Unique festivals in the Finger Lakes?
Yes, indeed!
This weekend, venture to Phelps, in Ontario County, for the one and only Phelps Sauerkraut Weekend.
The fun begins Friday night, July 31 and continues through Sunday, Aug. 2.
The festival grounds are on Ontario Street and that is where you will find all of the carnival rides for the young and young at heart.
Is cabbage bowling more your style? You can find it here.
Be sure to check out the History of Sauerkraut Exhibit on the main festival grounds, for everything you wanted to know about sauerkraut, but you were afraid to ask.
At some point during the weekend, a King Kraut and Queen Kraut will be crowned (only in my dreams...).
Saturday begins with 20K and 5K races starting at the Phelps Community Center at 8 a.m.
Experience Art in the Park with local craftspeople at the Methodist Church is from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Carnival rides and cabbage bowling continue at the fairgrounds.
The Marketplace on Main Street takes place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., followed by the parade of parades! I witnessed the Phelps Sauerkraut Weekend parade last year and let me tell you, if you love a parade, this is the one to see!
After about 45 minutes of floats, great bands, firemen, ladies auxiliary and fire trucks from all over Ontario and surrounding counties in the Finger Lakes, honored veterans, tractors, antique cars and boy and girl scout troops, I asked the locals how much longer it might last. They told me to relax and enjoy the show.
The Mustang Rally completed the parade - from the classic Mustangs of the 1960s to the raw power the Mustang's of today. Wow.
Make sure to stay for the local favorite party band The Skycoasters and fireworks on Saturday night.
For the first time this year there will be a motorcycle show on Sunday, Aug. 2 at the carnival grounds from 1 to 4 p.m. Don’t forget the carnival rides and the cabbage bowling. Chicken BBQ will be available on both Saturday and Sunday.
Also new is the debut of a sauerkraut beer made by Crafty Ales & Lagers.
The Phelps Sauerkraut Festival began back in 1967 when Phelps laid claim to be one of the largest sauerkraut producers in the world.
A mighty big claim for a small, proud community.
Share in this pride and have a great time this weekend at the Phelps Sauerkraut Weekend. Be sure to check out the website link above.
Share your sauerkraut memories by posting your pictures on our #FLXperience page and be sure to use the hashtag #FLXperience.