Officials Proclaim Summer Festival a Success
by Colin Kinney
HURLEYVILLE, August 2022 – Organizers say the first Hurleyville Summer Festival was a great success.
On Thursday, July 21, the first Hurleyville Summer Festival was held on Main Street in Hurleyville. Activities included live music, both in the municipal parking lot and in the Pickled Owl. Casa Mia had an outdoor seating area where diners could enjoy the summer sun.
Arthur Aulisi hosted trivia at the Tango Cafe. The Hurleyville Methodist Church offered some children’s crafts as part of its “Messy Church” program. The Yoga Space at the Hurleyville Performing Arts Centre stayed open later in the evening. Morgan Outdoors featured special discounted prices on all children’s books and maps in the store. Organizers hosted a scavenger hunt with prizes for kids during the festival.
Thanks to the generosity of Hurleyville businesses, everyone who participated in the scavenger hunt won a prize. They included:
Carsyn Hoefling – gift certificate from Casa Mia
Payton Logothety – gift certificate from the Pickled Owl
Pedro Macareno-Manuelian – gift certificate from Morgan Outdoors
Abraham Beery – gift certificate from the Hurleyville General Store
Carissa Ciorciari – free ride from Fortress Bikes
Lakoda Batres – free ride from Fortress Bikes
Abby Call and Kateri Smith completed the bonus clue and each won two tickets to Encanto at Bethel Woods courtesy of Bold Gold Media.
Of course, festivals are not complete without rides and games from Party Master, which were a big hit.
There were also numerous vendors on hand, including jewelers, bakers, florists, artists and more.
The festival attracted hundreds of visitors to Hurleyville, in what organizers say is part of an ongoing effort to expand the horizons of the hamlet’s future.
The festival was sponsored by the Sullivan County Chamber of Commerce, Bold Gold Media, Thompson Sanitation, and Party Master. The impetus for the festival came from the newly formed group called the Hurleyville Hub.
Denise Lombardi, the owner of the Hurleyville General Store and a member of the Hurleyville Hub, said it is “a group of all of the businesses and organizations based in Hurleyville designed to create community connections and foster economic development.”
For those who missed the first Hurleyville Summer Festival, organizers are planning a second, even bigger event for Thursday, August 18.