Harvest Festival Returns to The
Farmers’ Museum’s Fall Lineup
After a two-year hiatus, celebrate the bounty of fall as the Harvest Festival returns to The Farmers’ Museum in Cooperstown on Saturday and Sunday, September 17 and 18, 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,” said Todd Kenyon, Director of Marketing. “We are excited it is returning.”
The festival is on the museum’s picturesque grounds near Otsego Lake. “We have the perfect blend of new attractions and trusted favorites,” Mr. Kenyon said. “Two days of live performances, music by folk singer and songwriter Kevin McKrell both days, and the museum’s Templeton Players will be on stage with two performances.”
Edelweiss Schuhplattlers of the Utica Maennerchor will perform traditional Austrian or German folk dances. Bill Ackerbauer, an acoustic guitarist who dabbles in harmonica, banjo, fiddle, mandolin, and other instruments, will perform his family program on Saturday at 10:30 a.m.
“There is an abundance of activities for families and kids at Harvest Fest,” Mr. Kenyon said.
“The Catskill Puppet Theater will hold a performance on Sunday. At the crafts tent, kids can make cornhusk 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,” he said.
“Of course everyone needs to ride the Empire State Carousel. At the Farmstead, we will have cider pressing, corn shelling and grinding, and as well as horse-drawn wagon rides. In the Blacksmith Shop, kids can discover how metal is shaped by hammering molding clay which has the feel of hammering hot steel. Have the family sit for an authentic tintype photograph on Saturday and Sunday at the Herkimer Kitchen in the Country Village,” he said.
The ongoing traditions of Harvest Festival contribute to its charm. Musicians Jim Kimball and Karen Canning perform nineteenth-century tunes on the porch at Bump Tavern. Mr. Kimball has added to the festival’s ambiance since the late 1970s.
Animals always take the spotlight at Harvest Festival. Aside from our beautiful farm animals, Hinman Hollow Sport Training will dazzle you with their canine agility and obedience demonstrations.
In the Main Barn, view the exhibit Growing Tomorrow’s Farmers which celebrates the role children played on family farms from the 19th century to the present. The exhibit features photographs of several families who live in the region.
“If you like historical trades, you won’t be disappointed,” Mr. Kenyon said. “You’ll get hands-on experience with rope-making, coopering, and see spinning and fiber art demonstrations. You’ll also find a dulcimer maker, quilters, a jeweler, woodworkers, a china painter, bakers, maple producers, artists, and potters featuring many unique items from the region,” he said.
An abundance of delicious foods from the season’s harvest awaits festival-goers including the mouthwatering roasted corn from Our Green Acres, sausage from Beckmann’s, and great Greek cuisine from The Grapevine. You will also find homemade pies and fresh baked goods from the Pomona Grange (Saturday only).
“Get a head start on your holiday shopping with some new and unique gifts for everyone in the family at Todd’s General Store and The Farmers’ Museum Store,” Mr. Kenyon said.
One-day entry to Harvest Festival: $15 adults (13 – 64), $12.50 seniors (65+), $6 juniors (7 – 12), children 6 and younger, and museum members are free. Purchase tickets at the museum on the day of the event. Free museum admission is also available for those receiving SNAP benefits (up to 4 people) with the presentation of a SNAP Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card.
Harvest Festival is sponsored in part by Five Star Subaru. Visit FarmersMuseum.org for a complete schedule. The Farmers’ Museum is located at 5775 State Highway 80, Cooperstown, N.Y., 13326.