Visit eight of twelve Cultural and Historical sites in Madison County over the summer and fall and you will have the chance to win an I-Pad.  That’s the big prize in a promotion unveiled today at a press conference in Wampsville. 
Twelve cultural and historic sites across Madison County have banded together to create the Cultural and Historic Attraction Passport Program.  The goal is to encourage visitation during the summer and fall of 2012.  Each time a visitor stops at one of the locations they will receive a stamp in the passport.  When they are finished, they will turn in their entry forms.  In December all of the entries will be combined and a winner of the I-Pad will be chosen. 

Madison County Tourism executive director Jim Walter explained the importance of the program, “We have fantastic museums, music venues and cultural sites in the county.  This passport program is an effort to introduce visitors to all of the sites in the county.  If someone stops at the Chittenango Landing Canal Boat Museum, they will quickly learn about the Canastota Canal Town Museum just 5 miles down the road.  The more exposure we can give to our historic sites and museums the more visitors we will bring to the county.”

Visitors to cultural and historical sites on average, spend more money than the typical visitor.  This program is designed to attract more of those tourists to Madison County, and to get them to stay longer by showcasing the variety and number of sites available to visit. The participating sites include:

The Oneida Community Mansion House
Canastota Canaltown Museum
Chittenango Landing Canal Boat Museum
Lorenzo State Historic Site
National Abolition Hall of Fame and Museum          
Catherine Cummings Theatre
Cazenovia College Art Gallery in Reisman Hall        
Earlville Opera House
Madison County Historical Society                            
Stone Quarry Hill Art Park
Gerrit Smith National Historic Landmark
Cazenovia Public Library

Visitors will be able to pick up the passports at any of the participating museums, tourism information kiosks inside the Colgate Bookstore in Hamilton, the Madison County Visitor Center on Route 20 in Bouckville, Oneida Commons in Oneida, the county office building in Wampsville, outside of Cazenovia Artisans in Cazenovia and at local chamber of commerce offices in Oneida and Cazenovia. 

The passport is also available online by clicking the file below this story.

The passport was made possible in part by a donation from the Upstate Institute at Colgate University.

"Impeccable songwriting & tremendous musicianship." Uptown Magazine

Coming to the historic and intimate Nelson Odeon stage, the Dust Poets bring their dynamic five-piece acoustic folk-pop with roots deep in the prairie for a Sunday afternoon show. Performing the original songs of songwriter Murray D. Evans, the band pokes affectionate fun at themselves and the world around them while creating their own irreverent brand of acoustic music. Well traveled, but small town at heart, the Dust Poets tackle social ills, modern oddities, and the joys of life with ease and pure originality.
Musically restless and stylistically adept, the Dust Poets create arrangements that wander among different genres, including folk, swing, pop, country, and ragtime. The band’s all-acoustic line-up of guitar, upright bass, accordion, mandolin, clarinet, and percussion, plus extraordinary four part vocals, allow the band to create a diverse and entertaining stage show. With a new recording due this spring, their last release, Lovesick Town, was labeled a “masterpiece” by the Toronto Star.
Tickets are only $15 at the door for this special matinee show or can be ordered online at www.nelsonodeon.com. With nearly two hours of live entertainment from the warm community atmosphere provided by the Nelson Odeon venue, it's a better deal than the movies or other entertainment. Don't miss the Dust Poets or any of our shows for the fall season at the Nelson Odeon. For more visit www.nelsonodeon.com or call 315-655-9193.

The 2nd weekend of June is always a heavy weight weekend when it comes to events.  Two big event headline the card this weekend and the under card is stuffed as well.  Ok, enough boxing puns for this post.  There is a full schedule of events going on this weekend, and here are some best best for family fun.
1. Saturday and Sunday features the 21st annual Boxing Hall of Fame Induction Weekend in Canastota.  Boxing’s greatest names are on hand for a weekend of tributes to the sport & its champions. Museum tours by celebrities, ringside lectures, celebrity boxing, golf tournament Banquet, parade at 1pm on Sunday followed by the induction ceremony.
2. It is a busy weekend in Peterboro as it is the annual Civil War Weekend.  There are activities at the Gerrit Smith National Historic Landmark, the National Abolition Hall of Fame and on the village green.  Step back in time with encampments, skirmishes, period music and demonstrations, children's games, and an authentic General Store. This is a fund raiser for the preservation of Peterboro's historic buildings. Saturday, 10 am ~ 5 pm, Sunday, 10 am ~ 4 pm, Adults $7, Children 6-12 $3, Under 6 yrs free
3. The Skyway Festival takes to Hooks Wiltse field in the village of Hamilton bringing a large variety music to the village.  After the bands are finished playing several will be jamming at local night spots in the village.
4. Farmer's markets can be found in Hamilton, Cazenovia, Oneida and Canastota this weekend on Saturday, buy fresh, buy local.
5. The 15th annual Nate Race/Titletown Run in Canastota begins early Saturday morning.  It is one of the many thrilling events during the International Boxing Hall of Fame induction weekend. Race starts at 8:30am. Start line is near the Canastota Recreation park, on North Main St., Canastota, NY. The course is flat and fast, come ready to run! For complete information and race entry form call 315-697-35-17 or email doug_r_holdrdige@adp.com