In October 2008, Lyons was awarded the designation as one of New York State’s first Main Street Communities. Through a cooperative effort between the Western Erie Canal Alliance and the Genesee/Finger Lakes Regional Planning Council, Lyons made application to the National Trust for Historic Preservation for the designation as a means to reinvigorate its historical downtown business district. Lyons is fortunate enough to have many of its architecturally significant historical buildings still intact and they are ripe for restoration and redevelopment.

Utilizing the Four Point program established by the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Main Street Program, Lyons will take advantage of the resources offered by the NTHP to reinvent itself as a point of destination in Wayne County. Each of the four points, Design, Organization, Promotion and Economic Restructuring, will provide the tools and means necessary to assist local businesses with sprucing up their storefronts and promote their wares with attractive displays. In addition to Peppermint Days and Peppermint Winter Wonderland, The Lyons Main Street Program will be planning additional special events, such as festivals and street fairs, as well as retail and business promotions that will draw visitors and tourists to our village. We are now in the planning stages for the 1st Historic Lyons Harvest Festival, Costume Parade and Street Dance for October 24, 2009 featuring harvest themed games and activities for the kids, a scarecrow contest and crafts and food vendor booths.

Currently, the Lyons Main Street Program is presenting a 1939 Film Retrospective that will begin Thursday, March 5^th and continue through the end of the year every other Thursday night at the historic Ohmann Theatre on William Street. As 1939 is considered to be the “Golden Year of Classic Movies”, holding a 70^th anniversary celebration of these great movies will not only provide locals and visitors with wonderful entertainment but also provide an opportunity to raise much-needed funds to implement some of our revitalization projects such as new village signage. The finale of the retrospective will be a showing of the movie “The Women” and a champagne and hors’dourve celebration to ring in 2010. We hope that everyone will join us throughout the year for a big screen showing of these classic movies each week after they have dined at one of our fine local restaurants. Each showing will begin with a short discussion of the film and its history and audience participation is encouraged.

The Lyons Main Street Program is actively seeking volunteers to serve on any of the Four Point committees – a volunteer opportunity that will make a difference with each passing day, week, month and year. Volunteer opportunities run the gamut from helping collect refuse in our downtown/historic areas or helping a business owner paint/spruce up his storefront to baking a platter of cookies for a bake sale. Your efforts will be rewarded each and every time you visit your downtown! Contact Jerry Ashley, Lyons Main Street Program Manager, 70 William Street, Lyons, New York 14489. Our phone number is 315-871-4220 or you may reach us at lyonsmainstreetprogram@gmail.com

The Wayne County Shoppe