Port Henderson Performing Arts Association Offers Full Summer Schedule | Arts & Entertainment

Summer events kick off July 16 with a student art exhibit by high school students from the Belleville-Henderson, South Jefferson and Sackets Harbor School Districts.

“We’re really excited about this,” said Susan VanBenschoten of the Port Henderson Performing Arts Association.

HHPAA is also partnering with the Henderson Historical Society for the art exhibit, as the historical society held a photography competition last year.

HHPAA will kick off the ceremony with an art exhibit. The material will then go back to the Historical Society, where the work will be deposited and people can vote with a dollar.

Winners will receive prizes during Heritage Days.

All events are free except the $15 play “The Butler Did It Players.”

Ms VanBenschoten said planning for the events began in December.

The big summer event is the Classic Car Show, which is held in conjunction with the Christmas event in July. This will be held on July 29th.

“It was huge because it was a weekend,” she said. “There are many of us.”

HHPAA will provide its own food and a raffle at the event.

The car parade begins at noon at the eastern end of the harbour, and will travel to the other end of the harbour. The vehicles are then lined up on the field and the fun begins. There will be music, food, prize draws and more.

In 2022, HHPAA has received more than 55 vehicles, a number Ms. VanBenschoten said they expect to exceed.

“You can take a classic motorcycle, a truck,” she said.

They also had dealers bring in an all-new Corvette, she said.

“It was very exciting for us because we did make some money that day and it was fun,” she said.

Beginning Monday, the HHPAA will run a summer-long 50/50 sweepstakes offering 1,000 tickets.

“I think we have to book more tickets, that would be better,” she said.

All money earned goes into their general fund.

HHPAA was also named the 2023 Nonprofit of the Year (People’s Choice Awards) by the Chamber of Commerce of Six Towns.

“In these six town communities and all the other businesses, it’s recognized at that level,” she said.

The next step for HHPAA is to set the stage and they are working with GYMO.

Drawings should be ready soon, and HHPAA hopes to put them on display for the public to see at events they are hosting.

“This is the first phase of our project and we want to do more, but this is the most important,” she said. “We can’t attract some of the things we want to attract.”

Some acts bring their own portable stages.

“Our absolute goal is to get that stage built as quickly as possible,” she said.

The two plays, as well as Art Show, Drum and Bugle, Bad Husbands Club and KEX, were made possible by funding from the state’s Community Refunding Program, which Ms VanBenschoten said was supported by the governor’s office. Katherine C. Hochul, state legislature, administered by the St. Lawrence County Arts Council.

Those wishing to volunteer or make donations may contact HHPAA at 315-938-7333.