Printable Forms:
Celebrate/Commemorate
Schedule of Events
Living History - Schedule of Events
Car Show Application
5K Run Entry Form
5k Race - Route Map
Biker Rally Sign Up
Woody Car Show Application
"Waterloo Remembers"
May 24-27th, 2013
147th Consecutive Memorial Day Observance
May 30, 2013
Memorial Day Museum
Our Sponsors
Our Committee
Special thanks to:
Celebrate Commemorate Overview
Memorial Day in Waterloo is more than the first holiday of the summer season.
Much more!
This year’s 14th Annual Celebrate Commemorate Memorial Day Events will be held May 24-27th, & 30th in Waterloo, NY.
On Thursday May 30th, The Official Memorial Day, Veterans organizations will gather at 10:30 am
to march from the VFW to Maple Grove Cemetery for services at 11:00 am.
In the afternoon, the traditional Memorial Day parade will march down Main Street at 6:00 pm, for ceremonies in Lafayette Park.
These community events continue to highlight Waterloo as the Birthplace of Memorial Day,
and each year Waterloo, rightfully so, receives national acclaim.
The Celebrate Commemorate committee is chaired by Jane Shaffer, Sessler Companies 315-539-3353
and David Duprey, Deputy Mayor, 315-521-9715
Committee members meet at 7 pm the first Wednesday of the month at the Waterloo VFW, 35 West Elisha Street.
New members are always welcome.
This weekend the village also welcomes friends and family members who return home for this special event.
“We are proud that you share our values of family, community service and patriotism.
You will always find a warm welcome here, in the Birthplace of Memorial Day,” Shaffer added.
“You will find events for the whole family,” said co-chair Dave Duprey.
“To all our visitors, old friends and new friends alike, Welcome Home!”
It may seem like summer, but folks in Waterloo know that there are weeks to go before the official start of the vacation season on Memorial Day weekend. The Celebrate Commemorate Committee has been meeting monthly to plan this year’s 14th annual event, that will draw thousands of people to this upstate New York village that is the official Birthplace of Memorial Day. New members are always welcome to the committee meeting, which are at 7 p.m. at the VFW on East Elisha St.
New this year, shuttle buses will circulate between the National Memorial Day Museum, Lafayette Park and Oak Island, helping people get around to the many venues.
The weekend will once again showcase our expanded Living History Events on Oak Island and at the American Civil War Memorial on Locust Street.
This year we are pleased to be able to present character portrayals of President Abraham Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt as well as Clara Barton and
Harriet Tubman! All of whom will be presiding over various events throughout the weekend.
The new location of our annual Celebrate fireworks
display, on the canal banks across from Oak Island, has worked out great. It further enhances the Living History events complete with night time canon firings and musical entertainment.
Rebecca Colleen and the Chore Lads will perform at Oak Island before the fireworks.
The Seneca County Cornell Cooperative Extension in cooperation with the Seneca County Chamber of Commerce and the Seneca County Farm Bureau once again present the “Taste of Seneca County” Culinary Tent. It is a very popular attraction and this year features an expanded schedule featuring guest chefs, summer grilling tips, and cooking demonstrations.
The Arts & Crafts Show, the Wheels on Main Street, Live Stage Family Friendly Entertainment, Strolling Entertainers, Delicious Food Concessions, 5k Race, Bike Rally, Train Tours, History Tours, Pizza Eating Contest, Ice Cream Eating Contest, Patriotic Merchandise, Community Parade are all highlights that help us Celebrate our many Freedoms!
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What’s a festivity without food? There will be plenty to eat again this year, and for the stout of appetite, there will be the popular pizza eating contest on Saturday and an ice cream eating contest at the Lafayette Park stage on Sunday. Chair Mary Anne Sutliffe said artisans are lining up to reserve spaces in the arts and crafts show in Lafayette Park.
Those attending the festivities in Lafayette Park are reminded that while everyone is invited, dogs are not welcome,
and the event is alcohol free.
PARADE MARCHERS TO COMMEMORATE FREEDOM
The parade will step off at 11am May 25th, for the march down Main Street from Clark Street to Lafayette Park,
all are welcome.
Call Kaaren Gerlach at 315 539 2927 to sign up!
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In a Commemoration of Freedom, marchers in this year’s parade will enjoy the freedom that our men and women in the military fight so valiantly to preserve.
“Our event is all about celebrating our freedom and commemorating the sacrifices of those who preserve it,”
said Jane Shaffer, chair of the event.
“So bring a flag and wave it proudly as you enjoy the festivities with your family and friends in the Birthplace of Memorial Day,”
said co-chair Dave Duprey.
The parade will be led by the Waterloo VFW American Legion color guard and the Patriot Guard riders. It will feature youth groups, church floats, marching groups, political leaders, antique tractors, Woodie cars, and others. This year’s parade will feature two past US Presidents and Clara Barton, founder of the American Red Cross. President Teddy Roosevelt will accompany the Welles Award winner and President Abe Lincoln will lead a group of Civil War reenactors. Among the featured music groups will be The Hit Men from Rochester, back by popular demand. The Hit Men are a group of good fellas who come together from all parts of the New York area. They provide a performance that combines both the musical and the theatrical. Their show stopping demeanor means they provide the best entertainment around. Their antics enliven the parade route. They will perform a mini concert at the Main Street-Virginia Street intersection. Topping off the musical groups will be the Waterloo High School marching band and the 5th and 6th grade band. School children are invited to bring their pets and join the lineup. Neighborhoods are welcome to ride their decorated bicycles.
The National Memorial Day museum, the village's Terwilliger Museum, and the M'Clintock House, part of Women's Rights National Historical Park, will be open during the weekend and on Memorial Day (May 30).
On Saturday morning, May 25th, a buffet breakfast will be served from 8 to 11 am at the Legion home at 1 E. Williams St. The menu includes scrambled eggs, meat, fruit cup, toast, juice, coffee and that Army staple, chipped beef on toast.
Waterloo Memorial Post 6433 VFW will serve breakfast from 8 to 11 a.m. on Sunday, May 26th, at the post home on East Elisha Street. The menu includes scrambled eggs, home fries, pancakes, sausage, bacon, fruit cup, toast, juice and coffee.
What would a festival be without food? Pretty boring. What would a festival be with free food. Wow!
This year’s Celebrate Commemorate will have a special treat – free food! A new culinary tent will feature top chefs from 4-H, restaurants, and the community who will demonstrate their favorite recipes and offer samples to the audience. Recipes will feature products grown or produced in New York.
Saturday May 25th & Sunday May 26th
10:00am – 5:00pm
Over 100 Vendors! Featuring expert crafts from all over the area, things you have to see to believe –
including but not limited to: handmade wood items, paintings, jewelry, dolls & doll clothes, fudge, candles and so much more!
Crafts/Vendor Application
Our policy: The park is primarily to be used for the Arts & Crafts vendors, food vendors and entertainment.
All other non Arts & Crafts vendors such as local community organizations, (with the exclusion of: Home Improvement, Activism, and Health related fundraisers), will be accepted on a space available basis and are subject to committee review.
IF THE PARK IS FULL of arts and crafts, then the non arts and crafts vendors will be located along Main Street or Williams Street as needed.
IF the park is NOT FULL the non-arts & crafts vendors will be allowed to be located in the park, but NOT intermixed with the arts & crafts vendors.
The committee reserves all rights as to inclusion into the show.
KIDS Korner = FUN!
with members of the Snapettes leading
youngsters in games for prizes
Celebrate Commemorate is a family affair with lots of special events for kids.
Horse and Wagon Tours
At Oak Island, youngsters and their parents are invited to take a ride in a wagon pulled by a team of miniature horses owned by Glen Loveless of North Rose.
The rides will be available
from Noon - 4 on Saturday and Sunday.
Tickets may be purchased at Oak Island.
The popular horse and wagon tours will return to Waterloo for the Celebrate Commemorate weekend. Carl and Dot Blood of Rushville will bring their draft horses for a half-hour ride through the village.Tours will run from noon to 3:30 p.m. Tickets, $1 for adults and children from grade 6 and older, will be available at the ticket booth on the east end of Lafayette Park.
That's where the tickets for the historic walking tour also will be available. Led by village historian Bea Contant and her team of guides, the tour follows the route of the walking tour brochure. Fascinating facts about the village's colorful history will be explained. Tickets are $2 for the one-hour tour, which will be offered from 12:15 pm to 3:15 pm.
Canal Tours
Finger Lakes Water Adventures will offer tours on the Cayuga Seneca Canal on Saturday and Sunday. The tours will last an hour to an hour and 15 minutes, taking passengers from Oak Island through Lock 4 to Seneca Falls and back. The trips will leave at 12, 2 pm and 4 pm Saturday and 10am, 12, 2 pm and 4 pm Sunday.
The boats will hold two to six passengers. There will be snacks available for purchase on board. Tickets are $12 for adults and $8 for children age 12 and younger. Tickets are available at Stivers Marina on Seneca Lake, Geneva, and Nugent Hardware, Main Street, Waterloo. Remaining tickets will be available at Oak Island on Saturday and Sunday. For more information, go to www.fingerlakeswateradventures.com
Ever want to walk on water? Visitors to Celebrate Commemorate will have an opportunity to walk on the Cayuga-Seneca canal in a hamster ball, thanks to Fuzzy Guppies. It’s just one of the many water activities being featured on and near the canal. The folks from Fuzzy Guppies will take visitors to their docks about a mile west of Oak Island where they can enter the inflated plastic sphere and try to stand or run on the water.
If more traditional watercraft is to your liking, the Fuzzy Guppies will have human powered craft including paddle boats, canoes and single and double kayaks to rent at Oak Island. Or learn about the history of the Cayuga-Seneca Canal and its big cousin, the Erie Canal aboard a Water Adventures Boat Tour at 10 am, noon and 2 pm on Saturday and Sunday. Landlubbers will enjoy taking a ride in wagons pulled by mini horses from noon to 4 pm Saturday and Sunday, taking a stroll on the Cay-Sen Trail on the south side of the canal, or watching boats pass through Lock 4.
Learn about the Civil War by visiting the encampment on Oak Island and pay tribute to those who gave their lives by visiting the American Civil War Memorial.
In the evening, everyone will gather for fireworks by Pyrotecnico that will soar over the canal from the trail head across the canal.
Classic, sports and antique cars will return to Waterloo on Memorial Day weekend for the 12th annual....
"Wheels on Main Street"
Cars, cars cars! Wheels on Main Street, the Celebrate Commemorate car show gets bigger and better every year! And this year's 13th anniversary event will be outstanding. The event is being coodinated by Bob and Bev Good and Lou and Alice LeBrun and committee. Join the crowds who stroll down Main Street from 9 am to 4 pm on Sunday, May 26th to see the lovingly restored classic and antique autos, the hot rods and stock cars that used to race at the fairgrounds, sports cars, vintage tractors, and of course the Woodies that come home every year to the village where they were manufactured.
Bob Good at Rgood3@rochester.rr.com
0712Waterloo-Geneva Road, Waterloo, NY 13165
315-539-3162.
The first 100 entrants
will receive a commemorative gift
To register send your name, address, phone number with area code, club affiliation if any, vehicle make, year and model to:
Bob Good
0712 Waterloo-Geneva Road,
Waterloo NY 13165.
For more information, call
315-539-3162
Lions Club Hosts
Woodie Reunion
Click here for an application
The Waterloo Lions Club will host this annual gathering of the wooden-bodied cars manufactured in Waterloo from 1939 to 1957.
Living History
Events will be on Oak Island and at the American Civil War Monument on Locust Street
Travel back in history when Celebrate Commemorate presents Living History Day on Saturday, May 25th. Visit the encampment of the 148th Infantry and other Civil War groups on Oak Island. Members of the 140th Signal Corps will demonstrate the art of communicating with flags while Reynolds Battery L will demonstrate live cannon firing at noon, 3 pm and dusk. Meet President Abe Lincoln as he visits the troops. See the Daughters of the Union Veterans of the Civil War as they cook, mend and live in tents just as they did when they followed their loved ones during the battles of the Civil War.
Waterloo’s newest historical group, the Mary Gahan Tent #109 of the Daughters of the Union Veterans of the Civil War 1861-1865. It is the seventh tent in New York State in the organization formed to honor the soldiers of the Civil War. The tent has been formed to coordinate programs and events with the Village of Waterloo, the American Civil War Memorial and the DUVCW Department of New York State. The Village has assigned ownership of the ACWM to the DUVCW while promising to maintain its grounds and provide security lighting.
Pay respects to those who gave their lives in our nation’s bloodiest war by touring the American Civil War Memorial at 1 and 3 pm Saturday. Join the reenactors for a wreath laying and celebration reception of the chartering of the Mary Gahan Tent at the Memorial at 5:30 pm.
Rebecca Colleen and the Chore Lads will perform at Oak Island before the fireworks from 7:00 pm till 9:20 pm
Stay at Oak Island for the fireworks by Pyrotecnico that begin at 9:45 pm
Actor Richard “Fritz” Klein of Springfield, Illinois has been a professional actor and speaker for many years.
Born in Southern California, Klein originally studied to be a Lutheran minister. After some graduate study in St. Louis, he met his future wife, changed course, and went into landscaping. There he worked as supervisor of landscaping and grounds for a missionary organization in the pacific until 1980, and his wife Linda taught school. At the time he began to participate in local dramatic activities. During the Bicentennial year, he was first asked to portray Lincoln for a small local celebration. With only an amateur acting background at the time, he says he himself was surprised at the result. Two years later, in 1978, he decided to begin studying Lincoln with a view to full-scale dramatic productions back on the mainland. In 1980, after two years of extensive research into the works of Lincoln, and selected biographies, he set out on this unique adventure. He traveled from coast to coast for two years until 1982, when he moved to Springfield, Illinois where there was opportunity to cut down on travels by performing for visitors to Lincoln's hometown.
To prepare for a performance, it takes about an hour with costume and make-up. However, if you happen to have Lincoln in mind, his natural resemblance to Abraham Lincoln can be quite convincing. Several years ago when visiting Washington D.C. he created something of a stir when he walked into Ford's Theater, the place where Lincoln was shot. Though Klein was dressed in ordinary street attire, with his 6'3" height and Quaker beard one woman screamed outright when she looked up to see him casually strolling down the stairs.
Using a Kentucky accent based upon research about Lincoln's speech patterns, Klein usually peppers his performances with humor, stories, and passion. "The programs are varied," he says. "Adaptation is a specialty. I have a repertoire of about a dozen plays, which can be altered for special settings.” In addition, there is a great variety of flexible and interactive one-man shows on various topics, which have been developed over the years. An exciting part of these shows has been the element of audience participation. It becomes both entertainment and education. After over 30 years of research, Klein knows his subject. “It is amazing how well Lincoln's words and ideas bear upon the present,” he says. “Leadership training, management, and problem solving skills take on a new depth of meaning in a historical context, and have a deeper impact when tempered with dramatic narrative, humor, and personal involvement.” A member of the National Speakers Association, National Association of Interpreters and a student of Lincoln himself, he has had opportunity to travel the world, portraying Lincoln on stage, in feature films, documentaries, and for many kinds of professional speaking engagements.
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The 148th
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In the reenactment community, the 148th New York Volunteers are considered veterans. Established in 1962, the 148th is the oldest Civil War reenactment organization in New York State. Since its founding, it has participated in several hundred Civil War battle reenactments and hosted scores of living history events, marched in parades and given presentations for schools and historical societies. Even though the organization is built on a military impression, families participate in the recreation of a time in American history when everyone was touched by the events, not just the soldiers serving in Dixie. The original 148th was recruited from the Finger Lakes regions of New York. They were assigned to the Army of the James and served under Major General Benjamin "The Beast" Butler. Some of the battles they participated in were Drewry's Bluff, Cold Harbor, the Siege of Petersburg, Chaffin's Farm, Fair Oaks, the Appomattox Campaign, and the post-war occupation of the city of Richmond. They had five Medal of Honor recipients, and suffered more than 500 casualties. The 148th of today recruits its members primarily from the Finger Lakes area. In 1962, the 148th began with six members from the Ovid Camp of the Sons of the Union Veterans of the Civil War. Membership in the SUV is a tribute to those "Sons of the Finger Lakes" who answered Lincoln's call for 300,000 more!
The American Civil War Memorial pays tribute to the sacrifice made by citizens of Waterloo during the Civil War, and recognizes the soldiers from the North and the South who gave their lives in the conflict. The Civil War exacted a great toll on the American people; it was one of the most arduous times in our history when more lives were lost than in all our other wars combined. The Memorial, designed by sculptor Pietro del Fabro of Princeton Junction, New Jersey, will be built in Lock Park along the Cayuga-Seneca Canal, part of the Erie Canal System. Pietro’s design incorporates the Memorial into the historic canal environment of Waterloo and provides a destination for visitors arriving from town, those hiking the planned recreational trails, and boaters cruising the inland waterway. The Memorial includes individual cenotaphs for each man from Waterloo who died in battle and a North South Cenotaph recognizing all lives lost in the war. The North South Cenotaph will be constructed of stones sent from the 36 States which were in existence at the end of the Civil War. There will be tours of the American Civil War Memorial Saturday at 2:00 and 4:00pm.
Museums Open
Visitors to Waterloo can learn about the history of Memorial Day, the founding of the village and the birth of the women's rights movement at the village's museums and historical sites.
The Terwilliger Museum, open during the celebration weekend, illustrates the history of Waterloo from its earliest
Native American residents at Skoi Yase.
Over the Celebrate Commemorate weekend be sure to include a visit to our museum to view newly installed exhibits detailing the origins of
Memorial Day in Waterloo, NY.
The Memorial Day History Room features extensive exhibits on the major players of the Memorial Day concept, these being Henry C. Welles, Gen. John B. Murray and, of course, the venerable Gen. John A. Logan. The exhibit also highlights the 1966 Centennial in Waterloo that led to the recognition of Waterloo as the birthplace of Memorial Day. Also on display, an exhibit of historic images, poetry and prose that were generated throughout the 19th century to commemorate Memorial Day, then known as Decoration Day.
A room is devoted to the history and work of the Grand Army of the Republic or G. A. R. and the Women’s Relief Corps in carrying out the work of spreading the concept of Memorial Day, in the 19th and 20th centuries, throughout the nation.
The M'Clintock House on East Williams Street, where the Declaration of Sentiments, the platform of the women's rights movement, was written, will also be open during the weekend. The home, called one of America's treasures, is now part of Women's Rights National Historical Park and is being restored by the National Park Service.
The M'Clintock House will be open
Saturday May 26th 10:30am - 4pm
and
Sunday May 27th, from 11am - 4 p.m.
Admission is free.
Certified 5K Run # NY04023AM
Sunday, May 26th, 2013
With PCR DAG Timing System by Paul Richards,
Results will be given immediately at end of the race.
ENTRY FEE:
Pre registration $20.00 - 12 & Under $12.00
Day of race $30.00 - 12 & under $15.00
With pre-registration you are guaranteed a commemorative T-shirt, scoresheet, and a Photograph crossing the finish line with the time clock included.
1st, 2nd, & 3rd place medals will be awarded
in 14 age groups!
Plaques will go to the top three
male & female overall finishers.
5 K Walk/Run Race
More than 100 runners are expected to participate in the eleventh annual Celebrate/Commemorate 5k walk and run on Sunday, May 26th. Chairman Jack Sutliffe said the field has grown every year for this event, attracting runners from throughout the area. This year's event is certified NY04023AM. Registration begins at 8 a.m. with an 8:30 a.m. race start. The route will begin and end in Lafayette Park and will wind through the beautiful, historic village. Prizes will be awarded in various age categories. Each participant will receive a picture crossing the finish line and a Celebrate / Commemorate T-shirt. With PCR DAG timing system by Paul Richards, the results will be given immediately at the end of the race.
To register or for more information, contact
Jack Sutliffe at 539-3889
sut@rochester.rr.com.
Click here for an application
Photo by Lori Duprey
Food for everyone!
The always-popular Patriot Pizza Eating Contest will again be featured at Celebrate/Commemorate. The fun begins at 3:45. Saturday, May 25th, in Lafayette Park. The contest, sponsored by Ciccino's Pizzeria, challenges contestants to down a pizza as fast as they can. "This is a contest of speed, not quantity," explained chair Jane Shaffer. "It's not how many pizzas you consume, but how fast you can chow down." Contestants may use any technique to consume the pizza. Popular methods are to fold the pie, roll up each slice and pile slice on slice, Shaffer said. The winner will be the first person to finish all the pizza, including the crust. Contestants throw up their hands and open their mouths when they are finished. The timing stops when a contestant swallows the last bite. Entry fee is $5 payable to Celebrate/Commemorate. Applications are available at Ciccino's or Nugent's Hardware. Winner will receive a $25 gift certificate from Ciccino's. For more information, contact Jane Shaffer at 315-539-3353.
FOOD CONCESSIONS:
* Celebrate Committee Food Booth - Hot Dogs - Hamburgs - Hot Sausage & Ciccino's Pizza *
* Wursthaus - German Food *
* Jim & Linda's Fried Dough & French Fries * * Dar's Delights: Home Made Ice Cream*
* Waterloo Lions - Strawberry Fest * * Girl Scouts - Cotton Candy & Sno Cones * Wrap Sandwiches *
* Kate's Pretzels* * On Site Catering * * R-Sales *
* 1st Presbyterian Church - homemade pies * Cayuga Lake Creamery - Ice Cream
BREAKFAST BUFFETS:
Serving 8:00am - 11:00 am
Sat May 25th - American Legion,
1 E William St.
Sun May 26th - VFW, 29 E Elisha St,
For more information please contact:
John Stoughtenger
315-651-6301
BBQ'S By J&R Catering:
Chicken BBQ's
Sat. May 25th - Waterloo in Bloom
Sun. May 26th - Waterloo Rotary
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Sixth Annual
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Lead by the Patriot Guard Riders of NY
One of the most popular new features of Celebrate Commemorate is our annual Biker Rally. The rally will be held on Monday, May 27, and is expected
to attract 200 riders. Entry forms are available at www.waterloony.com, or participants may register at the VFW, 29 West Elisha St., from 8 to 10 a.m. the morning of the ride. Led by riders of the New York Patriot Guard, bikers from throughout the area are invited to join the "Ride for Respect" to pay tribute to our troops.
Riders will leave the VFW at 10 a.m. under the direction of ride captain Nigel Heaton of the New York Patriot Guard Riders. They will return to the VFW by about 1 p.m. where a buffet luncheon will be available. Friends and families are welcome to attend. A merchandise table will offer souvenirs for sale.
$20 per rider /$10 passenger |
WATERLOO REMEMBERS SOLDIERS' SACRIFICES IN 147th ANNUAL MEMORIAL DAY COMMEMORATION
Following the weekend of celebration, the Birthplace of Memorial Day pauses to remember the sacrifices of those who paid the ultimate price for freedom. The 146th solemn remembrance of Memorial Day in Waterloo will be observed on Wednesday May 30. The Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 6433 will conduct the remembrance events. Memorial Day is always commemorated on May 30 in Waterloo, in keeping with Gen. John A. Logan's Orders. The public is invited to gather at 8:30 a.m. in St. Mary's Roman Catholic Cemetery on Stark Street for a full military service. At 10:30 a.m. marchers will leave the VFW at 29 West Elisha St. to go to Maple Grove Cemetery on Stark Street for military services at 11 a.m. The solemn remembrance will continue at 6 p.m. when the military parade steps off from Main and Clark streets, proceeding down Main Street to Lafayette Park where several veterans organizations will participate in the laying of the wreaths at the veterans monuments in the park. The program will include the recitation of the Gettysburg Address and Logan's Orders by students from Waterloo High School, the playing of the National Anthem by the high school band, and the Salute to the Dead by the VFW firing squad and the playing of Taps. State Sen. Michael Nozzolio and other dignitaries will speak.
For more information, contact:
Stan Grela at the American Legion, 1 E. Williams St., 315-539-8248
or
Steve Twitchell, VFW, 29 West Elisha St., 539-9771.