Farmers’ Museum Prepares for Seasonal Favorite Harvest Festival

COOPERSTOWN—Harvest Festival, celebrating the bounty of fall, returns to The Farmers’ Museum on Saturday and Sunday, September 14 and 15 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Since 1978, this family-friendly event has grown to become a regional favorite, bringing together a wide variety of performers, artisans and vendors. Situated on the museum’s picturesque grounds near Otsego Lake, it offers the perfect blend of new attractions and trusted favorites. Visit FarmersMuseum.org for a complete schedule.

Both days feature live performances. The Stoddard Hollow String Band will play its mix of Appalachian old-time tunes, traditional and original music on Saturday. Bill Ackerbauer, an acoustic guitarist who dabbles in harmonica, banjo, fiddle, mandolin, and other instruments, will perform acoustic roots music Sunday. Musicians Jim Kimball and Karen Canning perform 19th-century tunes on the porch at Bump Tavern. Kimball has added to the festival’s ambiance since the late 1970s. The Catskill Puppet Theater will hold a musical adaptation of a traditional Ethiopian folktale on Sunday at 2 p.m. Gerald Fierst, storyteller and actor who appeared in the first two seasons of the HULU series “Only Murders in the Building” and is the recipient of two Parents Choice Awards for his CDs of world folktale, will give performances on Saturday and Sunday.

There will be an abundance of activities for families and kids at Harvest Fest. At the crafts table, kids can make corn husk dolls, paper strip pumpkins, and autumn greeting cards. There will also be face painting, scavenger hunts and a children’s hay bale maze. Outdoor games include cornhole, nine pins and some traditional 19th-century games. Visitors can ride the Empire State Carousel and the Girl Scouts will be onsite, as well as the Cornell Cooperative Extension and 4-H.

At the Farmstead, find cider pressing, corn shelling and grinding, and horse-drawn wagon rides. In the blacksmith shop, kids can discover how metal is shaped by the hammering of molding clay, which has the feel of hammering hot steel. Families can sit for an authentic tintype photograph on both Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., weather permitting.

Animals always take the spotlight at Harvest Festival. Aside from the museum’s farm animals, Hinman Hollow Sport Training will dazzle with their canine agility and obedience demonstrations.

In the Main Barn, view “The Buzz About Pollinators,”aninteractive exhibit all about bees and the many other insects and organisms like them that help make farming possible.

Those who like historical trades will not be disappointed. Many artisans show off their skills each year—quilters, a jeweler, woodworkers, a porcelain painter, bakers, maple producers, and artists, featuring many unique items from the region.

Harvest Festival gives visitors the opportunity to join in and assist museum interpreters with common activities from the 19th century, such as the harvesting of potatoes. There are interesting happenings in each building in the Country Village, including the Blacksmith Shop, the Print Shop, and the Farmhouse.

An abundance of foods from the season’s harvest awaits festival-goers. These include roasted corn from Our Green Acres, sausage from Beckmann’s and Tickled Pink BBQ.

One-day entry to Harvest Festival is $17.50 for adults (13-64), $12.50 for seniors (65+) and $10.00 for juniors (7-12). Children 6 and younger and museum members are admitted free. Purchase tickets at the museum on the day of the event. Freemuseum admission is also available for those receiving SNAP benefits (up to four people) with the presentation of a SNAP Electronic Benefits Transfer card.

Visit Fenimore Art Museum on the same day—located just across the street. Get two great museums for one low price by purchasing a two-way ticket for $30.00 or $22.50 seniors. Two-way tickets can be purchased at the admissions desk of either museum during Harvest Festival. See Fenimore’s exhibitions featuring “Bob Dylan Remastered: Drawings from the Road” (closing September 15)and “Young at Art: A Selection of Caldecott Book Illustrations.” The museum and Fenimore Gift Shop are open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

For an up-to-date schedule and other information, visit FarmersMuseum.org. The Farmers’ Museum is located at 5775 State Highway 80, Cooperstown.