Sanborn-Lewiston Farm Museum Fest starts today

by Susan Mikula Campbell
Lewiston Porter Sentinel, August 16, 2008

Have you ever danced a reel at a barn dance, watched a blacksmith at work or had a chance to see farm equipment from days long past?

The Sanborn-Lewiston Farm Museum Festival this weekend will be offering that and much more, starting at 9 a.m. both Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 16 and 17.

This is the fourth year for the Farm Festival, but the event will also serve as the official grand opening of the museum at 2660 Saunders Settlement Road, where an old barn and a new barn house artifacts from Niagara County’s farming past.

Linda Jackson, historical society board member and curator of the museum, said this year’s Farm Festival will offer many new activities.

Among them is a barn dance, starting at 7 p.m. Saturday, followed by fireworks at about 9:45 p.m. The barn dance actually will be under a huge tent on the museum grounds, since the barns are full of displays. Paul Rosenburg of Albany will be bringing his band, Homespun, for contra dancing, including Virginia reels and square dancing.

“I guess he’s very good at getting people on their feet and dancing,” Jackson said.

Also new are Civil War re-enactors, wine tasting, artisan demonstrations, such as blacksmithing, and both regular and antique flea markets on both days. There will be a pulled pork barbecue dinner for $6.50 from 2 to 6 p.m. Saturday and a pancake breakfast for $5 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday. The Historical Society will be raffling a 26-inch flat screen television and $50 gift cards for gas at 3 p.m. Sunday.

There’s also a bake sale on Saturday that may go into Sunday if it’s not sold out. Norma Lewis says she is just one of about 40 people volunteering to bake for the sale. She alone is planning to bring zucchini bread, rhubarb bread, sour cream cookies, molasses cookies, apple pie, and “I don’t know what else.”

“I think the Historical Society is a wonderful organization for Sanborn. They’re doing a terrific job,” said Lewis. “It should be a nice weekend.”

“I’m so excited, I can’t sleep. I just can’t wait for people to see what we have to offer,” said Jackson earlier this week. She said the old-fashioned affair will give people the chance “to get together and talk, just like old times.”

Admission to the Farm Festival and parking are free. Overflow parking will be at nearby West Street Elementary School, with a shuttle bus on hand to bring visitors to the museum grounds.