2023 Salamanca-Seneca Falling Leaves Festival
2023 Salamanca-Seneca Falling Leaves Festival
Salamanca Continues Long-standing Tradition of Culture and Family Fun
Photos / Salamanca Chamber of Commerce
Who’s ready to add another fall favorite to their list? Embracing these early autumn days, it’s the perfect time to enjoy afternoons of golden sun and fun! This week we jump into the Salamanca-Seneca Falling Leaves Festival and all that they have to offer! Dates: Friday, September 29th through Sunday, October 1st. Location: Jefferson Street Park, Salamanca, NY.
Beginning in 1979, the festival has been a long-standing staple of the area, running for its 46th year this September. Looking back to the very beginning, Rossi Ledsome describes the festival as, “a community served festival with the hope to bring our community together - the Seneca Nation and the City of Salamanca”. He then goes on to explain that the festival also had hoped to show the potential of all the great things these joint communities had to offer. A point to share cultures and grow a continuing relationship, the Falling Leaves Festival has been a time to come together and share in the memories old and new.
It first started off very small, with only four concessioners, but year by year it has grown into an ever-popular event for the city, with around 15 food stands and over 65 stands for retail and crafts. You’ll find a bit of everything throughout the lanes of vendors. Beautiful handmade pieces and one-of-a-kind items are sure to catch your eye.
The food stands are a given, of course! They have plenty of diverse options and range from small pieces to full meals. So, what are you in the mood for? The Native American food is a great way to try something authentic to the area. Bits and bites of every culture, you’ll find Italian, Polish, Mexican, BBQ, Greek and Native American foods all around. It’s the perfect way to sample something new and shop around.
The Falling Leaves Festival is a hidden gem along the hillside. Travelers that stumble upon it by chance, while seeking fall foliage, should consider themselves lucky. For those of you reading, this is your sign to mark your calendars now! The event is a free based, community festival, offering no charge on admission, rides or many (but not all) of the other attractions offered. That’s right, free!
There are tons of ways to stay entertained for locals and visitors alike. At no cost, carnival rides, face painting, balloon animals, caricatures, and a petting zoo are the main draws for families looking to add to their weekend plans. Oh, and those caricature drawings are done by none other than Eric Jones, winner of season 3 Outrageous Pumpkins on The Food Network. Known for his one-of-a-kind art and carvings, be sure to check out his work at ericjonesstudios.com to see what you’re in for!
If this is your first year attending the Salamanca-Seneca Falling Leaves Festival, you might want to make note that many of these fun-filled activities are located at the back of the festival, like the petting zoo sponsored by the Friends of the Salamanca Youth Center. Be sure to also catch the Seneca Youth Dancers at 2:00pm on Saturday to share the experience of Native culture with friends and family. Another major must-see is the Grand Parade being held at 3:00pm on Sunday.
The festival is an all-weekend event and while each day is a little bit different, it’s still very manageable to catch all your favorites. Local artists will also be featured with live music each night, from acts such as Ozone Ranger, Iron Eyes Maybee, and Red Grey, as well as Rez Road Sounds J.D. Gardner DJing throughout Friday and Saturday.
They know exactly how to keep the night going in case you find yourself debuting your new dance moves in the American Legion sponsored Beer Tent. It’s a great way to catch up at the end of the evening with fellow festival goers. A weekend to cheer your friends and swap stories from past Falling Leaves Festivals. With 46 years running, the festival stays true to its past. Once you find your way around, chances are you’ll know it well and will see the same faces for years to come. It’s the hometown nature of it all.
The location has been a consistent spot since the beginning, but about ten years back there were plans to move the event to Allegany State Park. Community members joined together to keep the Salamanca-Seneca Falling Leaves Festival in its place. When hearing of the news, they worked to keep it true to its area and community.
A big factor in this was the simple point that it was designed for the community and should stay in the community. Festival goers easily walk within their own neighborhood to enjoy the weekend. Keeping the walkability and local feel was an important point that had to be made.
“The most important thing to me, myself, is the togetherness of the community… the tradition,” Rossi Ledsome explains. He was there the opening year with his mother and grandmother working at one of the first stands. He knows very well how much it means to keep that presence right where it should be. “It’s a hometown community festival is what it is,” he continues. “We have rides and the rides are free to all kids, all people. The committee gets financial support from the City of Salamanca and from the Seneca Nation and it’s really a combination of the two that we’re able to do this. It’s important that they both be recognized because both have a lot to do with the success of it.”
It really shows, too, after all this time the two forces that came together, still work together to keep things going. The effort they started has expanded into the community and neighbors alike, who now choose to use their time to give back. Years of growth and time well spent, generosity and culture shared, the Falling Leaves Festival continues to welcome guests of all nature.
For more information on this year’s festival, including a full schedule of events, please visit the Salamanca-Seneca Falling Leaves Festival Facebook Page.