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OSWEGO, NY - Harborfest will hold the next in a series of focus group sessions for its strategic planning initiative to include the business community as well as current and potential sponsors.

Interested participants are invited to join the organization on Oct. 6 at 4:30 p.m. at 118 Rich Hall on the SUNY campus.

The festival, in a recent proactive effort to ensure sustainability for the festival and the positive impact it has on the community recently reached out to the community and state leaders to collectively share their thoughts, feelings, and ideas on behalf of the municipalities and constituents they serve.

The festival will use the data collected for consideration in the strategic planning process.

The final in the series of focus groups will include the community at large.

Community members are invited to the McCrobie Building on Oct. 16 at 7 p.m. to express their concerns and share their ideas for growth and improvement for future festivals.

This session was previously scheduled for Oct. 14.

Those unable to attend the focus group sessions are asked to visit the Harborfest website at www.oswegoharborfest.com to complete a short survey.

For more information, call (315) 343-6858.

Harborfest is slated for July 23-26 in 2009.

Oswego Harborfest has announced that the popular 50-50 Raffle to benefit Harborfest will return in 2009.

Farnham Family Services, an Oswego-based substance abuse treatment and prevention center, is now selling tickets for its 2009 Changing Lives Raffle.

As this column goes to press the 152nd Oswego County Fair should be in full swing at Sandy Creek. During the previous week the Heritage building was stocked full with many new and unique exhibits. We even brought down a piano for some live music!