FUN FOR ALL Crowds throng the midway at Grahamsville’s Little World’s Fair of Saturday, Aug. 15. Adam Fithers photo
Celebrating all things country
Grahamsville’s fair in the classic tradition
Photos by Adam Fithers | Manor Ink Mentor
Once again, New York State’s longest-running independent country fair was graced with fine weather, well-groomed livestock, excited 4-H contestants and crowds of eager fair-goers of all ages.
It was the 147th staging of the Grahamsville Little World’s Fair, and the extravaganza took over the hamlet’s fairgrounds on Friday, Aug. 14, for three days of animal competitions; agricultural, horticultural and gustatorial exhibits; live music; demonstrations; rides; and carney food to suit all tastes.
The fair was hosted as always by the Neversink Agricultural Society, and once again was a hit of the summer season. Manor Ink’s roving mentor photographer was there, and his camera captured the fair’s many participants and sights displayed on these pages.
A weekend of country fun in pictures
BAGEL BRAVADO Running nearly the entire length of Broadway in Monticello, August’s Bagel Festival is a summer favorite for visitors to Monticello. Abby Olivo photo
Toasting the almighty bagel
WILD WHEELS, TOO The Bagel Festival featured music, food, vendors of all sorts, a classic car show with this show stopper, and, of course, bagels!
By Abby Olivo | Manor Ink
Broadway in Monticello was transformed into “Bagel Boulevard” for the village’s annual Bagel Festival on Sunday, Aug. 9. With scores of vendors, live music, bouncy castles, food and entertainment, the festival was a loud, busy and exciting celebration of a Catskill favorite.
Amid the crowds, Manor Ink had a chance to talk with several vendors about what the Bagel Festival means to them and their businesses.
A vendor from Simply Jubilee, a jam business from Watertown, NY, said, “Bagels and jam are a natural combination. The festival is a great place to introduce people to my products.” The event helps her find new customers and learn which flavors people like best. She would be happy to see the festival become even bigger or last longer.
Bill Corrado of The Spice Beast from Campbell Hall, NY, a seller of hot sauces, spice rubs and an everything-bagel seasoning, agreed that the festival brings people together. He said some customers come to the festival specifically to buy his hot sauce. One year when he missed the event, customers let him know they were disappointed.
“I was getting yelled at because I missed it,” he joked. For a small business, having customers look for you from year to year is a good sign. Corrado said he wouldn’t mind seeing the festival grow even larger.
OTHER TREATS Sally Porter says she does excellent business at the festival. Abby Olivo photo
Sally Porter from Lilly Bear Treats, a business that sells dog treats, also said the festival is good for small businesses. She praised the festival’s social media and advertising for attracting visitors. She said she sells more dog treats at the Bagel Festival than at many other events she attends.
From bagels and jam to hot sauce and dog treats, the festival offered something for just about everyone – and gave local and small businesses a chance to meet lots of new customers along the way.
A YEN FOR THE HEN B’kawk Festival attendees peruse the booths along Main Street in Parksville. Oriah Diaz photo
Fine feathered festival makes 5th visit to P’ville
By Oriah Diaz | Manor Ink
POULTRY PALS Festival cofounders Adrian and Todd Perlmutter pause to pose for the Ink’s reporter while supervising the B’kawk doings. Oriah Diaz photo
The assignment? Find out about a festival dedicated to chickens – and the effort to make Parksville popular again.
On Saturday, Aug. 15, Manor Ink got the chance to visit the fifth annual B’kawk Festival in Parksville. The festival was created to raise awareness of Parksville, a once-thriving town that became much quieter after the highway bypassed it, and to bring people of all ages together. It was a great success!
People from all over Sullivan County came together to celebrate one thing everybody loves: chickens! By the second weekend in August, the B’kawk Festival was ready to roll. With vendors, contests, games, food and art, the festival had it all.
Multiple rounds of chicken bingo took place throughout the day. There was also a crowing contest to see who could b’kawk the best. Delicious food from local restaurants, an amazing variety of vendors and live music made visitors want to stay.
When Manor Ink spoke with husband-and-wife co-hosts Adrian and Todd Perlmutter, Adrian shared her hopes for the future of the B’kawk Festival and Parksville itself. She also shared some of Parksville’s history.
“Back in the day, Parksville was huge. There were businesses on every block, every corner,” Adrian said. “There were bungalow colonies, bars, butchers and bakeries. It was a really thriving town, and it has kind of died over the last couple of years because of the highway and a bunch of other things. But we’re trying to bring it back.”
CHICKEN RHYTHM The band Your Majesty, one of four groups to appear, entertains the crowd at the festival. Oriah Diaz photo
Along with organizing the festival, the Parksville Arts Center has been working to bring people back to Parksville. It has also sponsored the Too Short To Suck Film Festival and The Decrepit Ghouls, a haunted cruise held in October.
The Parksville Arts Center has also begun renovating an old building in town, creating a new café and bar called The Laughing Cat. After some setbacks caused by difficulty finding contractors, it is expected to open later this year.
The B’kawk Festival was great fun and very family-friendly. If you did not go this year, you should go next year! A portion of the proceeds from the festival also help support various projects in Parksville.