The Catskill Chronicle

LIVINGSTON MANOR, NY (August 27, 2014) – Labor Day is on its way and so is the annual Livingston Manor Labor Day Festival and Parade.

This year’s event will be held on Sunday, August 31. The parade takes place on Main Street in Livingston Manor, followed by entertainment and more at Renaissance Park, located at the intersection of Main and Pearl Streets (at the traffic light).

The Festival begins at 11:00 a.m. with musical entertainment on the Renaissance Park stage, and the old-fashioned country-style parade starts at 12:00 noon.

This year’s theme is “Children, Chocolate and Cheer” and Grand Marshal Steve Dill with Family and Friends will lead the parade with his psychedelic VW beetle, chocolate kisses float and the Giant Chair.

Also in the parade will be Livingston Manor’s own MountainTones Marching Band, cars from the Any Make, Any Model Car Club, cheerleaders from several Sullivan County Schools, Livingston Manor celebrity Lee Seigel, the Livingston Manor Library Summer Reading Program marchers, LightEXPO Hula Hoops, the “Regards to the Man in the Moon Puppet Show” and much more.

Following the parade is a brand new addition to the Festival, an all-star youth talent show with a grand prize of $100. And there’s still time to enter – just call the Livingston Manor Library at 845-439-5440 to find out how to register.

Additional entertainment will be provided by the Backseat Drivers Band, The Janice Center, Jim Red Fox storytelling, LightEXPO Hula Hoops, Lorena the Spanish Dancer, Steve Levine on the banjo, Van Morrow, playing the typewriter, and the Regards to the Man in the Moon Youth Puppet Show.

The party continues till 4:00 p.m with old-fashioned children’s games and prizes, children’s crafts, and vendors including the colonial-style gifts from Fort Delaware, Naomi’s Dolls, Manor Ink, Native American Jewelry by Jim Red Fox Sarles, wooden toys, dolls clothes, Mike Ranze’s silk-screened t-shirts, wildlife photos by Gloria Wagenknecht, information from Catskill Mountainkeeper, and children’s authors Clara Gillow Clark, Helena Clare Pittman and Lindsay Barrett George.

Don’t forget the Colossal Book Sale featuring bargains galore on books for the whole family.

Food vendors will offer spring rolls, pad Thai noodles, sesame chicken, pulled pork, hot dogs and drinks, Pete’s hot dog cart, the Livingston Manor 8th grade bake sale fundraiser and, of course, chocolate.

Three lucky winners of the Livingston Manor Labor Day Festival & Parade raffle will take home a quilt throw donated by Nancy Matrafailo (first prize), a crocheted afghan made by Sarah Madison (second prize) and a baby blanket  made by Dina Johnson (third prize). The drawing will be held on Sunday, August 31 in Renaissance Park, at 3:00 p.m. Tickets can be purchased for $1.00 each or six tickets for $5.00 at the Livingston Manor Library.

Another new feature is the “Chocolate Walk.” Ongoing prior to the Festival & Parade up until August 30, each of the following locations will have different chocolate bars on sale to benefit the library. Visit each location, match the chocolate key, submit your completed chocolate map to the library or bring it to the festival and be entered into a drawing for a surprise gift. Participating locations where you can pick up a “Chocolate Walk” map and purchase the chocolate bars are: the Livingston Manor Free Library, Will Hardware, Beth’s Headquarters, Catskill Mountainkeeper, Johnny’s Barber Shop, the Wildlife Gift Shop, Helen’s Barber Shop, Willow & Brown, Morgan Outdoors and Madison’s Restaurant.

The Livingston Manor Labor Day Festival & Parade is sponsored by the Livingston Manor Chamber of Commerce, Jeff Bank, with special support from the originator of the DeBruce Labor Day Parade, Steve Dill.

Admission is free, and all the fun starts at 11:00 a.m. on Sunday, August 31. Proceeds will benefit the Livingston Manor Free Library. For more information, contact the library at 845-439-5440.