The next big village events are happening soon

2 Nov

Right on the heels of a very successful Trick-or-Treat Trail in the Village of Webster, here are some details about the next special events coming up in the village this fall.

The first is the Bourbon Bash, scheduled this year for Saturday, Nov. 14 from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Harmony House, 58 East Main St. At this adults-only event (obviously), several local distilleries, along with Webster Wine and Spirits, will be on hand to offer tastings. Food samples will also be provided to complement the bourbons.

The Bourbon Bash also usually features great raffles and bourbon products for sale. This is a nice opportunity to come together as community for a casual, fun gathering.

Click here for tickets. They cost $39.19, which includes the Eventbrite fee. ID is required at entry.

THEN, on Saturday, Dec. 5, you’ll want to bring the whole family out to Webster’s Winter Wonderland festival, when the village streets are decked out in holiday decorations, songs fill the air, and cookies and hot cocoa abound.

Details are still coming together for this year’s festivities, but in the past, this afternoon-long event has featured choir performances, horse-drawn carriage rides, carolers, cookie decorating, live music, storytime, games, face painting, a dance party, a visit with Santa, and the Festival of Trees at the Webster Museum. It all culminates with the always spectacular Parade of Lights down Main Street.

Even if you don’t want to come out too early in the day (the festival usually runs from 3 to 7 p.m.), you’ll want to bundle up and be on Main Street for the Parade of Lights. It begins at 6:30 p.m. on East Main St., and travels west on Main to Fireman’s Field. All of the participants — fire trucks, bands, community group floats — everyone and everything is decked out in twinkling Christmas lights as they parade by. It’s really a sight to see.

I’m especially excited about this year’s parade, because I have been asked to emcee the festivities. So if you do make it, maybe find a spot to stand near the announcer’s perch (near Village Hall) so you can hear what I have to say about each float. (Don’t know what that will be yet, but I’m going to try to make things interesting.) A friend of mine is going to try to hook me up with a holiday-themed costume, too, so stay tuned!

BUT WAIT THERE’S MORE!

I got wind the other day about an exciting addition to the Village of Webster event schedule for next year: a country music festival!

Planning is still in the very early stages for this brand new music event, but at this point it’s on the schedule for mid-June. And rest assured this is NOT a replacement for the Jazz Festival, which usually takes place in August.

Stay tuned for more news about this.

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email me  at missyblog@gmail.com. “Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Instagram and Threads (@missyblog)

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(posted 11/1/2026)

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Photos and thoughts from the Trick-or-Treat Trail

31 Oct

I don’t think the weather could have been any nicer for this year’s Trick-or-Treat Trail in the Village of Webster. The temperatures were a bit cool, but the sun kept things warm enough for everyone to be pretty comfortable, costumes or not.

There are so many things I love about the Trick-or-Treat Trail. I always enjoy seeing the wide variety of creative costumes, and especially appreciate the ones which were obviously hand-made. Even they ran the gamut from a box (actually a “package” being delivered by a UPS driver) to a very detailed Very Hungry Caterpillar, to a “bull in a china shop.” Plus, I love seeing all of the cool parents and grandparents who get into the spirit and get dressed up as well. They seemed to be having as much fun as the kids.

I also appreciate all of the small business owners who take part, in costume and sitting at tables outside, or inviting everyone to stream through their shops (which I thought was very brave of them). The Webster Museum had their usual scavenger hunt, which was very popular. Thanks to some work being done on the bay floors, the Webster Volunteer Fire Department had to set up outside the station this year, but they still had a huge supply of candy and plastic fire hats. Plus, it’s always nice to see my friends from the Webster Public Library.

I spent a few hours wandering the streets, accompanied by my youngest daughter, who — by virtue of being a Millenial — was able to translate many of the costume themes for me. (Perhaps you saw me with my camera; I was dressed as a reporter.) After sorting through all my photos, I ended up with almost 100. You can see all of them in this Facebook gallery, or if you don’t have Facebook, you can see them in this Google gallery.

Conratulations, Webster BID for another great event.

The Trick-or-Treat Trail, by the way, is just the first of several special events coming up in the village in the next few months. Stay tuned in the next few days for a blog about them, including news about a brand new festival planned for next June.

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email me  at missyblog@gmail.com. “Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Instagram and Threads (@missyblog)

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(posted 10/31/2026)

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What’s happening at the Mary Wee?

30 Oct

If you’ve been in the Village of Webster recently, you might have noticed that SOMETHING is going on at the Mary Wee Pub at the village’s four corners. There’s been a pile of wood by the garage door on the patio for about a week now, and more recently, that pile’s been joined by even more wood and ladders, tools and actual workmen scurrying around, measuring and installing.

Friday morning I popped by the pub to chat with Mark Petzing, the pub’s owner, to find out what’s going on.

In a nutshell, Mark said they’re “remodeling the patio, to make it look nicer, make it pop.”

Specifically, plans call for adding overhangs above the front and side sections of the pub’s patio. The partially enclosed spaces will offer protection from the rain without being completely closed off. Ceiling fans will keep things comfortable during the warmer months, while built-in heaters will extend their use into the cooler seasons. “We’re looking to get a couple months out of each end, in the spring and the fall,” Mark said.

The entire pub will also get a new metal roof, which will extend over the patio’s new overhangs, creating a seamless look. The middle section, which will remain uncovered, will get its own makeover, including a pergola and what promises to be “some nice lighting.” New brickwork will spruce up the siding, and tying it all together, the entire patio will receive brand-new furniture.

The vision behind it all, Mark said, is to “bring the inside out and the outside in,” creating a seamless connection between the pub and its patio so that even those dining outdoors feel very much a part of the pub’s atmosphere.

Ultimately, Mark says he wants to make the pub’s patio a fresh addition to the village, make it look “more fun, and make the corner pop. I think everyone will like it. I hope everyone likes it.”

Work is progressing apace now, but Mark doesn’t expect it to be all done for another month or two. That means the new patio might not get a whole lot of use before next spring (unless we have some REALLY nice days this winter). But it’s going to be awesome space for next St. Patrick’s Day.

The Mary Wee Pub is located at 2 West Main Street in the Village of Webster.

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email me  at missyblog@gmail.com. “Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Instagram and Threads (@missyblog)

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(posted 10/30/2026)

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Halloweening in the village

29 Oct

Every year since we moved to the Village of Webster seven years ago, at Halloween time, people have remarked, “Oh, you’re in the village. You must get LOTS of trick-or-treaters!”

Well, they’re not wrong. On Saturday night, we’re expecting to greet a couple hundred trick-or-treaters, especially since the weather is going to be nice. It’s kind of hard to prepare for even that many, since we really would rather not take out another mortgage on the house just to purchase enough candy. So we usually run out of candy by about 8 p.m. and douse the lights.

But a couple hundred trick-or-treaters is NOTHING compared to Dunning Ave.

The folks on Dunning probably get that in the first hour alone. And knowing their street is a trick-or-treat magnet has led almost every house to really get dolled up for the holiday. I don’t ever get the chance on Halloween night to walk down there and check out the decorations, so I did that last night and took a few pictures. There’s a lot of creativity going on there.

Our street actually crosses Dunning, but we’re way at the end of that cross street, so most of the crowds that descend on Dunning don’t make it down to see us. When they do, they’ll see some orange string lights, a few small scarecrows and a handful of jack-o-lanterns; rather understated compared to our neighbors down the road.

But we’ll be out there in our driveway nonetheless, with our table, fire pit and “adult treats” to welcome the kiddoes — and their parents.

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Here’s a neat photo I wanted to add, which was sent to me by the Van Buren family on Dunning. They read this post and wanted to make sure I saw the even-more-awesome display they put up on Halloween night. Displays like this one is why I kept telling people who stopped by my house that they need to make the trek to Dunning.

(I hope the whole family helped carve those pumpkins!)

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email me  at missyblog@gmail.com. “Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Instagram and Threads (@missyblog)

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(posted 10/29/2026)

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It’s time to help make spirits bright

28 Oct

The 13th season of Making Spirits Bright is underway, and you can help.

Making Spirits Bright is an awesome organization here in Webster which, since 2014, has been working quietly under the radar, doing amazing things for families in need during the holidays — and this year, their efforts are needed more than ever.

The organization works with area school counselors and social workers to identify families that need assistance. Then they collect wish lists from each of the family members and begin collecting items. And unlike many other programs, Making Spirits Bright provides far more than just gifts. They also assist with winter gear, household necessities, personal care items, cleaning supplies and various other items to lessen a family’s burden. PLUS, they provide for all members living in each household, no matter their age. This includes kids, parents, guardians, grandparents, and sometimes even pets. This year, Making Spirits Bright expects to surpass 600 families helped.

The requests are beginning to trickle in, and the needs are plentiful, to say the least. The annual effort has a lot of regular supporters, but they’re looking for a few more businesses, families, groups, teams, etc. to adopt our families this year.

Here are a few ways you can help:

  • Sign up as a group, organization, business or family to help out.
  • Adopt an entire family (choose the family size you’re comfortable with, two-person and up)
  • Adopt one person (any age/gender identity)
  • Purchase personal care items or other needs
  • Organize a collection drive for some of the most needed items, like toiletries, hygiene items, cleaning supplies, gift wrap, gift boxes and gift cards.
  • Make a monetary donation, which are used to purchase items on the list which were not adopted. Any donations, large or small, is appreciated. Click here for more information.
  • Help wrap gifts. A schedule and sign-up form will be available by the end of November.

The Making Spirits Bright website and Facebook page are constantly updated, so you can check there for more information about all of these opportunities. The organization will soon be moving into the old CVS at BayTowne Plaza, so when they get settled in, all of your items (new and unwrapped) can be dropped off there. More details about drop-ff days and additional drop-off locations will come.

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email me  at missyblog@gmail.com. “Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Instagram and Threads (@missyblog)

You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Subscribe” link on the right side of this page (or all the way at the bottom of the page if you’re on your phone).

(posted 10/28/2026)

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Third graders meet the Webster Public Library

27 Oct

As someone who appreciates the power of words, and how important it is to nurture that appreciation in our younger generation, I just love the Webster Public Library’s annual get-to-know-the-library program for our district’s third graders.

The program, a collaboration between the Webster community and the Webster Public Library (WPL), gives all of our school district’s third graders a jump-start on their love for reading by getting a close-up look at the library and all the services it offers.

The program began several years ago when WPL Outreach Coordinator Jason Poole was talking with Schlegel Elementary School librarian Jamie Palmer. At the time, WPL staff members were visiting the schools for a new books showcase. But Jamie wanted more for students — the actual experience of checking out a book. She and Jason figured out how to make that happen. The resulting program soon turned into a full-fledged field trip with storytime, a craft and a tour, in addition to checking out a book.

Jason continues to schedule the field trips, assisted by Children and Family Experiences Librarian Hannah Baumgartner, who coordinates the activities, lines up staff and serves as school liaison. Last week, the library hosted its first group of the school year, from Plank North Elementary School.

Hannah explained that the students are split into three groups, which file through three different stations, spending 20 minutes at each station before rotating to the next one:

  • Children’s Room: Students get a brief tour of the room and then have time to find and choose a book to check out at the end of the field trip. It’s a chance for the students to see the collections, the space itself, and the children’s reference desk for when they need help.
  • Library Tour: This includes doing a craft in the teen room, visiting the back staff office, and seeing some behind-the-scenes excitement like a book being deposited in the bookdrop (this is always the favorite part of the tour).
  • Storytime: The amusing, interactive storytime helps students associate the Webster Library with something fun and positive.

Once all the groups have rotated through all the stations, they take their chosen books up to the checkout desk to check out. Even that part of the process is well thought out.

Hannah said,

The checkout portion of the trip runs very smoothly thanks in no small part to our Circulation Supervisor, Linda and her staff. They spend the weeks leading up to the field trip getting permission slips from parents, checking on statuses of students with existing cards as well as creating new cards for students who have gotten permission from their guardians. By the time the day of the field trip arrives, the students are set up for a seamless checkout experience.

Since the program began, the Webster Public Library has created or reactivated almost 1,500 library cards for third graders. That goes a long way to help our younger generation fall in love with reading.

Hannah said,

Overall, our goal with this program is to introduce 3rd graders from all seven Webster elementary schools to their local library, the staff, the activities, and the collections that we offer. We want them to have a great time while they’re here so they then go home and tell their families about how much they loved it and ask to come back. We do see a number of kids return on their own time after their classes visit! I love when a kid sees me and says “I saw you at my field trip last week!” followed by a list of their favorite things from their time here.

(Thank you to Jen Calus for the photos!)

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email me  at missyblog@gmail.com. “Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Instagram and Threads (@missyblog)

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(posted 10/27/2026)

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The Parade of Pumpkins keeps getting better

25 Oct

Kudos to the hard-working folks at the Webster Recreation Center for hosting another amazing Pumpkins on Parade Saturday night.

If you missed it, you’re clearly among the few in our town who did. I stopped by early for about an hour, and when I left at around 7:45 (only 45 minutes after the “official” start of the event), the line of kids, moms, dads, and grandparents stretched halfway down the Rec Center’s long driveway. I’ve been covering the parade since it began in 2020, and in all those years I can’t recall ever seeing it that busy.

It helped a lot that the weather was amazing — not too cold, not windy, and definitely not raining, like it was last year. It was nothing short of miserable last year. (I suspect that many of the families who were there last night were making up for staying home last year.) A recent Recreation Center Facebook post reported that attendance was close to 5,000 people. It also said that there were about 800 jack-o-lanterns this year — 400 created by community members and another 400 from Rec Center staff members — which was definitely a record.

That huge crowd enjoyed not only good weather, but a greatly expanded series of decorations and lights and scary stuff standing and hanging along the trail … in addition, of course, to the 800 creative jack-o-lanterns that lined the trail and led the way.

There were inflatable ghosts and witches, lots of sheet-draped ghosts hanging in the trees, colorful paper lanterns, twinkly lights along the bridge railings and a photo-opp area. But my favorite new attraction was the extensive, brightly illuminated woodland scene tucked back off the trail (check the photo gallery to see what I mean).

And of course, at the end of the trail (after you walked through the haunted house), Rec Center staff and volunteers were handing out donuts, apples and cider, and families enjoyed games, a hay-bale maze, rolly slide, another photo opp area, and more. There were even vendors. I was especially delighted, by the way, to see all of the families — including moms and dads — who dressed in constume for the occasion.

As usual, I took lots of photos, especially of my favorite jack-o-lanterns. If you’d like to see the whole Facebook gallery, click here. And if you don’t have Facebook, click here.

Well done, Rec Center. Well done.

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email me  at missyblog@gmail.com. “Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Instagram and Threads (@missyblog)

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(posted 10/25/2026)

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Flying with the leaves

24 Oct

It’s been a long time since I’ve offered up one of my East Extra Afterthoughts blogs, but since my blogging schedule is looking kind of thin these days, I thought now might be a nice time to rentroduce this feature.

Afterthoughts is a completely separate blog, where I’m re-posting some of my favorite columns from when I was the Our Towns East Extra columnist for the Democrat and Chronicle. What I like to do with these is revisit the topic and see if anything has changed since I first wrote the piece.

This particular column was published Nov. 5, 2015. I didn’t really know George Baker and his family very well at that point, but somehow I got invited to what they fondly called “Leaf Party day” at their north Webster home.

Webster couple turns leaves into party fun

Last Sunday, that really windy Sunday, autumn leaves weren’t the only thing flying through the air in Webster. That blustery day was Leaf Party day at the Baker home, a day when little children also went flying, catapulted into a huge pile of leaves.

The Leaf Party is an annual tradition at the home of Melissa and George Baker, a celebration of family, laughter, and life’s simpler pleasures.

The idea is pretty basic. You start with a monster pile of leaves, add a bunch of fearless children and two strong men who can do the tossing. One by one, the children step up to the designated tossers and are hoisted by their arms and legs. After “one, two, THREE!” huge wind-up swings, each child is launched high into the air, limbs flailing, and finally flops into the soft, thick bed of leaves.

It’s a childhood dream we’ve all had, but few have experienced. These kids, however, get to do it repeatedly, every autumn.

Click here to go to Afterthoughts and read the rest of the post.…and to see if I got tossed in.

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email me  at missyblog@gmail.com. “Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Instagram and Threads (@missyblog)

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(posted 10/21/2026)

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Give your unused holiday decorations new life by donating them to Santa’s Christmas Garage Sale

23 Oct

My favorite garage sale of the entire year is coming up.

It’s the Santa’s Christmas Garage Sale, hosted every year by St. Martin Lutheran Church on Bay Rd. Every year around this time, St. Martin loads up about two dozen long cafeteria tables with holiday decorations and toys, all priced to sell. Their goal is to spread a little holiday cheer while supporting neighbors in need during the holiday season.

The sale has been scheduled for Thursday-Saturday, Nov. 12, 13 and 14 at the church, 813 Bay Rd. in Webster. More details to come about that, but in the meantime, to make this sale a success, they need help. Community members are asked to look through your storage bins and pull out some gently used holiday treasures and give them a new life. Donations of Christmas ornaments, decorations, lights, dishes, games, jewelry, toys, and other holiday items are welcome.

You can bring them all to the Donation Drop-Off Day on Saturday, October 31, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the church. Organizers hope residents will consider donating any items they no longer use, particularly as families begin preparing their homes for the upcoming holiday season. Whether it’s a collection of ornaments, a set of holiday dishes or decorations that have been tucked away for years, those once-loved items can help make the season brighter for another family.

But Santa’s Christmas Garage Sale is about much more than finding a bargain or giving old decorations a new home. Proceeds from the event benefit St. Martin Lutheran Church’s outreach ministries, which provide assistance and support to individuals and families throughout the community.

Among the programs supported are Santa’s Stocking Project, which helps spread Christmas joy to those in need around Webster and the surrounding community; the church’s Little Food Pantry, which provides food and essential items to community members experiencing food insecurity; and an emergency fund that offers assistance to individuals and families facing unexpected financial hardships.

“One of the most wonderful things about Santa’s Christmas Garage Sale is seeing how something as simple as donating a box of Christmas decorations can make a meaningful difference in someone’s life,” said Mary Lou Alexander, organizer of the event. “Items that may no longer have a place in one family’s home can become treasures for someone else, and the proceeds allow us to continue helping our neighbors when they need it most. It’s truly a community effort, and we’re so grateful for everyone who donates, shops and supports this tradition.”

So please consider donating. Donation Drop-Off Day will take place Saturday, October 31, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at St. Martin Lutheran Church, 813 Bay Road, Webster. Tax receipts will be available upon request.

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email me  at missyblog@gmail.com. “Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Instagram and Threads (@missyblog)

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(posted 10/23/2026)

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News and family-friendly events from the Friends of Webster Trails

21 Oct

The autumn edition of my Friends of Webster Trails (FWT) newsletter popped up in my email box the other day, and as usual, it was packed with lots of great updates about how much the Friends have accomplished in the last several months. And as usual, I’d like to share some of those accomplishments with you all.

But first, I want to highlight two family-friendly events the Friends have scheduled in just a few weeks.

The first is a Family Scavenger Hunt on Saturday Nov. 7 from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Kent Park, 1700 Schlegel Rd., held in conjunction with the Webster Recreation Center.

Participants can choose their own adventure as they explore the park, completing a fun scavenger hunt along the way. Three different skill levels will be available for kids aged 2 to 12, so children of all ages can participate, and every child will earn a prize.

Cost is $5 per child, and please preregister at the Recreation Center website. You can pay when you get to the hike. Sign in anytime between 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. The hunt will take place rain or shine, so dress for the weather. Proceeds will be donated to the Webster Arboretum to help improve Webster’s trails.

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That evening, the Friends will host their annual Hot Cocoa Hike, held this year at State Road Nature Preserve, 1571 State Rd.

This free, self-guided, family-friendly hike will be about one mile from start to finish, and includes a stop along the way for (you guessed it) hot cocoa! The path will be clearly marked, and there will be lights along the way to help guide you, but please bring a flashlight to help out as well. (And your own travel mug.)

Participants are asked to plan to leave the parking lot between 7 and 8 p.m. so that you can arrive at the hot cocoa stop by 8:30 p.m. The trail will begin on the right-hand side of the parking lot. Please leave your dogs at home.

There’s no cost, but please register here so the Friends have enough hot cocoa and marshmallows.

Now, on to the newsletter

If you enjoyed hiking any of our trails this summer, you’ll notice how great they’re looking — and keeping them looking great has been a challenge with all the windstorms knocking down trees left and right. The dedicated FWT volunteers have been working hard all summer to maintain these trails. Here are some highlights:

  • Habitat/ReTree Project: Volunteers planted 151 native trees and shrubs. The purpose of this project is to restore and protect the forests in Webster by planting native species, improving wildlife habitat, and making local woodlands more resilient to insects, diseases, and other threats. Thanks to the Ciena Corporation, who provided some volunteers for this project, for the Girl Scouts, who potted some seedlings, and to RG&E for donating nursery stock.
  • Bird Sanctuary Trail: This was much improved over the summer with lots of new gravel and the installation of new drainage pipes. Soon the Friends also plan to install a dog waste station at the Orchard St. trailhead.
  • Gosnell Big Woods Preserve: In addition to doing some much-needed cleaning along the fence line, FWT volunteers were able to rescue a wounded osprey, with help from the Braddock Bay Birding Observatory.
  • Whiting Rd. Nature Preserve: The Whiting Rd. Red Trail now has a new boardwalk, thanks to the efforts of Maria Frick, who completed it in June for her Eagle Scout project.

The newsletter also had a rather interesting analysis of who’s actually using the trails. Hikers by far comprise the greatest number of users (and runners from my running group are included among them), at 64%. They’re followed by dog walkers at 29%, and bikers are 7%. And a separate tally of the number of people using the paths around Charles Sexton (North Ponds) Park counted an amazing 4,000 a week.

If you include yourself among these folks who use our trails, and you aren’t yet a member of the Friends of Webster Trails, please consider showing them some love by becoming a member. It doesn’t cost much (really, just $15 for an individual or $20 for a family) and the funds go directly to making our trail system better for everyone to enjoy.

You can find out more about the organization and see an interactive map of all the trails at the Friends of Webster Trails website.

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email me  at missyblog@gmail.com. “Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Instagram and Threads (@missyblog)

You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Subscribe” link on the right side of this page (or all the way at the bottom of the page if you’re on your phone).

(posted 10/21/2026)

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