Paul Szmal: Good morning, 750 AFLX Morning, Jamie Noges here from the Clifton Springs Chamber of Commerce. Good morning and welcome back.
Jamie Noga: Good morning. Thanks for inviting me.
Paul Szmal: Now, we're going to talk about sip and sway, but I now go through Clifton Springs every morning. My neighbor doesn't drive and needs a ride to work, so I go to Geneva by way of Clifton Springs. So if you give me your address, I'll honk when I go by at 4.30 in the morning.
Jamie Noga: Oh, don't worry about it. Thanks anyway. Let's just wave quietly.
Paul Szmal: So here it is, sip and sway, Friday, September 20th, 6 to 9 p.m. You get the Dean's List. Those guys are so cool and so fun. We've had them on here three times this year because they're doing the Vista series, and they're just fun guys. I mean, it shows in their performance and their music and even offstage. What a great group of guys.
Jamie Noga: Indeed. They are a big draw. They're very talented, like you said, very fun. And I've witnessed firsthand that they have the broadest of age appeal, from little kids bebopping to seniors, and it's very entertaining.
Paul Szmal: So the idea of this, and first off, I mean, there's no better strollable fun downtown than Clifton Springs, and you do it with a nice glass of beer or wine or cider or something from the distillery, and it makes for a fun evening.
Jamie Noga: Well, fortunately, the weather's supposed to be excellent. As you mentioned, the downtown is a great setting. We have traffic closed, excuse me, the street closed vehicular traffic, so people can genuinely dance in the street, and you roam around and get samples of beer, wine, and cider and spirits from seven different places. That's $15 per person. Or you can just come and listen to the band for free. All the shops will be open. The band will be playing the entire time, and there'll be food.
Paul Szmal: And there's so many good places now. I mean, Phelps-Clifton Springs area is becoming really brewery, cidery, distillery central. I can't keep up. There's still a bunch that someone tells me about a new one, it's like I make the mental check off to go check it out. So here's a chance to check out all of them on one night.
Jamie Noga: Indeed. From Phelps, there'll be Smoke & Tails Distillery on the other side of Clifton Springs, and Shortsville is the home base for Rebel Sailor Brewing, and they'll be joining us. In addition, there's Boundary Breaks Wine, 1911's Established Heart Cider, Empire Merchants will be pouring wine, Blueburn Cidery will be there, and Naked Dove from Canadaigua.
Paul Szmal: We love Naked Dove. And Embers Rising Farm, I don't know that one, tell me a little bit about them.
Jamie Noga: Well, they've transitioned names a couple times, but they do a series of products from the best blueberries to maple syrup. So that's what they'll be, that's what the draw will be this coming weekend, and they've actually done some interesting pairings of their maple products with Smoke & Tails and some other places. And by the way, yeah, I said Friday, September 20th, like it's a distant day. That's this Friday, this Friday from 6 to 9 p.m. in downtown Clifton Springs.
Paul Szmal: And we were talking before we came in the air, we have to do a shout-out to Lisa Bishop closing her gently-loved home furnishings store, Checkmates, after what's it been, six or seven years, I think? And I thought you said it well, it's a loss for Clifton Springs, but I know they're there because Alan was born a few months before me in the same hospital, so I know how old he is, and they're ready to retire and see the world, so good for them.
Jamie Noga: Indeed, and Lisa still has some treasures left to be had, I believe her exact closing date is October 4th, but this Friday, September 20th, is a great time to go and see. She's pulled out Halloween and Christmas items and time flies, so it's worth giving it a look now.
Paul Szmal: And another shout-out to one of our advertisers, Dork Forest Comics, I mean, it's just, it's a great, you won't find many downtowns of that size that have that great a variety of places you can go. When people go the first time, they go, I didn't know this was here, wow, wow. It's shocking how many people from not that far away just haven't taken the time to go, I don't know, maybe a half mile off Route 96.
Jamie Noga: Yeah, we're all in our little worlds. Really, but it's almost like a little time capsule with the beautiful architecture, but the merchandise and food and what have you is definitely 2024.
Paul Szmal: And also, some of the funds will go to some local charitable organizations.
Jamie Noga: Yes, we've been very fortunate with the weather, because it is an outdoor event, and we've had the success and been able to donate to the House of John Comfort Care Facility, our local YMCA, the Clifton Springs YMCA, our Foster Cottage Museum. So hopefully, we'll have a good turnout, and funds can be rolled over to local nonprofits again.
Paul Szmal: And it's unbelievable, we've talked for over five minutes about Clifton Springs and haven't mentioned Warfields. I mean, you've got to stop in Warfields while you're in Clifton Springs. We had the best dinner of our lives there a couple of summers ago. People are understandably passionate about Warfields, and right now is a great opportunity to enjoy their English Garden that's on the side of the restaurant, and another little hidden secret seems to be their bakery items. So even if you're not up for a full meal, you can at least keep up your strength with some pastries or cookies.
Jamie Noga: So how is business looking, and how are things looking overall for the Clifton Springs Chamber of Commerce? Things are hopping. We'll be headed straight from Sip and Sway on Friday into planning for our annual Festival of Lights, which is Friday, December 2nd, or I'm sorry, Friday, December 6th this year. And that's always a treat. We have large employers in town, so from a business perspective, things are going well, and people should visit and enjoy themselves.
Paul Szmal: All right, Sip and Sway, the Dean's List is going to be there. It's $15 to sample beer, wine, cider, and spirits from all these different locations. It's 6 to 9 downtown Clifton Springs. Kevin says the weather will be perfect, and find out more at cliftonspringschamber.com. Jamie, I like to see you more than once or twice a year, so keep on coming in with more events.
Jamie Noga: Well, I appreciate that. You're like, yeah, great, make me plan more events. I know how that is. Well, if I can, I will.
Paul Szmal: All right, thanks for coming in, we appreciate it.
Jamie Noga: I appreciate it too, Ted.
Paul Szmal: All right, another Sip and Sway coming up this Friday, and it's going to be like 70 degrees, I think, at 5 o'clock that day. It's 757.
