Events in St. Lawrence County

St. Lawrence County Online Event Calendar

Annual events make St. Lawrence County a great place to visit. Everything from live concerts, to musicians in cozy cafes, from the County Fair to the town homecoming; from fishing derbies to golf matches, annual events make visitors feel like locals, and locals feel like travelers in their own back yard.

Please visit our online events calendar for a variety on any given day, as well as regularly schedule meetings, support groups and workshops.

Annual Events

"Taste the Tradition" on Maple Weekends!

As winter turns to spring, New York State’s maple forests wake up and begin the process of producing new branches and leaves for the warmer seasons to come. Along with this, the sweet sap within them begins to rise into the trees and out through small spouts installed into them a few weeks earlier by hundreds of New York’s maple producers.

This is the season when maple syrup products are produced, and New Yorkers everywhere are invited to celebrate the return of spring with tours, tasting, and family fun at local maple producers in St. Lawrence County and around the state. It’s all part of the 16th Annual Maple Weekend, when steam rises from the evaporators of New York’s maple producers as they boil the maple tree sap to produce maple syrup - one of nature’s most perfect foods!
 
Maple Weekend has been so popular in the past that participating producers will be open for two weekends this year - March 19-20 and 26-27 from 10 am – 4 pm each day. 
 
Come, see how it’s done and taste the tradition for yourself during this year’s Maple Weekend! The five participating producers in St. Lawrence County are: Fine-n-Dandy,Rutley Maple Farms, Sweeter Creations, The Orebed Sugar Shack, and Woody’s Maple.
 
 
The public is invited to visit and see how maple syrup and other maple products are made. There is no charge to visit the five participating sugarhouses to see the boiling process. Producers will have selections of syrup and other maple products for sale so that visitors can take the tradition home with them to enjoy for weeks to come.  Some sugarhouses offer special activities like horse and wagon rides, snowshoeing, guided walks in the woods and kids’ corners to provide a great time for the whole family.
 
Maple Producers in New York State represent all sizes of production, from the casual hobbyist to the largest commercial producers. Together they number over 1500, and produce more than 300,000 gallons of syrup, representing nearly 16% of national production. This makes New York the second largest producing state in the US, and third in the world behind Canada and the state of Vermont. 
 
About two million of New York’s maple trees are tapped to produce the annual crop. The sap must be boiled to concentrate the natural sugars, and it takes more than 40 gallons of maple tree sap to make just one gallon of delicious New York Maple Syrup.
 
For more information the public should contact the St. Lawrence County Maple Weekend Coordinator Lori McAdam-Jenness at 315-347-3415;  e-mail jefflormcjen@tds.net .
 
For more about Maple Weekend across New York State, visit www.mapleweekend.com .

Dairy Princess Festival

Some of the main events in St. Lawrence County, include the County Dairy Princess Festival (first weekend in June) held in Canton, which is the unofficial start of the Summer Event season. This event includes a Big Wheel Race for young children up to age 6, block party concert, vendors and craft show in the village square and a large parade.

Power & Equipment Exhibition

The next big event for St. Lawrence County is the St. Lawrence Power and Equipment Museum's 28th Annual Antique Engine and Spring Planting Exhibition, second weekend in June. The event is held at the Museum's Goolden-Mann Farm on Route 345, Madrid, NY. (Watch for the signs) The event features old-time spring planting and plowing; antique engines, machines, autos, trucks and tractors; saw mills; farm tour; antique auction; farm animals, pulling contests, great food and live music. For information visit the Museum's website. Admission is $4 for adults and youth 12 years and old.

Madrid Bluegrass River Festival, End of June

The Madrid Bluegrass Festival brings fans from far and wide (June 24-26) . This concert series was started years ago and is still going strong in the small hamlet of Madrid. People will drive in with their RVs camp along the banks of the Grasse River, enjoy dinners, ice cream socials, jam sessions, and three days of great Bluegrass music. There is also a 5K walk/run schedule every year, and canoe races. This event is held the last weekend in June.

Potsdam Summer Festival, 3rd Weekend in July

July is chocked full of events including the Potsdam Summer Festival (3rd weekend in July-- July 14-17, 2011), held in conjunction with the alumni weekends of both SUNY Potsdam and Clarkson University. This events features sidewalk sales throughout the quaint, Victorian-styled village; Antique and Classic Car Show, Craft Show, Concerts throughout the weekend on Market Street, Street performers and parade.

Founder's Day 250th Commemoration of French and Indian War Re-enactment
50th Anniversiary of Ogdensburg International Seaway Festival

Founder’s Day is the kick off for the 50th Annual  Ogdensburg International Seaway Festival. (third week in July)Founder’s Day is a re-enactment of battle scenarios from the French and Indian War (Seven’s Year War). This event is held at Lighthouse Point in Ogdensburg on the banks of the majestic and scenic St. Lawrence River. Experience life as it was in the lat 1700’s along the 4th Coast, with re-enactors in period costume, mock military battles on land and water, colonial vendors. The Seaway Festival features games, amusement park rides, special concerts in the park, sporting events, youth fishing tournament, the area's largest parade and fireworks.

Civil War Weekend

Presented by the St. Lawrence County Historical Association and the 2nd Michigan, Comapny E (out of Ottawa, Ontario) this weekend includes North and South battle re-enactments and encampments at the Robert Moses State Park, State Highway 131, in Massena. The event includes special demonstrations such as coffin making, cooking, medical practices and canon firing. There is also music, basket auction, historical displays and fashion show of period clothing. The weekend is held each year on the fourth weekend in July. This year July 24-25. For details visit the St. Lawrence County Historical Association.

Raquette River Awareness Week Last weekend in July through 1st Weekend in August

The Raquette River Awareness Week is a celebration of the 170-mile Raquette River, the longest north flowing River in NY State. The River stretches from Raquette Lake in Hamilton County to the St. Lawrence River on the Akwesasne Mohawk Territory. For a schedule of events all along the river click here.

Waddington Homecoming First Weekend in August

A Salute to Railroads is this year's theme for the Waddington Homecoming weekend. The Lip Sync Contest will be held on Friday. Saturday kicks off with the popular Craft Fair, Antiques and Flea Market in the Village Green at the intersection of Routes 37 and 345 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Bed Races take place on Saturday, as well as the St. Paul's Episcopal Church Quilt Show. Any needle work is welcome at this show from tatting, to embroidery to cross stitch and rug hooking. And in the spirit of the theme, there will be several model trains set up. Visit the Waddington website.

Gouverneur-St. Lawrence County Fair Usually the First Week in August

The Gouverneur- St. Lawrence County Fair is held each year the Gouverneur Fairgrounds on Rock Island Road off Route 11 in Gouverneur. The fair includes 4-H events, exhbits, carnival rides and games, horse racing, demolition derby and more. Contact the Fair office at 315-287-3010 or visit their website at www.gouverneurfair.net Admission is FREE. On site parking is $3, per day or $12 for entire fair. Grandstand events may include additional charge.

Wrist Band Days are Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday $20; and on Friday - Children's Day $18. (Prices and discounts may vary from year to year)
 

St. Lawrence International Junior Carp Touranment, Third Thursday-Saturday in August

The 8th Annual St. Lawrence International Junior Carp Tournament takes place August 18-20 for youth ages 11-18 and their parents/guardians. This is a two-day fishing tournament along the banks of the St. Lawrence River from Massena to Ogdensburg, with the headquarters in Waddington. Full details can be found on our site.

Norwood Village Green Concerts June-August

There are a number of concert series held around the County each summer. One of the longest running in the North Country is the Norwood Village Green Concert Series. Its primary purpose is to provide a free outdoor concert for the region. And while there is no admission charged, please consider a donation as the hat is passed to help defray the costs. Concerts are held twice a week on Thursday and Sunday from the first Thursday in June, to the first Thursday in August.

Since 1974, the NVGCS has presented 611 performances for an audience in excess of 482,682 (as of Aug. 2008). The Series has been able to present Grammy, Juno, and Emmy award winners along with a host of international, national, regional and local performers.

The Series prides itself on its programming for children and youth and its long histroy of giving opportunities for student musician performances. It always tries to present its offerings in the spirit of the community whether the performer is the beginning student or the internationally recognized artist.

St. Lawrence Power Museum Old Fashioned Harvest Days

The St. Lawrence Power Museum sponsors a Harvest Day event at the Goolden-Mann Farm at 1755 State Highway 345 in Madrid. It features antique tractor and engines, working displays, fieldwork, plowing, baling, corn binding, copping, crafts and antique tractor pull. As well as children's activities: pedal tractor pull, petting zoo, tractor games, and lots of food and hospitality. Visit their site for more information.

Potsdam Sandstone Festival

This is a celebration of the heritage of Potsdam through it's famous sandstone quarries. Special tours, hikes, lectures, activities and demonstrations are featured during this fall festival the third weekend in September. For more information visit the Potsdam Museum website. The event is held the third weekend in September. 

Studio Tour First Weekend in November

The St. Lawrence Arts Council sponsors a tour of the area artists' and artisans' workshops and studios. Pick up a map of the participating artists at the Council's office at 51 Market Street, Potsdam, or call them at 315-265-6860. Click here to visit the website.

The event is held 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 6 and Noon to 4 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 7. More than 38 artists and artisans are participating this year from Morristown to Hogansburg.

Artists include jewelry makers, painters, potters, weavers, soap makers, basket weavers, rustic furniture, rug braider, basket makers, quilters and more. In Hogansburg, artisans will be on hand at the Senior Citizens Center, 29 Business Park Road. Here you can see more than 8 artisans under one roof. In Potsdam, four are located in the Art Council's studio space in Snell Hall across from the Potsdam Library

Craft, Food and Wine Show

The St. Lawrence County Chamber sponsors the annual Craft, Food and Wine Show, formerly known as the Cheel Craft Show. This is one of the largest shows in the North Country, and includes handmade items of all types from quilts and fabric art, to jewelry and furniture. The Chamber has also added the food and wine component to the show with wineries from the North Country, and food vendors offering sauces, nuts, jams, jellies, cheesecake and other baked goods.

The dates of the show will vary from early fall to early December, depending on the Clarkson Hockey schedule. The dates for the 2011 show are December 9 and 10.  For Registration Form click here.  For directions click here for a Google Map.