Throughout the weekend be sure to visit the Rev. Frank A. Reed Memorial Rest Area located under the Grandstand.
Local authors Nancy Pulling Best and Bob Elinskas, Sr. will be signing their books throughout the weekend (Book signings begin at 10 AM daily)
Adirondack author Robert J. Elinskas will be at the NYS Woodsmans Field Days with all nine of his books available. His latest book, “Adirondack Clubs and Camps” was just published in May. Clubs and Camps records the history and adventures of several prominent camps with locations near Tupper Lake, Blue Mt. Lake, Still Water, Indian Lake and Johnstown. The complete history of the Iconic Gooley Club is also recorded. Bob’s books are among the best ever written for the Adirondack sportsman. Bob will be available to autograph his books from 10-3 every day at the event. He and the other authors will be located underneath the white Grandstand in the Rev. Frank A. Reed Rest Area.
Page Wildlife Center presents Birds of Prey
Free EDUCATIONAL Daily Shows
Located in the Forest Industry Exhibit Hall (Blue & White Building)
Eagle Owl • Barn Owl • Barred Owl • Sparrow Hawk • Turkey Vulture • Screech Owl
A combination of the various birds will be on display.
The first Woodsmen’s Field Days was held in Old Forge, N.Y. in 1948. Conducted to raise funds for the benefit of the Woodsmen’s Club founded by Rev. Frank A. Reed of Old Forge. The Woodsmen’s Club, still in existance today, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping woods workers and maintaining cemetery lots in several Adirondack communities for Woodsmen without families. The Club also funds substantial scholarships to students attending Paul Smith’s College in Paul Smith’s, N.Y.
The fledgling Field Day was a great success with over 1,300 attendees and a profit of $600. The profit was later used to further promote the Woodsmen’s Club program in Old Forge, N.Y.
In 1949, because of the lack of adequate facilities in Old Forge, a decision was made to hold the annual Woodsmen’s Field Days in Tupper Lake, N.Y. It was held there for the next thirteen years.
Tupper Lake was fortunate in having dedicated men who promoted, produced and improved the Woodsmen’s Field Days for participants, exhibitors and spectators. In 1962, the Woodsmen’s Field Days were moved to Boonville, N.Y. (from Tupper Lake), with the understanding that it would be sponsored every other year by the two north country communities. Boonville was chosen because of the excellent facilities available at the Boonville Oneida County Fairgrounds. Until 1971, the event was hosted by Tupper Lake and Boonville. However, in 1972, the Tupper Lake Chamber of Commerce found it impossible to sponsor the 25th Annual Field Days. On being notified of Tupper Lake’s decision, the Boonville Area Chamber of Commerce elected to sponsor the Field Days on an annual basis rather than let the Field Days lapse.
Due to its size and work involved in planning the Field Days, the event was segregated from the Boonville Area Chamber of Commerce and became incorporated as a nonprofit organization. Thus the NYS Woodsmen’s Field Days, Inc. was established. Today, the Corporation employs three personnel – two full-timers and one part-timer throughout the year. In 1982, the Corporation purchased a building on Main Street in Boonville and through the efforts of volunteers and donations from forestry related businesses and organizations, total restoration was completed. Today, the Rev. Frank A. Reed Memorial Building is home for the offices of the Boonville Area Chamber of Commerce; the NYS Timber Producers’ Association and the NYS Woodsmen’s Field Days Inc.
A history of the NYS Woodsmen’s Field Days would not be complete without recognizing the dedicated volunteers who have given freely of their time to help produce the annual event. Today, over three hundred persons make up the “Field Days’ family” of volunteers. The Corporation business is conducted by a twelve member Board of Directors, all of whom are volunteers. Meetings are held each month throughout the year. The Woodsmen’s Planning Committee consists of over 25 volunteers – each responsible for some part of the weekend. The Planning Committee meets in February and then again starting in June, through September.
Held annually the third weekend in August, the three day action packed event now attracts over 40,000 spectators to the Village of Boonville. It is billed as one of the top three lumberjack shows in the United States by professional lumberjacks who compete in fierce competition throughout the weekend.
During the Field Days, you can mix business with pleasure. Exhibitors throughout the United States and Canada display and demonstrate the latest forest industry tools, technology and equipment to attendees. A visitor to the event can witness the art of wood carving and visit wood-related businesses in the area during scheduled tours. In-between-time activities include forestry related seminars, a wood crafts show; a foot race; beards contest; a parade; horse skidding competition; greased pole climb; dinners; dancing; musical entertainment; fireworks and much, much more!
Through the generous support of sponsors; donations from forest industry businesses and the untiring efforts of the volunteers producing the weekend, the NYS Woodsmen’s Field Days, Inc. is able to further its goals and objectives. The proceeds from the Field Days are used to further promote the forest industry. The Corporation hosts a number of scholarships in area schools for students majoring in forestry and/or conservation. In the past, a host of seminars, “safety days”; brochure and safety video; hosting workshops for the purpose of training future limberjacks are just a few of the projects that have been completed and carried out by members of the Corporation.
For information regarding the annual NYS Woodsmen’s Field Days and/or the Corporation, individuals may write or call the office. Correspondence and/or requests can be mailed to: NYS Woodsmen’s Field Days Inc., PO Box 123, 118-120 Main Street, Boonville, NY 13309. The phone number is (315) 942-4593 or email us at fielddays@aol.com
Dedication
THIS SPACE IN MEMORY OF OUR DEDICATED BOARD MEMBERS AND LONGTIME VOLUNTEERS
JACK TOMPKINS OF BOONVILLE, NY
JACK WAS A MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE NYS WOODSMEN’S FIELD DAYS AND A CHAIRMAN OF THE CAMPING COMMITTEE FOR OVER 40 YEARS
CARL GOLAS OF GLENFIELD, NY
CARL WAS A MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE NYS WOODSMEN’S FIELD DAYS AND HE WAS THE CHAIRMAN OF INSIDE EXHIBITS, AS WELL AS CO- CHAIRMAN AND CONSULTANT FOR THE FORESTRY SEMINARS. CARL SERVED AS A VOLUNTEER FOR OVER 25 YEARS
REST IN PEACE CARL AND JACK
The Rev. Frank A. Reed Memorial Building is headquarters for the NYS Woodsmen’s Field Days office, as well as the offices for the NYS Timber Producers’ Association and the Boonville Snow Festival II Committee.
The NYS Woodsmens Field Days Inc. successfully completed the following: Funded three area Board of Cooperative Education Services (BOCES) Schools with Conservation Scholarships and Employability Awards. Six students from Oneida, Madison, Lewis and Herkimer County schools benefited from the program.
Funded two Adirondack Central School Scholarships in 2018.
Helped to organize and support Boonville’s Relay For Life event this past June, 2018.
Funded the 2018 Frank A. Reed Scholarship.
NYS Woodsmen’s Field Days’ Corporation is a proud member of:
The Northeastern Loggers’ Association
The Tupper Lake Woodsmen’s Association
The Woodsmen’s Club
The NYS Timber Producers’ Association
The Boonville Area Chamber of Commerce
Empire State Forest Products’ Association
The Oneida County Convention & Visitors’ Bureau/Oneida County Tourism
All of the above contributions and accomplishments are made possible through the proceeds received annually from the hosting of the NYS Woodsmen’s Field Days.
This year’s Parade Marshal is Steve Pfendler
2024 Parade Marshal was Mark Mowrey
Past Parade Marshals
| 2026 | Steve Pfendler |
| 2025 | Dedicated to Past Parade Marshalls |
| 2024 | Mark Mowrey |
| 2023 | Dick and Sue Fogarty |
| 2022 | Jack Thoden |
| 2021 | Event Cancelled due to Covid |
| 2020 | Event Cancelled due to Covid |
| 2019 | Jack Swancott |
| 2018 | David Scott |
| 2017 | John & Omar Massoud |
| 2016 | Bruce Turck |
| 2015 | Newell F. Wagoner |
| 2014 | Norm & Les Fey |
| 2013 | Kenneth A. Lyndaker |
| 2012 | George Getman |
| 2011 | Bob Sauer |
| 2010 | Warren Mathis |
| 2009 | Joe Rivers |
| 2008 | Ray Spann |
| 2007 | Marilyn Lahah |
| 2006 | Lloyd E. Zehr |
| 2005 | Allen C. Yauger |
| 2004 | Bruce Denslow |
| 2003 | Ralph & Carol Martin |
| 2002 | Richard Rennie |
| 2001 | Chester & Henry Kwasniewski |
| 2000 | Ernest L. Portner |
| 1999 | Euan Greene |
| 1998 | J. Claude LeCours |
| 1997 | Robert S. McKinley |
| 1996 | Robert M. Coscomb |
| 1995 | Edwin Yauger |
| 1994 | Verner C. Hudson |
| 1993 | Frank Bencze |
| 1992 | Harry Martin |
| 1991 | Ralph Marmon |
| 1990 | Pat O’Brien |
| 1989 | Samuel R. Parmelee |
| 1988 | Elwin Rowell |
| 1987 | Charles McHale |
| 1986 | William Rutherford Jr. |
| 1985 | Frank E. Parsons |
| 1984 | Fred C. Simmons |
| 1983 | Stanley Freeman |
| 1982 | Gerald Laramie |
| 1981 | Dewitt Wiley |
| 1980 | Lester C. Fey |
| 1979 | Gardner Blake |
| 1978 | Otto Mathis |
| 1977 | Dave F. Short |
| 1976 | Gould J. Hoyt Jr. |
| 1975 | Olney Failing |
| 1974 | Herbert McGee |
| 1973 | Francis Moulton |
| 1972 | Charles Kirk |
| 1971 | Robert White Sr. |
PRESIDENT – CARL E KALK JR – TABERG, NY
VICE PRESIDENT – STEVE FREEMAN, BOONVILLE, NY
TREASURER – PATTY GRENIER – BOONVILLE, NY
STEVE SANFORD – BOONVILLE, NY
RICK GAETANO – BOONVILLE, NY
BILL LEE – BOONVILLE, NY
RUSTY YAUGER – BOONVILLE, ny
JIM WRIGHT – FULTON, ny
RAY SPANN – UTICA, NY
ED RYDER – BOONVILLE, NY
MIKE CAMPBELL – CAMDEN, NY
JUDIE DELLERBA – BOONVILLE, NY
2025 CHAIRPERSONS – NYS WOODSMEN’S FIELD DAYS, INC.
Admissions – Judie Dellerba
Advertising, Non-Exhibitors – Lisa Galligan
Auction – Presented by Messier’s Auction Service
Beards Contest – Joy & Arielle Kranbuhl
Budget & Finance – Patty Grenier
Camping –Steve Freeman & Christie Kornatowski
Church Service – George Stevens
Contests –Jim Wright Sr., Mike Campbell & Eric Gaetano
First Aid – Dean “Rusty” Yauger
Foot Race – Under the Management of the North Country Toe Path Trekkers
Forestry Seminars –Brendan Kelly & Katie Malinowski, NYS Tug Hill Commission
Greased Pole Climb – Lori Kwasniewski with assistance from Chris Myers
Grounds – Carl Kalk, Jr, D J Kalk & Kyle Hyde
Horse Skidding – North Country Draft Horse Club with assistance from Jennie Hatch
Inside Exhibits – Ed Ryder
Outside Exhibits – Eric Gaetano
Parade – Michelle Bartelotte
Parking – Louie Price and Connor Daskiewich
Rev. Frank A. Reed Rest Area – George Stevens
Sawdust Hill Dig – Members of the Muha Family
Souvenirs – Linda Lee
T-shirt Stand – Claire, Carly & Mary Miller
Trams – Bill Lee
Tug of War – Lori Kwasniewski with assistance from Chris Myers
The NYS Woodsmen’s Field Days is assisted by a dedicated group of AWESOME VOLUNTEERS—OVER 700!! THANK YOU!! THANK YOU!! TO ALL OF OUR VOLUNTEERS!
Office Staff
PHYLLIS W. WHITE – EXECUTIVE COORDINATOR
DEBI W. RYDER – EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT
Phyllis & Debi immediately start planning 2026’s event on Monday, August 19, 2025. They both are employed year-round. In May of each year, the are ASSISTED by Long-time office volunteers
- Marilyn Fowler
- Judy Spann
- Linda Lee
- Linda Sillick
- Barb Sanford
- Pat Flansburg
- Naomi Williams
- Barb Price
- Raemencia & Victoria Williams
- And many, many hands thorughout the summer months that visit the office.
You must be logged in to post a comment.