FAIR HAVEN - The Fair Haven boat parade on Little Sodus Bay took off promptly at noon on the Fourth of July, as it almost always has for about 70 years.
Signaled by the judge's boat, a trawler named “Stargazer” from Manlius, Dr. Bob Griggs, a long-time resident of Fair Haven on another vessel, blew the official horn, which sounded a lot like a kazoo, as he led the parade.
A few more than 40 boats, all decked out in patriotic colors, glided around the bay's perimeter, competing for prizes in mostly outlandish categories, while four judges perched atop the trawler looked them over. After about an hour they returned to the starting point at Fair Haven Yacht Club.
“The thing that brings all these people together is that the bay is a common thread,” said Sam Colvin, president of Fair Haven Bay Betterment Association. “Everybody brought up in Fair Haven has a feeling that they want to come back. Anybody that's ever been around Fair Haven Bay has to get back for the Fourth.”
“The trick is for everybody to find something unique about each boat,” said parade judge Jim Childs. Marty Childs, Dave Eshbaugh and Colvin also shared opinions. They're all members of the Fair Haven Yacht Club, which organizes the event and was celebrating its 75th anniversary, as well.
“We picked Marty because she's got an opinion on everything,” Colvin said. “When she says 'this boat is the prettiest,' nobody argues with her. When she says 'this one is the most patriotic,' everybody agrees.”
“We've been doing the parade since 1938,” said Colvin, who said that he was one of the original participants at the age of 6, when he and Jane Sant, then 10, got into two flat-bottomed boats decorated with old shirts and anything from mother's sewing bag, and began the first foray into the bay. They didn't go far, but the custom continued, he said, joined by other boats, briefly interrupted by World War II.
“At the time we were just coming out of the Depression,” Colvin said. “My father was a farmer who took the day off to have a picnic with the Sants. In 1945, after the war, Ray Sant got the parade started again.”
Colvin described the parade as a family event, where grandchildren and their grandparents get to spend time together. There are a 15 prizes from local merchants valued at about $5 or $10 per prize. Fly by Night Cookie Co. and Screwy Louie's were a couple of merchants with certificates for food or fishing supplies.
“We even give prizes for the ugliest fishing boat and the oldest skipper,” he said.
Prizes for younger children 8 to 10 years old and those older than 14 were also assigned. While the judges had categories in mind, they weren't above making up a few as they went along.
Some of the prize-winning categories included boats with dogs, best musical boat, boats with the most flags, most patriotic, little boats with horns, best performers, best music, self-propelled boat, and prettiest sail cover. “Lee's Diamond” was tapped as the boat with the most balloons, while Steve Ridgeway's boat, “Cool Change,” had the best performers, a group of youngsters who just couldn't stop singing “It's a Grand Old Flag.” In the musical category, a hardy group of Beach Boys (and girls) wearing Hawaiian shirts and straw hats aboard Don and Nancy Chamberlin's boat not only sang but shook their booties. An accordion player on the Sara B even played “America” as he passed by.
Staff writer Kathleen Barran can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 238 or kathleen.barran@lee.net
A few more than 40 boats, all decked out in patriotic colors, glided around the bay's perimeter, competing for prizes in mostly outlandish categories, while four judges perched atop the trawler looked them over. After about an hour they returned to the starting point at Fair Haven Yacht Club.
“The thing that brings all these people together is that the bay is a common thread,” said Sam Colvin, president of Fair Haven Bay Betterment Association. “Everybody brought up in Fair Haven has a feeling that they want to come back. Anybody that's ever been around Fair Haven Bay has to get back for the Fourth.”
“The trick is for everybody to find something unique about each boat,” said parade judge Jim Childs. Marty Childs, Dave Eshbaugh and Colvin also shared opinions. They're all members of the Fair Haven Yacht Club, which organizes the event and was celebrating its 75th anniversary, as well.
“We picked Marty because she's got an opinion on everything,” Colvin said. “When she says 'this boat is the prettiest,' nobody argues with her. When she says 'this one is the most patriotic,' everybody agrees.”
“We've been doing the parade since 1938,” said Colvin, who said that he was one of the original participants at the age of 6, when he and Jane Sant, then 10, got into two flat-bottomed boats decorated with old shirts and anything from mother's sewing bag, and began the first foray into the bay. They didn't go far, but the custom continued, he said, joined by other boats, briefly interrupted by World War II.
“At the time we were just coming out of the Depression,” Colvin said. “My father was a farmer who took the day off to have a picnic with the Sants. In 1945, after the war, Ray Sant got the parade started again.”
Colvin described the parade as a family event, where grandchildren and their grandparents get to spend time together. There are a 15 prizes from local merchants valued at about $5 or $10 per prize. Fly by Night Cookie Co. and Screwy Louie's were a couple of merchants with certificates for food or fishing supplies.
“We even give prizes for the ugliest fishing boat and the oldest skipper,” he said.
Prizes for younger children 8 to 10 years old and those older than 14 were also assigned. While the judges had categories in mind, they weren't above making up a few as they went along.
Some of the prize-winning categories included boats with dogs, best musical boat, boats with the most flags, most patriotic, little boats with horns, best performers, best music, self-propelled boat, and prettiest sail cover. “Lee's Diamond” was tapped as the boat with the most balloons, while Steve Ridgeway's boat, “Cool Change,” had the best performers, a group of youngsters who just couldn't stop singing “It's a Grand Old Flag.” In the musical category, a hardy group of Beach Boys (and girls) wearing Hawaiian shirts and straw hats aboard Don and Nancy Chamberlin's boat not only sang but shook their booties. An accordion player on the Sara B even played “America” as he passed by.
Staff writer Kathleen Barran can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 238 or kathleen.barran@lee.net
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