PHOTOS: Gary Clark Jr. at Artpark

Summer starts with a sizzle, not a shower

God loves Lewiston.

So said officials at the Memorial Day parade and observance ceremony on Monday. Despite rain surrounding the village – both geographically and at show times – showers held off, allowing events to proceed as planned.

The annual occurrence was one of many activities that took place over the weekend long considered the start of summer.

Smeltfest in Lewiston (click for more photos)

•Friday night brought the Smeltfest back to Water Street and the foot of the Griffon Brewery & Gastropub. This season’s first festival was hosted by the Upward Niagara Chamber of Commerce in cooperation with the Griffon and DiMino’s Lewiston Tops. The popular fish was deep-fried and served for a nominal fee.

•On Saturday, the Artpark Mainstage Theater room was filled with people who know good music. They gathered together to celebrate the sounds of guitar maven Gary Clark Jr. The Grammy Award-winning blues artist is the first of myriad acts celebrating Artpark & Company’s 50th anniversary season. For more than a decade, Clark has achieved and maintained a global impact, starting with his Warner Records debut album “Blak And Blu,” continuing with 2015’s “The Story Of Sonny Boy Slim,” and into 2019 with “This Land” – his third full-length studio album, which bowed at No. 6 on the Billboard 200. Clark has performed on “Saturday Night Live,” “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,” “Jimmy Kimmel Live!,” “Good Morning America,” “CBS This Morning,” “NBC’s Today,” “Late Night with Seth Meyers,” “The Daily Show with Trevor Noah” and “The Howard Stern Show.” His cover of “Come Together” was the end song in the DC Comics hit “Justice League.” Clark just completed his fourth and most compelling body of work to date, titled “JPEG RAW,” which released in March.

Lewiston Cemetery dedications (click for more photos)

•Sunday afternoon saw two dedications at the Village of Lewiston Cemetery. The first was for the Van Cleve family and featured the undraping of a veterans memorial in the cemetery section next to the old church. Town of Wheatfield Historian Justin Higner portrayed Capt. Van Cleve and told the background story of the Van Cleves. Claudia Werth Carnes portrayed the widow Rev. Mrs. Smith, mourning the Van Cleves and the veterans who have since passed. Later, in the Oakwood section, there was a dedication and blessing of a veterans memorial flagpole and memorial bench. The VFW honor guard was present for the raising of the colors. Village Historian Russ Piper collected the memorial pieces and coordinated the unveiling.

Memorial Day (click for more photos)

•Then on Monday morning, military members, first-responders, local elected leaders, Scouts, dancers, musicians and student athletes highlighted the Center Street procession to Academy Park and the “Circle of Honor” veterans memorial. Following the parade, patrons paid tribute to their fallen comrades. A free luncheon, courtesy of the Brickyard family of restaurants, followed the ceremony.

(Photos by Joshua Maloni)