By Lauren Young
The Feb. 24 event, free to the public, featured a macaroni and cheese cook off, a village scavenger hunt, an open concession stand, a horse drawn wagon ride, hot chocolate, s’mores, face-painting and a toasty fire to keep warm in between. East Syracuse Mayor Robert Tackman and his 7-year-old daughter Emma attended the event, and had fun face painting and taking the horse drawn wagon ride with friends, they said.
For resident Renee Simone and her two young boys Anthony and Dominick, it was their first time on a horse-drawn carriage ride.
“I think it’s awesome; there aren’t a whole lot of villages that put as much effort into their community,” said Simone. “Normally you would have to go somewhere else for something like this, but our community is great because otherwise we wouldn’t have this opportunity.”
Rebecca Scott won first place in the mac and cheese contest, with Tom Richardson, director of East Syracuse parks and recreation, coming in second. His wife Robin Richardson, who tied in third place with resident Kathy Tolhurst Coon, said her mac and cheese was inspired by her Canadian mother’s secret recipe. Tackman himself entered his dish in the contest, which was made with onions and bacon, that came in fourth place. Chris Shields, first assistant chief of the East Syracuse Fire Department, came in fifth place.
About a year ago, East Syracuse developed a recreation commission with community volunteers, and featuring the village in the Winterfest tradition was a new concept they introduced this year.
For the next major event hosted by East Syracuse Parks and Recreation they will be hosting a St. Patty’s Day party on March 15 at the Heman Street Apartments Community Room from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The cost is $4, and includes a corn beer and cabbage lunch and entertainment by East Syracuse-Minoa third grade students and high school music students. Pre-registration and payment is required.
