Cookie decorating, complimentary boat shuttles, children’s activities, an antique car show and more. That’s right — it’s time to Celebrate Baldwinsville!

Held in the heart of the village, Celebrate Baldwinsville will be held this Friday and Saturday. The event is a conglomerate of organizations providing a variety of events and entertainment for all to enjoy. Activities range from pony rides (courtesy of the Baldwinsville Optimists’ club) and a Scholastic book fair to demonstrations, gambling and music — there’s something for every age group.

All of the activities associated with the event are free and there is no admission to any of the three venues, namely Paper Mill Island, Mercer Park and the South Shore West Trail.

“This event focuses on showcasing the village parks and what the different parks have to offer. We also hope to draw enough people to the event to help make people aware of what businesses there are in the downtown area,” said Mace Markham, president of the Celebrate Baldwinsville Foundation.

This year, the antique car show will be held on the South Shore West Trail both Friday and Saturday as the Greater Baldwinsville Chamber of Commerce will not be hosting the business show. Anheuser-Busch will also hold the ninth annual Bud Run Saturday morning, a charity event that has run in conjunction with Celebrate Baldwinsville for years.

New children’s activities have been added including Birds of Prey, the Twin Magicians and Bubbleman Doug. The Budweiser Amphitheater will highlight both local and regional talent including the Baldwinsville Theatre Guild, Baldwinsville Community Band, Elephant Shoes, Souled Out and Chris Taylor — The Custom Taylor Band.

Behind the scenes

Celebrate Baldwinsville helps to support community operations year round as money raised from the event gets funneled back into the community.

“Eighty to ninety percent of what we make is donated back to charitable organizations within the community,” Markham said. “The foundation also funds a scholarship for the high school, which is something we have done every year.”

The foundation is a not-for-profit organization with a 12-member volunteer board that organizes the annual event to provide a family friendly communal celebration.

“I like the feeling of giving back to my community and this is one of the ways to do that,” Markham said. “That’s pretty much why everyone else is doing it — if you didn’t enjoy it, you wouldn’t be here.”

Celebrate Baldwinsville relies on corporate sponsors to help fund the event. Entertainment is sponsored in party by a grant from Senator John DeFrancisco and M&T Bank. Price Chopper will sponsor the Saturday night firework display, which will be the last display of the year in Baldwinsville. P&C Foods sponsors the family fun and games at Mercer Park on Saturday. Other major sponsors include Gypsum Express and Anheuser-Busch.

For more information about this weekend’s event or the Bud Run, visit celebratebaldwinsville.com.