Williamsville, N.Y. (WBEN) - The annual Williamsville festival known as "Old Home Days" kicked off this Tuesday with their traditional parade at 6:30 p.m. on Main Street.
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"This is our 44th Annual Old Home Days, which started in the late 1970s after a group of people formed the Jolly Boys in the mid-70s," said Richard Galmarini, event chairman and Jolly Boys member.
The festival features carnival rides, fair food and the beer tent with music going on every day up to Friday, July 14, located at Island Park.
"Thursday we will have Christian Kramer and the Backwoods Revival, Thursday is Hit and Run, Friday is Flipside. Both of those days Thursday and Friday, we'll have a very very big crowd and the beer tent."
This Wednesday, June 12, will be a special day for the kids at the Old Home Days.
"What we entitled as Youth Day, Amherst Youth and Recreation Department will be here having events and festivities from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. They'll have a children's concert. They'll be doing games, crafts, arts and more," says Galmarini.
This is the biggest fundraising event for the Jolly Boys, all tips and donations given to the event will go right back into the local community youth organizations.
"The Jolly Boys are a completely volunteer organization and all the money that we raise, we give away. We give away to the youth of Amherst, Williamsville and other local areas. We've done that ever since our beginning. We have given money to central Amherst Challenger Division and Miracle League of Grand Island, which are both baseball leagues for handicapped kids. Much of our funding goes to Amherst Youth and Recreation Department. This year, all of our tips will go to Kaely's Kindness Foundation and Sleep in Heavenly Peace, organizations that help children."
You can find the full list event by clicking here or visiting www.OldHomeDaysWilliamsville.com/events.