The annual two-day spring festival of art and nature at the Great Swamp Conservancy is coming up in just a couple of weeks.  The Spring Migration Art, Craft and Childrens festival is set for May 1st and 2nd at the only nature center in Madison County.  The Great Swamp Conservancy is located on North Main Street a few miles north of the village of Canastota. 
You will be able to visit nature artists and crafters at work in their Festival Studios as they exhibit their work and offer art work for sale.  Also find nature oriented activities (including wildlife demonstrations, and talks, crafters, environmental and conservation displays, guided trail and boardwalk tours and children's crafts and games). 
This year's featured artist is T.L, Richter.  Ted is 88 years young and is an artist whose works go back to the 40's when he was a tech sergeant in the US Army Air Force during WWII.  Check out the brochure for this year's event below including the complete schedule of events!
2010 Spring Migration Nature Art, Craft and Childrens Festival Brochure
File Size: 814 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File
 
 
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Woman Playing Solitare
For the first time, Stone Quarry Hill Art Park unveils the work of 42 internationally, nationally and regionally renowned artists in an exhibition that allows the public to take the art home in contests of luck and skill. Finding Art in Nature: An Art Exhibition, Treasure Hunt, Drawing and Sale opens with a free-admission wine and cheese reception on Sunday, April 11, 2010, from 3-5 PM at the John & Virginia Winner Memorial Art Gallery at the Art Park.
The sculptures, paintings, ceramics and drawings will be on exhibit through Saturday, May 22, 2010, when the event culminates in an admission-by-ticket-only grand finale celebration from 2-6 PM at the Art Park. Special to the festivities will be a Treasure Hunt in which guests will search for medallions representing artwork valued between $2,500 and $15,000. Plus, every admission-ticket holder will be eligible to win a $14,000 Jerome Witkin artwork as the Grand Prize. The general admission ticket also includes an Art Ticket, which gives you the opportunity to win a second work of art of your choosing. Art Tickets can be assigned to eligible artworks (valued between $1,000-$1,800) as soon as the exhibit opens on April 11. Art Ticket winners will be announced at 5 PM on May 22. The art will also be available for purchase until April 30.

 
 
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A story in today's Post Standard says that closing the state parks will have little impact on the state's budget deficit.  Due to lost tax revenue we still think it will have the opposite effect.

Syracuse, NY -- State officials on Friday recommended closing dozens of state parks to fill New York’s budget gap, a move that would affect hundreds of thousands of Central New Yorkers and produce minimal savings.
The $6.3 million saved through proposed park closures would amount to a fraction of 1 percent of the state’s $8.2 billion budget gap.
On the same day state officials said they need to close the parks to make the state solvent, they gave millions of dollars in grants to private companies — more than enough money to save every park.
Gov. David Paterson and parks Commissioner Carol Ash announced Friday they want to close or reduce services at 64 state parks and 15 historic sites statewide. Central New York risks losing six parks, two beaches and two historic sites if the Legislature approves the plan. More than 300,000 people a year use the targeted parks in Central New York alone.
See a complete list of proposed park closures.
“In an environment when we have to cut funding to schools, hospitals, nursing homes and social services, no area of state spending — including parks and historic sites — could be exempt from reductions,” Paterson said.
 
 
The list of state parks slated for closure under the 2010 state budget proposed by Governor David A. Patterson is out this afternoon and two parks in Madison County are on the chopping block.  The Governor, has chosen to shutter Chittenango Falls State Park and Helen McNitt State Park along Cazenovia Lake.  Of course there is a long way to go before the state parks are officially closed, and the legislature has to approve the closings, but as of today you better get your last pictures of the falls before they are closed forever. 
You can rest assured that we here at Madison County Tourism will be pulling out all of the stops to try and stop the shut down of this regional icon, but with the state budget for 2010 it is a crap shoot as to how successful we will be.  Do you want to help?  Contact your state representative, and tell them a personal story about your time at a state park and how important the parks are to our quality of life and economic future in Upstate New York.
 
 
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The 2010 New York State Budget as submitted by Governor David A. Patterson deals a near fatal blow to the NYS Parks System.  Already beset by rising costs and a budget that has been cut by more than 30% over the past 3 years, the parks are facing an additional $29 million in cuts for 2010.  This level of cuts would be unsustainable and parks will have to close along with state historic sites.  In Madison County that means parks such as Chittenango Falls State Park and Lorenzo State Historic Site in Cazenovia could both be shuttered forever, or at least until the state gets its financial house back in order.
Besides providing jobs and years of enjoyment and memories for visitors, these parks have a financial impact on our communities.  People from all over Central New York visit Chittenango Falls to hike its gorge, and use its facilities.  Those visitors spend money in our shops, at our gas stations and in our restaurants.  Many a person has taken the autumn drive down route 13 to see the falls and then continued on for a nice lunch or dinner in Cazenovia or Chittenango.  We will keep you updated in this space about the potential closings, and if you are concerned please contact your legislator with a personal story about what NYS parks mean to you.  Here is a story from today's Post Standard with more information on the potential cuts.
 
 

Is it really the end of summer?  Boy I hope not, but I have been seeing more and more maple trees with orange in their palate of leaves.  Well the Labor Day weekend is traditionally a time to have that last summer BBQ and enjoy friends and family.  This year is no different and I have some great ideas for you this labor day weekend.
1. The weather is going to be outstanding, so why not check out one of the great parks in Madison County.  From Chittenango Falls to Oxbow Falls there are plenty of places to light a BBQ grill and start a softball game or take a hike.  In fact, Oxbow Falls even offers a disc golf course which is a perfect family activity.
2. Pick up all the supplies you need from beef to beefsteak tomatoes at a farmer's market.  This is the best time of year to visit the farmer's markets in Canastota, Cazenovia and Hamilton on Saturday.  All of the produce is in season and the farmers will sell you the freshest direct from their fields.
3. While in Cazenovia check out the business district as they take it to the curb.  This first time event allows visitors to show off their sidewalk art skills.  Shops will provide the chalk you provide the artistic inspiration and maybe even find some back to school bargins.
4. Start the weekend right by stopping by the Colgate Inn tonight for live music fromMyoclonic Jerk.  They will perform from 7-10 and the Inn will have end of summer dinner specials.
5. On Sunday in Canastota it is the annual Labor of Love.  This is an all day event to raise money for the Erick D Stevens scholarship fund. Live Music, Food , Basket Raffle, Quilt raffle and Auction. 11am to 9 p.m. At ZEMS ICE CREAM on Main Street in Canastota.

Whatever you decide to do this weekend, remember to do it safely and make your own special occasion right here in Madison County.

 
 

Madison County is blessed to have a large number of great parks.  Everyone knows about Chittenango Falls State Park, but I recently had the chance to explore Oxbow Falls County Park.  Now  had been there for a ball game and a couple of picnics over the years, but I had never really explored the park.  I took my camera with me and decided to see what the trails were like.  I was very impressed.  The park offers a wonderful panoramic view of the northern part of the county, including Oneida Lake.  The trails are very well maintained and the take you past three waterfalls, which unfortunately were dry in mid-July.  I intend to make my way back there this fall as I'm sure when the leaves start changing color it will give an outstanding opportunity to take stunning pictures.  Enjoy some of the photos I took below and find some time to explore this park for yourself.