Spiedie Festival preparations underway

BINGHAMTON, N.Y. (WIVT/WBGH) – The 40th annual Spiedie Fest and Balloon Rally is just over a week away and organizers announced a change to the concert lineup as well as a special recognition for our area’s largest outdoor festival.

The Spiedie Fest, which runs Friday, Saturday and Sunday August 2 through the 4, announced that country music artist Mitchell Tenpenny will no longer be appearing at the festival. He was scheduled to perform on Sunday evening.

Tenpenny will be replaced by another country artist, John Moore, and Tenpenny tickets will be honored for that show, or customers can request refunds.

With a sizzling concert lineup that features breakout star Shaboozey on Friday and both country star Chris Young and WWE wrestler Trish Stratus on Saturday, organizers say that’s a lot of buzz leading up to this year’s festival.

“We are going to have the biggest and best Spiedie Fest we have ever had, there’s no doubt in my mind. With the amount of tickets that are sold and all the entertainment and stuff that we have going on,” said Event Coordinator Dave Pessagno.

Broome County Parks also unveiled a new Hungry for History marker at Otsiningo Park today. Inspired by Union-Endicott social studies teacher Ryan Page and his class, the students applied for a grant from the William G Pomeroy Foundation to pay for the marker. It honors the spiedie sandwich as our area’s signature dish dating back to 1938. The marker also acknowledges the Spiedie Fest which traces its origins back to a cooking contest in 1983.

To apply for a Mitchell Tenpenny refund, mail your tickets to Spiedie Fest, P-O Box 275, Binghamton 13905 along with your name, address and where you purchased your ticket.

Refund requests must be postmarked by August 1.

• Broome County Fair thrives throughout the weekend
• In the Kitchen with CCE: Roasted Corn Pasta Salad
• JC Rotary celebrates Carousel Capital with family event
• Vacant houses demolished to improve local neighborhoods
• CEO of UHS speaks to Rotary

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WIVT - News 34.