Hundreds of mums have been dropped off at Seamon Park for the fiftieth annual Mum Festival. George Terpening, superintendent of the village of Saugerties buildings and grounds department., far left, and his crew of workers, Corine Drumm, Jorge Mazaviego, Joel Hutton and Rich Rhodes, will spend the next week or two planting the mums, which will bloom for the festival.
By the time the annual Saugerties Mum Festival gets here, there will be between 1800 and 2000 mums planted at Seamon Park, hanging from village light poles, and filling planters. This year’s festival will be held on October 4, with a rain date of October 11.
George Terpening, in charge of the village parks, said there will be more mums at the park then previous years. “We’re also going to have a special display planting to honor the fiftieth year of the festival,” Terpening said. “It will be a giant heart with the number 50 in the center.”
In past year’s Terpening and his crew have created a peace symbol as well as hearts.
Mums come from Wessell’s Farms in Otisville and Boice’s Farm in Mt. Marion. They are funded by a trust fund established in 1922 by Henrietta Seamon, sister of John Seamon, who purchased the property for $10,000 from Egbert Cooper and donated it to the village for use as a park in 1909.
Additional funding comes from the Blue Katz, the Saugerties Kiwanis Club and from individuals. Funds also come from the sale of the mums after the annual festival.
John Seamon, who along with his brother George owned the Seamon Brothers Funeral Home, declared that site was for the “use as a park, a breathing place, open and fee at all times to every person.”
In 1965, the Saugerties Rotary Club and other citizens groups proclaimed the Chrysanthemum Festival to add to the awareness and appreciation of the site.
Any group, family or individuals that would like to donate funds towards the purchase of mums for the festival can do so by making a check out to the Mum Festival and mailing it, or dropping it off at the village hall, 43 Partition St., Saugerties, NY 12477.