FRANKLINVILLE — It’s a rite of spring and the first of the year’s outdoor festivals in Cattaraugus County — the 56th annual Western New York Maple Festival.
Michael Brisky, the former Franklinville town supervisor, is again serving as publicity chairman for this year’s Maple Festival. Briskey, who now serves as a Cattaraugus County elections commissioner, has been working on Maple Festival committees for the past 10 years.
“We’re looking for warm, dry weather,” Brisky said in an interview Friday.
Preparations ramp up this week with the Maple King and Queen Contest kicking things off Thursday night in the high school auditorium starting at 7 o’clock. Admission is free. Tickets for fundraising baskets will be on sale for $1.
Families returning to the festival this weekend all have a favorite place they want to visit, officials said.
New visitors will also enjoy the maple-themed weekend centered on the Franklinville Elementary School grounds. Many families make a beeline to the cafeteria where the Maple Festival Committee is serving up sausage and pancake breakfasts with plenty of local maple syrup from Wright’s Maple Farm up the road in nearby Farmerville.
There’s no missing the star of the show, the maple products tent at the entrance to the elementary school, where local maple syrup, maple sugar, maple candy, maple butter and other products are for sale.
Tent-covered booths line the elementary school driveway and front lawn. Maple products are sold from a booth — you can’t miss because of the line.
Brisky said the traditional pancake, sausage and maple syrup breakfast is a crowd pleaser — inside where it’s always warm and dry.
The Maple Parade featuring the Maple King and Queen, starts at 11 a.m. Saturday. Online registration forms for floats are available on the town’s website and the WNY Maple Festival Facebook page. Last year there were about 40 parade entries.
Sunday’s SAPS 5K and 10K Race/Walk will start at 9 a.m. Sunday. Registration starts at 8 a.m.
All the familiar attractions and some newer ones will be at the Maple Festival. Weather permitting, helicopter rides will again be offered starting at 11 a.m. for a birds-eye view of the festival grounds.
Attractions aren’t limited to the immediate school grounds.
An antique engine show will be Saturday across from the fire hall and the Ischua Valley Historical Society will have an open house at the Miner’s Cabin from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
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(Contact reporter Rick Miller at rmiller@oleantimesherald.com. Follow him on Twitter, @RMillerOTH)
