LANCASTER, N.Y. (WIVB)–This year, the Village of Lancaster marks a major milestone: its 175th anniversary, which will be marked by monthly events to celebrate.
“It’s a tight-knit community, that’s very passionate and values tradition and history,” said Gavin O’Brien, chair of the 175th Anniversary Committee for the Village of Lancaster. “Just take a walk around and see what we have, we have little shops and boutiques, we have restaurants, we have cool places to get a drink with friends, we have a brand new park right off the new west Main Street, you can come down, enjoy the sunshine, have a picnic and we allow open containers.”
O’Brien said millions of dollars have gone into the revitalization of Lancaster and it continues to transform downtown.
“Lancaster has been going through redevelopment over the last several years, so I would say if you haven’t been to Lancaster in five years, the village, come on down because you’ll be shocked at the changes made,” O’Brien said. “You know it’s not always easy, when you’re digging up roads for roundabouts, and that sort of thing, or extending streets–it can be disrupted to businesses. This week is an opportunity for us to highlight those have persevered and made it through.”
During the Village of Lancaster’s first restaurant week from March 4 through 10, ten local restaurants are serving up special meals and dishing out deals in honor of the 175th anniversary.
“A lot of people come in just to see what’s going on because they were here so many years ago and they just have a a love for it and you can experience that through the village, when you walk through there’s so many historical buildings and people just embrace it,” said Nadine Dischner, co-owner of 99 Brick Oven Bar & Grille. They have been in business for a decade now in a building that was built in 1900.
In honor of Restaurant Week, they are holding a $9.99 lunch special in honor of the 999 Steam Engine that broke a speed record in Lancaster back in 1893.
A few blocks away at Lilly Belle Meads, they’re also offering a combo that includes a flight of their meads with corn beef nachos for $18.49, in honor of the year of establishment for the village.
“We also made a non-alcoholic option. This is a root beer based after a place, ‘Vaguely Bottling Works’ and they had a root beer, that we’ve heard about since we open, and they were right across the street from us,” said Joe Marshall, co-owner and head brewer at Lilly Belle Meads.
They encourage people who remember the taste of this root beer to come try their version of root beer and give them feedback.
For more information on the Village of Lancaster’s Restaurant Week and all of the restaurants who are participating, click here.