By Denise Richardson
Staff Writer
May 11, 2009 07:48 am The ``go local'' phenomenon has arrived in Sidney, said an organizer of the inaugural Friday River Fest that starts this week. Farmers, food vendors, artisans and musicians are lined up for the event from 3 to 6 p.m. Friday, which also will feature activities for children, organizers said. Friday River Fest will be at the Whitaker's Lot next to Sidney's Main Street bridge over the Susquehanna River and near state Route 7, organizers said. The event will be every other Friday into October. This week, Panhandle, a band from Oxford that plays country and alternative music, will perform. ``It's more than just an open-air market,'' organizer Derek Stafford said. The hope is that Friday River Fest will become a ``fabulous, bring everyone'' event and also attract tourists, he said. Vendors signed up for Friday include Cullman Child Development Center from Sidney, which will offer free sand-art activities, Bishop's Farm from Sidney and Sunflowers' Farm from Mount Upton, offering produce and starter plants, and Z Spice of Life of Sidney, selling marinade sauces and more, according to www.fridayriverfest.com. Friday River Fest is sponsored by the Sidney Chamber of Commerce. Residents can buy fresh, locally produced vegetables, fruits, plants and other goods, Stafford said, and farmers have an opportunity to sell directly to consumers. The emphasis on local buyers and sellers is important in today's economy, when food costs are rising and farmers complain they aren't paid adequately for their produce, he said. Plans are to have different entertainers throughout the season, which will last at least through Oct. 2. The events will be held rain or shine, and hours will be extended until 7 p.m. in July and August, according to the website. Stafford, a former farmer who sells used books online at lughnassadhbooks.com, said the goal is to seek participants, farmers, vendors and entertainers from Chenango, Delaware and Otsego counties and within about a 65-mile radius. About 15 vendors are signed up to participate Friday, and Stafford said the hope is more farmers and vendors will join in the months ahead. Stafford said the market was planned to coincide with the late-afternoon shift changes at MeadWestVaco and Amphenol, two manufacturing plants and major employers in Sidney. Employees will be able to stop by on their way to or from work, he said. Stafford said he and Todd Evans had ideas of organizing an event like a farmer's market, but the project became bogged down in logistics about a year ago. They consulted with John Marano, of the Sidney Chamber of Commerce, Stafford said, and since February, the event has been on a fast-track to reality. ``I've been kind of bouncing off the walls,'' Stafford said. ``It's been one of those really exciting kinds of things.'' ____ If you have good news you'd like to share, call Managing Editor Cary Brunswick at 432-1000 or (800) 721-1000, ext. 217; fax him at 432-5707; e-mail him at cary@thedailystar.com; or write to him at P.O. Box 250, Oneonta, NY 13820.
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