ST. BONAVENTURE, N.Y. — Allegany’s Main Street will be buzzing with activity on Sept. 25 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. for the sixth annual Bonagany Festival.
Bonagany 2010 has something to offer for everyone in the family, organizers say. Children will enjoy a variety of activities including inflatable amusements, wagon rides, the balloon man, a caricature artist, a juggler, local dancing showcases, and alpacas from Elderberry Farm Alpacas.
The festival offers adults the opportunity to enjoy the work of regional artists, local eateries, festival food, classic cars, and a lineup of local music acts, including the Allegany Alumni Band, Us Too & Company, The Blues Brothers of Olean, The Wild Rovers, Living My Last Day, and Generations.
There will be a variety of local food vendors, including Larry’s Food Wagon, A Taste of India, Prendergast Sausages, Fowlers Taffy, Christy’s Old Fashioned Kettle Corn, Millie’s Dawgs and more. In addition, Main Street businesses and restaurants will have their doors open for festival-goers.
The Cattaraugus County Arts Council is again a co-sponsor of the event and visitors can expect to enjoy the work of many regional artists including Dee Smith, Deb Eck, Joan Pingitore, Don Black, and Bill Smith.
“Bonagany is a great opportunity for artists to expose their work to local residences as well as Bonaventure parents from Buffalo, Rochester, and New York City,” said Anne Conroy-Baiter, executive director of the Arts Council. “It’s a small, easy festival for emerging artists to try out the festival experience so festival-goers will see a mix of established and emerging artists. It’s a fun day for everyone.”
Bonagany was founded in 2005 with the mission of celebrating the friendship between the village and town of Allegany, and St. Bonaventure University. Held during the university’s annual Family Weekend, the festival showcases the best of St. Bonaventure University and offers a great opportunity for parents to get out and enjoy the community.
Festival chairperson Lori Tiller encourages the public to visit Allegany’s Main Street on Sept. 25.
“I am incredibly proud to continue to be a part of such an amazing community festival. Bonagany has grown over the past six years to become an event that everyone in Allegany and at St. Bonaventure University can look forward to. Our initial goal was to improve the relationship between the university and the community and I believe we've met that goal. Bonagany is truly a celebration for all to enjoy," Tiller said.
Vendors, entertainers and musicians can obtain information about the festival at www.bonagany.org. For more information about St. Bonaventure’s Family Weekend, visit www.sbu.edu/familyweekend.