Around the Neighborhood - Esperance - 5 March 2026

Welcome to all your Esperance updates conveniently in one place!

Did you know Village Hall rental is available at 115 Church Street? Donations are appreciated; call the Village Office at 518-875-9044 for more information.

Start prepping and save the date; all day May 16th will be annual Village-wide Garage Sale Day!

Esperance Volunteer Fire Department Fish Fry Friday Dinner continues at 115 Church Street. On March 6th, March 20th, and April 3rd, hand-battered fish fry dinner served with mac and cheese, coleslaw, dinner roll & dessert will be available from 5 PM until supplies sell out. $15 per dinner; cash, check, or Venmo accepted.

No Main Street parking is permitted until April so the State can keep roads safe and clear of snow. Mayor Royce Gage also encourages you to, “Keep sidewalks in front of your homes clear of snow for people to walk on during our snowy season, and please check on your neighbors and help out if needed. Thank you. Our Village meeting is every 2nd Monday of the month starting at 7 PM.” Their March Village meeting will be on the 9th at 115 Church Street, and the March Town Board meeting will be on the 19th (every 3rd Thursday of the month); 7 PM at Town Hall (104 Charleston Street).

The Central Bridge Farmer’s Market can’t wait to serve and interact with the community for its 2nd year at The Ball Park (649 NYS Route 30A, Central Bridge), and will run every 1st Wednesday of the month from July-October, 3-6 PM. They’re seeking more vendors who offer a variety of products. If you’re interested in vending, reach out to Town Board Supervisor Earl Van Wormer III at 518-852-0270.

A great way to celebrate Landis Arboretum’s 75th year and spring weather on the way is visiting 174 Lape Road for upcoming events. Mark your calendars and go to landisarboretum.org to register for:

March 8- Sunday Snowshoe with George 2 PM - 4 PM at the Barn, “for a  couple of hours of snowshoeing fun. If there isn’t enough snow, then George will take participants on a winter hike.”

March 14- Setting Up a Bluebird Nesting Box at the Greenhouse, “Have you ever wanted to put up a bluebird nest box on your property but weren’t sure how, where, or when? We’ll discuss what you need to do step-by-step. This event may include a short walk to some nearby bluebird nest boxes to illustrate the points being made. Please dress for the weather. Instructor: Shayne Mitchell.”

March 21- Star Party 8 PM - 10 PM at The Nicholas J. Juried Meeting House Field, “Come view the stars and planets in Landis' dark skies with members of the Albany Area Amateur Astronomers. A variety of telescopes will be set up. Free. Donations to the Arboretum greatly appreciated.”

April 18- Houseplant Swap 11 AM - 1 PM at The Meeting House,  “Each attendee brings labeled plants or plant cuttings to share with others. Common and rare plants are welcome. Please, no plants for sale, just trades. Make sure you are bringing healthy, pest free plants. Want to volunteer at the Swap? Contact us at landisvolunteering@gmail.com.”

April 18- Star Party 8:30 PM - 10:30 PM at The Nicholas J. Juried Meeting House Field.

April 24- American Chestnut: History, Blight, Recovery 1 PM at The Nicholas J. Juried Meeting House, “The story of one of the most important trees in American history. This plant is functionally extinct. Samples of Chestnut leaves, fruits, and local places to see remaining Chestnut plants will be shared in class. Instructor: Chris Cash, SUNY Cobleskill emeritus.”

April 25- 2026 Annual Spring Hawk Watch & Hawk Identification Workshop 10 AM - 4 PM (Hawk Identification Workshop at 2 PM) at The Nicholas J. Juried Meeting House. Instructor: George Steele, nature educator.”

May 1- 2026 Woodcock Search and Sneak-up 8 PM - 9:30 PM at the Farmhouse, “In the spring males return to open fields to sing and do an aerial flight display to attract females. Instructor: George Steele.”

May 6- Organics in the Circular Economy: How They Affect Our Carbon Footprint 10 AM - 12 PM at The Nicholas J. Juried Meeting House, “Learn about organic recycling, an important step in effectively reducing our carbon footprint. Instructor: Jean Bonhotal, Cornell University, has 30 years experience in organics recycling with Cornell Waste Management Institute. Free. Donations to the Arboretum greatly appreciated.”

May 8- Pinkster Azalea: A story of a unique plant, local history, the Dutch community, and slavery 2 PM at The Nicholas J. Juried Meeting House, “This class explores how to identify these plants and where to find them in the wild. Additionally, the course offers a glimpse into our regional history.”

“Landis is open dawn to dusk 365 a year to you (and your well-behaved leashed dog; please scoop and remove any poops). No motorized vehicles allowed on the property beyond parking lots.” Workshop pricing: “Arboretum members: individual $5, family $15; nonmembers: individual $15, family $25.”

Esperance-Sloansville United Methodist Church has a Food Pantry, “You can call/text 518-248-2185 for confidential assistance from our food pantry.” To support the pantry, “You can either call or text that number or send me an email at pastoralisyn@gmail.com. We'll be grateful to arrange a time for you to drop off your donations.” Upcoming events at 175 Main Street include:

Esperance-Sloansville United Methodist Church’s Pancake Breakfast on March 7th, 7 AM – 12 PM, “Join us for this all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast. Serving: pancakes, eggs, sausage, gravy, coffee, juice, and milk. Snowmobiles welcome! Adults $12; Kids 6-12 $6; Under 6 FREE. 

March 8- Faith Adventure Club 10:45 AM, “FAC meets in the Education Building for age-appropriate faith formation and fun for kids in grades K–8. “

March 8- Sunday Worship 11 AM, “Join us for our first Sunday in Lent as we begin a new sermon series, Tell Me Something Good.”

March 8- Mosaic Youth Group 4 PM - 6 PM, “We’ll gather at ESUMC. All youth in grades 5-12 are welcome to join.”

“Stay connected! Follow us (Esperance-Sloansville United Methodist Church) on Facebook for updates on Youth Group and dates and locations.”

S&H Bicycle Store fun fact, “Yes S&H Bicycle Store Does sell exercise bikes! Great to keep you moving in them cold months or late nights.” Follow S&H Bicycle Store on Facebook for an upcoming spring reminder video post, and get excited for their Saturday May 9th Spring Kick Off Sale and Swap Meet! 9 AM - 3 PM at 3595 Highway 20, Sloansville; there will be Witch’s Brew breakfast sandwiches and coffee, Mike the Juggler, classes, & demos. 

An event S&H Bicycle Store wants you to know about; May 16th,  9 AM at the Timothy Murphy Pavilion on Rt 30 in Middleburgh, “Team Valarie Presents the 3rd Annual Valley Ride for Valarie. Open to all bicycle riders of all skill levels. Also food, music, and games.”

Reminder from Cute and Wicked Candles,  “Due to the ongoing weather conditions, we’re still closed at the moment. We need some additional time to go through our inventory and salvage what was not affected by the cold temperatures. Because of this, we’ll be reopening on March 21st with a limited selection of products, as we’ll also be in the process of restocking for our new location. In the meantime, customers are still welcome to place orders online at Cutenwicked.com. Thank you so much for your understanding and continued support. We truly appreciate it and look forward to reopening soon.” Find them on Facebook by searching, “Cute & Wicked Candles and More.”

Also on March 21st, the Installation of Officers ceremony will start at 2 PM at Esperance Elks Lodge #2507 (111 Main Street), “ER-elect David Devall and his officers invites you to attend this public ceremony to install the 2026-2027 fraternal year officers. A meal (TBD at this time) will be served after the conclusion of the ceremony.”

Your community involvement and membership support is important to the Esperance Elks Lodge. New members are typically invited by existing members, but if you don’t have a connection to someone at the Elks Lodge, there’s a membership inquiry form available through their website (elks2507.org). You can also call the Lodge at (518) 875-6200 or email join@elks2507.org. The Esperance Elks #2507 Facebook page is regularly updated, follow them at facebook.com/elks2507. 

I’d love to include your Esperance business & organization updates including events, classes, special offers, and seasonal hours, as well as resident birthday, achievement, holiday, and celebration messages. Email them to me at bookclubhbhs@yahoo.com.