SACKETS HARBOR, New York (WWNY) – The 51st annual Can-Am Festival in Sackets Harbor kicked off on Saturday.
Visitors, vendors and an assortment of performances filled West Main Street in the village.
The day was capped off by the annual parade which brought dozens of notable parties from across the North Country, ranging from school bands to fire departments and even Sackets Harbor’s Senior Citizen of the Year.
Organizers tell us putting together the parade is a months long process, but after all is said and done, the end result speaks for itself.
“I enjoy seeing everybody when they come back and knowing the enjoyment that it brings to everybody. We always have lots of music. They have their chairs out in the morning when they’re waiting for it to start,” said parade co-coordinator Cheryl Payne.
But the parade is just one part of the festival, and with COVID regulations a thing of the past, folks say the festival is back to it’s old self.
It’s two days of shopping, eating, and entertainment in Sacket’s Harbor in honor of the North Country’s relationship with our friends up north.
“I love the crafters. I love the music. I love the food. It’s all just a lot of fun and the whole community comes out for it, so it’s a fabulous time,” said Sackets Harbor resident Betsy Regan.
Regan has been visiting the festival since she was 18. She loves all of it, but if she had to choose a favorite part:
“The wine slushies,” Regan said.
In recent years, the festival hasn’t quite been itself due to COVID-19 restrictions, but now the pandemic is in the rear-view mirror.
“We were bumper to bumper and you didn’t really feel right. This year, it just feels like what it always should have been. It’s just back to normal. Everybody is out here having a good time and just enjoying being outside,” said seasonal resident Lizz Smith.
The lack of restrictions may also be a boon for the “Can” half of the Can-Am festival. Mayor Alex Morgia says he expects to see a lot more Canadian visitors than previous years.
“We should have quite a few more this year. Just generally, people are excited to get out now and kind of get back to normal,” said Morgia.
Long-running parade participants like the Media Shriners, raise money for a network of children’s hospitals. They say they’re excited to see the event back to it’s old self.
“Oh, it’s great. It’s great to get out with different people, see other organizations. We’re all here to support local communities,” said Dave Northrop of Massena Ups and Downers Group.
Parade participants made their final stop in front of the band stand, but not before putting on their best final performance.
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