AHOY MATEYS - July 29 & August 12
Yo ho ho! The Colonial Belle, the largest tour boat on the Erie Canal, will host a Family Pirate Lock Tour on July 29 and August 12. Entertainment will be provided by the Happy Pirates, and passengers are encouraged to wear their best and boldest pirate attire. The three-hour cruise will depart at 2:15 p.m. from 400 Packett’s Landing in Fairport and will sail through Lock 32 in Pittsford and back again. The Colonial Belle features a fully licensed bar, where alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages will be available for purchase, as well as bagged snacks. No outside food or beverage will be allowed on the boat. Tickets are $36 for adults, $18 for kids from four to ten-years-old, free for kids three-years-old and younger, and available for purchase at colonialbelle.com. Children three-year-old and younger, while free, will still require a booking online to be added to the US Coastguardrequired passenger count.
PAN AFRIKAN FESTIVAL - August 5
The Pan Afrikan Festival, formerly the Afrikan American Festival, was founded in 2006 and has since grown in attendance to about 6,000 visitors per year. According to Sonya Kittles, festival founder, the event “helps us develop a sense of pride in our history and culture. It’s an opportunity to connect with our roots and learn about who we are and who our ancestors were and how they contributed to society. Lastly, it’s an opportunity for kids to socialize with other kids and partake in the youth activities present at the event.” This year’s event will take place on August 5 at Highland Bowl and will feature live entertainment throughout the day as well as a video game truck, bounce house, and family reading tent. Recreation on the Move—a mobile program from the City’s community centers, featuring sports and group games, health and wellness activities, environmental education games and activities, and more—will also be onsite. Tickets are $15, and children twelve and younger are free. For more information, visit panaffestival.org.
HEMLOCK’S LITTLE WORLD'S FAIR - July 18-22
For more than 165 years, Hemlock has celebrated summer with its Little World’s Fair. And this beloved event, which takes place July 18–22 this year, truly has something for everyone. Grandstand events include harness horse racing, demolition derbies, a monster truck show, and more. Livestock shows, as well as sawmill and woodcarving demonstrations, will also take place. Fairgoers will be able to visit various displays, including those centered around home arts (like culinary skills, gardening, and more), school-aged art, and antique engines. Dozens of local artisans and other vendors will be selling their wares. Kiddos will love the mobile petting zoo onsite, not to mention twenty rides (including the Ferris wheel) and numerous games. Enjoy live music nightly and several food vendors, which historically have served the classics: ice cream, funnel cakes, deep-fried Oreos, snow cones, kettle corn, and more. Tickets are $15 daily and $35 weekly for adults, $13 daily and $30 weekly for kids ages four to twelve, and free for kids three and under. Shave a dollar off admission with early-bird tickets purchased until the Monday before the fair. Visit hemlockfair.org for more.