New committee forms for events, tourism in T-burg

Last month, Trumansburg Mayor Rordan Hart appointed three members to a new Events and Tourism Committee (ETC) of the Village Board. The ETC will function as a resource advisory group for those looking to put on events in the area.

Committee Chair and Board Trustee Jessica Giles said that ETC has begun discussing Winterfest, an annual event held on Main Street at the beginning of every cold season. The event has changed hands multiple times, going back and forth between the village and the Trumansburg Area Chamber of Commerce, with neither party interested in carrying it forward.

“Winterfest is a beloved community event, and we recognize that there’s a large section of the community who wants to see it continue,” Giles said. “We are in communication with someone locally who is looking to take it over. We in the village could give some guidance and also help them network and find other people to help.”

Giles said that the ETC won’t be planning or executing events but will be there to support individuals and groups who want to do just that.

Giles, who is also the Board’s liaison to the Chamber, said the committee is prepared to help with the permitting process, give guidance for possible grants, facilitate networking and pass along historical knowledge of previous events. The ETC will oversee a community events calendar on the village website as well.

“The event has history and traction, but with the pandemic, it’s like a fresh start,” Giles said of Winterfest. “Maybe it will be a smaller iteration that’s more easily fundable and more achievable. Any way we can incorporate some light at the beginning of winter is really the point, and to come together.”

Hart said the creation of the committee and its guiding principles all stem from the village’s draft comprehensive plan. He said it expands on the last plan, which encouraged tourism and attractions in the village.

“Forty thousand people a year visit the overlook,” Hart said. “We don’t need all of them to come through the village, but more feet in the village is good for everyone. Rather than leaving it to Tompkins County, the parks, the Chamber, we’re just attempting to be more present in everything that’s already going on around us.”

ETC will be able to offer support to events like Winterfest, Porchfest, T-burg Crit and the community yard sale, none of which were able to happen in 2020 due to COVID-19 restrictions.

Hart and the committee also have their eyes on another possible tourism spot, which has been unofficially nicknamed the “Western Gateway.” This refers to the grassy area across from the farmers market at the intersection of routes 227 and 96. The village owns the small piece of property, which features a gravel semi-circle pull-off and is currently used as overflow parking for the farmers market.

“It’s an obvious spot for tourists coming from every direction to see it,” Hart said. “I’m hoping to get something in that area. And someday, if there is a nice sign there, it may be a natural place for a Rotary event or another community organization that wants to put up a historical display. And this committee will interface with those people.”

Giles said that the Board supports the development of the area but that all final plans will take into account the need for farmers market parking.

“It is a gateway to the community, and it could be more than a parking area,” Giles said. “We’re improving on an underutilized green space in the village. Why not have it be a place for tourists to get some information and read about local history?”

Giles said that a piece of local folklore, the Taughannock Giant, was the impetus for the gateway plan.

The Taughannock Giant was a large humanoid form unearthed in the 1800s near the area now known as the Taughannock Overlook. The form was originally thought to be a petrified man but turned out to be a man-made object — a hoax.

Many years later, a local artist made a rendering of the giant to celebrate the unique piece of local history. The giant currently resides at the Village Hall, but Hart said he’s been looking for a more permanent spot, which may eventually be the new Western Gateway.

Giles said that while the committee has started working on events, their main focus this year is on gathering information to make the ETC a valuable resource. She said they hope to make their presence known to the movers and shakers in the community.

“There’s a lot I know and a lot I don’t know about what’s going on, and that’s the exciting part,” Giles said. “I think we’re all ready to learn more about the cool things going on in our village. We want to be a collection of information that people can access.”

The other ETC members are Nana Potenza and Karen Powers. While the ETC is not looking to expand its membership, residents who want to get involved can join its list of volunteers. An ETC page will be added to the village website in the coming weeks.

In Brief:

Songs of Separation

The Trumansburg Conservatory of Fine Arts will present Songs of Separation, an online premiere, Feb. 27 at 7 p.m., available free to the public. It will feature lyric baritone and Trumansburg native Geoffrey Peterson accompanies by Richard Montgomery on piano. Songs of Separation is a celebration of African-American composers spanning the works of Margaret Bonds, William Grant Still and Grammy-nominated Damien Sneed. This presentation is made possible by the Trumansburg Conservatory of Fine Arts’ generous donors and Board of Directors, and Tompkins County Tourism and NYSCA. Visit tburgconservatory.org Saturday for the premiere.