By Carol Vogel
Everyone loves a local outdoor festival, so mark your calendars for June 10, 11, and 12, 2022 for the Violet Festival in Dolgeville! This year’s theme is all about fairytales and is named “Once Upon a Violet”. The theme will encompass the Saturday morning parade and will also flow throughout the village-wide house decorating contest. Kicking things off with the Opening Ceremonies at 6:30 pm on June 10th, the 3-day festival has something for everyone. With live entertainment, craft and food vendors, a parade, contests, garage sales, demonstrations, pageants, and fireworks, the festival will be a fun event for the whole family!
Crystal Napier, the president of the Violet Festival Committee was excited to speak about the Festival getting back to normal after cancelations in June of 2020 and 2021 due to the Covid Pandemic. “We canceled in 2020 and 2021, so it’s been two years”. Crystal added “Once people heard we were going to have it, they were excited to not only participate but to be able to attend.” The Festival has been a highlight in Dolgeville for over 20 years, celebrating the village’s history, local artisans and vendors. The excitement can be felt in the town, as preparations are being made after the two-year hiatus. Violet Festival weekend is a highly anticipated family event and is always popular among Dolgeville Central School alumni to plan reunions and meet up with classmates.
In addition to the many craft and food vendors, there are also new events and venues you won’t want to miss. “Something different this year we’re doing is a free scavenger hunt for kids on Saturday. They’ll be able to collect stickers at the different businesses participating to get a prize” explains Crystal. The Boy Scout’s Chicken BBQ will have a new home this year at Auskerada Place on Main Street. A new venue in town, The Graystone, formerly the Daniel Green Company Complex, will host the Flower Show, local Featured Artist Helen Mosher as well as the Dolgeville Central School Art Show. The Graystone will also be hosting tours of the facility, an events venue for groups and special occasions, opening spring 2023.
Festival Highlights
While there are many events and sights to see around the festival, here is a quick snapshot of some of the fan favorites that are returning this year: (See full schedule in attached PDF below)
- Friday, June 10th:
6:30 pm – Opening ceremony featuring the crowning of the Violet Festival King and Queen – Pat and Bill Alguire and the Lyndon Lyon Community Award recipient – Carmelita Maddocks
7 pm – Violet Festival Princess & Little Mister Pageant - Saturday, June 11th:
10am – Violet Festival Parade
7:30 pm – The Violet Festival’s Got Talent Show
10 pm – Fireworks display - Sunday, June 12th:
8:30 am – Run for the Violets 5K Run/Walk
9:30 am – 1K Kids Fun Run
11 am – Poetry Contest followed by Pooch Pageant Dog Show
A full schedule of events and a map can be viewed at the Violet Festival Website (https://www.violetfestival-ny.com/events) and free festival programs will be available at businesses around the area.
World Famous Violets
Did you know that most of the African Violets found today are varieties that were bred by Mr. Lyndon Waldo Lyon of Dolgeville, N.Y.? Mr. Lyon arrived in Dolgeville in 1921 and his love of African Violets started with a single leaf, a gift from his niece. A single leaf can propagate a full-fledged plant when placed in damp soil or water. From here he began his home nursery where he studied and experimented with hybridization through cross-pollination. A few years later in the mid-1950s, he had a greenhouse with 5,000 plants which also included his famous double-pink violets. Mr. Lyon was well-respected by professional botanists as the world’s most important breeder of African Violets. In his lifetime he had developed around 800 varieties! Lyndon is known for creating the ideal houseplant. His African Violets Flower most of the year and require very basic care – if you forget to water them they will typically bounce back from wilting. Mr. Lyon’s lifelong work is, of course, the inspiration and namesake of this event.
The History of the Violet Festival
Beginning in 1990 as a way to promote the village, The Violet Festival started small. During the next few years, the small street festival changed names to The Heritage Festival. In 1999, it was reborn with its original moniker and set forth to create a village festival that honored the work of Lyndon Lyon’s violets while celebrating art, flowers, and music. The tradition continues, made possible by a committee of dedicated volunteers. This small group works hard to bring this popular local event to life and works year-round to fundraise and organize the festival.
Festival Tips
Some tips to help you enjoy your Violet Festival Experience are to wear sunscreen, stay hydrated and wear comfortable walking shoes. If you plan on sitting for the parade come early and bring a chair. The best places to watch are by the judge’s stand, which is by the Dolgeville Village Hall, and the stretch of street between The Cakery Cafe and the Dolgeville Post Office. Parking is available across from the Dolgeville Fire Department which generally fills up fast, and there will be additional parking available at Dolgeville Central School. If you arrive early to snag a good parking spot, plan to visit the Dolgeville Firehouse which will be hosting a delicious pancake breakfast on both Saturday and Sunday morning!
The Violet Festival is a great way to kick off a summer season of outdoor events. Be sure to bring your appetite and support the great local vendors and musicians. Entrance to the festival is free. Please consider making a donation to the committee or participating in their annual gift basket raffle (located in the middle of Plowe Park), to ensure the Violet Festival continues each year.
Previous Violet Festival images
