CazArts announces new All Arts Community Calendar

By kAtE Hill Staff Writer

CazArts recently announced the launch of a new All Arts Community Calendar, which enables residents and visitors to find all the area’s upcoming arts, heritage, and cultural events in one central online location. CazArts is a creative alliance of area arts organizations, individual artists, and members of the public that works to promote the creation and appreciation of arts in the greater Cazenovia area. “We love and celebrate the people, this beautiful area, and the history which creates the backdrop for our community,” said CazArts President Geoffrey Navias. “There are so many wonderful artists, art events, and programs in this community. A vibrant arts scene helps make for a vibrant community, and it is most successful when the community and arts are involved together.”

The new calendar is part of the CazArts website and features events presented by CazArts, Cazenovia Artisans, Carpenter’s Barn Studio Artists, Cazenovia Area Painters, Cazenovia Art Trail, Cazenovia Counterpoint, Cazenovia Forum, Cazenovia Heritage, Cazenovia Preservation Foundation, Cazenovia Public Library & Museum, Cazenovia Watercolor Society, Greater Cazenovia Area Chamber of Commerce, Lorenzo State Historic Site, National Abolition Hall of Fame and Museum, New Woodstock Free Library, Sky Hill Farm Studio, and Stone Quarry Hill Art Park. Any area business or organization can post an arts, heritage, or cultural event on the calendar by filing out a simple online form.

The initiative is a project of the CazArts Community Collaboration Committee, a group of area arts, cultural, and heritage organizations that has been meeting monthly for over a decade and acts as an informational clearinghouse for events, common issues, collaborations, and ideas.

“I have heard [on numerous occasions] someone say, ‘I wish I had known about that,’ or ‘Where do you find out about that?’” said Navias. “At one of our early morning meetings of many of the arts and heritage organizations, it became clear that we wanted to make a place where anyone could find out about what arts were happening in the greater Cazenovia area, and anyone could post an arts event.”

According to Navias, the Community Collaboration Committee grew out of the Cazenovia Arts & Heritage Alliance, which was formed to celebrate Cazenovia’s unique history, to create and support new artistic endeavors, and to work to engage and enliven the community’s citizens through the arts.

“This work started many years ago with the directors of the library, Catherine Cummings Theatre, and Lorenzo meeting over breakfast at Dave’s Dinner [and] talking about how to collaborate and build the community,” said Navias. “That conversation and work continues.”

The All Arts Community Calendar is available at cazarts.com/ calendar.htm l

Submitted photo

CazArts creative alliance recently launched an All Arts Community Calendar, which highlights all the area’s upcoming arts, heritage, and cultural events in one central online location.

Years Ago in History

By Cindy BEll toBEy

150 Years Ago – Feb. 20, 1873

The Syracuse and Chenango Valley railroad was opened on Wednesday, Feb. 12, to Earlville.

A special excursion train left Syracuse at 9 a.m. and arrived at Cazenovia depot a little after 10 o’clock, having on board the directors, stockholders and a large number of invited guests – some 300 in all.

The road south of the village runs through a hilly country, and the deep cuts and heavy fillings have made the road a costly one. But it is well built and in good condition for one so new.

Earlville is the present terminus of the road, but in a short time it is expected that the road will be extended to the Hudson river, as it is designed to connect Syracuse with New York city by means of the Syracuse and Rondout railroad; the last forty miles of which, from Oneonta to Earlville, is now being built by our townsman Hon. E. C. Litchfield, who is also the largest stockholder in the Syracuse and Chenango valley railroad.

Melissa Gale, L.Ac., Dipl.Ac. Cazenovia Office 315-663-1167

130 Years Ago – Feb. 23, 1893

Chittenango Springs, a popular resort in days of yore is this year to be revived with all the modern requisites.

Three hundred and fifty thousand dollars will be spent this season in improving the property, which is principally owned by New York city parties.

An electric road will at once be constructed from the Central and West Shore roads to the Springs, a distance of five miles, the creek will be turned on to 13 acres of land for a lake and the hotel which can accommodate 500 guests will be entirely remodeled.

The lawns will be exted from the Crichton mill bridge to the Lithia Spring.

It is intended to lay out a park with pavilions and summer-houses for excursions and picnic parties.

Handsome cottages will be erected over the Lithia White Sulphur and Magnesia Springs.

Another year a hotel will be erected across the lake from the present one at a cost of $120,000.

110 Years Ago – Feb. 20, 1913

Holdridge & de Clercq of Cazenovia History l Page 4