Ship Bible Editor to Appear

Sailing Seaway Clayton presented by Casinkette’s Lofink Ford announced today an appearance by Roger LeLievre, editor of the well-known ‘ship bible,’ Know Your Ships.

“We are excited to bring Roger to the 1000 Islands and have the opportunity to show off this beautiful region that so many of us get to enjoy every day,” said event organizer Michael Folsom. “His knowledge of the shipping industry and appreciation for is truly unprecedented and his appearance in our community will allow us the opportunity to showcase the St. Lawrence Seaway.”

 LeLievre has held the position of editor and publisher of Know Your Ships since 1995, but has been involved in its publication much longer than that: LeLievre was 14 when his first boat picture was published in the 1968 edition of the book. LeLievre has spent 30 years in the newspaper business in Michigan, much of that at the Ann Arbor News. Besides his work on "Know Your Ships," he is also a writer and editor for annarbor.com, Great Lakes Seaway Review/Great Laker magazine and Greenwood's Guide to Great Lakes Shipping.

President of the Marine Historical Society of Detroit, LeLievre was voted recipient of the group's Historian of the Year Award in 2006. He is also vice president of Great Lakes & Seaway Shipping On-line Inc., the non-profit Web site more commonly known as BoatNerd.com and an associate member of the International Shipmasters' Association.

LeLievre will visit Clayton during the weekend of June 15-17 to explore the region in hopes of capturing photos for upcoming editions of the book. In addition, he will visit the Sailing Seaway Clayton festival in Frink Park on June 16 from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. and the Antique Boat Museum from 2-4 p.m. to meet readers and sign copies of the book. In addition, LeLievre will appear at Corbin's on Riverside Drive in Clayton on Sunday, June 17 from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m.

Festival Schedule Announced

Clayton, NY (May 31, 2012) – Sailing Seaway Clayton presented by Casinkette’s Lofink Ford announces this year’s event schedule.

Sailing Seaway Clayton presented by Caskinette’s Lofink Ford kicks-off on the evening of Thursday, June 14 at 6 p.m. with the Grand Arrival of tall ship Fair Jeanne. The ship is expected to be escorted into Clayton by a “parade of boats” from the Antique Boat Museum, Garnsey’s Classic Island Cruises and the Clayton Fire Department’s fireboat, Last Chance.

The festival weekend officially kicks-off on Friday, June 15 at 9 a.m. when Seaway Splash presented by TIMIS takes flight at Frink Park. Dogs from across the Northeast, including Quebec, Ontario and Vermont, will compete in a high-flying DockDogs competition.

In addition, school children from across the North Country have been invited to tour tall ship Fair Jeanne between 9:30 and 11:30 a.m. The ship will open to the public, free of charge courtesy of Caskinette’s Lofink Ford, from 12Noon until 5 p.m. Other activities throughout the day on Friday include a display by the Department of Veteran Affairs, Farmer’s Market vendors and live music.

Saturday, June 16 will be known as ‘Seaway Day’ presented by Freighters of Clayton and feature dog jumping competitions throughout the day, including the Good Dog Charlies EXTREME VERTICAL event at 6 p.m. Also, Fair Jeanne will be open from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m., vendors will be on hand, book signings by author Silvana Gargione (St. Lawrence ABCs) and Editor Roger LeLievre (Know Your Ships), live music with Bad Husbands Club presented by the Clayton Chamber of Commerce at 7 p.m. and additional vessels on display.

Finally, the second-annual festival will wrap up on Sunday, June 17 with ‘Father’s Day at Frink Park’ presented by Reinman’s Ace Hardware. Fair Jeanne will be open for tours from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. with the first 50 dads taking a tour receiving a free admission pass to the Antique Boat Museum. Plus, the Caskinette’s Throttle Shop SPEED RETRIEVE dog competition takes place beginning at 9 a.m. and dock jumping will continue throughout the day. The festival will conclude with the Grand Departure of Fair Jeanne in the early evening hours.

On both Saturday and Sunday, the Clayton Chamber of Commerce, Antique Boat Museum and Watertown Savings Bank will provide free shuttle service around Clayton with three (3) stops along the route. Clarence Henry Coach will pick up/drop off at Frink Park, the Antique Boat Museum and Cerow Arena (site of the Food & Wine Festival).

Bleacher seating will be available at the site of Seaway Splash and parking on the former Frink America property is free of charge throughout the weekend (no overnight parking is permitted).

Visitors attending the Grand Arrival or live music events are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and/or blankets.

Dog owners are still encouraged to register their dog for the various DockDogs competition events. Registration will continue online through June 12 and is open to all dogs. On-site registration will occur, but for an additional fee. All dog competition events are run by DockDogs Inc. of Medina, Ohio.

Bad Husbands to Perform Good Music

Bad Husbands Club performs at Frink Park in June 2011

Clayton, NY (May 22, 2012) – Sailing Seaway Clayton presented by Casinkette’s Lofink Ford announced today that live music will again be a part of the event, thanks to the Clayton Chamber of Commerce.

Bad Husbands Club, a well- known band throughout the region, is set to perform on Saturday, June 16 at 7 p.m. at the all-new Frink Park Pavilion as part of Seaway Day presented by Freighters of Clayton & Z93 during the second-annual festival.

What began nearly 10 years ago as a party band consisting of family members and friends, the Bad Husbands Club has managed to burst onto the club scene on its way to becoming one of Central and Northern New York’s premiere rock bands. Band members with local ties to the region include Bryan Honeywell of Cicero (native of Clayton), guitar and vocals; Glen Pickert of Alexandria Bay, guitar and vocals; and Len Senecal of Cato (native of Alexandria Bay), bass and vocals. Bill McGillivray of Syracuse (drums) and Tom Wilson of Cato (keyboard) make up the remainder of the group.

The self-managed band also performed during the 2011 edition of the festival helping to draw a large crowd to Frink Park to hear tunes covering the likes of U2, Santana, the Doors, Allman Brothers and many more, to go along with a number of their own originals.

Lawn chairs and blankets are welcomed in the park during the performance.

Children's Book Author to Appear

Clayton, NY (May 18, 2012) – Sailing Seaway Clayton presented by Casinkette’s Lofink Ford announced today that new children’s book author Silvana Gargione will be appearing at the Frink Park pavilion in Clayton on June 16 and 17.

Gargione, a long-time summer visitor to the Thousand Islands, introduces a new and unique look at the region through her first-ever children’s book – St. Lawrence ABCs. With illustrations by Megan Gaffney – also a seasonal resident of the area – St. Lawrence ABCs takes you on a non-fictional journey down the St. Lawrence River. The book shares beautiful illustrations, simple prose, colorful maps, and a historical glossary; all with the intention of not only educating its young readers, but to also become a cherished keepsake for adults and children alike.

"We are excited to again highlight an author with a passion for the region during our festival," said organizer Michael Folsom. "This new book is sure to be a hit."

Gargione is a native of Lawrenceville, New Jersey and a graduate of Emerson College, where she obtained a degree in Theater Arts. She has gone onto an acting career and currently resides in Los Angeles, California. This is her first book, which is published by ThreeSmallRooms publications.

For more information on St. Lawrence ABCs, visit www.stlawrenceabcs.com or on Twitter at www.twitter.com/StLawrenceABCs.

Sailing Seaway Clayton presented by Caskinette’s Lofink Ford kicks-off June 14 with the Grand Arrival of tall ship Fair Jeanne.

Tall Ship to Offer Viewing for Local School Groups

Clayton, NY (May 16, 2012) – Michael Folsom, organizer of Sailing Seaway Clayton presented by Casinkette’s Lofink Ford, announced today that visiting tall ship Fair Jeanne will be available to local school groups for complimentary deck tours.

Fair Jeanne, a 110-foot sail training vessel based out of Canada, will be the highlighted tall ship of the 2012 edition of Sailing Seaway Clayton presented by Caskinette’s Lofink Ford, which will take place June 14 through June 17 in downtown Clayton.

As part of the ship’s scheduled appearance, school groups are invited to visit the ship at the Thousand Islands Regional Dock, free of charge, on Friday, June 15 between 9:30 and 11:30 a.m.

 “The folks at Bytown Brigantine, operators of the ship, understand the importance of educating children,” said Folsom. “Their outstanding crew and staff will be sure to engage with those children that visit the ship and ensure they leave with a better understanding of sailing and life on the water.”

The second-annual festival officially kicks-off on the evening of Thursday, June 14. A number of antique boats from the Antique Boat Museum, along with Clayton’s fireboat Last Chance will take part in the Grand Arrival of tall ship Fair Jeanne around 6 p.m.

Those school groups looking to visit the ship should email their school name, potential number of students and contact information to theshipwatcher@yahoo.com.

Free Shuttle Service

A free shuttle service will again be offered around the Clayton community the weekend of June 16 & 17, thanks to support from Watertown Savings Bank, Clayton Chamber of Commerce, Antique Boat Museum and Clarence Henry Coach.

Luxury shuttle service between Cerow Arena, Frink Park & Antique Boat Museum on Saturday, June 16 and Sunday, June 17 will allow visitors the opportunity to park their vehicles for the day either at the Frink Park site or at the Recreation Arena and travel around town easily.

“The community of Clayton will be busier than ever with this event, the Wine & Food Festival, Family Day at ABM and the Poker Run coming through town," said organizer Michael Folsom. "This great service arranged by the Chamber of Commerce serves those coming to our community by allowing them to park and ride without the hassle of finding parking in various locations in the same day.” 

Farmer's Market Returns to Festival

Click the above for details on vendor space for this year's event.

Festival, Antique Boat Museum Join Forces

Clayton, NY (May 8, 2012) – Officials from the Sailing Seaway Clayton festival presented by Casinkette’s Lofink Ford and the world-famous Antique Boat Museum in Clayton, New York announced today that they have joined forces in making the second-annual festival bigger, better and community-wide.

Sailing Seaway Clayton presented by Caskinette’s Lofink Ford, which will take place June 14 through June 17 in downtown Clayton and feature the appearance of tall ship Fair Jeanne, will work with the Antique Boat Museum in an effort to grow activities in the Clayton community during the festival weekend.

Typically scheduled for the weekend prior to the festival, Family Day at the Antique Boat Museum has been moved to Saturday, June 16 in an effort to draw more people, not only to the museum, but to Clayton.

“What a great addition to the weekend by having our friends at the Antique Boat Museum switch their event date to ensure more people get the opportunity to enjoy what the museum has to offer,” explained Michael Folsom, organizer of Sailing Seaway Clayton. “By adding Family Day to the festival weekend we are able to ensure more foot traffic through our beautiful community.”

“The Sailing Seaway Clayton festival has quickly become one of the most anticipated events of the summer. The Museum is happy to help any way we can to make the weekend a truly memorable one for visitors as well as Clayton area residents. We extend our thanks to Mike Folsom and our friends at Caskinette’s Lofink Ford for their continued support of the Clayton community,” said Mike Bristol, Director of Marketing at the Antique Boat Museum. “We are excited to showcase our new exhibits for the summer and look forward to many of our community partners joining us on that day.”   

Admission to the activities at the Antique Boat Museum are free of charge on June 16 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

In addition to Family Day, the Antique Boat Museum will again offer free admission passes for the first 50 dad’s taking a tour of tall ship Fair Jeanne on Father’s Day, June 17.

Also, on Thursday, June 14, a number of antique boats from the Antique Boat Museum will take place in the Grand Arrival of tall ship Fair Jeanne. Antique boats will greet the tall ship on the river and lead it to the Thousand Islands Regional Dock at Frink Park.

For more information on Sailing Seaway Clayton presented by Caskinette’s Lofink Ford, be sure to visit www.sailingseawayclayton.com or information on the Antique Boat Museum, visit www.abm.org.

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Official Dog Treat Named for Seaway Splash Event

Clayton, NY (May 2, 2012) – The Barkers Dozen, based in Chicopee, Massachusetts, has been named the official dog treat of Seaway Splash presented by TIMIS set for June 15-17 in Clayton, New York.

Seaway Splash is a DockDogs sanctioned competition event.

Founded in 2009, The Barkers Dozen (www.thebarkersdozen.com) treats use the highest-quality, human-grade organic ingredients and are made in a variety of shapes and sizes to satisfy any furry friend. The gourmet dog treats are made on demand and in small batches to ensure the freshest product possible for our customers, without using artificial preservatives. 

The Barkers Dozen will have representatives on-site during the event with free product samples and exclusive offers.

"We are proud and excited to partner with Seaway Splash and Sailing Seaway Clayton for this new DockDogs event," said President/CEO and Founder of The Barkers Dozen, Shawn Sherry. "The Barkers Dozen's organic pet treats are a perfect way to reward DockDog competitors or any dog - wholesome, handmade treats that help bring out the best in your pup, from dock to daily life."

“It is exciting to partner with a brand such as The Barkers Dozen, which has a strong interest in our dog’s health and nutrition. Through their support of this event, we look to expose their growing brand to the people of upstate New York,” said festival organizer Michael Folsom. “Dog treats and a dog competition go hand-in-hand.”

Registration is now open for all interested participants and will close on June 12. Pre-registered teams (dog/owner) are only $25 per event. There will be three (3) events over the course of the weekend – Good Dog Charlies EXTREME VERTICAL, TIMIS BIG AIR and Caskinette’s Throttle Shop SPEED RETRIEVE. A limited number of teams will be able to participate in each event ‘wave.’ Teams can register for as many as all three events.

On-site registration will be permitted, but teams will be subject to an additional $5 fee.

Competitions will begin on June 15 & 16 at 10 a.m. with the last event wave of the day beginning at 6 p.m. Events on Sunday will begin at 9 a.m. and wrap up with TIMIS BIG AIR finals beginning at 5 p.m. All event times are subject to change.

Seaway Splash presented by TIMIS will take place Friday, June 15 through Sunday, June 17 in the small Thousand Islands village of Clayton, New York, along the banks of the St. Lawrence River, as part of the second-annual Sailing Seaway Clayton festival presented by Caskinette’s Lofink Ford.

To register, call 330-241-4975, log onto www.dockdogs.com and visit the event calendar or email registration@dockdogs.com.

About the events –

Good Dog Charlies EXTREME VERTICAL – dogs will compete in a high jump competition, sponsored by Good Dog Charlies of Alexandria Bay.

TIMIS BIG AIR – the main attraction event of the weekend with various heat waves to qualify for the Sunday afternoon finale. Dogs will launch themselves off the dock and fly through the air in an attempt to leap the furthest, sponsored by TIMIS, Inc.

Caskinette’s Throttle Shop SPEED RETRIEVE – dogs will be timed as they swim the length of the pool to retrieve an item, sponsored by Caskinette’s Throttle Shop of Carthage.

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Festival Secures Two Year Partnership

Clayton, NY (May 1, 2012) – Sailing Seaway Clayton festival organizer Michael Folsom announced today a two-year partnership with Carthage-based auto dealer, Caskinette’s Lofink Ford. The partnership will include presenting sponsorship of the popular Clayton summer festival, Sailing Seaway Clayton, which enters its second year in the Village of Clayton.

Sailing Seaway Clayton presented by Caskinette’s Lofink Ford will kick-off on the evening of Thursday, June 14 with the Grand Arrival of tall ship Fair Jeanne to the Thousand Islands Regional Dock at Frink Park in Clayton. The ship will remain in port through Sunday, June 17 and free deck tours will be provided courtesy of Caskinette’s Lofink Ford. The weekend will also include live music, a farmers market, various displays and a new feature called ‘Seaway Splash’ presented by TIMIS, Inc.

“It is a pleasure to partner with such a well-known franchise in the North Country that has a strong interest in events such as this,” said Folsom. “By making a two-year commitment, Caskinette’s Lofink Ford is helping to solidify our festival and ensure it has the backing necessary to continue.”

In addition to presenting sponsorship of the festival and providing free deck tours of the tall ship for guests, Caskinette’s Lofink Ford will receive highly visible brand recognition surrounding the event in various forms.

Also, Caskinette’s Throttle Shop, the motorcycle division of the Caskinette brand, has been named a partner of Seaway Splash presented by TIMIS, which will coincide with the tall ship visit. The Caskinette’s Throttle Shop SPEED RETRIEVE event will take place during the DockDogs competition on Sunday, June 17.

“We are pleased to present this festival in Clayton. We know how important these types of events are to the local community and we are especially excited to have a two-year agreement so that the event will return next year and be even better,” said Lynn Leonard, General Manager of Caskinette’s Lofink. “Clayton is a great town and we enjoy being involved in several activities here each year.”

Sailing Seaway Clayton presented by Caskinette’s Lofink Ford will enter its second summer in 2012. 

In June 2011, more than 5,000 visitors made their way to Frink Park for the inaugural event to see America’s Privateer, tall ship Lynx. Organizers expect as many as 8,000 people to pass through Frink Park in 2012. Lynx will return for the 2013 edition of the festival.

Sponsor opportunities are still available. Additional event information will be announced in the coming weeks.

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