Winton’s Spring Sunset ~ Photo by Catherine Seidenberg

With the arrival of June, Westport is gleaming from all the thought and attention the community has invested in the upcoming summer season! The 300+ lilacs that Flowers Plus! has planted all through town are blooming and growing roots for our future lilac festival, and more are being planted as we speak. The roadsides of town are free of literally tons of trash plucked up by numerous volunteers, the Westport Chair Trail is officially open for your aesthetic and town-wandering enjoyment, and the Westport History Trail has been refreshed with new decals, for fun and educational strolls through time.

We’ve got a whole summer’s worth of activities planned for locals and visitors, from the Spirit of Place Open Studio Tour to the Town-Wide Yard Sale and America’s BIG 250th anniversary celebration!

Want to be involved? We’d LOVE for you to join us! Attend our board meeting on the first Wednesday of each month (coming up on June 3d, IN PERSON at the Westport Health Center conference room, 6097 NYS Route 9N, Westport, NY 12993) at 7pm and also at this link. Donate to the Alliance, and/or volunteer for an activity of your choice! We want to hear your ideas!

THE MEMORIAL DAY SERVICE IN BALLARD PARK DREW A RECORD CROWD!

Photo by Alvin Reiner ~ the Press Republican

Early morning on Memorial Day, a chilling rain fell and fog blanketed the grass of Ballard Park. Just as the crowd of 80+ people began to gather and the service got underway, the skies cleared and rays of sun reached down to the lake! Felix Haskins played ‘America the Beautiful’ on the cello, Ashley Rodriguez led everyone in singing ‘the Star Spangled Banner’, Andrew Beal delivered a moving speech, followed by Taylor Haskins playing Taps on the trumpet, and new this year, Jim Monty from the North Country Honor Flight gave a wonderful speech. Refreshments and golf cart transportation were provided by Robin Severance of Winton’s Tavern, and well enjoyed by all!

Many thanks to all the speakers and musicians, as well as Mary and Lyle Fielder, John and Ray Tefoe, Jim Carroll, Larry Carroll, Phil Mero, BobbyMcGee, Robin Severance, Ballard Park Foundation and volunteers, North Country Honor Flight, WWCA staff and organizing volunteers, and everyone present. Read more in the Press Reblican!

JOIN THE FUN OF WESTPORT’S AMERICA 250 CELEBRATION ON JULY 4!

Mimi Lane and Jim Carroll (of Overtime Events) running the show on July 4th, 2025 ~ Photo by Catherine Seidenberg

Our July 4th America’s 250th celebration is going to be one for the history books! From the parade to the fireworks, bouncy house, library book sale, michigans at the Federated Church, Maker’s Market on the library lawn, to live music in Ballard Park, Volleyball at Lee Park, and a cardboard boat race..just for starters..this is going to be a Westport weekend to remember. Here’s a TENTATIVE schedule:

SATURDAY JULY 4TH

• 10am - 4pm: Bouncy house on library lawn

• 10am ~ 2pm: Pop-up Maker’s Market on the library lawn

• 11am - parade lineup at the fairgrounds

• 12pm - parade begins

• TBD - book sale at the library

• TBD - Michigans at the Westport Federated Church, after the parade

• TBD - Cardboard boat building

• 4-6pm - Live music at Ballard Park: Mountain Echo Band

• 6-8pm - Live music at Ballard Park: Russ Bailey

• Sunset - Fireworks!

  Much more will be changed and added, as well as businesses having specials for the weekend. The full schedule is being currently constructed on our website, and will be continually updated .

  SUNDAY JULY 5TH

• 9:30 am - Cardboard boat race, Lee Park

• 10 am - Volleyball in Lee Park

• TBD - Book sale at the library

WE’D LOVE YOUR HELP! Be a part of history and volunteer for the July 4th celebration this year! We need all kinds of folks for help organizing, attending the bouncy house, you name it. It’s FUN! Please email us at info@gowestportny.com. Thank you!

Danny and Tena in the July 4th parade, 2024 ~ Photo by Catherine Seidenberg

Come show your joyful colors in the 2026 parade! Parade lineup is 11am at the Fairgrounds, and the parade begins at 12. Please keep all floats kid-friendly, safe and free of political agenda. SIGN UP HERE!

Sign up to participate in the pop-up maker’s market happening on Saturday July 4th, 10am-2pm on the library lawn! SIGN UP HERE! Space is limited.

GIVE SOME LOVE TO OUR EDUCATORS!

Griffin flag football seniors ~ Photo courtesy of BVCSD

As the school year comes to a close, the Alliance is proud to partner with the Griffin Guardian Alliance, the parent/teacher organization of BVCSD, to help celebrate the incredible teachers and staff who support our children every single day.

From dedicated educators and administrators to kind bus drivers, aides, cafeteria workers, and support staff, so many people help make our school community stronger. We are gathering donations to support a special Teacher & Staff Appreciation Event and give our hardworking school team a relaxing night to enjoy a treat out on the town.

If a teacher or staff member has ever made a difference in your life or your child’s, please consider contributing. Even $5 helps reach our goal and show gratitude in a meaningful way. Give here: https://givebutter.com/griffin-guardian-alliance-gga-xpr1fr.

Kids enjoying the Essex County Fair Chair

It’s time to get outside and walk through Westport! The artist-designed, oversized Westport chairs are all gracing the chair trail to make your strolls more fun, leisurely, and for great photo-ops! This is a project organized by the Safe roads - Walkable Westport Task Force to encourage everyone to slow with the flow while moving through our beautiful town! Read all about it in the SUN Community News! Want to get involved in the intiatives to slow down traffic in town? Email us at info@gowestportny.com.

BRUSH UP ON YOUR LOCAL HISTORY ON THE WESTPORT HISTORY TRAIL!

Take a walk through time on the Westport History Trail! Find a fresh decal on each significant historical site, scan the barcode and learn the story about each location. Read about how the trail came to life HERE, and find more info on our website! You can pair this with the Westport Walking Tour, and become a local history expert!

SAVE THE DATE! SPIRIT OF PLACE STUDIO TOUR, JULY 11TH AND 12TH 11AM-4PM

“Clickety Clock,” artwork by Susan Granfors

Westport is truly a town that excels in a broad range of the arts, and the Spirit of Place Studio Tour will open up over a dozen artist’s studios so you can tour the town, meet the artists and experience their creative process..and purchase pieces to enliven your own spaces! Make a weekend of it! Invite friends to town and enjoy all of the eateries, shopping opportunities, hiking trails and entertainment that will be in full swing in July. The virtual tour will be accessible on our website (the page is presently under construction), where you can visit the artist’s websites and peruse artwork all season from wherever you are.

JOIN THE NEXT FLOWERS PLUS! VOLUNTEER DAY ON SATURDAY JUNE 27, 9AM!

The Flowers Plus! Team and all of the volunteers over the years have transformed the town of Westport! There’s another opportunity to join in the beautification on Saturday, June 27, 9am at the Traffic Triangle in Westport. As usual, bring your favorite tools, hat, gloves, water, and dress appropriately. Be prepared for a fun communal work time!

In other news, FP! Now has T-shirts! They will be available for sale at the next raffle table set up at the Post Office, Saturday, June 13 from 9am-11am. Colors available are violet, rose quartz and periwinkle. The raffle items are a bird-cam feeder, bird seed, and a bird trivia book! Drawing after the July 4th parade. Good luck!

Fun fact: Flowers Plus! Has now planted over 300 Lilacs in Westport and Wadhams, as well as an array of other beautiful landscape plants! Go, FP!

SAVE THE DATE FOR THE TOWN-WIDE YARD SALE, AUGUST 8!

Gather your household treasures and find more at the Town-Wide Yard Sale, happening again this year on August 8th! Buy Nothing Sunday will happen the next day, Sunday the 9th, where everything left over (determined by the owners) will be given away for free. Stay tuned for sign-ups and details coming up soon on social media, our website, and future newsletters.

Wishing everyone a summery, community-filled June!

~the WWCA team

We are YOUR Alliance! Follow our Website, Facebook Page and Instagram. Follow all the happenings on the Calendar, and In and Around Westport Facebook Group. Have a friend or neighbor who would like to know what’s going on in town? Don’t forget to subscribe and forward this email!

-Newsletter Editor: Catherine Seidenberg