Magnificent May Mayhem
Magnificent May Mayhem
Greater Olean Area Chamber of Commerce stacks the activities for their next event
OLEAN - The Greater Olean Area Chamber of Commerce (GOACC) events committee unveiled a new event back in September 2021 called Magnificent May Mayhem (or M3 for short). A mayhem is defined as chaos, pandemonium and bedlam. “Although most of the definitions are not a good thing, we use mayhem as a term to describe the many activities and programs pulled together for this one event,” stated Meme K. Yanetsko, GOACC COO.
This event will be a whole mayhem of events: going from an endurance run, timed river regatta, putt putt crawl, toss in a float the Allegheny and end with a flea market! M3 will be held Friday and Saturday, May 20th-21st.
“If you remember that survey asking for what the community wanted GOACC to do in regards to events - that survey gave our Events Committee a lot of directions and ideas,” added Yanetsko. Jingle Bell Jubilee (great success), Frosty Fest (on paper great event, but cancelled due to snow) and now M3 were established from the survey data.
The tentative schedule for Friday is as follows: street dance, food trucks, carnival games, wine walk, putt putt crawl, and car cruise. Saturday includes the community wide garage sales, sound stage, river regatta (timed), float the Allegheny (casual), hike Mt. Herman endurance run and the City’s Largest Flea Market.
The Street Dance will be an evening of fun for the whole family - music, food, and fun! “One of the items in the survey included the return of a street dance, similar to what the Rally in the Valley did for so many years. Yes, the dance will be on Laurens Street, but with the putt putt and wine walk, it will bring people out from Laurens Street and throughout the merchants and businesses on those streets as well,” stated Yanetsko. Laurens Street will be closed to traffic, retail/craft vendors will be set up along Union and State Street.
The Putt Putt Crawl will operate a normal putt putt course, however, golfers will travel from place to place (hole to hole) to play the hole set up there. This is fun for all ages with foursomes consisting of families, couples, and friends. GOACC will work with a local non-profit to be the fundraising element with this event as well as organize and run the event. Trophies will be awarded for the best foursome, and then individual preteen/teen/adult with male/female as well.
The Wine Walk will feature different local/regional wines at several businesses throughout Union and State Streets where one can walk and taste the different wines. "This is another activity we are looking for a non-profit to host as a great fundraising event opportunity,” added Erica Dreher, GOACC Member Services Manager.
“Historically, GOACC has hosted the community wide garage sale the third weekend in May,” added Dreher. “We decided to add it to the Mayhem and hope the M3 will encourage more people into town to enjoy both M3 and attend the garage sales and vice versus.”
The Flea Market will be held outside the rec center as well as inside the rec center (if numbers warrant two locations.) The market provides space for vendors to sell previously-owned (second-hand) merchandise. Who may sell at the flea market? Antiquers and collectors, garage sale folks (who want to come and vend), and flower and plant vendors.
Both the regatta and the float have been on the drawing board for a potential GOACC event. “When we developed the StrOlean event, there were several ideas on the table - it's pretty neat that we can bring these two events to the community,” Yanetsko.
The River Regatta will feature 1-person, 2-person, 4-person and 6-person floating vessels – whether kayak, canoe or flat bottomed boat. The regatta will be a timed event with the vessels starting at Steam Valley and ending at Olean Creek (parallel to War Veterans Park). The fees will be based on the number of people and all fees include an event tank and refreshment vouchers. Teams can feature any age participants (waivers for those under 18 will need to be signed by parent/guardian) with awards for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place for each vessel category.
Float the Allegheny’s goal is to encourage people to “get into the river” and “have a whale of a good time” in the process! Although not timed, and basically anyone can participate, those interested in being an official float participant will pay one of three fees - individual float, family four pack, and family four PLUS pack. The fees may include an event tank and refreshment vouchers.
Finally the endurance run – or hike to Herman. Although official mileage and elevation hasn’t been determined, the run will take participants from Four Mile Brewing Co., to South Union Street bridge, to the City of Olean road to the reservoir, to Alpine Drive, up and around the tanks, back down the same route, to Four Mile Brewing, under the East State Street bridge via Adams Street to War Veterans Park. The fee will include event tech tee, refreshments at the end, as well as other race bling.
“The events committee was pretty excited with the tentative schedule of events for the M3!” said Mayor William Aiello, Chamber board director and events committee member. “The Chamber is trying to find an event that features activities for all ages, attracting folks from out of town and adding to the quality of life for our area residents.”
Registration for all activities will begin on Friday, April 1st with most fees increasing as the event gets closer. Information for the M3 can be found online at shop.oleanny.com (by the end of March), or you can call 716-372-4433 or email info@oleanny.com.