Founder's Day Weekend 2021: Festivities Will Kick-off With a Community Parade Friday August 6, 2021 at 6 p.m.

Public Notice - August 6, 2021

The August 6, 2021 6 pm Founders Day Parade will follow the traditional route used for Memorial Day. The parade begins at E. Genesee Street & Fulton Street marches west on to Genesee Street and end approximately in front of the Cayuga County Office Building.

The downtown parking garage on Lincoln Street is open all weekend and will provide free parking throughout the entire Founders Day Weekend.  On Saturday, August 7, 2021 you will need to access the garage from the William Street side.

The central section of Genesee Street in downtown will close to traffic the afternoon of Aug 6th to prepare for the Friday August 6th Founders Day kick-off parade & concert.

#AuburnNY - The City of Auburn and the Downtown BID are pleased to announce the music line-up for the return of Founders Day Weekend August 6th and 7th in downtown Auburn. The City Show-mobile Stage will be set up on Genesee Street both Friday & Saturday. A second music stage will be set up at the Equal Rights Heritage Center on Saturday.

Founder's Day Weekend 2021 Live Music and Event schedule:

Friday, August 6:

• 6 pm downtown parade on Genesee Street
• 7:30 – 10 pm Kick-off Concert with: FONDU = DISCO + FUNK x ROCK on the Showmobile Stage on Genesee Street. Band is comprised of Sammy Award winning musicians that perform a high-energy show transporting you to a dance floor in 1974.
• During & after the parade support your downtown merchants at the Friday night version of the Support Local Street Faire featuring food & beverage stands from downtown restaurants.

Saturday, August 7:

• 10 am – 4 pm Antique and Classic Car Cruise-in on Genesee Street with Classic Oldies Music from Goodtime Charlie’s Mobile Entertainment. Featuring four local car clubs: Finger Lakes Region Antique Auto Club of America, Poorboys Classic Hot Rods of Auburn, Prison City Ramblers & Cayuga Cruisers, all lining up for the day on Genesee Street.
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• All day and evening support your downtown merchants at the Support Local Street Faire featuring stands from downtown restaurants and merchants.
• 9 am - 4 pm Downtown Auburn Saturday Market at the Equal Rights Heritage Center will feature live music stage, Jeff the Magic Man, artisan, food, coffee & Taste NY vendors.
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Saturday Market Stage at the Equal Rights Heritage Center

• 9 – 10 am music by Fiona Chisolm
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• 11 am – 12:30 pm music by Mo and the Soul Show
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• 2 pm – 4 pm music by the Joe Whiting Band
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Show-mobile Stage on Genesee Street

• Saturday, August 7th 6 - 7:30 pm: music with Auburn’s own Psychedelic Sushi! High-energy jam/rock band interpreting the music of bands like Phish, the Grateful Dead & Led Zeppelin.
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• Saturday, August 7th 8 - 10 pm: music with Sophistafunk National-touring act hailing from Syracuse performing an unstoppable funk, hip-hop dance party. Their presence is powerful, lyrics cutting edge & shows are packed with passion & energy.
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For Immediate Release, Auburn, NY – posted July 1, 2021

Downtown Auburn Founder’s Day Parade, Friday, August 6, 2021 at 6 p.m. on Genesee Street

            The City of Auburn & Downtown Auburn BID invite you and your family, business or organization to be part of this year’s Founder’s Day Parade!  Founder’s Day has not included a parade in recent years, however, since we could not host the Memorial Day or the Holiday Parades the last couple of years the community has been asking for a parade to celebrate our frontline health care workers, first responders and other essential workers to thank them for all they did to support us during the COVID pandemic.  Founder’s Day presents us with a great opportunity to hold a parade.

            An additional theme for the floats of this year’s parade will be The Roaring 20s, a time period that saw resurgence in many aspects of American life, so think about creatively incorporating the fashion, music, arts & culture of that time -- Jazz music, dancing, flappers & so on. This period also saw the large-scale use of automobiles, telephones, films, radio & electrical appliances. There are so many creative options to choose from!  For the float competition, one grand prize will be awarded, & the winner will receive a $100 Downtown Auburn gift certificate, redeemable at 50+ businesses. The winner will be announced on the City Show-mobile stage on Genesee Street prior to the start of the band. So, start thinking about your float design; it can be as complex or simple as you wish - as long as it includes a Roaring 20’s theme.

            In addition to the parade, on Friday, August 6th there will be street vending by our downtown eateries, breweries and shops within the “Loop Road” area of State Street, Genesee Street and Exchange Street, and live music will be performed from 7:30 – 10 p.m on the City Show-mobile Stage on Genesee Street. Festivities continue on Saturday, August 7th for Founder’s Day, featuring an entire day-long event of activities downtown including a “cruise-in” with antique and classic cars from Finger Lakes Region Antique Auto Club of America, Poorboys Classic Hot Rods of Auburn, Prison City Ramblers & Cayuga Cruisers, all lining up for the day on Genesee Street; there will be street vending by our downtown eateries, breweries and shops within the “Loop Road” area of State Street, Genesee Street and Exchange Street throughout the day and the Downtown Saturday Market at the Equal Rights Heritage Center at 25 South St. will host artisan and food vendors, food trucks and kid’s activities throughout the day.  On the evening of August 7th the City Show-mobile Stage will feature live music on Genesee Street from 6 – 10 p.m..

Please come be a part of this year’s exciting event! Now more than ever, we want to come together to celebrate our healthcare and essential workers, honor and thank our local veterans, and have lots of FUN! To participate in the Founder’s Day Parade, complete the attached participation form and return it by Friday, July 23, 2021.  Please call Kim with questions 315-255-4737. Completed participation forms can be emailed to kbauso@auburnny.gov or mailed or dropped off to the Recreation Office in the basement level of Memorial City Hall, 24 South Street, Auburn, NY  13021. Thank you for supporting this event in Downtown Auburn.

Download the 2021 Founder's Day Parade Registration Form