2013 Falling Leaves Festival Guide

C1 ■ 2013 Falling Leaves Festival Oct. 3-9, 2013 ■ The Salamanca Press

BY RICH PLACE

Managing Editor

Salamanca — For the first time in nearly a decade, the reigns and responsibilities of Salamanca’s most popular festival are again in the hands of city officials.

And despite the relatively short turnaround time — members of the city and volunteers didn’t take charge of the event until late May — event organizers are confident in their prepa-rations as the city hosts the 36th annual Falling Leaves Festival this weekend.

“Since we took it over it just seems that it has clicked,” said Janet Koch, event coordinator. “People knew they had a limited amount of time this year and we want a great festival. To me it seems they put a lot of work into a small amount of time.”

It has been a unique year for the city’s most established festival. Plans had been for the Seneca Salamanca Chamber of Commerce to again organize the event as it has for the past several years. But when it announced it would move the event to Allegany State Park this year, the mayor’s office and Common Council took control in May.

“We’ve already got a good response from the people saying they are glad we brought it back to Salamanca,” said Mayor Carmen Vecchiarella.

A change in the festival’s coordinating body

is nothing new. Various groups have organized the event since it was founded by the Salamanca Positive Action Committee (SPAC) in 1976, including the chamber, the mayor’s office and passionate volunteers.

Vecchiarella himself served as a co-chairper-son first in 1990 and lived up to a campaign promise during his first stint as mayor by bring-ing the festival back in 1998 following a two-year absence.

But for the first time, it was the city’s Common Council which took charge of the event this year. Each aldermen was assigned a duty — such as parade organization or vendor coordination, for example — and asked to create subcommittees comprised of volunteers.

“That was perfect,” Koch said. “It was really organized. As coordinator, I didn’t have to go to 50 people. I just had to go to each aldermen and, if I had any further questions, I could go to their main people.”

The main hurdle event organizers had to overcome was working on a short schedule. By the time they assumed responsibilities of the festival in late May, only about four months remained until the event.

Loose ends had to be tied up with the cham-ber, such as parade applicants and any vendors

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

Friday, October 4

Saturday, October 5

Sunday, October 6

Tailgate PartySalamanca Junior-Senior High School Parking Lot

Salamanca Warriors Varsity Football Game vs. SouthwesternVeteran’s Memorial Park

Food Vendors, Beer Tent & “I Got It!”Jefferson Street Park

5 - 6:30 p.m.

7 p.m.

5 - 7 p.m.

Pancake BreakfastUnited Congregational Methodist Church

Cancer Awareness 5K WalkVeteran’s Memorial Park — Registration at 9 a.m.

Food & Craft Vendors, Beer Tent, “I Got It”Jefferson Street Park

Quilt ShowSeneca Ray Evans Theatre

Falling Leaves Festival Car CruiseMain Street between Atlantic and River — Registration at 9 a.m.

YMCA Bounce House, Obstacle Course, Balloon Animals, Face Painting & Petting ZooSalamanca Youth Center & Jefferson Street Park

Cattaraugus County Sheriff ’s Children Identification CenterSalamanca Youth Center

Salamanca Pee Wee & Midget Football vs. FranklinvilleCrowley Park

“Minute to Win It” CompetitionJefferson Street Park

Elvis Impersonator Terry BuchwaldJefferson Street Park

Falling Leaves Festival Dance featuring Fat BratSalamanca American Legion

8 - 10 a.m.

10 a.m.

10 a.m. - 7 p.m.

11 a.m. - 7 p.m.

11 a.m. - 3 p.m.

1 - 4 p.m.

1 - 4 p.m.

1 p.m.

1 - 2:30 p.m.

4 - 7 p.m.

9 p.m. - 1 a.m.

BreakfastSalamanca Area Senior Center

Bald for Bucks FundraiserJefferson Street Park

Food & Craft Vendors, Beer Tent & “I Got It”Jefferson Street Park

Senior 3-on-3 Basketball TournamentProspect Elementary School

Quilt ShowSeneca Ray Evans Theatre

“Minute to Win It” CompetitionJefferson Street Park

Falling Leaves Festival Grande ParadeMain Street to Simon Bolivar Triangle Park

9 - 11 a.m.

10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

10 a.m. - 6 p.m.

11 a.m.

11 a.m. - 5 p.m.

11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m & 3:30 - 5 p.m.

2 p.m.

This guide presented to you by supporting advertisers and

Salamanca PressThe

FESTIVAL, C6

C2 ■ Falling Leaves Oct. 3-9, 2013 ■ The Salamanca Press

Submitted photo(From left) Bob Rusiniak, first place winner in the 50 and older age group, and Ean Isaac, first place winner in the 30 and older age group, following the Salamanca ACHIEVE 5K Run held Saturday, Sept. 28. The annual run was the first event in this year’s Falling Leaves Festival.

Winners announced in ACHIEVE 5K

Haylei John crowned 2013 Falling Leaves Festival QueenBY AMANDA GRABOWSKI

Lifestyles Editor

Salamanca — Seventeen-year-old Haylei John was chosen to wear the crown of Falling Leaves Festival Queen at pageant ceremonies held Sunday. She is the daughter of Mindy John and is a senior at Salamanca High School, where she is president of her class. Haylei is secretary of the National Honor Society, vice president of Distributive Education Clubs of America, founding member of Sources of Strength, editor of the school newspaper and the yearbook. She is also nominee for Empire Girls State and a member of Spanish and Science National Honor Society, Student Council and Model UN. Her community service includes “Gotta Kiss Cancer Goodbye,” journalist/photographer for Governor Andrew Cuomo’s meeting, volunteering at the nursing home, serving as a reader at Our Lady of Peace Parish and participating in the Cystic Fibrosis Walk.

Haylei’s future plans are to major in International Studies with a minor in Spanish.

The curtain opened on the stage of the Ray Evans Seneca Theatre to reveal 11 formally attired contestants from the ages of 12 to 18. One of the first things people noticed was that tra-ditional fall colors used in the stage decorations were replaced by lush banks of pink mums in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, donated by Pleasant Valley Nursery.

Sue Labuhn served as mistress of ceremonies and introduced the contestants, including: Alex Caputi, Tristyn Carpenter, Rachel Dulanski Ashley Fisher, Heylei John, Colleen McClure, Alicia Meek, Tiffany Nary, Leaudra Sarver, Rhayne Smith and Karomi Whitcomb.

Judges were: Maxine Dowler, Marylyn Harvey, Laura Howard, Anthony Lisi and Sandy Magiera who began the judg-ing process by interviewing each girl at a special Mother/Daughter Tea held at Myers Steak House. Additional interview questions were asked of each contestant on stage during the pageant. Scores were tabulated by Lori Lisi, pageant director, and Nicole Smalls Crouse.

Committee members also included Linda Freaney, Dana Jackson, Jordan Papa, Janette McClure, Dale Wymer and Bill Labuhn. Special thanks were extended to Rae Yaworski for the use of Transitions Salon where hair and makeup were by Paige Deponceau, Jordon Papa and Jessica Caputi.

Awards were distributed by 2010 Queen Geena Maybee. Other former queens attending the ceremonies included Amberle Hutchison Edwards (2002) and Ellen Nary Boyd (2004) and Jordan Papa (2006).

Press photo by Amanda GrabowskiWinners of the Falling Leaves Festival Pageant for 2013 were: Haylei John, Queen; Colleen McClure, First Runner Up; Alex Caputi, Second Runner Up; Rachel Dulanski, Third Runner Up; and Alicia Meek, Fourth Runner Up. Falling Leaves Festival Princess winners were Rhayne Smith and Karomi Whitcomb. Winners of the “Best Thank You Letter to the Sponsors” awards were Haylei John and Alicia Meek. Mom’s Choice for Miss Congeniality were Tristyn Carpenter and Ashley Fisher. Contestants Choice for Miss Congeniality were Haylei John and Alicia Meek. Additional contestants were Leaudra Sarver and Tiffany Nary. Crown Bearer was Branson Crouse and Flower Girl was Loriana Papa.


1976The first year of Salamanca’s

festival opened with a carnival on Thursday on the tannery lot near Loblaws Supermarket — site now of the Salamanca Public Library — and a con-cert by the Golden Age Kitchen Band on Friday.

“One of the larger carnivals to visit the city in recent years, the show contains a midway packed with games and booths, high flying rides for thrill seekers, kiddie rides, food stands and even a brightly lit fun house,” noted the Salamanca Republican-Press.

On Saturday, Ted’s Bakery hosted a doughnut cutting competition, where Ted Leaskey tried to set the world record for donut cutting. Fentier Village’s grounds were open for the first time in six years on Saturday for picnick-ing, public inspection and a view of the city from above and other activities included a doughnut eating contest, a children’s dog show in the A&P parking lot and a gym-nastics demonstration.

On Sunday, there was an antique car show at Veteran’s Memorial Park, the Salamanca See-Saws hosted square danc-ing on Main Street in front of the Salamanca Mall, the U.S. Air Force jets conducted a flyover and the festival’s first parade took place with more than 60 units for a 90-minute parade witnessed by upwards of 5,000 people. It formed on Sycamore Avenue and contin-ued along Front Avenue, south on High Street, east on Broad Street and finally north on Main Street to Church Street.

The first Falling Leaves Festival was organized by members of the Salamanca Positive Action Committee (SPAC), led by chairman Paul Formica.

The day following the first festival, organizers called it a “success” and estimated more than 12,000 people visited the festival on Saturday and Sunday.

1977Weather put a damper on

the second annual Falling Leaves Festival, forcing the cancellation of a regatta, street dance and country western dance. The Salamanca Volunteer Fire Company also abruptly canceled a bed race that would have went around the downtown mall after only one entry turned out for the race.

“We’re going to be more firm with the people who commit themselves for proj-ects,” said SPAC chairman Paul Formica the day follow-ing the festival. “Overall the spirit was there, but the weath-er of course we can’t do any-thing about.”

However, the festival was still considered a success. Events included a perfor-mance by the Salvation Army Golden Agers Band in Jefferson Street Park, the Salamanca See Saws square dance at the Holy Cross Athletic Club and a dance attended by several hundred people at the Salamanca American Legion.

Sunday featured an International Food Festival, antique show, demonstrations on Main Street by the See-Saws and YMCA gymnastics teams and a smorgasbord at the Masonic Temple. The parade featured 52 different groups, including 15 marching bands.

About 7,000 people turned out to watch the parade despite cold and rainy weather with temperatures in the mid-40s. The crowd was below SPAC estimates but vendors inside the Salamanca Mall were “delighted by the volume of customers.”

1978Early estimates from the

Salamanca Positive Action Committee noted that atten-dance at the third annual Falling Leaves Festival parade was near 16,000, about double what turned out for the parade the year prior.

“I loved every minute of it,” said a pleased Festival Chairman Rosalee Kalinowski at an after-festival party held at the Elks Lodge. “It was worth all the months of plan-ning.”

The Salamanca Republican-Press did note, however, that the picture was not “entirely rosy.” The SPAC was still about $1,100 in the hole on sponsorship for the festival, according to SPAC Chairman Paul Formica, and the carnival had lower num-bers than anticipated.

New festival events includ-ed a Fun Run and AAU 5K race and a Festival Bed Race that pleased officials with the success. Only one event, the Gong Show, had to be can-celed, which was a great improvement compared to the many canceled the year prior.

“I was very happy with the whole thing,” commented Mayor Ronald J. Yehl. “The festival is growing slowly, but nicely.”

1979Salamanca Positive Action

Committee co-chairman Theresa Leaskey called the fourth annual Falling Leaves Festival the “biggest and best we’ve ever had.” SPAC Chairman Paul Formica esti-mated that nearly 25,000 peo-ple visited the city during the four days of the festival, with more than 10,000 on hand Sunday for the parade.

Damp and cool weather greeted the festival on Friday and Saturday but the sun came out on Sunday.

One of the highlights of the festival was the adoption of Joe Giblin, manager of Fisher’s Big Wheel and presi-dent of the Salamanca Area Chamber of Commerce, as a member of the Seneca Nation of Indians in a ceremony at Jefferson Street Park.

1980Barbara and Alexander

Rosen and Ann Larimore were guests during the fifth annual Falling Leaves Festival. The individuals were families of two American hostages, Barry Rosen and Bill Daugherty, being held in Iran. The decision to invited them was done to “make the 1980 Festival a memorable one for us and for our friends from New York and Ossining,” according to a letter to the edi-tor in the Salamanca Republican-Press written by Lucille Taylor, who met the visitors at the airport.

The fifth annual parade saw approximately 22,000 to 25,000 people witness 56 groups stroll by. Festival co-chairperson Mary Ellen Giblin said following the festival that the highlight was the dinner and dance to honor the hos-tages’ families.

Other events included the traditional marching band competition, kid’s dog show, dance contest, an antique car show and a pie eating contest.

Maria Eddy, 13, was named Miss Falling Leaves Festival in the first such competition at the event.

In an editorial the day fol-lowing the festival, the Salamanca Republican-Press commended the organizing, planning and preparation by the Falling Leaves Festival Committee and encouraged “any civic-minded individual or group to help with next year’s Falling Leaves Festival, (to) take some burden off the handful of people who con-tinually give their time in a spirit of public-mindedness.”

1981Salamanca Positive Action

Committee president Paul Formica said the group was “happy with the turnout for both the parade and festival in general” for the sixth annual Falling Leaves Festival. At 90 minutes, the parade was slight-ly smaller than the previous year and witnessed by 6,000 to 7,000 people.

Events during the festival included traditional booths in both the Salamanca Mall and in Jefferson Street Park, a Firemen’s Parade, ceramic show, tennis and soccer tour-naments, Ann Archer’s Dance Demonstration, a festival dance in the Moose Temple, church services in Jefferson Street Park, a tug-of-war between Salamanca Paid and Volunteer Firemen and the Kill Buck Volunteer Firemen and a smorgasbord at the Masonic Temple.

1982The sponsorship of the sev-

enth annual Falling Leaves Festival were handed over to the Salamanca Area Chamber of Commerce, and Dorothy Dayton, executive secretary for the chamber, commented on the attendance by both out-of-town visitors and hometown folks.

“I felt the overall response of people at the festival resem-bled a ‘rediscovery’ of the old-fashioned fun of visiting with old friends and making new ones amid a great variety of entertainment,” Dayton said. “The business side of the festi-val reflected the economic slowdown, with concessions that sold food staples swamped with sales with more expen-sive, non-essential items found a slower market.”

Weekend events ranged from soccer and tennis tourna-ments to dog, car and photog-raphy shows, a pie-eating con-test and bed race and a con-tinuous videotape showing a new film about Allegany State Park. Rain held off for the weekend until a well-attended Marching Band Field Show on Sunday afternoon.

Also new at the festival this year was special excursions on the New York and Lake Erie Railroad to and from Little Valley.

1983The eighth annual Falling

Leaves Festival was trans-formed into an international event with the Sunday dedica-tion of Triangle Park as Simon Bolivar Triangle Park. The city hosted more than 65 Latin American guests for the day; renaming the park was the city’s way of joining in the bicentennial of Bolivar’s birth.

A new attraction to the festival the fielding of a mus-ter, or the gathering of antique fire apparatus, by the Fentier Village chapter of SPAAMFAA. The event was displayed at Fisher’s Big Wheel’s parking lot in the morning followed by a parade up Broad Street and judging at Crowley Park. John McClune, chapter president, said mem-bers plan to make the muster an annual event.

1984More than 1,200 drawings,

paintings, mobiles and sculp-tures by Salamanca youth were part of the inaugural “Clothesline Art Show” in the Salamanca Mall during the ninth annual Falling Leaves Festival.

Another new festival event was a chili competition, a side-walk event sponsored by Texas Bar and Grille owner Bonita Wulf.

Brisk autumn temperatures failed to deter the enthusiasm of the thousands of people gathered for a 90-minute parade beneath bright sunny skies.

1985Although crowds were

smaller than in previous years, the committee for the 10th annual Falling Leaves Festival agreed the event was success-ful.

A total of 91 food and craft booths were at the festival, and more than 200 meals were served at the sixth annual pan-cake breakfast at the First Congregational Church. The festival dance sold 281 tickets and standing room only was available at midnight.

The Seneca Theatre hosted the second annual Clothesline Art Show, and other events included a fishing derby and soap box derby. About 250 people attended the Sunday evening field competition at Veteran’s Park.

The festival was again sponsored by the Salamanca Area Chamber of Commerce and led by festival co-chair-men Rick and Darlene Hoadley.

1986The 11th annual Falling

Leaves Festival was held a bit earlier that usual, Sept. 12 - 14, and saw smaller crowds likely due to two rainy days.

However, festival co-chair-men Rick and Darlene Hoadley said the festival still made a profit and although crowds were smaller than in previous years, they were con-stant.

“But they might have been doubled, had it not rained,” they said.

Another misfortune other than weather for the 1986 fes-tival was the malfunction of a generator at the carnival, which brought rides to a standstill on Saturday.

The Hoadleys would decline to continue chairing the festival for a third year in 1987.

1987The Salamanca Press

reported the 12th annual Falling Leaves Festival “lured more guests than Salamanca has seen in a long time.”

The biggest obstacle of the festival was dealing with the closure of the Main Street Bridge, which was at the time being constructed. Jerry Lockwood, who was co-chair-man of the festival along with Frank Dragotta, Jr., said “the festival completely lived up to our expectations. We got a real break with the weather.”

They also said they were pleased with the cooperation of citizen volunteers.

All events were concentrat-ed on the south side of the Main Street Bridge, and new activities included a Baby Contest and Gospel Concert. The antique show was held at the Holy Cross Athletic Club, the car show was at Veteran’s Memorial Park and the bed races were held on Broad Street. All three adapted to the bridge situation with the new locations.

1988The three Falling Leaves

Festival co-chairmen — Rev. Robert Odell, Tony Vesneski and Lance Hoag — said the 13th annual festival was the best yet and that there were very happy with the turnout for the weekend.

Officially attendance wasn’t immediately determined, the trio estimated about 15,000 to 20,000 people visited Salamanca during the week-end. Odell said highlights were the parade, Ethnic Dancers and the classic car show.

Another unique aspect of the festival was the grand opening of the Caboose Information Center on Broad Street Extension, the first joint project between the Salamanca City Council and Seneca Nation of Indians Tribal Council.

1989The festival returned to

both sides of the Allegheny River following the opening of the new Main Street Bridge, and festival goers weren’t con-fined to Jefferson Street Park. Most all organizers of the events held during the festival labeled the weekend “a great success.”

“We were lucky with the weather,” said festival co-chairman Tony Carbone. “I was happy to be able to sched-ule events on both sides of the bridge and on both sides of the town.”

Rail Museum director Gerald Fordham said the rail excursion was “one of the best we’ve ever had,” with an esti-mated 600 to 700 people pass-ing through the museum and the “railroad flea market.” The excursion took 200 passengers to Cattaraugus and brought back 175 on Saturday.

The Big Band Revival held a show at the Seneca Theatre on Saturday night with more than 300 in attendance, and the festival’s photography con-test was also on display in the theatre’s gallery. A “jail for bail” fundraiser by the American Cancer Society “detained” many city officials and well known residents and raised more than $900 in the process.

The 5K race and bed race were canceled due to poor par-ticipation and the coaster car race was canceled with just two entries.


Leaves Festival was deemed financially successful, but Tony Carbone, city mayor and also chairman for the parade, was forced to cancel the parade and bed races due to inclement weather.

The weather forced many vendors at Jefferson Street Park to close up shop early and caused a low turnout of par-ticipants at the CCLAA Antique Car Show at Veteran’s Park. However, it was esti-mated 350 people came to the boxing matches and 497 peo-ple registered for the festival dance.

The Tuesday following the festival, it was reported the festival had a net profit of $18,500. The Salamanca Area Chamber of Commerce, which benefitted from the festival, needed a good year for what chamber president Rosalyn Hoag called “survival.”

“We were in the red and still have many debts, but we’re turning things around,” she said about the chamber.

It was also announced that the festival’s chairpersons Carmen Vecchiarella, Lance Hoag and Vonnie Exner would remain chairpersons for the 1991 event.

1991Music filled the air during

the 16th annual Falling Leaves Festival after the Salamanca Area Chamber of Commerce purchased and installed a new sound system. The new system was dedicated during ceremo-nies Friday in memory of the late Edwin “Ned” Fenton, Jr.

“The new system will help promote Salamanca, and while promoting Fentier Village, Ned helped to promote Salamanca,” said Keith Reed over the 11 strategically placed speakers in the business dis-trict.

Activities during the festi-val included coaster car races, Mime Theatre by the Youth Center at Jefferson Street Park, the Dixiecrats perform-ing at the gazebo, the return of a boxing event, a teen street dance on Jefferson Street, a 1992 new car show on Main Street and more.

1992In its 17th year, the Falling

Leaves Festival in 1992 was again deemed a success, with festival chairperson Vonnie Exner stating it was the best carnival, financially, the festival has had in years.

In a unique situation, Gene and Wilma Panter of Muscatine, Iowa served as the parade’s grand marshals. They had been stopped on Route 17 by the Salamanca Area Chamber of Commerce, police and Falling Leaves Festival officials and were given accom-modations at the Dudley Motor Inn courtesy of the chamber.

The parade consisted of about 40 units and formed on Rochester Street, continuing to Main Street, south on Main to Broad Street, west on Broad to Park Avenue and south on Park Avenue where the parade disbanded.


Leaves festival began Friday with the second annual R.C. Hoag Memorial Golf Outing, with a 1994 car donated by O’Laughlin’s as the grand prize for the outing’s Hole-In-One contest. Official opening ceremonies were held Friday evening with a Hawaiian Luau featuring cultural music and the Aloha Dancers at Jefferson Street Park.

Similar to last year’s experi-ment, the chamber again “kid-napped” commuters on Route 17 to be part of the festival, with Floyd and Barbara Plowman, of York, Pa., being guests this year after being pulled over as part of the pro-motion.

Festival officials were pleased with the event, and Mayor Jerry Lockwood, a for-mer festival chairman, said the crowd for the parade was the largest he’d ever seen. Festival organizers also credited the volunteer efforts.

“I have never seen a com-mittee in Salamanca work as hard together as those volun-teers did,” said Elsie Jane Bushnell, who served as the parade’s grand marshal and is credited with originating the Falling Leaves Festival. “They did a terrific job, it was very well coordinated from the beginning to the end. If this is an example of the young peo-ple in Salamanca, we’ve got a lot of good years ahead of us.”

Presiding over the parade were Falling Leaves Festival Queen Kristin Fuller and King Carl Ague, who were crowned at the Salamanca Satellite of the Buffalo Children’s Hospital Variety Club Telethon the pre-vious year.

1994Early estimates had a profit

of “several thousand dollars” for the 19th annual Falling Leaves Festival, according to Salamanca Area Chamber of Commerce Vice President Donna Snyder and Treasurer Ned Fenton III, who served as co-chairs for the event.

The money would be used for operating expenses for the chamber’s office located in a railroad caboose on Broad Street.

The festival was much smaller in 1994, due to several other chamber-sponsored events during the summer not being financially successful.

“It appeared most people enjoyed our efforts in holding a smaller festival, which we tried to contain in and around Jefferson Street Park,” Snyder said.

The carnival had three suc-cessful days, and a highlight of the festival was the annual duck drop, coordinated by County Clerk James K. Griffith. Penny Brown won the duck race and the $1,000 prize.

Celebrating 36 years of the Falling Leaves FestivalA year-by-year synopsis of Salamanca’s most popular weekend

COMPILED BY RICH PLACE Managing Editor

TIMELINE, C4


1995Rain fell on the parade for

the 20th annual Falling Leaves Festival, but the event, which was again sponsored by the Salamanca Area Chamber of Commerce, had successful days on Friday and Saturday.

The duck drop, which had been popular in recent years, encountered problems due to the low level of the Allegheny River. The chamber held a drawing for two dinners about the “murder mystery train” on New York and Lake Erie Railroad in Gowanda.

“Overall the festival was a success and brought a lot of local people downtown with visitors from other areas,” said Chamber President Donna Snyder, who co-chaired the event with Treasurer Ned Fenton III. “We were some-what disappointed that there weren’t more city clubs and groups participating.”

The festival, which was a major fundraiser for the cham-ber, netted the group about a $5,000 profit, early estimates showed.

1996Festival canceled.

1997Festival canceled.

1998The Falling Leaves Festival

returned for its 21st year fol-lowing a two-year absence, and included a parade that was witnessed by 3,000 to 4,000 people and lasted for 45 min-utes.

The festival was brought back to Salamanca based on a mayor’s campaign promise, as Salamanca Mayor Carmen Vecchiarella’s office coordinat-ed the event.

Among the unique attrac-tions included World’s Strongest Man Don Reinhoudt offer motivational thoughts to youngsters and demonstrate breaking boards and driving nails into wood with his hands.

The festival kicked off on Friday and included a live broadcast by WKBW’s Brian Kahle. The weekend included craft and food vendors in Jefferson Street Park and inside the Salamanca Mall on Main Street.

The festival in 1998 marked the first time the event was coordinated directly by the mayor’s office; past years were organized by SPAC, volunteer committees and/or the Salamanca Area Chamber of Commerce.

1999The mayor’s office again

coordinated volunteer efforts for the 22nd annual Falling Leaves Festival, and the week-end was labeled another “great success.”

Salamanca Mayor Carmen Vecchiarella said about 2,000 people turned out for the event on Saturday, which featured arts and craft vendors in the Salamanca Mall, 22 flea mar-ket vendors in front of Cattaraugus Community Action and 15 more arts and crafts vendors in Jefferson Street Park.

The festival’s dance on Saturday night featured Mad Dog and the Howlers. Student musicians from Salamanca High School entertained in the gazebo on Saturday under the direction of Jonathan Wilder.

The parade on Sunday last-ed an hour and 40 minutes and featured 35 unique cars.

2000Fantastic weather, an Elvis

impersonator and other new features brought people into Salamanca for what was deemed an “excellent” 23rd annual Falling Leaves Festival, according to Festival Coordinator Tracy Chamberlain, executive secre-tary to Mayor Carmen Vecchiarella.

Elvis impersonator Sterling Pollaro, of Jamestown, sung in front of a crowd of about 200 people in Jefferson Street Park on Saturday. It was reported in The Salamanca Press than “all the vendors did well and the park and carnival-ride area off Sycamore Street were packed.”

Chamberlain attributed changes in advertising and excellent weather for making the festival “twice as good” as its predecessors.

Other highlights of the fes-tival included a live perfor-mance by Fat Brat, a local classic rock band, and a Sunday afternoon parade featuring homecoming floats of the Salamanca Warriors, unveiled during a football game Saturday night which the Warriors won, 22-14.

2001The weather was nice again,

Sterling Pollaro returned and the 24th annual Falling Leaves Festival was deemed “very suc-cessful even with all the recent tragedies in the United States,” according to Salamanca Mayor Carmen A. Vecchiarella.

About 100 people crowded Jefferson Street Park to see Pollaro, the Elvis imperson-ator, perform for the second year in a row. A 45-minute parade included 20 cars that had been in a car show spon-sored by the Salamanca Area Chamber of Commerce,.

The event was again co-coordinated by Mayor Vecchiarella and Tracy Chamberlain.

2002Tracy Chamberlain, assis-

tant to the mayor, again served as festival coordinator for the 25th celebration, and the Salamanca Area Chamber of Commerce again sponsored the annual car show.

There were 65 entries for the car show and Outlet, a band made up of local high school students, performed in one of their first live settings.

Salamanca Mayor J. Stephen Montgomery and members of the city’s fire department volunteer for a dunk tank in Jefferson Street Park to raise funds for Silver Bells Festival.

2003Rain dampened the 26th

annual festival, with almost an inch coming down over the three-day weekend. However, many indoor events were well attended and Sunday’s parade was dry.

“You can’t predict the weather but we had a lot of vendors and if you could get through the mud at the park hopefully you enjoyed your-self,” said Tracy Chamberlain, festival organizer and city employee.

Salamanca native William “Bill” McClune, who had recently served 23 months ser-vice in the U.S. Naval Reserves, was parade marshal. A fire-works display went off as scheduled on Friday, and heavyweight boxer Baby Joe Mesi attended the Knockout Factory open house and drew a large crowd.

Showers cut short the “Meet the Queen” session with Falling Leaves Queen Breanna Farner and her court and scared off all Friends of Strays pet parade entrants but one — a Jack Russell terrier puppy owned by Paris Sturdevant.

2004The main event for open-

ing night of the 27th annual Falling Leaves Festival was Friday Night at the Fights, featuring Seneca Nation Boxing Club, at Jefferson Street Park. The event includ-ed about a dozen bouts sanc-tioned by USA Boxing.

It was estimated more than 1,000 people attended the boxing matches.

The festival was organized by a committee that included Julie Hamacker and Ross Ledsome, among others. A cute baby contest featured 38 babies and an estimated 2,000 people lined up for the parade on Sunday to view 40 to 50 entries.


Leaves Festival was moved to Veteran’s Memorial Park instead of its usual location on Main Street, a move Salamanca Mayor Jeffrey Pond said had a lot of positive feedback.

It was advertised before the event as an improved festival, with “everything’s double in size,” according to Julie Hamacher, festival chairper-son for the mayor’s office. More than 40 craft vendors and almost 15 food vendors were present at the event.

The most popular attrac-tions included Rochester’s “The Hitmen,” a bugle corps which stopped to dance with residents of The Waters nurs-ing home, a hot dog eating contest, a pie eating contest and traditional bed races.

2006Ray Evans returned to his

hometown for the 29th annu-al Falling Leaves Festival, which was held a bit later than usual on Oct. 13-15. Evans participated in “Que Sera, Sera: The Songs of Livingston and Evans” on Saturday at the Ray Evans Seneca Theatre. It was a full house.

At 91, Evans stopped in Salamanca as part of the show, which included the husband-and-wife team of Karen Benjamin and Alan Chapman in the cabaret performance. With arrangements and accompaniment by Chapman and vocals by Benjamin, Evans was seated stage right in a wingback chair and added background dialogue about each song.

The majority of festival was again held at Veteran’s Memorial Park on Broad Street, including the return of an amateur boxing event orga-nized by the Knockout Factory.

A chili cookoff was held for the first time in years, and other more unique attractions for the 2006 festival included tethered hot air balloon rides and about 45 people partici-pating in a 5K run/walk at Allegany State Park. Music included The LeftOvers and The Oliverios.

Some events were forced to be canceled on Saturday due to rough weather, but about 300 people turned out, accord-ing to Salamanca Area Chamber of Commerce Events and Tourism Manager Jessica Golley.

On Sunday, about 1,000 people turned out for the annual parade, bed races and bands in Vet’s Park.

2007Veteran’s Memorial Park

remained the host of the 30th annual Falling Leaves Festival, and the majority of events scheduled were traditional attractions like past events.

Carnival rides were provid-ed by Hammerel Amusements, a chili cook-off was again held and the Seneca Nation Boxing Club presented a full round of bouts at the Knockout Factory.

The Porcelain Busdrivers performed at the Red Garter Bar and Grill on Saturday, West performed at the American Legion the same night and both The LeftOvers and The Oliverios performed on Sunday.

2008The 31st annual Falling

Leaves Festival was combined with the county’s Bicentennial Parade in 2008 and deemed a success by organizers.

The parade, organized by Donna and Ron Raahauge, made its way down Main and Broad Street, finishing up on Front Avenue near the old Moose Hall. It was reported that the parade was so long, some units were returning to the starting point before oth-ers had begun.

The festival was organized mostly by the Salamanca Area Chamber of Commerce.

2009The festival returned to

Jefferson Street Park by popu-lar demand and included art and craft vendors, live music from local talents, radio sta-tion remote broadcasts and the Falling Leaves Festival Car Show and Cruise-In on Main Street.

“The event was a great suc-cess,” said Jane Paskuly, tour-ism and events manager at the Salamanca Area Chamber of Commerce. “We had more people come last year than this year, but that was because we held the bicentennial celebra-tion in conjunction with the Falling Leaves Festival. This year the festival attracted the most visitors it has on its own.”

2010The 33rd annual Falling

Leaves Festival came only weeks after the city of Salamanca cut dozens of employees due to a stalemate that had existed between the Seneca Nation of Indians and New York State, but the com-munity rallied to keep many events.

Salamanca Area Chamber of Commerce President Jayne Fenton, in a letter to the editor of The Salamanca Press, said the festival would be “an oppor-tunity to build community spirit during our current eco-nomic and social challenges.”

Volunteers rallied to keep the parade on the schedule, although earlier in the month it had appeared it would be canceled. The festival hosted its traditional events in Jefferson Street Park.

2011A strong emphasis was

placed on Salamanca’s rich culture in the 34th annual Falling Leaves Festival, most notably with the inclusion of a Seneca Culture and Heritage Exhibit through the Native Roots Artist Guild.

The addition followed suit with the chamber, which had changed its name from the Salamanca Area Chamber of Commerce to the Seneca Salamanca Chamber of Commerce to emphasize the area’s cultural diversity.

Every event at the festival ran as scheduled except the bed races, which were canceled due to lack of participants. Chamber President Jayne Fenton said “every component of the festival went off like clockwork” but rain, a brisk wind and temperatures in the high 30s and low 40s domi-nated the weekend.

The festival’s queen pag-eant was canceled prior to the weekend due to lack of volun-teers to coordinate the event.


Leaves Festival may have looked much like the 2011 event, but the weather also cooperated for a much higher attendance in 2012.

The Native Roots Artist Guild returned for a second year, joined by a Seneca cul-tural short film presentation and food tasting. Music during the event included the Blue Hounds, Oliverio and Good Ole Boys.

The majority of the event took place at Jefferson Street Park, with additional vendors on the front lawn of Jefferson Street School. The car show was a highlight of the week-end, according to Jenny Ingrao, events specialist for the Seneca Salamanca Chamber of Commerce. Nearly 100 vehi-cles were on display down Main Street and onto Sycamore Avenue.

2013Coordination of the 36th

annual Falling Leaves Festival returned to the hands of the city for the first time in several years, after city officials in May assumed responsibilities of the event from the Seneca Salamanca Chamber of Commerce, which had planned to move the event to Allegany State Park.

Highlights of the festival are expected to include Elvis impersonator Terry Buchwald, more than 70 arts, crafts and food vendors, a walk to raise awareness and money for can-cer research and a weekend-long “Minute to Win It” com-petition.

TIMELINE from C3

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Salamanca Homecoming Events

Thursday, October 3Girls Soccer vs. Olean High

Swimming vs. Panama

Friday, October 4Girls Tennis vs. Maple Grove

Boys’ Soccer vs. Cassadaga Valley

Tailgate Party, Salamanca Junior-Senior High School Parking Lot

Football vs. Southwestern

Saturday, October 5Sabers Pee Wee Football vs. Franklinville (Midgets follow)

Warriors Pee Wee Football vs. Cattaraugus (Midgets follow)

1 p.m.

6:30 p.m.

BY SAM WILSON

Sports Editor

Salamanca — The Falling Leaves Festival coin-cides with a busy homecoming weekend for Salamanca’s high school homecoming games.

Friday night at 7 p.m., the Warriors’ football team takes on Southwestern at Veteran’s Park. The Warriors (3-1) edged rival Springville 8-7 last week to rebound from their first loss of the season a week prior in Fredonia.

The Southwestern Trojans (2-2) find themselves on a two-game skid, losing to Olean, 32-16, Sept. 20 and Fredonia, 28-21, Sept. 27.

Before the action on the gridiron, the Warriors’ boys’ soccer game (5-4 through

Monday) has its homecoming game, kicking off against Cassadaga Valley at 4:30 p.m.

At 4 p.m. Friday, Salamanca’s girls’ tennis team takes on Maple Grove.

Thursday, the Warriors’ girls’ soccer and swimming

teams are each in action. The girls’ soccer team hosts Olean for a 4:30 p.m. start and the swimmers face Panama at 5:30 p.m.

Saturday, the local sports weekend concludes with a pair of youth football matchups.

The Salamanca Sabers’ Pee Wees play Franklinville at 1 p.m. before the midgets and the Warriors Pee Wees take on Cattaraugus at 6:30.

Festival coincides with Homecoming Weekend

Press photo by Sam WilsonThe Warriors’ varsity football team returns for Homecoming after a 3-1 start, playing their last two games on the road.


BY RICH PLACE

Managing Editor

Salamanca — When each city aldermen was assigned a different task for the organiza-tion of this year’s Falling Leaves Festival, Sandy Magiera, Ward 4, knew what she want-ed to do.

Along with its decision to originally move the festival to Allegany State Park, the Seneca Salamanca Chamber of Commerce said this year’s festival would include cancer awareness events to celebrate both the city’s and the American Cancer Society’s 100th anniversaries.

When the city took the festival over in May, the idea of promoting cancer awareness was an idea Magiera wanted to keep.

“I liked the idea of painting the city pink and doing the cancer walk because I’m a cancer survivor,” she said. “So that’s why I got the responsibilities.”

During the summer, Magiera and Sandi Brundage, director of the Salamanca Youth Center, have worked with a group of other vol-unteers to coordinate the Cancer Awareness 5K Walk, scheduled for Saturday at 10 a.m. at Veteran’s Memorial Park.

The volunteers have also organized the effort to “paint the city pink” by tying pink rib-bons on a large majority of trees and light poles downtown. In addition, some storefronts on Main Street will be decorating their win-dows.

Magiera said the events are intended to raise both money and awareness for all types of cancer, although the pink color corresponds with Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October. Funds raised from the walk on Saturday, including the $5 donation for admis-

sion, will be donated to the American Cancer Society and Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Magiera said.

Organizing the event is her way of giving back to organizations that helped her beat breast cancer eight years ago.

“When I went through it I’ve always want-ed to do something to give back,” she said. She also remembers the support the city gave her while she was going through the battle with cancer. At the time, she was still a business owner for Mongillo’s Superette on the corner of Clinton and Summit streets.

“I had so much support from other business people and customers that we had,” she said. “They would send me cards, offer to give me rides, give me a hug if I needed it. It was tough going through it but without the support of the people it would have been a lot harder.”

She has also had other relatives battle can-cer, including a niece who passed away, and wanted to organize a fundraising event like the walk to honor the ones who have beaten can-cer, support those who are fighting it and remember those who lost the battle, she said.

The event on Saturday will include the releasing of balloons and a walk that will stretch from Veteran’s Memorial Park to the Seneca Nation Health Clinic and back.

Magiera is hoping to get 100 people to par-ticipate in the event. She said the Seneca Nation has also been helpful in the event’s planning and she expects several members of the Nation there as well.

The Cancer Awareness 5K Walk is sched-uled to being at 10 a.m. at Veteran’s Memorial Park. Registration begins at 9 a.m. and a mini-mum $5 donation is requested.

Submitted photoCourtney Parmenter, 8, helped tie pink ribbons around Salamanca recently. According to Sandi Brundage, director of the Salamanca Youth Center, Parmenter rode her bike down the sidewalk to inquire about the ribbons and wanted to help because she had family members pass due to cancer. The Cancer Awareness Walk is Saturday, Oct. 5.

City turning pink for Falling Leaves Festival; 5K walk planned

2013 Falling Leaves Festival Parade Lineup

1. Salamanca Police Car

2. Salamanca American Legion Color Guard Post 535

3. Iroquois American Legion Color Guard Post 587

4. Grand Marshal: Theresa Banton

5. Mayor Carmen Vecchiarella & Seneca Nation President Barry Snyder

6. Enchanted Mountains American Legion Riders

7. Salamanca FLF Queen and Court

8. Salamanca Area Historical Society

9. Benton Bryant 1927 Model T Ford & Tyler Searle 1928 Model A Ford

10. Salamanca Fire Department

11. Enchanted Mountain Roller Derby

12. Euterpean Music Club

13. Swan Street Florist Car

14. Jim Johnston

15. Absolute Care Van

16. Girl Scouts

17. Little Faith Keepers School

18. Rushford Town Band

19. Salamanca Saber Football Players & Cheerleaders

20. Hinsdale Volunteer Fire Dept.

21. Allegany Indian Reservation Volunteer Fire Dept.

22. Seneca Dancers

23. American Red Cross Vehicle

24. Twin Tiers La Leche League

25. Seneca Marshal Vehicle

26. Child Abuse Awareness/Memorial Walk Gage Seneca Walkers with Balloons

27.Growing Good Minds Float

28. Historical Dudley Hotel Float

29. McKean County Roadrunners (Shriners)

30. Down Beat Percussion

31. Cattaraugus County Dairy Princess

32. Cattaraugus County 4H

33. Kill Buck Fire Department

34. Salamanca High School Swim Team

35. Grades 9-10 Float

36. Grades 11-12 Float

37. Salamanca School District Float

38. Empire Animal Rescue Society (EARS) Float

39. Allegany Indian Reservation Volunteer Fire Dept.

40. Salamanca Police Car


BY RICH PLACE

Managing Editor

Salamanca — Less than 10 months after about two dozen people from the Salamanca community shaved their head or donated hair, a student group from the school is again hosting a Bald for Bucks fundraiser, this time in Jefferson Street Park during the Falling Leaves Festival.

A recently merged group of Anyone Can Demonstrate Change (ACDC) and Sources of Strength (SOS) will host the fundraiser, which raises money for Roswell Park Cancer Institute, on Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

“It was moving,” said Salamanca junior Myah Stellabuto about the first event at the school in January, which she helped coordinate. She was among the students who shaved their head to raise money and awareness for cancer research. “I got a big response from the community and the community wanted to do it again.”

Stellabuto said she was inspired to lead the original effort to support her family members afflicted by cancer.

“My uncle died of cancer and my grandma and my aunt both fought it and they both sur-vived,” she said. “They are my inspirations. My family has been so affected by it that I wanted to show my support. And like I said last year, it’s just hair.”

The fundraiser has participants shave their heads completely — or at least cut at least 10 inches of hair to donate to Locks of Love — and raise money in the process. During the January event at the school, about ⅔ of the par-ticipants were girls, according to Mary Plonka, a social worker at the school.

The group raised more than $5,000 during the event, and Stellabuto said she has a personal goal of getting the fundraiser at the Falling Leaves Festival to surpass that amount. Because the event is taking place in the park, organizers are hoping for last minute decisions from festi-val attendees to participate. Plonka reminded that those under the age of 18 need a permission slip signed by a parent or guardian.

The Bald for Bucks fundraiser is not only organized by volunteers, most of which are stu-dents, but Plonka said area hairdressers are step-

ping up to donate their time for the event. Dawn Hogan, one of those hairdressers, said she was inspired after participating in the January event at the school.

“What is more inspirational than seeing a bunch of women and men lined up to get their hair buzzed off ?” she said. “After all, it is just hair. It’s such a great way to help raise money for a truly wonderful place that we have in our backyard.”

She said she volunteered her time to the event to give back to Roswell because she said “they have given lives back to me.” Roswell Park helped her mother, Janis Barczak, throughout her treatment and also Hogan’s sister-in-law, Kathleen Hogan, who founded the local Gotta Kiss Cancer Goodbye foundation.

Stellabuto said she might be shaving her head again if her younger sister, who said she didn’t want to do it by herself, decides to par-ticipate on Sunday. She also said she hopes the Bald for Bucks event continues after she gradu-ates next year.

The Bald for Bucks event at the Falling Leaves Festival will take place in Jefferson Street Park from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., both before and after the parade.

Plonka said any hairdressers interested in volunteering their time can call (716) 498-8529.

Bald for Bucks event scheduled for Sunday in Jefferson Street Park

Press file photo by Rich PlaceMyah Stellabuto has her hair cut, and eventually shaved, by Kathleen Hogan during the Bald for Bucks fundraiser earlier this year at Salamanca Junior-Senior High School.

previously contacted, and the city had to find its own sponsors to help fund the fes-tival.

“We want to thank a lot of businesses,” Vecchiarella said. “We understand they were (asked for) money before but they also came back and gave us money and a lot of them donated to make this successful.”

Along with a plan not to charge vendors who are selling handmade items, the city announced last week there will be at least 14 food vendors and 60 craft vendors expected in Jefferson Street Park and the front lawn of the old Jefferson Street School.

In addition, there is expected to be any-where from 30 to 40 units in the Falling Leaves Festival Grande Parade, the high-light of the weekend, on Sunday.

This year’s event is also expected to fea-ture several new attractions, most notably an appearance by Elvis Presley imperson-ator Terry Buchwald on Saturday. Also, the city ran with the chamber’s original idea to host a cancer awareness event, and both a 5K cancer awareness walk and Bald for Bucks fundraising event have been sched-uled.

There will also be a “Minute to Win It” competition both Saturday and Sunday, inspired by the former NBC game show. In addition, event organizers have coordinated with the Salamanca school district for its homecoming festivities.

Returning festival favorites will also make an appearance, such as the United Congregational Methodist Church’s annual pancake breakfast, a car show on Main Street, a Falling Leaves Festival dance and the scattering of vendors in Jefferson Street Park.

“I think we are going to be blown away at the success of it,” Koch said. “I think it’s going to be one of the best Falling Leaves Festivals.”

The parade on Sunday will start near the Dudley Hotel and follow Main Street, head west on Broad Street and continue to Simon Bolivar Triangle Park.

Although city officials were key leaders in the event’s organization, Vecchiarella said no city funds were used for the Falling Leaves Festival; the costs were paid for by event sponsors, including individual resi-dents.

While event organizers said their focus is obviously on getting the 36th annual Falling Leaves Festival off and running this weekend, it’s likely the 37th annual event next year will be organized in a similar fashion.

“I would presume that as long as this administration had it this year we’ll proba-bly keep it next year,” Vecchiarella said.

This year’s Falling Leaves Festival offi-cially kicked off Saturday, Sept. 28 with the running of the ACHIEVE 5K on Sycamore Avenue and the Falling Leaves Festival Queen Pageant on Sept. 29.

FESTIVAL from C1

Th e Salamanca Falling Leaves Festival presents the Elvis Presley Tribute show staring Terry Buchwald on Saturday, Oct. 5 in Jeff erson Street Park from 4 to 7 p.m. Come and enjoy the spirit of Elvis Presley to Terry’s performance and also enjoy a variety of Terry’s other favorite performers. Come early and enjoy the festival and bring your own chair.

Terry Buchwald to perform Saturday in Jefferson Street Park

2013 Falling Leaves Festival Guide

Documents

Transcript of 2013 Falling Leaves Festival Guide