Fossil fun at the GSC

Great Swamp Conservancy

Discover the “Fun of Fossils: Life on Earth” interactive exhibit at the Great Swamp Conservancy of Canastota. Young historians will be able to travel back in time to the Precambrian era and come nose to nose with Allosaurus, make your own fossil replica, get the scoop on Dino poop, study a real petrified log 120 million years old, and go on a dig. Interactive stations are full of exciting educational games, puzzles and prizes for children of all ages. Find out exactly what is a fossil on the path to fossilization. View fossils, stones and other artifacts dated through the Cenozoic era.

Admission is $5 per person. If you couldn’t make the grand opening on Feb. 3, the exhibit hours are Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. until Feb. 24. For more information call (315) 697-2950 or email greatswampconservancy@gmail.com.

Junior book club

Cazenovia Public Library’s Wild and Wonderful Readers junior book club will hold its next meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 6 at 6:30 p.m. in the Story Garden Room. The session will combine book discussion, games and creative activities. The group will discuss “Boston Jane: An Adventure” (2001) by Jennifer L. Holm. The club is open to children ages 9-14. Books are available at the circulation desk.

The library will present two free screenings of “Only the Brave,” rated PG-13 on Friday, Feb. 9 at 3:15 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. in the Community Room. The biographical action drama is based on the heroic story of the Granite Mountain Hotshots.

For more information on these events, call (315) 655-9322 or visit www.cazenoviapubliclibrary.org.

Oneida Library

Oneida Public Library has begun Tax Help for Seniors on Mondays and Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to noon. IRS certified volunteers under the auspices of Cornell Cooperative Extension will provide free tax help and electronic filing to seniors on a first come, first served basis. Seniors should bring all their pertinent tax documents and last year’s return with them. The program runs through April 16.

Wednesday, Feb. 7 at 6:30 p.m. Teen Night will feature DIY TShirt Bags. Teens can bring their well-worn but favorite tshirts to the library to “upcycle” them into spiffy tote bags.

Saturday, Feb. 10 at 11 a.m., Family Super Saturday. Parents and their children will enjoy an hour of stories, games and free golf lessons from PGA professional Justin Nishimoto, who currently lends his talents to Turning Stone Casino golf course.

Saturday, Feb. 10 at 12 p.m., Foundations in Personal Fi-

nance, Session 2. Students in grades 9-12 can still sign up for finance expert Dave Ramsey’s minicourse on budgeting, saving, careers and taxes through videos and free personal student workbooks. The following four sessions will be held the second Saturday of each month, March through June, at 12 p.m. Register at the circulation desk or by calling (315) 363-3050.

Half Way Hooley

The Great American Irish Festival invites the public to its annual Half Way Hooley on Friday, Feb. 9 from 6-9 p.m. at the Saranac Brewery, Varick Street, Utica.

The evening will feature music by Lewington Down of Enter the Haggis, food, cash bar, 50/50 raffle and basket raffles. Admission is $15 at the door. Organizers will announce this year’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade Grand Marshal and unveiling the band line up for the 2018 Irish Fest held at the Herkimer County Fairgrounds the last weekend in July.

MasterGardener training

Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) Oneida County will hold Regional Master Gardener Volunteer Training beginning with an orientation session on Saturday, March 10.

Trainings will be held on set Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Classes include Basic Botany, Vegetable Gardening, Composting, Entomology, Wildlife Nuisance, Perennials, Plant Pathology & Diagnostics, Woody Plants and Annuals.

Training is held over a two-year period; attendance of all sessions is required. Cost is $225 for Oneida County residents and $112 for high school aged students. Applications are accepted until Friday, Feb. 9. Due to limited class size, a committee will review the applications and notify selected applicants by late February.

For an application, contact Holly at (315) 736-3394 ext. 125 or register online at pub.cce.cornell.edu/event_ registration/main/events_landing.cfm?event=masterg ardenertrainning_230.

Valentine in the Forest

Enjoy a nostalgic, romantic evening in the forest with your sweetheart Feb. 9-11 from 6-9:30 p.m. at Highland Forest, 1254 Highland Park Road, Fabius. Program includes candlelit dinner, horse drawn sleigh rides, live entertainment and flowers.

Proceeds benefit the allvolunteer Nordic Ski Patrol at Highland Forest. Cost is $90 per couple. Advance registration is required; call (315) 677-3303.

Cazenovia Winter Fest

Cazenovia’s annual celebration of winter is coming soon. This year’s Winter Festival features snow sculptures, ice skating, a pancake breakfast, a talent show and more to be held Feb. 9, 10 and 11. A calendar of events is expected to be released this weekend.

Project CAFE is once again collaborating with the Greater Cazenovia Area Chamber of Commerce to schedule and publicize the calendar of events.

If your group has an event you would like featured on the Winter Fest schedule, email kurtwheeler@windstream.net or leave a voice mail at (315) 655-9380.

Lorenzo fundraiser

The Friends of Lorenzo State Historic Site will present their annual fundraiser on Feb. 10 from 7-11 p.m. at the Hampton Inn & Suites in Cazenovia.

All are invited to the Masquerade Ball, to be transported through time to an elegant evening of mystery, pageantry, comedy and dancing. Become part of the masked fairy tale and join in this unique event.

Ticket prices for the fundraising event are: Individual, $75; Pair, $140; or eight tickets with a reserved table and complimentary bottle of champagne, $500. Tickets can be purchased online at www.friendsoflorenzo.org.

Guests will enjoy a complimentary cocktail bar, hors d’oeuvres, a lavish dessert buffet, music and dancing, Tarot card readings, a photo booth, and a live auction featuring a Belize Caribbean vacation, catered dinner for eight, a handpainted barrel stave and much more.

Incorporated in 1975, the Friends of Lorenzo is a notfor-profit organization dedicated to supporting the many preservation and educational programs at the Lorenzo State Historic Site. Proceeds from this annual fundraiser will go directly to ongoing restoration and preservation efforts, maintenance of the beautiful Ellen Shipman designed gardens, education of children and adults about the cultural and historic importance of our region and for support of community programs such as Symphoria, the Lorenzo Driving Competition, Community Day and Christmas at Lorenzo. Your support helps make all of this possible.

Annual Chocolate Party

Cazenovia Public Library will hold its annual Chocolate Party on Saturday, Feb. 10 in celebration of the XXIII Olympic Winter Games. This wonderful family event, hosted by the Friends of the Library, will take place at 1:30 p.m. in the Community Room.

Children and their families are invited to join Children’s Programming Coordinator Jenna Wright Martin for stories and activities centered on the Winter Olympics. Participants will have the opportunity to take part in various events featuring candy and chocolate. Hot chocolate, cookies and other treats will be served following the activities.

All events at the Cazenovia Public Library are free and open to the public. For more information, call (315) 655-9322 or visit www.cazenoviapubliclibrary.org.