Fairgrounds Packed for 59th Maple Festival

Matthew Furlong and Ryan Head worked the grill at the Cobleskill Fire Department booth Saturday.

COBLESKILL - The weather was chilly and cloudy and perfect for the 59th annual Schoharie County Maple Festival at the Cobleskill Fairgrounds Saturday.

The grounds were full of food vendors and crafters, Progressland was chock full of maple syrup and vendors, and the line was long for breakfast at the Cobleskill Fire Department booth. The Iona Troupe Irish Dancers and the Hilltown Hags danced for fun and members of the Cobleskill-Richmondville FFA sold plants and showed how maple syrup is made. The Utica Zoomobile entertained young and old alike.

The Maple Festival booklet was dedicated to Jim Poole, the former owner and publisher of the Cobleskill Times-Journal when it was at its peak.

Photos by David Avitabile.

Alex Vanderpole, the BalloonSmith, forms a balloon animal for Charlye Bruschi of Colonie.

Ivy Rose LeBeau of Troy checks out her face after Chloe Vanderpole finished her face painting.

Maple Festival veteran Earl VanWormer greets Denise Tray of Cobleskill. 

Diane Stewart helps Ruth Shute of Howes Cave make a button in Progressland.

Clay Edmunds of the Old Stone Fort demonstrates an old time game.

Cobleskill-Richmondville FFA members Ryan Pickett, Avery Johnson, and Ben Walrath show off some of the plants for sale Saturday.

C-R FFA members Logan Hayes, Grant Strobeck, Mylan Hackney, and Isabella Slater show how maple syrup is made.

Julia and Hannah Gross of Gilboa pet a young calf Saturday at the Maple Festival.