Archive: Around Town

For a town without a town center, Lansing is all about community.  August provides an opportunity for the community to celebrate itself with the third annual Lansing Harbor Festival .  The festival takes over all of Myers Park for the day and offers live music, vendors, food, and activities in a family friendly atmosphere.  This year's festival is a week from Saturday, August 15th.

"We're using the whole park this year," says festival chairwoman Karen Veaner.  "We'll be starting off first thing in the morning with the Lighthouse Run.  It's a 5K race sponsored by The Holiday Inn and Fingerlakes Running Company.  All the proceeds from this run will benefit the Lansing High School Varsity Cross Country team."


The run is only one of the new features this year.  A 'fun run' will proceed the 5K race.  A teen pavilion will feature a DJ and karaoke.  The newly formed Lansing Farmers Market will move from its usual spot in front of the Town Hall to the festival for one day only.  Car Pride will display vintage cars, the Lansing Fire Department will provide a demonstration on the point, and Town Historian Louise Bement will lead a tour of Salt Point.

July marked the 50th anniversary of Myers Park.  A celebration is scheduled for 3:30pm with balloons and cake.  Harris B. Dates will be in town for the celebration.  Dates was Lansing Town Supervisor when Myers Point was donated to the town and the park was first formed.

The centerpiece of the festival is the live music, and this year's lineup won't disappoint. This year's lineup includes the Ithaca New Orleans Dixieland Jazz Band, The Urban Horse Thieves, Blue Sky Mission Club, The Po'Boys Brass Band, and The Burns Sisters.  WHCU's Dave Vieser is the Master of Ceremonies all day, filling in with recorded music between the bands.


More than 50 vendors are already lined up, and booth space is available almost until the last minute.  The festival only allows one of a kind of food to insure there will be variety at the park.  'Vendor Row' provides a way for local businesses and not-for-profits to participate in the festival and being more visible in the community.  The Floating Classroom will be back this year to offer an eco-cruise on the lake.  And the second annual sand castle contest for kids is set for 4pm.

The festival is hosted by the Lansing Community Council.  This volunteer group funnels money from the Tompkins County United Way into local programs such as Lansing Youth Services, the Recreation Department, Older Adults Program, and Drop-In Center.  Since it was reconstituted three years ago the council has raised additional monies for the library, the schools, and for special projects.


One such project is the North Log Cabin.  Built near the corner of Conlon and Searles Roads in 1791, the cabin spent 50 years at the Cayuga Museum in Auburn until it was disassembled and brought home to Lansing in 2007.  The Community Council has raised over $13,000 since the beginning of June to reassemble it at a location in Myers Park.  While it was hoped that it could be completed before the festival, the site will be on display, as well as a time line telling about the history of the cabin.

The third annual Baker Cup Chicken Barbecue Sauce Contest will pit Lansing's outdoor chefs against each other for this year's title and the honor of being listed on the giant chicken trophy that is on display the the Town Hall.  In that vein the Community Council is raffling a beautiful (and big!) barbecue, currently on display in the Town Hall.

Auxiliary parking is available at Lansing High School with busses running between the parking lot and the park starting at noon.  As always admission to the festival is free, though donations are most welcome.


The best part of the Harbor Festival is that it is a fun way to celebrate and participate in the Lansing community.  There is too much to list here, but the Harbor Festival Web Site (http://www.lansingharborfest.org ) is constantly updated as activities are set.  You don't have to live in Lansing to take part.  It's a mellow day with plenty to do if you want to, or you can just enjoy one of the region's most beautiful parks.  From the opening ceremony at 10am to the final band there is something for everyone, right here in one of the best spots on Cayuga Lake.

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