Curb your enthusiasm? No way! Skaneateles’ Curbstone Festival and Sidewalk Sales return July 21-23 along Genesee, Jordan and Fennell streets. Hours are 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday and Friday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday.
“The Curbstone Festival is a longstanding tradition in which the streets come alive with unique bargains and vibrant entertainment, offering something for everyone,” says Tara Lynn, executive director of the Skaneateles Area Chamber of Commerce, which organizes the event.
More than 30 merchants are scheduled to take part. Among the sales and specials sure to delight shoppers:
• F. Oliver’s will offer samples of flavored (strawberry, grapefruit, lemon, mango) balsamic vinegar snow cones.
• Imagine will offer pottery, watercolor and jewelry-making demonstrations, along with outdoor and indoor sales on jewelry, art glass, pottery, wood art and fiber art.
• Fleur-de-lis Florist will have an inventory sale, with 60 to 80 percent markdowns on silks, pottery, furniture and home accessories.
• Rhubarb Kitchen Shop will offer 50 percent off a wide array of kitchen gadgets, acrylic ware and cooking accessories.
• Infused! will offer sampling of select products.
• Gallery 54 will feature sales on jewelry, paintings, ceramics, fiber art, sculpture, prints, cards, photography and wood art.
• cate & sally will offer closeouts and specials on a wide selection of merchandise.
• Finger Lakes on Tap will have food and drink specials; a “Meet the Brewer” event Thursday (6-8 p.m.); and a Duck Dash Bash, featuring a cask from Keuka Brewing Co. and music by the Tanglewood Trio, Friday (8-11 p.m.).
Merchants participating for the first time include Emma James Boutique, My Three Boys By Julie, and Songbird Healing Crystals.
Sightseeing cruises will be offered each day by Mid-Lakes Navigation. For schedule updates, go to midlakesnav.com. Tickets can be picked up at 11 Jordan St., where you will also find a selection of gift items.
Returning to Curbstone for its fifth year is the Skaneateles Duck Dash, a fundraiser that will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday on Skaneateles Creek, behind the Fennell Street locations of Kinney Drugs and CVS. The carnival-like event will feature food and drink (Chicago-style hot dogs, pizza, beer, wine and cider), games, and music by a local DJ.
Grand prize is $1,000 cash. A Skaneateles YMCA one-year family membership will be awarded for the second-place duck; a golf package, including carts and fees at three area courses, for the third-place duck; CNY Helicopter Co. lake rides for the fourth-place duck; an overnight stay at Mirbeau and theater tickets for the fifth-place duck; an overnight stay at the Village Inn and a Blue Water Grill gift card for the sixth-place duck; a $200 gift certificate from the Sherwood Inn for the seventh-place duck; Shop Local gift cards from F. Oliver’s, Imagine and Nest 58 for the eighth-place duck; a Hairtique Day of Beauty for the ninth-place duck; and a $50 gift card from Mid-Lakes Navigation for the tenth-place duck. The ticket holder for the last-place duck will receive $100, as will the seller of the grand-prize ticket.
Tickets are $5 and are on sale at the Skaneateles Area Chamber of Commerce, Hairtique, the Skaneateles Historical Society and the Skaneateles YMCA & Community Center (or can be bought from the strolling duck). Mighty Duck sponsors are Beak & Skiff and Mark’s Pizzeria.
Proceeds will benefit Laker Limo, the Skaneateles YMCA & Community Center and the Skaneateles Area Chamber of Commerce Foundation.
Also returning to Curbstone are The Jackman Twins, who will perform magic, juggling and balloon art from noon to 4 p.m. Thursday, noon to 3 p.m. Friday and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday.
Musical entertainment will be provided throughout the weekend: Tom Barnes will play from 4 to 6 p.m. Thursday on the lawn of the Skaneateles Library, and the Skaneateles Community Band will entertain from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. Friday at the Gazebo. Adding to the gaiety, Williams Realty will hand out balloons.
Parking for the Curbstone Festival is available at metered spots along the street or in the municipal lot (accessed through Genesee or State streets), where parking is 75 cents an hour and all-day parking is $6. Free parking is available on various side streets, in the parking lot on Fennell Street between Skaneateles Town Square/Ace Hardware and SAVES, and by the Austin Park Pavilion (across from St. Mary’s Church on Jordan Street).
For more information, go to http://www.skaneateles.com or call 315-685-0552.
