11 things to do in the Canandaigua area this week

CANANDAIGUA − What does George Washington -- yes, that George Washington -- have to do with a soldier who eventually lived in Honeoye?

You can find that answer at a talk on Tuesday night by Ontario County Historian Preston Pierce. And if local history is your passion, pay a visit to the Cheshire Union to learn more about Cheshire's past and find out more about the Cheshire Theatre and Meeting Hall's future in the process.

And that's not all that's happening in the Canandaigua and Finger Lakes area this week.

1. Stories from Cheshire!

An opening reception was held over the weekend, but from now through June 11, you can visit the Cheshire Union gallery to learn more about the Canandaigua hamlet of Cheshire. This history exhibition and fundraiser celebrates the 125th birthday of the Cheshire Theatre and Meeting Hall, also known as the Cheshire Grange. The exhibit features historical photographs, newspaper clippings, posters, letters and artifacts all about the hamlet. Gallery hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and noon to 5 p.m. Sundays.

2. Basics of the Erie Canal

Learn more about New York’s famed waterway during a talk at 6 p.m. May 2 at Victor Farmington Library, 15 W. Main St., Victor. Derrick Pratt from the Erie Canal Museum will present. For details and to register for this and other programs, visit www.victorfarmingtonlibrary.org.

3. In the Footsteps of Daniel Bissell

Who is Daniel Bissell? Ontario County Historian Preston Pierce has the answer, which he can share at 7 p.m. May 2 at the West Bloomfield Historical Society, 8966 Routes 5 and 20. Bissell was one of just three soldiers to receive the forerunner of the Purple Heart directly from the hand of George Washington. Bissell later settled in Honeoye. Visitors can bring military awards from their own families for a one-night display. For more information, visit https://wbhsny.org.

4. National Day of Prayer

Mark Sheppard is the guest speaker on this National Day of Prayer, which will be held 7 a.m. May 4 at the American Legion, 454 N. Main St., Canandaigua. The Kiwanis Club of Canandaigua will host the breakfast event. Tickets are $15 each and available at the door. The event is co-sponsored by Canandaigua Rotary. For more information, contact Jim Hough at Kiwanis Club of Canandaigua by email at jmhough815@gmail.com.

5. Flower fundraiser

You can help out the Palmyra Garden Club purchase and plant summer flowers by buying flowers of your own during this two-day event. From 2 to 7 p.m. May 5 and 8 to 11 a.m. May 6, shoppers can beautify their homes and the Palmyra at large by visiting Wayside Garden Center, 124 Pittsford Palmyra Road (Route 31), Macedon.

6. FLCC spring arts festival

Finger Lakes Community College’s Visual and Performing Arts Department’s Spring Arts Festival is 7 p.m. May 5 in the Student Center auditorium. A performance of British-American rock band Fleetwood Mac’s “Rumours” album is planned. Theater and visual art students designed the publicity materials and backdrops for the student vocalists and musicians. After the performance, the Student Honors Art Exhibition will open and awards will be announced for fine arts and graphic design students. The event is free and open to the public.

7. The THE BAND Band in concert

If you love The Band you’ll love this tribute to roots rockers of the 1960s and ‘70s. A concert is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. May 6 at Fort Hill Performing Arts Center, 20 Fort Hill Ave., Canandaigua. Tickets can be purchased online at forthillpac.com or by calling the box office at 585-412-6043.

8. Finger Lakes Chorale concerts

The first of two concerts is scheduled for 7 p.m. Saturday, May 6, at St. John’s Episcopal Church, 183 N. Main St., Canandaigua (the second is May 13 at 7 p.m. at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Canandaigua). The free program consists of music inspired by the poems of Gabriel Rossetti, Robert Louis Stevenson, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Rudyard Kipling, Robert Frost and Langston Hughes. Works include “Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening” by Frost, “I Dream a World” by Hughes, and “Always Something Sings” by Emerson. The Finger Lakes Chorale is directed by Ines Draskovic, professor of music, with accompaniment by adjunct instructor Hae-Yeun Jeun.

9. Chef and Sip Challenge

This fun Kiwanis Club of Canandaigua food and drink competition is scheduled for 2 to 5 p.m. May 7 at King’s Catering on Routes 5 and 20 in Canandaigua. This event showcases chefs who will serve sample-sized foods to attendees, along with businesses who will be sampling wine, beer, and spirits. Categories include Best Presentation, Most Creative, Best Tasting, Best Wine, Best Beer, and Best Spirit. Tickets purchased at the door are $40 per person or $65 per couple. Tickets can be purchased online at CanandaiguaKiwanis.org, through any Canandaigua Kiwanian, at Lyons National Bank (Canandaigua), Wolfe Insurance Agency or Canandaigua National Bank. Visit CanandaiguaKiwanis.org for tickets.

10. Peace Like a River concert

The Finger Lakes Camerata will perform at 3 p.m. May 7 at First Congregational Church, 58 N. Main St., Canandaigua. Selections include “Earth Song” by Frank Ticheli, “Shall We Gather at the River” by Daniel J. Hall, “Let the River Run” by Craig Hella Johnson, “Unclouded Day” by Shawn Kirchner and “Down to the River” by Jennaya Robison with soloists Scott Rienholtz and Thomas Poplasky and Sarah Reilly on djembe, a West African drum.

11. Plant a seed, attract a butterfly

The Canandaigua Tractor Supply store is hosting Plant-A-Seed, which offers young gardeners free seeds to plant a perennial butterfly garden. The event is 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. May 6 at the store, 2380 Rochester Road, Route 332 North. A team member will be available to guide the children in the activity and explain the best ways to nurture and care for their future garden. Participants can take their seeds home to monitor their growth and watch them attract butterflies as they flourish. For details, call the store at 585-394-2080.

If you want to see your event included in an upcoming "Things to Do This Week" column, email Mike Murphy at mmurphy@messengerpostmedia.com.

This article originally appeared on MPNnow: 11 things to do in the Canandaigua area this week