Worth The Wait

Originally scheduled to be on Sunday, the 35th annual Labor Day Festival was postponed to Monday for better weather. Following a soggy, rainy Sunday, Monday had plenty of sunshine which was great weather for the annual festival held at Bergman Park, which is located at 487 Baker St.

Mike Nichols of Ashville came to the festival with his wife, Donna, and children, Alexis and Elle. Nichols said he is a member of the barbershop quartet, the Southern Tier Chord Authority, which is why he came to listen to the live music that was performed by several regional bands.

”We also enjoy the fireworks,” he said.

The live band lineup included: Teachers, Preachers & Trent; The Bogarts; We Speak Canadian; Two For Flinching; Jamestown Harmony Express; Razzer’s Jazzers; The New Tenants; and Cindy Love.

Kenneth Marion said he is happy the festival was postponed one day because he was out of town on Sunday.

”All of the food is great. I’m glad I didn’t miss that,” he said.

Organizations that served festival foods include Bush School PTA; city of Jamestown; Eastside Family YMCA; Falconer High School Marching Band; Jamestown Babe Ruth World Series; Jamestown Harmony Express; Jamestown High School girls basketball; Jamestown High School marching band; Greater Jamestown Riverwalk; Mt. Moriah Lodge 145; Sertoma Club of Jamestown; Sons of AMVETS 726; and United Way of Southern Chautauqua County.

Lesley Arnold attended the festival for one reason fireworks.

”It was sad last year when they canceled the fireworks because of the rain,” she said prior to this year’s show.

The big fireworks finale was provided by Zambelli Fireworks. Other events during the festival included Chautauqua Striders holding the annual Dan Feature Memorial 5k Run/Walk; the arts and crafts fair; free Pepsi Bingo games; free kids carnival games including a bounce house by Eventz by Scott; and the Jamestown Area Central Labor Council AFL-CIO presenting the George Ritzer Labor Award to Valerie Hagglund.

Original article by The Post-Journal.