Ransomville celebrations include parade, faire

By Terry Duffy

Editor-in-Chief

The Town of Porter “Hometown Heroes” banners are returning for 2024; enjoyable weather is once again upon us; and the annual Ransomville Flag Day Parade and Community Faire will return to the hamlet starting at 11 a.m. Saturday, June 8.

Presented by Ransomville resident Ruth Ann Buzzard, this year’s parade recognizes the 100th anniversary of the Ransomville Volunteer Fire Co. and The Shriners. Look for Ransomville VFC members with their historical No. 1 truck and 100-year insignias; and the Ismailia Shriners, whose Allegany Shrine Club mini karts will perform at the parade.

The event opens at O. Leo Curtiss American Legion Post 830, 2589 Youngstown Lockport Road (Route 93), and continues to the Ransomville Free Library at 3733 Ransomville Road.

According to Buzzard, this decades-old community celebration traces its beginnings to 1969, where students of the former W.H. Stephenson Elementary School celebrated Flag Day with a parade on the school grounds. The annual celebration ended in 2014 with the closing of Stephenson by the Wilson School District. It returned in 2016 as a community affair coordinated by Buzzard with assistance from a number of local interests.

With a theme of “All Things Big and Small,” look for appearances by a number of area veterans’ organizations, including O. Leo Curtiss American Legion Post 830, VFW Lake Ontario Post 313 of Youngstown, VFW Downriver Post 7487 of Lewiston, American Legion Post 836 of Wilson, the Niagara Station U.S. Coast Guard in Youngstown, and the New York Amy National Guard Humvee unit.

The parade will include a number of attractions along its route. Look for displays by the New York State Police; performances by the MacKenzie Highlanders’ Pipes and Drum corps; members of the Cambria Boy Scouts Troop 8 and Girl Scout Troop 70066; and the USA float featuring “Piano Man” Dennis Gallagher with 50 U.S. flags by marchers.

Also, appearances by Ransomville Speedway drivers and Miss Ransomville; KIPO Motors; R&K Motorsports; the Inspired Americans; the Ransomville Garden Club; Prime Time Brass; and displays by Farmers Feed America; National Society Descendants of American Farmers; Sunflowers of Sanborn and the Niagara County 4-H Auction Kids.

Joining in will be the Ransomville Business Association; Ransomville Chiropractic; the Hoover’s Dairy cow float; Niagara County Sheriff’s Office units, including mounted patrol and emergency response Bearcat; the Roy-Hart FFA; the Renegades Lancaster Band; ABC Preschool kids; and a special visit from Santa.

The community faire celebration gets underway Thursday, June 6, with a performance of 90 West, presented by the Ransomville Free Library, from 7-9 p.m. Servings of food, drinks and ice cream are expected to be available for the concert. A three-day book sale and basket auction by Friends of the Ransomville Library also begins this night.

Activities continue from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and include a plant sale by the Ransomville Garden Club; the Friends of the Ransomville Library book sale and basket auction; music with Monte and Marsha from Step in Time; the Hot Country Line Dancers; the Shenandoah Acres Petting Farm; clowns and face-painting.

For more information, visit the Ransomville Free Library or Upward Niagara Chamber of Commerce on Facebook; or contact Buzzard at 716-791-4585.

Members of the Ransomville Volunteer Fire Co. will be among the many participants expected at next Saturday’s annual Ransomville Flag Day celebration and community faire. (Photo by K&D Action Photo & Aerial Imaging)