Ready. Set. Shop!
Skaneateles’ Curbstone Festival and Sidewalk Sales return July 17-19 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 event, featuring more than 30 merchants, is organized by the Skaneateles Area Chamber of Commerce.
“The Curbstone Festival is a great opportunity for unique bargains and family fun,” says Executive Director Tara Lynn.
Among the sales and specials sure to delight shoppers:
• Imagine will offer sales on jewelry, art glass, pottery, wood art and fiber art.
• Fleur-de-lis Florist will feature Steals and Deals, including items marked down by 50 to 75 percent.
• Rhubarb Kitchen Shop will offer 50 percent off a wide array of kitchen gadgets, acrylic ware and cooking accessories. Cooking demos will be given Friday by the executive chef from Wustof Cutlery.
• Infused! will offer specials in front of Community Bank on Genesee Street, as well as in its Fennell Street shop.
• White Sleigh will feature sales on select Department 56 Villages, along with other specials.
• Gallery 54 will feature sales on jewelry, paintings, ceramics, fiber art, sculpture, prints, cards, photography and wood art.
• Cate and Sally will offer closeouts and specials on a wide selection of merchandise.
• Country Ewe will offer specials on boutique-style clothing, accessories, shoes and more.
Merchants new to the village who will participate for the first time are Love Skaneateles, Pride + Joy and F. Oliver’s. Also appearing for the first time is Baltimore Woods Nature Center, which will set up in front of Community Bank.
And if all that shopping makes you hungry? Curbstone has that covered, too.
• Starting at 11 a.m. each day, the Sherwood Inn will be Grillin’ on the West Lawn, offering hot dogs, hamburgers and chicken sandwiches.
• The Corner at Skaneateles Bakery will make its first appearance this year.
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 third year is the Skaneateles Duck Dash, a fundraiser that will be held from 5 to 7:30 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, fried dough, beer, wine and cider), games, and music by the Tumbleweed Jones Band.
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; two tickets to Merry-Go-Round Playhouse for the fourth-place duck; $250 for the fifth-place duck; a half-day pontoon boat rental, donated by Skaneateles Marina, for the sixth-place duck; an overnight stay at the Holiday Inn, including a dinner gift card, for the seventh-place duck; an overnight stay at the Hilton Garden Inn for the eighth-place duck; a dinner cruise for two, donated by Mid-Lakes Navigation, for the ninth-place duck; and a $100 Sherwood Inn gift card for the tenth-place duck. The ticketholder 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 Doug’s Fish Fry and Beak & Skiff.
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: The Racine Scouts, America’s oldest drum and bugle corps, will perform from 4 to 4:30 p.m. Thursday at the Gazebo; Tom Barnes, from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday on the lawn of the Skaneateles Library; the Skaneateles Community Band, from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. Friday at the Gazebo; and the Usual Suspects, Saturday afternoon in front of Saltfit.
Gazella Dance Studio is scheduled to perform at 4 p.m. Friday.
And, adding to the gaiety, Williams Realty will hand out balloons.
Although the festival is limited to downtown Skaneateles, the fun and excitement are not. Snake Oil Glassworks, 4251 Jordan Road, will hold a “Make Your Own Shot Glass” event from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
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 two-hour parking is free and all-day parking is $2. Free parking is also available on various side streets.
For more information, go to http://www.skaneateles.com or call 315-685-0552.
