About Christmas TV History

Friday, August 5, 2011

What I Did on Summer Vacation: Lucyfest in Jamestown, NY


 How is your summer going so far?  Any interesting vacations?  You may remember that in May I visited A Christmas Story House & Museum in Cleveland, Ohio.  Click here to see that post.  This Saturday, August 6th, marks Lucille Ball's 100th birthday and her hometown of Jamestown NY is hosting a week's worth of celebrations. 


Jamestown is the birth place of Lucille Ball as well as her current resting place.  There are many attractions there for Lucy fans which include The Lucy-Desi Museum, a tribute to the first couple of comedy, and the Desilu Playhouse, an I Love Lucy museum with three reproduction shooting sets (the New York apartment kitchen and living room, the Hollywood hotel room, and the set for the Vitameatavegamin commercial.) 

Sign as you enter the city of Jamestown, NY
Jamestown also has several murals painted on the downtown buildings. And, in the nearby city of Celoron, where Lucy spent part of her childhood, they have a lake-side park with a Lucy statue.

Do you pop out at parties? Are you unpoopular?  It tastes great too!

This week Jamestown has special events scheduled each day called Lucyfest in honor of her 100th birthday.  In addition to the museums and regular events, they are also hosting a special parade, a Guinness Book of World records attempt at the most people dressed as Lucy in one place, stand up comedian Joan Rivers performed last night while comedian Paula Poundstone is performing on Saturday, a live recording of an old time radio program, and even more special events.  Check out: Lucyfest.

At the Lakeside Cemetery, visiting with Lucy
I have just returned from Jamestown myself, where I spent Wednesday and Thursday enjoying all the festivities.  Of course, I'm a HUGE I Love Lucy fan--who isn't, right?  And the museums were enough to draw me there but the opportunity to join in the special events with all the other fans from all over the country--and the world, actually--made this trip in August a chance of a lifetime. 

Lucy statue in the park in nearby Celeron, NY
 I hear that there are special Lucy tributes in Los Angeles now too.  I love that so many people care to honor the First Lady of Comedy on her birthday!  I'm looking forward to the I Love Lucy marathon of episodes this weekend on the Hallmark Channel as well.  Any excuse to sit and watch more Lucy--and I'm there!

At the Desi-Lucy Museum, I met Michael Stern, the author of the Lucy book "I Had A Ball."
 I hope you enjoy these photos.  Tomorrow, I'll blog about the Christmas episode of I Love Lucy.

2 comments:

  1. Wish my family and I had been there this weekend to celebrate, as well!

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  2. I wish I could have stayed longer--there was so much to do in honor of her birthday.

    ReplyDelete