Events in the communities along and near the Susquehanna and Chemung Rivers provide many more reasons to visit, and lots of additional things to do when you’re not enjoying the waterways. This is just a small sampling on the annual events that take place every year. For a complete list of events, visit the tourism sites listed below.
COUNTY FAIRS
Each year, New York State’s county fairs bring thousands to enjoy the sights and sounds of carnival rides, live music, and delicious food that fill the fairgrounds each year during the late summer and early fall. Exhibits showcase the best of the local agriculture and arts communities, including competitions for livestock, baking, crafts, and floral arts. Appearances by well-known entertainers have also been known to grace their stages. Tens of thousands visit these venues over their multi-day run each year to enjoy annual traditions like horse racing, truck and tractor pulls, fireworks, parades, petting zoos, chainsaw art and more. To plan your visit to one of the fairs near the Susquehanna and Chemung Rivers, visit the websites below.
- Broome County Fair, Whitney Point, NY
- Chemung County Fair, Horseheads, NY
- Chenango County Fair, Norwich, NY
- Delaware County Fair, Walton, NY
- Otsego County Fair, Morris, NY
- Steuben County Fair, Bath, NY
- Tioga County Fair, Owego, NY
THE SUSQUEHANNA RIVER
Every Memorial Day weekend, the upper Susquehanna River valley is host to the river’s premier event—the General Clinton Canoe Regatta—four days of canoe races for the young and old, newbies and pros. Its 70-mile pro race, beginning on Otsego Lake in Cooperstown and ending at the General Clinton Park in Bainbridge, is the world’s longest single day flat water canoe race and one of North America’s Triple Crown of Canoe Racing. With over $25,000 awarded in prizes over the weekend, this event brings thousands of racers and spectators in from all over the US, Canada, Europe, and South America. The first race, held July 4th, 1963, had 45 entrants, and winners finished in 11 hours 45 minutes. Today, the race record is 6 hours 34 minutes, 34 seconds and there are an estimated 3,000 participants in 50 races of one and two person classes. Paddlers and spectators also enjoy the many other events throughout the weekend—a 5k run, wrestling tournament, carnival rides, entertainment, food, fireworks and more.
Every July, the eyes of the baseball world are focused on Cooperstown to honor those who have excelled in playing, managing, and serving America’s national pastime. Founded in 1939, the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum connects generations to baseball’s story through the preservation of its the history and by honoring those whose excellence has kept the sport thriving. During Hall of Fame Weekend, thousands descend on Cooperstown, professed to be the home of baseball, to catch a glimpse of the legends of the game, try to score an autograph or two, and watch history unfold.
Experience world-class opera performances in the intimate 918-seat Alice Busch Opera Theater. Each season, the Glimmerglass Festival offers four new fully staged professional productions, including three operas and one work of American musical theater, performed with a full orchestra, large cast, and no sound amplification. Special performances, cabarets, concerts, lectures, and symposiums are also offered throughout the season. The talented singers, directors, designers and staff from around the world continues to draw an international audience to this special setting.
You don’t have to be a golf fan to join the party at the Dick’s Sporting Goods Open. played at the En-Joie Golf Club in Endicott every July, this PGA Tour Champions event offers plenty of additional festivities for everyone to enjoy. Operated by Broome County Community Charities, Inc., it has been the sponsoring organization of professional golf in Broome County since 1971, contributing over $20 Million to charities since its inception. The DICK’S Open is a two-time recipient of the prestigious Presidents Award, the highest honor on PGA TOUR Champions.
Time your getaway right and you can hit up the incredible LUMA, one of the nation’s largest projection arts festivals as it transforms downtown Binghamton buildings into canvasses of colored light each September. Projection mapping uses projectors and digital animation made specifically for that architecture to reinvent the surface into a malleable canvas. LUMA draws budding and prominent projection artists from all over the world and tens of thousands of spectators to view their work.
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Binghamton hosts what is considered one of the top hot air balloon rallies in the country every summer. It all started in 1983 as a small cooking contest to decide a friendly family rivalry. A year later, a committee was formed to host the first official Spiedie Fest & Balloon Rally at Otsiningo, where about 4,000 attendees enjoyed five hot air balloons, local music, and a small children’s area. The event has grown considerably over the years, now drawing over 100,000 attendees each year. In 2001, the festival was recognized by the Library of Congress with a Legacy Award, and a Spiedie Fest display resides in the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. In 2005, the festival was named one of the 100 Destinations in the U.S. by Destination Magazine.
For a full event listing in the communities along the Susquehanna River, visit the links below.
THE CHEMUNG RIVER
Elmira kick-starts summer weekends on Friday in style with the Alive After Five Summer Street Music Festival! As the largest monthly happy hour and free entertainment celebration, Alive After Five provides a destination for friends and co-workers to gather, unwind, and network while enjoying great live music, tasty beverages and a fun, casual atmosphere. It is the place to be with music, eats, art, dancing, children’s activities, and great times! The event starts at 5pm and lasts until 9pm and is free to attend.
Held every summer, artists of all ages participate in this family-friendly event in Elmira. Local artists spend hours painting the streets with chalk. This temporary art exhibit only lasts until the next rain shower washes away their work. The festival also includes live music, food vendors, and additional entertainment.
Presented by Corning’s Gaffer District, GlassFest is an annual, three-day, weekend long celebration of glass and fire arts in America’s Crystal City. Discover Corning’s rich history of world-class glass production with glassblowing demonstrations and glass exhibits. Enjoy the daily activities for the whole family like live musical performances, art vendors, mouthwatering food and drinks, and special shopping promotions, and stay late for the not-to-be-missed fireworks display over the Chemung River on Saturday night. The multi-day event ends Sunday with a Memorial Day Tribute on Riverfront Park’s Rock The Park Stage.
Downtown Corning’s annual celebration to welcome the Fall season. the weekend includes live music performances, hayrides, vendors, on-street dining, photo ops, and more. There’s something for everyone to enjoy!
For a full event listing in the communities along the Chemung River, visit the links below.
