Photo by Howard Owens.
When you’re heading into an event that’s nearly four decades old, it might seem tempting to press repeat and do the same things over, but that’s certainly not the case with this year’s 39th ever-growing Oakfield Labor Daze Music & Food Festival, committee Chair Jamie Lindsley says.
Several new musical groups and food offerings, plus more arts and craft vendors, a new boxcar derby and sharing this year’s 5K proceeds through scholarships to local students is an indicator that board members and hands-on volunteers are continuing to shake things up.
Bigger and better might just summarize it. Plus, it’s free, Lindsley said. Most of the action happens in Triangle Park in the heart of the town, Saturday through Monday.
“We try to make sure we include local organizations, whether it's the fire department, the school, and also, our community is very dependent upon and really helped by agriculture. And we really like to make sure that they're included in anything that we do. So we'll have tractors in the parade. We're also going to have the Shriners in the parade this year. So that's not new, but it's just something we haven't had in several years,” Lindsley said during an interview with The Batavian. “And new this year is the boxcar derby. And we're really thrilled to have that because it's got that nostalgia; it's a family-friendly event.
“Seeing children work together with their parents or their mentors to decorate the cars and to race the cars and troubleshoot and figure everything out; it’s really amazing,” she said. “I’m a big fan of science and math, and all of that is interrelated with what it takes to do the boxcar derby and to operate the boxcars.”
Where to begin? How about with the Hornet Hustle 5K at 9 a.m. Saturday. This year’s proceeds will be used for two $1,000 scholarships beginning with 2024 Oakfield-Alabama grads, and then to be awarded annually. This is a change from past years, when the race usually targeted one nonprofit, such as Warrior House or Alex’s Lemonade Stand, Lindsley said.
“We've had multiple different causes over the years,” she said. “We would like to just have one and stick with it. And hopefully that will help it grow.”
Feel like lacing up and joining in? You can still register by Wednesday or the day of the race. Runners and walkers are welcome, organizers said.
Then get over to Drake Street to watch the 22 drivers steer their boxcars off the ramp and down the street for the first-ever derby at 11 a.m. Saturday.
“We’re very excited about this. The shells were prepared and put over the chassis,” Lindsley said. “The kids decorated the cars with stickers. We hope to have a ton of spectators.”
Committee member Scott D’Alba came up with the idea, and everyone was on board with it, and fellow member Chris Marcott was going to be gleaning some tips and experience from helping out at Batavia’s boxcar derby this past Saturday, she said. Some of those derby cars were also going to be used in the Oakfield event.
Kiddie Fun Day goes from noon to 4 p.m. on Saturday. That used to happen at Schoolhouse Manor, but due to construction, fun day has been moved over to the town park on Drake Street.
“So kids can just walk down the street and get there. But we're going to have bounce houses and horse and pony rides. We're going to have games. We're gonna have like little arts and crafts and coloring stations. That should be fun,” she said.
There will also be vehicles, including a school bus and a tractor, parked for kids to see and perhaps climb onto, and a visit from a K-9 officer, she said.
By this point in the day, Dance Images will be taking to the stage, from 11 a.m. to noon, followed by Batavia Players at noon.
The Saturday entertainment line-up also includes:
- 1 to 2 p.m. Skycats
- 4 to 7 p.m. Hazzard County
- 7 to 10 p.m. Dave Viterna Group
And that's just Day One.
Some 50 vendors will be selling their creative wares from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday and Monday. You may notice more than usual, as “there’s a little more this year,” Lindsley said.
“I’m glad. We have a lot of repeat vendors because they enjoy doing our show,” she said.
There will be lots of entertainment on Sunday:
- 9 to 10 a.m. Christian Music Hour and church service to follow
- 11 a.m. Russ Peters Group
- 12:30 to 3:30 p.m.Songbirds
- 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. Dark Horse Run
- 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Nerds Gone Wild
So far, that brings two new musical groups onto the Labor Daze scene. Hazzard County, according to its website, has been nominated as “one of the top country cover bands of the year for WNY,” made possible by its five-member band’s passion for delivering “authentic country sound combined with the dedication of our talented members” with a combined century of experience.
As for Nerd Gone Wild, it is just what you might expect — musicians with pocket protectors, taped glasses, bowties and suspenders in a lively, energetic and interactive performance of 1980s tunes, choreographed dance moves, trivia questions, contests, and a tribute band showcase “like nothing you’ve seen before,” its website states.
What better way to top that off than to check out the fireworks to follow at 9:30 p.m. at the town park on Sunday?
If you’re going to the parade at 10 a.m. Monday, it is suggested that you get there early, since roads are closed by 9:45 a.m. to prepare for the groups that march down the Main Street, Lindsley said. If you’re interested in being a participant, there’s still time to register.
Of course, one of the biggest attractions to any festival is the food — whether it be grilled, crunchy, soft, sweet, savory, spicy or something in between, Labor Daze seems to have it, with several food trucks and local organizational food booths, she said.
New items include fried ravioli, empanadas, fresh-cut fries and a poutine truck. The O-A Music Boosters will have pizza, Alex’s Lemonade Stand will be there, and the O-A Lions Club will be selling its “world famous Italian sausage with peppers and onions, as well as a loganberry drink.”
“And then we're going to have lots of other amazing things like ice cream and shakes and milkshakes. Kettle Corn. Novelty desserts, like a high-end dessert truck, so things like French macarons, cheesecake, carrot cake, chocolate covered strawberries, lemon bars, cupcakes, cookies, all kinds of deliciousness,” she said.
Other food trucks include Sweet Lisa’s, Ice Cream and Chill, Lori’s Delectable Edibles, which offers bubble tea and iced coffees, Islands Hawaiian BBQ (on Monday), plus the parent-teacher group will be selling cotton candy. It’s a safe bet that no one will go hungry in Oakfield this weekend.
Monday’s musical line-up includes:
- 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Batavia Swing Band
- 1 to 4 p.m. Exit 13
- 4 to 7 p.m. Public Water Supply
- 7 to 10 p.m. The Floyd Concept
Public Water Supply, out of Rochester, bills itself as an alternative rock/indie Americana act of five university-trained musicians in a blend of "distinctive songwriting, spectacular vocals and incredible instrumentalists," and The Floyd Concept, a Pink Floyd tribute band, are two more new bands to the festival this year.
The committee lines these groups and vendors up months in advance, beginning its planning the day after — or days before in some cases — the current Labor Daze festival, Lindsley said.
“We’re making notes right now,” she said of next year’s event. “We are a nonprofit, and we're 100 percent volunteer-driven, and a lot of our vendors at the event are also nonprofit organizations. This is an event that's beneficial to them for their fundraising and for raising awareness about their organization, and it’s hopefully driving new membership for everyone.”
What were the biggest challenges for this year’s festival?
“The two main challenges, or opportunities I'd like to call them, is finding out that the air show is the same weekend. It doesn't overlap the entire weekend, so I don't think that'll be as big of a problem as my worst fears were,” Lindsley said. “But the other thing is the construction of Schoolhouse Manor. It's really just such a stately old lady of a building, and we really are happy she's being restored, but not being able to use that space was a bit of a challenge for sure.
“I think the reception has been pretty good. People are excited about both (the air show and Labor Daze). We anticipate people going to the air show, and we encourage them to do that; what an amazing opportunity,” she said. “Personally, I'm sad that I won't have a chance to. But the community is still planning on coming out. And, you know, we have a lot of volunteers from within Oakfield-Alabama and surrounding communities that actually volunteer in our food booths. And I think the reception has been pretty good. I have a really good feeling about this year.”
Lindsley is president of the Oakfield Betterment Committee, which also includes board members Ritchie Kirkum, Scott D’Alba, Diane Klos, Emily Kolpack, Chris Marcott, Jeff Allen and Jaden Ohlson.
