Jubilee Day at the fly fishing museum

Luring folks across the bridge

By FRITZ MAYER

LIVINGSTON MANOR, NY — To get to the fly fishing museum, a visitor must cross a long one-lane bridge with a wooden deck that spans Willowemoc Creek. Part of the motivation behind the first Jubilee Day was to get more local people to cross that bridge. It worked like a charm.

According to Jim Krul, the executive director of the Catskill Fly Fishing Center and Museum, about 500 people came to the first Jubilee Day in August 2006. Krul said he estimated that about half of the people were local, and about half were visiting from outside the area. Of the local folks, “90 percent had never been over that bridge.”

There was a bit of uncertainty about how the festival would be received, coming as it did just a few weeks after the historic flooding of late June 2006, which devastated the nearby hamlets of Roscoe and Livingston Manor. Some residents wondered if Krul should cancel the event. Krul said his response was: “Why would we cancel something like this now—maybe everybody wants to take a break? And they did. It was just a relaxing, calming day.”

It worked so well that Krul and his associates decided to do again this year. The second annual Sullivan County Jubilee Day will be held at the Catskill Fly Fishing Center and Museum on Old Route 17, just north of Livingston Manor on August 4, from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Though Jubilee Day certainly celebrates fishing, it reaches out beyond that to the broader community. Part of the concept of the original event was that the center invited members of the community who were celebrating milestones, such as important birthdays or anniversaries, to celebrate; indeed “celebration of a special anniversary” is one of the meanings of the word “jubilee.” According to Judy Van Put, chairwoman of the jubilee committee, that portion of the festivities will be repeated this year. Keith Fulsher will celebrate his 85th birthday, Ted Rogowski and Sandy Stone will celebrate 80, Nick Lyons and famed horsewoman Mary Lewis will celebrate turning 75. Meanwhile, Keith and Lois Fulsher will celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary, and Nick and Mary Lyons their 50th. And one more celebration: Agnes Van Put will celebrate her 91st birthday.

The day will begin with a fishing derby for kids 12 and younger. Van Put said the kids don’t have to fish with fly-fishing gear; they can use worms or bobbers or whatever fishing tackle they choose to bring. Prizes will be awarded for first fish caught, the most fish, the biggest fish and smallest fish.

The kids can also take advantage of the pony rides and petting zoo that will be on hand.

The Livingston Manor Presbyterian Church will serve up chicken barbeque, The Kurpil Family Fiddlers will provide live music, and there will be vendors such as Ashalter’s Maple Syrup, Moxie Alley Bath & Body Botanicals and Wild Roots Farm.

For more information go to cffcm.net or call 845/439-4810.