Auburn will officially welcome the season of street festivals with one of them, the third annual Sizzlin' Summer Kickoff.
Taking place Saturday, the festival will feature music, food, and arts and crafts vendors, as well as a new feature: Let's Chalk About It, a sidewalk chalk art competition. The competition will take place beginning at 3 p.m., and the resulting art on the Genesee Street sidewalks in front of Auburn Public Theater will be on display during the festival. The winners — decided by Schweinfurth Art Center Executive Director Donna Lamb, Mayor Michael Quill and Regenerations owner Sue Waby — will be announced on the Showmobile stage at 7 p.m. (Registration for the competition is closed.)
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The festival begins at 6 p.m. Headlining at 8 p.m. will be Raibred, a progressive and psychedelic rock band from the Binghamton area that covers Phish, The Grateful Dead, Pink Floyd and more.
But performing first will be Cruise Control, an Auburn-area seven-piece that performs classic rock, blues, funk and country.
Member Kevin Carpenter said Wednesday that the group got together about a year ago. It consists of him and Christina Marie House on lead vocals, as well as Brian Machold, Dave D’alberto, Steve Bertonica, Paul Liberatore and Pat Doyle. The group often performs with an eighth member, saxophonist "Flyin'" Brian Dobie of local throwback rockers Ruby Shooz.
Carpenter said the members, all part of the Auburn music scene for years, share a chemistry that spans several genres of music. Many of them sing four- and five-part harmonies together, he added.
"We'll do anything from Tom Jones to the Doobie Brothers," he said. "We like to keep people dancing."
Cruise Control will also perform Friday in the new Hangtime pavilion at Treleaven Wines in King Ferry. With Saturday's festival gig, the group will play to the most people yet, Carpenter said. The group averages about two shows a month, as its members work regular jobs and have families. But its following is passionate, Carpenter continued, and Cruise Control hopes to build it this weekend.
"Between these two gigs over the weekend, we'll have the most exposure we've had," he said.
Sizzlin' Summer Kickoff vendors
• Moondog’s Lounge
Three weeks ago, the Phat Kat food truck first fired up its stove in the parking lot of Fami…
• Phat Kat Tacos
• Miss Alice’s Mad Hatters Cotton Candy
• Daisy Hollow Farm: handcrafted soaps and skincare products
• Silvery Moon Designs: handcrafted jewelry
• KJS Creations & Designs: jewelry, purses, placemats, potholders and more
• Snugly Stitched: crocheted items
• Tina Barry: stained glass creations
• Jeanne Bunnel of Bouquet of Baskets: basket making
• JoJo Newkirk: jewelry and more
• Laurie Walter: Young Living Essential Oils
• Friends Helping Friends of Cayuga County: jewelry, glass items and freshly baked brownies
• Pete Cramer: shiitake logs, permaculture plants and duck eggs
Lake Life Editor David Wilcox can be reached at (315) 282-2245 or david.wilcox@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter .