In partnership with the South Otselic Fish Culture Station and Gladding Braided Products, LLC, the Otselic Valley Fishing & Heritage Association (OVF&HA) is proud to announce its fifteenth annual Fishing & Heritage Day will be held on Saturday, May 18th, from 9am to 4pm in the hamlet of South Otselic. Fishing & Heritage Day will include many popular activities as well as new offerings at the State Fish Hatchery, the Otselic Town Park, and other locations within the hamlet. Some of this year's plans include:
Fish Fry, Proceeds to benefit the Fire Department. Located 10 miles north of S. Otselic at intersection of St Hwys 26 and 80. Take-out ONLY.
OVCS Band starts marching at 9 am, ending up in the park at 10 am.
Tickets for each duck are $5, please email Andrea Lehmann at ALehman@ovcs.org to purchase a ticket.
Proceeds to benefit the OV FFA and the OVF&HA.
Fish rearing tanks, aquarium and special exhibits.
Various environmental, conservation and historical non-profit organizations will be set up in front of the hatchery building with their displays and information.
11am and 2pmHaudenosaunee Programs: Educator Jessica Farmer from the Oneida Nation will tell stories and conduct two hands-on workshops on making Corn Husk Dolls.
1pmHaudenosaunee Programs: Oneida singers and dancers will perform and provide cultural context to the social, explain the traditional origins and uses of each instrument used, discuss Haudenosaunee regalia, explain the origin and purpose of Social Dances, and encourage the crowd to participate in each dance.
9am-4pmHaudenosaunee Programs: Renowned Mohawk basket maker, Robin Lazore, and her two daughters, will demonstrate the construction of ash baskets.
10am-4pmWorkshops by local artists Adam Schmidt and Rachel Conley, supplies and seating available to paint along! All ages welcome. Seating limited.
Some of these programs are made possible with public funds from the Statewide Community Regrants Program, a regrant program of the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature, and administered by The Earlville Opera House.
Fishing Clinics
11:30am and 3pmFishing Prizes Announced
Young anglers are invited to try their hand at fishing in one of the NY State’s Fish Hatchery ponds in South Otselic that is specially stocked with trout. There is no fee or fishing license required and bait is provided. You may bring your own pole or use one provided by the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). Fisheries staff and Trout Unlimited volunteers will be available to instruct and assist. People under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult.
Arts, crafts, antiques and food vendors. Free cornhole gaming available.
9am-4pmOneida artifact exhibit, Grace Brown exhibit with information from domestic violence programs such as Amelia's Voice and The Help Restore Hope Center.
9am-4pmDan “The Snake Man” will have an exhibit of live snakes and reptiles.
10:45am-12:45pmThe Realtime Dixieland Band will be performing, bringing over 10 years of entertaining local audiences.
1pm-4pmThe Cadleys will be performing, one of the most popular acoustic bands in the Northeast.
Some of these programs are made possible with public funds from the Statewide Community Regrants Program, a regrant program of the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature, and administered by The Earlville Opera House.
Mike Foor-Pessin and Paul Haggerty will lead a guided tour of the cemetery that will highlight Grace Brown’s life at the beginning of the 20th century.
Valley Busters 4-H Club: Small farm animals, snow cones and children's activities.
2pmTractor Show Parade.
8am-5pmDisplay of antique tractors and "hit 'n miss" engines.
10am-3pmFour County Library Bookmobile
Thrift shop offering clothes and small household items.
Gladding's vintage rope-braiding machine.
Savage Carvings will be demonstrating and selling wildlife chainsaw carvings. A 3.5’ Bear Carving will be raffled to benefit OVF&HA. Tickets are $5 each or 5 for $20, and will be available event Day at the welcome tent, or can be purchased in advance by sending a check to OVF&HA, P.O. Box 113, South Otselic, NY 13155
"Women clothing a Nation- one family at a time": an exhibit with vintage looms, spinning wheels and sewing machines. Bake sale and quilt show.
11am until doneBarbecue beef luncheon.
Open House and chicken barbeque (takeout).
9am-1pmThe Chenango County Sheriff's Office will be conducting the Safe Child ID program at the Fire Hall.
Pictorial cancellation postmark commemorating this year's Fishing & Heritage Day. This special postmark will be available at the Post Office in South Otselic for 30 days only.
Student Art Show