This weekend, the town of Clay will hold its sixth annual community event at Clay Park Central on Wetzel Road. The event includes live music, food and family-friendly fun.
The event first came to town in 2010 when Supervisor Damian Ulatowski suggested it to the parks and recreation department.
“He wanted it to be a family event. He had been to the others in the area,” said Parks and Recreation Commissioner Wayne Morris. “It seemed like a good thing for us to do. It’s a good community thing.”
While the event has traditionally taken place on Saturday, this year’s event will run over two days. Friday night will feature a free community movie night shown on a large outdoor screen, sponsored by Fun Flicks of Syracuse.
“Fun Flicks is something new,” Morris said. “[Assistant Parks Director] Scott [Paulding] set it up, so it’s something we’re going to go with and see what happens.”
The movie, which the town website describes as “appropriate for the whole family,” will begin at dusk, or, as Morris said, around 8:45 p.m. Popcorn, cotton candy, drinks will be available for purchase; bring your own seating.
Saturday’s events will begin at 11 a.m. and continue until 5 p.m. The day’s activities will include a performance by Mood Swing at 2:30 p.m., fingerprinting and children’s IDs provided by the Onondaga County Sheriff’s Department, demonstrations and truck displays by the Clay Fire Department, a Children’s Fun Zone with a bounce house and slide, face painting and balloon animals and a penny carnival.
“We include the penny carnival, which we’ve always done at the playgrounds. It’s a very popular thing,” Morris said. “Kids bring pennies and do all kinds of carnival games. They have to shell out a penny to play. That’s a very fun thing.”
Also on the schedule is a talent show, open to all ages.
“Maybe we’ll discover the next Julia Goodwin in the process,” Morris said. “You never know.”
Local vendors and restaurants will also be on hand to peddle their wares. The town is working with the Greater Liverpool Chamber of Commerce to bring in as many local businesses as possible.
“That’s a new thing we’re doing this year. It’s a good thing to get the community involved,” Morris said. “We’ll have more people and more vendors than we’ve had in the past.”
Morris said the community event showcases the many offerings made available by the town, demonstrating what residents can get from their parks department.
“We are probably the best deal in the area,” he said. “When you consider our playground program, which is free, plus our sports camps, which are very reasonable, I always say we’re the best deal in town.”
