What was supposed to be a day of questionable weather turned out to be a beautiful evening on the north shore of Seneca Lake recently. The skies started to clear and the sun began to peek through the clouds in time for the Flotsam River Circus to present its one-of-a-kind performance featuring musicians, circus performers, and puppeteers.

To celebrate the 200th anniversary of the Erie Canal, the troupe is on a six-week journey along the canal and Hudson River. They started in Buffalo and will end in New York City. All shows are free and intended to help communities engage with their waterways.

Their main goal is to bring “magic and whimsy to the world.”

Dare I say there were so many people at the beach area by the Finger Lakes Welcome Center in Geneva that it rivaled the day of the full solar eclipse in April 2024.

I was fortunate to catch up with Flotsam founder Jason Webley the next day at Stivers Seneca Marine in Fayette. The business was generous enough to allow the crew to moor there for a few days.

As a fan of the arts and all their unique forms, I was fascinated with his story and the show.

Webley, 51, is from the Seattle area. His current home is a houseboat, where the extensive planning for tours is done........

© Finger Lakes Times