News Briefs: June 29, 2023

Local Researcher Seeking Barn Quilt Information

OTSEGO COUNTY—James Irving Matson announced that he will be performing a research survey of barn quilts in upstate New York. He asked residents who own, display or make barn quilts to reach out to him via Facebook or jamesmtsn@yahoo.com. Matson intends to interview residents and compile a catalog of the increasingly popular art form in the region. Barn quilts are a relatively new form of grassroots public art and have become common in the American South and parts of Canada.

FAM Plans Zoom Lecture on 19th-century Potter

COOPERSTOWN—Fenimore Art Museum will host a live Zoom lecture on the life and legacy of 19th century African-American potter Thomas W. Commeraw at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, July 5. Author and researcher Brandt Zipp will provide a tour of documents and stoneware that illustrates the life of one of the early nation’s most prominent Black craftsmen and activists. The museum’s exhibition, “Crafting Freedom: The Life and Free Black Potter Thomas W. Commeraw,” is on display through September 24. Zipp is the author of “Commeraw’s Stoneware,” the result of nearly two decades of research. He is a founding partner of Crocker Farm, Inc., a research-focused auction house specializing in historic American utilitarian ceramics. His research may be found at https://www.crockerfarm.com/blog/author/brandtzipp/. Registration for the lecture is free, with a suggested donation of $10. For more information or to register, visit fenimoreartmuseum.org.

OWL, Dandelion Stage Present Interactive Theatre

ONEONTA—Dandelion Stage, a local interactive community-based theatre company, will present two programs in partnership with Oneonta World of Learning this summer. “Dinosaur Invasion,” a free-range outdoor theatre adventure, will be presented at 11 a.m. on Saturdays and Sundays in July at Fortin Park. In this interactive experience, children will help save the world from time-traveling dinosaurs unleashed in an evil plot to destroy the time-space continuum. Separate programs are scheduled for children ages 3-6 and ages 7-12. “Butterfly Boogie,” an immersive puppet movement performance for children ages 2-5, will be presented at 11 a.m. on Wednesdays in July in Fortin Park. In this program, the bees don’t buzz, the butterflies can’t remember how to fly, and the snails are racing all over everywhere instead of sliding slow as snails are supposed to go. In this interactive performance children will jump, glide and boogie as they help garden friends remember to be themselves. Fortin Park is located at 101 Youngs Road in the Town of Oneonta, off County Route 47 near Exit 16 off Interstate 88. Seating is limited for all Dandelion Stage programs, and advance reservations are recommended, as performances may sell out. Any remaining tickets will be available at the door, payable by cash or check, at each performance. To purchase tickets, or for more information, visit https://www.dandelionstage.com/. Children younger than 7 must be accompanied by a participating adult or designated grownup.

Cooperstown Artisan Festival Requests Vendors

COOPERSTOWN—There are still available slots for artisans, makers and crafters at the 2023 Cooperstown Artisan Festival. It will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, September 2 and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, September 3. The festival is located at the Otsego County Campus, 197 Main Street in Cooperstown. There will be live music, food trucks and children’s activities in addition to more than 30 vendors that have already registered. All applications and fees should be sent to the Cooperstown Chamber of Commerce—the chamber has warned that Facebook scammers have tried to have vendor fees sent to them personally. For more information, contact the chamber at (607) 547-9983. To see the full lineup of artisans, vendors and musicians, visit https://www.cooperstownartisanfestival.info/2023-festival.

GOHS Program To Highlight Player Piano History

ONEONTA—Next up in the Greater Oneonta Historical Society’s History After Hours Series is “History After Hours: Player Piano!” on Thursday, July 13 from 5-7 p.m. This session will center on the GOHS’ player piano and the history of music and piano manufacturing in Oneonta. Special guest Ben Gottfried, from Richfield Springs, will “roll” into town with his story of rebuilding player pianos for people from all over the country for nearly 50 years. The player piano is a pneumatic device fitted into a piano that plays the piano in a human-like way using air flow. They were produced in great quantities starting around 1910 and through the late 1920s, when their popularity faded. They gained popularity again in the 1960s, becoming a top seller in music stores. The modern era came to an end in 1984, when the last pneumatic player was produced new in this country. GOHS staff will also play some great tunes from its piano roll archives to complement its overview of the rich history of the player piano. Singing and dancing encouraged, but not required. All History After Hours events at the Oneonta History Center, 183 Main Street, feature activities and stories for children, and all events are free and open to the public. To learn more, visit www.oneontahistory.org.

County OFA Announces Farmers Market Checks

OTSEGO COUNTY—The Otsego County Office for the Aging will soon have farmers market checks available for income-eligible seniors age 60 and older. The booklets of five $25.00 checks are provided through the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets and can be used to purchase fresh produce at participating local markets. To qualify, seniors must have a monthly income below $2,248.00 for a one-person household or $3,040.00 for a two-person household. Checks will be available starting on Monday, July 3. They can be picked up at OFA offices at County Highway 33W or 242 Main Street, Oneonta, or at the following locations between 10 and 11:30 a.m. on the following dates: Nader Towers Housing, Oneonta, July 12; West Hill Terrace Apartments, Edmeston, July 13; Oneonta Heights Apartments, July 18; Academy Arms Apartments, Oneonta, July 19; Unadilla Neighborhood Apartments, July 25; Cherry Valley Community Center Café, July 26; Richfield Springs Community Center, August 1; Worcester/Schenevus Library, August 3; Gilbertsville Baptist Church, August 8; FoxCare Center, Oneonta, August 9; Bassett Medical Center, Cooperstown, August 16. For more information, contact the Office for the Aging at (607) 547-4232.

NYS Young Republicans Re-Elect Giunta

LAKE PLACID—At the 2023 Young Republican State Convention in Lake Placid on June 10, delegates representing more than 30 chapters of the Association of New York State Young Republican Clubs unanimously re-elected Peter Giunta of Richmond County as chairman. Giunta is chief of staff to state Assemblymember Michael Reilly and served as president of the Staten Island Young Republican Club from 2019 to 2021. He has been involved in state and local politics for over a decade and helped more than 30 Young Republicans get elected to office in the 2022 election cycle. “It is an honor to be re-elected unanimously by my peers and entrusted, once more, with this extraordinary responsibility to lead our association through what I believe is a Republican resurgence in New York not seen since the 1990s,” said Giunta. The convention also re-elected Bobby Walker, of Albany County and formerly of Cooperstown, as vice chair. Daniel Koerner, of Otsego County, was re-elected as treasurer.

Roots Brewing Company to Host Death Discussion

ONEONTA—Anne Ohman, a death doula, will host a small-group community conversation about death and dying at Roots Brewing Company, 175 Main Street in Oneonta, on Saturday, July 22 from 3-5 p.m. The “Death and Drinks” event is intended to open a space for people to share questions, curiosities, fears, beliefs and stories about the final great mystery. Ohman said that a conversation about “death and end-of-life options shakes the taboo, softens the fear, and invites us to be more fully alive.” Space is limited to preserve the small group size. For more information or to sign up, visit https://deathanddrinksatroots.eventbrite.com.

Young Artists To Perform at Christ Church

COOPERSTOWN—Glimmerglass Festival Young Artists will perform at 10 a.m. Sunday services at Christ Church, Cooperstown, from July 2 to August 13. Most of their selections will be excerpted from oratorios.

Deer Management Task Force Proposes Report Tool

ONEONTA—Betsy Holland, chair of the Oneonta Deer Management Task Force, presented a proposal to the Common Council’s Quality of Life and Infrastructure Committee on Monday, June 26. The committee created a three-phase plan to evaluate and mitigate the city’s deer problem. Holland suggested an incident reporting tool, which would allow the city to gather more data about deer damage, determine the times and places of highest activity, and tailor its response. Committee members agreed to the proposal and did not take a formal vote, but did decide to send it to the full Common Council and City Attorney Greg Merzig for review. The Council will next meet on Wednesday, July 5.

Shakespeare’s ‘The Tempest’ to Open at Fenimore

COOPERSTOWN—Fenimore Art Museum’s Glimmer Globe Theatre will present a summer of live Shakespeare performances beginning on Wednesday, July 12. This year’s play is “The Tempest,” a tragicomedy believed to be one of Shakespeare’s last works. In a new twist on this famous story, a motley crew of aeronauts finds their airship caught in a vicious tempest about to crash into an isolated and magical isle. Nearby, the vengeful wizard Prospero lives with his daughter, Miranda, and two servants: Caliban, a native of the island, and Ariel, a spirit of the air. After Prospero reveals he and his magic were indeed the cause of the shipwreck, he recounts his tragic past to Miranda, setting in motion a chain of events that will change their lives and the futures of all who call the island home.

The production is directed by Michael Henrici, also starring as Caliban alongside Lissa Sidoli as Prospero. It features Andie Alban as Ariel, Tom Russo, Samantha Lizak, Andrew Munro, Colleen Bunn, J Lentner, Wriley Nelson, Peter Exton, Mark Murphy, Marisa Chism, Emily Begin, Kim Frederick, Dashiell Henrici, Tessa Davis and Gavin Abrams.

“The Tempest” will run at 7 p.m. each Wednesday and Thursday night from July 12 through August 10. It is set against the backdrop of Otsego Lake in the museum’s Lucy B. Hamilton Amphitheater. Tickets are available in advance via eventbrite.com or at the theater immediately before the show. Visitors are encouraged to bring blankets, chairs and insect repellant. An alternate indoor location is available at the Farmers’ Museum in case of inclement weather. For more information, visit https://fenimoreartmuseum.org/calendar-a-4 or contact m.tamburrino@fenimoreart.org.

Village Library Releases Full Summer Calendar

COOPERSTOWN—The Village Library of Cooperstown released its complete calendar of events for July and August on Sunday, June 25. There will be a Play and Learn event for children under age 8 on Mondays at 10 a.m. and Tuesdays at 4 p.m. Storytime will be held at 10 a.m. on Wednesdays. Tween/teen events are set for 1 p.m. on Thursdays. The library will be closed on July 4 for Independence Day and July 22 for Hall of Fame induction. National bestselling author Mary Beth Keane will visit for a talk and book signing at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, August 23. For the full events calendar, visit the Village Library of Cooperstown Facebook page.

Hall Serves Regency-Era Cocktail at Lighting Tour

SPRINGFIELD—Hyde Hall will host a “Get Lit!” historic lighting and cocktail tour at 7 p.m. on July 7 and 8. The 90-minute tour will explore the long evolution of on-demand lighting technologies throughout history. Negus, a port-based punch named after an early 18th century British military officer, will be served. The drink, which reached its peak popularity after the Napoleonic Wars and is featured in several Jane Austen works, includes hot water, lemon juice, sugar and nutmeg. The event is restricted to those ages 21 and over. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit https://hydehall.org/events-2/.

Summer Harvest Festival Seeks Vendors

MORRIS—The Butternut Valley Alliance is looking for craft and artisan vendors to participate in its Summer Harvest Festival, which will take place in Guy Rathbun Park, Morris, on Saturday, August 19. Vendor set-up begins at 10 a.m. and the festival runs from noon to 6 p.m. There will be live music all day. The vendor fee is $20.00. For more information, contact ginagardner96@gmail.com.

OLA, OCCA Planning Lake Cleanup Day

OTSEGO LAKE—The Otsego Lake Association will run a lake cleanup, sponsored by the Otsego County Conservation Association, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, July 15. Homeowners should place lake and shore debris and trash at the end of their docks, preferably with a sign, for volunteers to pick up. They may also take their refuse to Three Mile Point. Glass, wooden dock pieces, old tires, old pipes and other kinds of debris will be accepted. OLA will not take household or construction material, roofing materials, heavy metal objects, concrete or extensive boardwalk sections. For more information, visit otsegolakeassociation.org.