The 10th annual Rome Rotary Club Canalfest will feature new and expanded events, as well as old favorites, during the three-day festival Friday through Sunday at Bellamy Harbor Park.
The festival will run from 5-10 p.m. Friday; and from noon to 10 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
A dollar donation is recommended for admission and festival goers are encouraged to bring lawn chairs as seating is limited.
New this year will be a bicycle stunt show with performances by Chris Clark on Sunday with shows at 1, 3 and 5:30 p.m.
Also new this year is an antique quilt show, illustrating the progress of quilt making over the years. The quilt show runs the whole weekend in the boathouse.
The photography contest has been expanded to include multiple cash awards for both amateur and student photographs, black and white and color.
Marking the tenth year of the Canalfest will be a special cookie contest Saturday with prize money for the winning cookie and guest judges from local bakeries and restaurants.
The canal will be the scene again of the ski show, regatta, fishing derby and half of the biathlon. The ski show features skiers from Camp Mohawk Valley Water Ski School demonstrating flips, jumps and pyramids. Show times are Saturday at 3 and 7 p.m.
The fishing derby will be held Saturday with registration at 7:30 a.m. followed by the derby at 8 a.m. The derby is open to all ages in both game and non-game categories with cash prizes. Entrants must be registered and have a valid fishing license to compete.
The Anything But a Boat Regatta and Parade will start at 2 p.m. The event features homemade boats, and entries must meet some specific requirements, namely that they are powered by human energy only and utilize no standard boat parts. Age restrictions apply.
Following the regatta is the annual biathlon at 5 p.m., a 2K kayak race and 5K run, featuring both team and individual categories. The competitions include a parent/child category and a category just for children. There are some age restrictions as well, and an entry fee is required.
For landlubbers, and their four-footed friends, there is the Who Let the Dogs Out show Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Canines will compete in a variety of contests. The K-9 Survivor Recognition will also be included this year.
New this year will be Favorite Celebrity Couple with dog couples dressing as Sonny and Cher or Fred and Wilma Flintstone and also Paw Readings by Madame B, aka Barb Acchino. Dogs are also the stars of the hot dog eating contest Saturday at 2 p.m.
Among other events, there is also the annual flower show in the boathouse. This year’s theme is "The Way We Were."
The festival also features a number of other events and activities, from music by bands Whisper, Stop Seven Band, East Shore All Stars Band and Seven Bridges Band to a dance show. There are raffles, amusement rides, costumed characters, food, crafters, face painting, children’s activities and nightly fireworks.
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Started in 2003 by the Rome Rotary Club, the festival provides a summer weekend of activities for the whole family while raising money for community projects.
The community service programs include the Rome Rotary Scholarship program, the Rotary Rome Free Academy Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps Scholarship program and the Rotary Kids’ Christmas Party, which provides more than 100 local children with coats, boots, presents and more.
Additional information, including entry forms for individual events and full contest details for events, is available at the Canalfest website at romerotaryny.org/canal. Or visit Rome Rotary’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/RomeRotary.
