SHERRILL — The annual Sherrill Kenwood Park Festival, organized by Dr. Patrick Costello and returning to the grounds of the Community Activity Center for its third year this Saturday, has always been about “eating, drinking, being merry and listening to great music,” said city resident Evan DuChene.
“It’s always a great time,” DuChene, co-owner of Ebeneezer’s Café and Creamery in Sherrill, said. “I have gotten to see a lot of friends I don’t always see, and everybody always has fun.”
“It’s just the greatest thing — I can’t say enough good about it,” agreed Abe Acee, owner of the Nothin’ Fancy Café and Club in Vernon. “Pat’s really been building this up to something big.”
The event is a fundraiser to benefit renovations to the playground in Robertson Park in Sherrill, matched by funds from the Sherrill-Kenwood Community Chest. The first two years have already helped bring to the city the total reconstruction and modernization of the old playground, including the just-added foamy floor material.
Ebeneezer’s and Nothin’ Fancy are just two of 12 select area restaurants who will bring out specialty food items to sell in two sizes at the Festival. Admission is $18 in advance or $20 at the door and includes free live music kicking off at 2 p.m. with Fritz’s Polka Band, followed by the Deadline featuring the Josh Condon Trio and ZAAB Curley at 3:30 p.m., Matt Chase and the Thunder Canyon Band at 5 p.m., and Slug at 6:45 p.m.
Headlining the NYE Automotive-sponsored event at 8:30 p.m. is Baltimore-based Irish roots band Donegal Xpress, back for their third Sherrill festival.
Donegal X-Press has a local connection: drummer Jeff Trueman is a 1984 graduate of Oneida High School, and an old friend of Costello’s. He said when he received the invitation to play at the first-ever fundraiser in 2009, he and his bandmates didn’t hesitate to come and help out.
“This is absolutely a highlight gig for the whole band,” Trueman said. “Seeing everybody get together like this with such energy for such a good cause is the sign of a great community.”
Costello said plans for continued work in the park in the near future include the grooming of nearby trails with the addition of lighting and handicapped accessibility.
Last year’s Sherrill Kenwood Park Festival saw some 1,000 people come out to enjoy the party — including current residents, friends from outside the area, former residents returning for reunions, and local government officials.
“This is an awesome turnout,” Sherrill Mayor Joe Shay said while surveying the crowds at the 2010 event. “Pat Costello and his people did a great job with this and I and the city commend them all for all of their hard work.”
“What a great event — this is a great community here with people who want to contribute to making it better,” added New York State Sen. Joe Griffo, R-47, during last year’s festivities. “The people here really care about each other and you can tell by the way they all come out for a good cause like this.”
The Festival is for people 21 and older, and will be held rain or shine with plenty of tent space available. There will also be raffles for $1,000s in donated prizes. The CAC is located just east of the intersection of Hamilton Avenue and Sherrill Road in Sherrill.
Tickets are available at the Sherrill city hall or from any of Costello’s offices in Oneida, Rome or New Hartford.
Source: New Haven Register