By COLIN READ, Everybody's Business
— I've written before about the wonderful potential that is the downtown core of Plattsburgh. I believe that someday the downtown core will be as vibrant and appreciated as Church Street has become in Burlington. Next weekend is just one of those occasions that reminds us all of just what Plattsburgh can become.
Perhaps like no other weekend, the Battle of Plattsburgh weekend is special, and for many reasons.
On Saturday, Sept. 11 of this year, all of the North Country will have an opportunity to remind ourselves of this region's heritage, relish in our history, regale in parades and events, race duckies and beds, reactivate our sense of civic duty, and remake our town. Remarkable!
There is nothing that more effectively embodies our contribution to the history of the United States than the Battle of Plattsburgh. One of the most significant battles in our checkered early history with England, the Battle of Plattsburgh was pivotal in wrestling control of Lake Champlain and, ultimately, the Hudson River, from our once adversaries.
And, while our significant history on that fateful day will be celebrated once again on Saturday, the even bigger story might be the opportunity for our city, our town and our entire North Country to come together this one day each year to share something we all have in common.
It will give us the opportunity to reflect upon and renew our mutual sense of civic pride and civic interest.
Our pride will be piqued by a midday parade, with marching units and bands, and more than 80 floats and vehicles participating. The parade will be followed by two Rotary events — one a regular fixture, and another sure to come back next year.
At the conclusion of the parade, Rotary once again returns this year with the annual Roducky Derby. You can purchase a duck that will slide its way down a specially-made track by the McDonough Monument to the Saranac River. The owners of racing ducks will vie for prizes that include a trip for four to the Jimmy Fallon Show in New York City and a big-screen television. People can purchase the opportunity to vie for these prizes on the day of the race.
For the first time, beds will be racing by City Hall. Teams of bed pushers will pilot an unwitting napper down the street at speeds not usually encountered in bed. Teams will compete for more than $1,000 in prizes. While some enterprising teams will design their own beds, others may choose to use one of the beds specially made by Solid Foundations for this event. You can find more information and access a registration form from the Rotary webpage http://www.plattsburghrotary.org/plattsburgh/RotaryBedRaces.asp. Or e-mail or call Vicki at vmarking@meadowbrookhealth.com, 563-5440, for more information. Registration for the bed race is limited to those age 13 and older.
Meanwhile, myriad stands, exhibits and entertainers keep us captivated, consumed and cajoled over a full day of festivities.
Actually, the celebration is not confined to a single day. Events progress over an entire week. A reenactment began Sept. 4 with a British invasion of Dewey's Tavern in Champlain. The reenactment then embarked on a three-day march toward Plattsburgh. They arrived in Chazy last night, and are marching on to West Chazy today. Tomorrow, the march will make stops at Culver Hill and Halsey's Corners before concluding in Plattsburgh. Most significantly, this march coincidentaly falls this year on the anniversary dates of the actual invasion of the British in 1814.
You can find a complete schedule of the many events online at http://www.battleofplattsburgh.org/blog/?page_id=180.
Of course, we will all the while gain a better appreciation for the history that knits us all together. This important theme will not be lost in the sensory barrage the 11th will bring. Colors for our eyes, food for our tastebuds, aromas for our nose, the anticipation of racing ducks and the white knuckles of racing beds, and the sounds of folk singers will be almost overwhelming. However, the collective energy of an excited crowd will keep it all together.
You can get more information about the parade, the schedule of events, and the ways you might enjoy your day by watching for announcements and a full schedule in the Press-Republican. In the meantime, please download your bed race entry application in support of the good work Rotary does in our community, and buy a button to support the Battle of Plattsburgh Commemorative Committee's investment in this week's events. And, be sure to sponsor a ducky on Saturday. Or, merely come on down with your family and friends for festivities that will span all of Saturday.
So, buy a $10 button that will support the weekend events, and show your civic spirit on Saturday. I am sure you will be most proud and impressed. I will see you there!
What I am sure they are thinking: Mayor Kasprzak — "We have all year to worry about bringing down taxes and bringing back a sense of fiscal responsibility on behalf of our taxpayers. Sept. 11 is one day we can unite the city, the town, the region and indeed a country in memory of an event that was instrumental in preserving even loftier ideals. The Battle of Plattsburgh is the biggest event each year (except for the Mayor's Cup, of course) that celebrates our important past and portends to an even more illustrious future. This year, the Battle of Plattsburgh Commemoration Committee has once again outdone themselves. I, too, will see you there!"
Colin Read is a professor of economics and finance and former dean of the School of Business and Economics at SUNY Plattsburgh. His sixth book, "The BP Spill — A Bigger Picture," will be published by MacMillan Palgrave early next year. He also runs an economic and business consulting company, and can be reached through his website, www.economicinsights.net.
