Summerfest offers family friendly fun for the community

Plans are well underway for the 2019 Newark Valley Summerfest scheduled for Saturday, July 27, and hosted by the Northern Tioga Chamber of Commerce. The event will take place on the Village Green and Trout Ponds Park.

The popular, family-friendly festival begins as early as 9 a.m. The highly anticipated parade steps off at 11 a.m. and proceeds along Main Street and cruises around other neighboring streets.

Fest-goers will enjoy browsing vendors, crafters and artisans offering jewelry, clothing and boutique selections, along with hand-made wooden, knitted and embroidered items, just to name a few.

Children can look forward to getting their faces painted, along with several games and activities. Summer favorites like cotton candy, and sno-cones and popcorn will be available, as will local maple products.

Live entertainment will be featured on the Village Green, and to conclude the event, the popular fireworks display will bring the sky to life at dark.

Vendors are still being accepted for this event. Call Kat at (607) 237-9477 for more information and / or to register.

Residents are also asked to be aware of alternate traffic routes and closures during the annual parade.

According to the organizers, from approximately 10:45 to 11:45 a.m. on July 27, Route 38 from the junction of State Route 38 and 38B to the intersection of State Route 38 and Rock Street in the Village of Newark Valley will be closed to traffic for the Newark Valley Summerfest Parade.

The parade will start on Clinton Street, turning right onto Rewy Avenue, turning left onto State Route 38, traveling north for a distance of approximately one-half mile. The parade will then turn left onto Water Street, crossing the bridge and turning right on to Whig Street and travel for two blocks, turning left onto Franklin Street for two blocks, then turning left onto Elm Street and ending at the Trout Ponds Park entrance. The total distance of the parade is about 1.35 miles, however, only one-half mile of the distance would be on State Route 38. The estimated time, based on previous parades, that State Route 38 would be closed to traffic through the Village is between 45 minutes to one hour.

The alternate route for traffic traveling south on Route 38 would be to take Rock Street to Settle Road, turn right onto Dodson Hill Road, then turn right onto Route 38B and this will take traffic back to State Route 38, south of the parade route. For traffic traveling north on Route 38, the reverse would be the alternate route.  New York State Regulation Motor Vehicle Signs will be used and visible on all the alternate route intersections. 

The Newark Valley and / or Berkshire Fire Department fire police will be stationed at the intersection of Rock Street and Route 38, as well as the intersection on Routes 38 and 38B to direct traffic.  

For general information and a full schedule of events, find NV Summerfest on Facebook, or contact the Chamber Secretary by email to northerntiogachamber@gmail.com.

JoAnn R. Walter and Wendy Post contributed to this report.