entertainment. They wanted to be down there, she said.
Bounce houses for children under 12 will be set up outside, and Breezy Maple Farms will have a petting zoo and pony rides.
I think its some good stuff, Ms. Pullmain said.
As an added bonus this year, every adult admission will be entered for a chance to win one of two round-trip Cape Air tickets to Albany or Boston.
Chamber Executive Director Michael J. Gleason said this years Heritage Festival will end an hour early, at 4 p.m., because the crowds have been sparse for the last hour when theyve remained open until 5 p.m.
Vendor applications and parade registration forms are both available on the chambers website, www.massenachamber.com . Parade applications must be returned by May 28, and vendor fees are also due that day.
For more information, contact the chamber at 769-3525.