15th annual 'Key to the Locks' award ceremony in Lockport

The 15th Annual “Key to the Locks” award ceremony will take place Saturday, Sept. 26, at the Lockport Locks District. The celebration will feature music by the Heenan Brothers, and the presentation of the “Key to the Locks” award at 10 am, in the Lockport Locks, accessible off Canal Street.

A press release said the award will honor the hard work and dedication of Bill and Peggy Mayberry, who give back to the community by taking care of the grounds and planting impressive flowerbeds on Canal Street in order to preserve and promote the beauty of the historic Erie Canal.

Past award winners include: 2006, Michael W. Tucker and Robin Brock; 2007, David Kinyon; 2008, Jane Whitmore; 2009, Clinton J. Starke; 2010, Becky Burns; 2011, Joseph A. Whalen; 2012, Jeffery Degnan; 2013, Carol Schmelz; 2014, Rosemary Bernard; 2015, Dianne Koplas; 2016, Joel M. Beyer; 2017, David M. Chatt; 2018, Charlene Bower; 2019, John McKee.

This event is free and will be followed by the Locks Tender’s Tribute, at 11 a.m., to honor and remember those who worked tirelessly, 12 hours a day, in order to enable boats and freights to navigate through the “Flight of Five” Locks more than 150 years ago. There will also be lock tender demonstrations in the Lockport Locks from noon until 2 p.m., where visitors can get a first-hand look at how the locks are moved by hand in order to open the five-ton wooden lock gates.

The Lockport Community Market will be at Lockview Plaza, 21 Main St., from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. People can buy fresh produce and other Lockport made items.