The Greater Barryville Chamber of Commerce will be holding their Annual Winter Warm Up on Saturday, March 8 from 5:30 to 9pm. The event will take place at Koinonia located at 165 Lakeview Drive Road in Highland Lake, and it will be a Dinner Dance with a cash bar featuring Do Good Spirits and Three Hammer Winery. 

The band LMNOP from New Jersey, known for their innovative live musical events, will showcase classic R/B and soul favorites. The Dinner Dance event also serves to honor the Chamber’s local scholarship and Emerson Heasman Scholarship winners whose recipients are selected to continue towards both academic and vocational advance educations. Also, the tireless Greater Barryville Chamber’s volunteers will be honored for their many contributions  to the Town of Highland’s beautification projects. One of the main highlights of the Dinner Dance is the Silent Auction with some very interesting auction items. There are tickets to the Forestburgh Playhouse, a cord of wood from PeckerHead Firewood, a river rafting trip for a family of four from Reber River Trips, an Overnight at the Resorts World Catskills Casino and Hotel, a gift certificate from the Monteleone Gardens Hydro Farm, tickets to Bethel Woods, tickets to an event at Burn Brae Mansion, gift certificate for the Barryville Car Wash, a class in becoming a Rock N Roll star with Mike Edison, and a $200 gift certificate to The Chatwell Lodge and Spa in White Lake. Lots of very interesting items to bid on. Tickets are $75 and can be purchased from any Barryville Chamber member or at the Stickett Inn Coffee Bar & Café in Barryville. All proceeds from the Dinner Dance go to The Chamber’s Scholarship Fund. For more information go to barryvilleny.com.

The final plans for the 2025 2nd Annual Town of Highland Official St. Patrick’s Day Parade scheduled for Sunday, March 16 from 1-5 p.m. in Yulan. Sponsored by the Town of Highland Marion O’Neill Culture Club (same as last year) the Parade is the revitalized St. Patrick’s Day Parade that Marion O’Neill started in Yulan way back in the 1950s. Her grandson Shane Pearson is the President of the Marion O’Neill Culture Club. Last year’s Parade was so much fun  with emergency services companies attending from across New York State, and some terrific floats and bands. This year there will be prizes awarded for the best float and the best family float with a gift certificate from Resorts World Catskill Casino and Hotel. The Black Radish Irish Band will be on hand for some good music during the Parade. And of course, the “official Parade restaurant” will be Crossroads Family Restaurant & Lounge which is now selling the very nice high quality official St. Patrick’s Day Tee shirts in all sizes so I highly recommend buying your tee shirt and making a reservation for your delicious, traditional corned beef and cabbage dinner so you don’t have any bad luck! Now there are still some gaps in the Parade plans such as having a Grand Marshall. Also, Town of Highland Councilman Tom Migliorino has made a new wooden carrying case for the beautiful antique statue of St. Patrick (which was completely restored by Andrew Valenti last year.) This year there will be four people carrying the statue – Shane Pearson, Matt Burns, Tom Migliorino and as yet one more unknown strong dignitary. In next week’s column I will have the full list of participants and the Parade schedule available. Mark your calendar for this very fun family event.