Since last Monday, I’ve been counting down the days until GlassFest takes over Corning once again. The official event website is a great resource for finding out everything that’s going on throughout the weekend, but if I know you like I think I do, you won’t want to just show up and hope someone else?is attending the same event. So I’m going to tell you how my GlassFest weekend will most likely unfold and you can choose to hang out with me or risk the flashback to your high school cafeteria lunch table nightmare.

Assuming I don’t accidentally over-indulge, over-sleep, or over-commit myself (all of which have been known to happen), here are the events?in which I’m most likely to participate:

Thursday, May 22
5:30pm – 7:30pm
2300? at the Corning Museum of Glass
This event kicks it all off, and I wouldn’t miss?2300? for anything other than a Billy Joel concert. Live Glassmaking by Dan Sherlock, who I know personally is very good at glassmaking, and music by Entrain, whose next 2 concert dates are in Germany so you know they’re good.

Friday, May 23
5pm – 8pm
Wine & Beer Tasting at Participating Businesses

Wine and Beer Tasting is available throughout the Gaffer District on Friday Night.

Some of the stops have unlimited tasting until 8pm, and there is a?free shuttle service throughout the Gaffer District. If that’s not an adult’s version of the physical challenge, I learned nothing from Double Dare.

Saturday, May 24
8:30am
GlassFest 8K at Corning-Painted Post East High School
Each year, my friends and I make ourselves feel better about all the Memorial Day drinking and grilling by running a few miles on Saturday morning. If your conscience is kinder to you than mine is to me, feel free to skip this one.

Saturday Afternoon
Vendors and Artists on Market Street
Contrary to what you might hear from DSB fans and fireworks enthusiasts, GlassFest is first and foremost about the material that made Corning the city it is today: glass. Throughout the weekend, I always make a concerted effort to visit the art vendors and displays throughout the festival. And my walk down Market Street is always a little easier with some classic festival food (I’ll be the one who spilled powdered sugar down the side of my neck).

Saturday Afternoon
Hot Glass Show in Centerway Square
I’ll also use my time on Saturday afternoon to binge-watch some hot glass shows in Centerway Square like it’s a new season of Mad Men on Netflix.

Sunday, May 25
3pm
Collin Raye in Centerway Square

Collin Raye is performing at GlassFest this year and I love him.

Ok, so many of you will have to take my word on this one: Collin Raye is awesome! I grew up listening to country music because it really hit home for me. Life?in the suburbs wasn’t always easy; I had to wake?up early most summer mornings for golf lessons and a?part-time landscaping job. I felt like I could really relate to the heartbreak and sadness country music delivered.

But seriously, Collin Raye is awesome. He had 24 Top-10 Records and 16 #1 Hits and I’ll be the guy in the middle of Centerway Square singing along to every one of them. With powdered sugar spilled down the side of my neck.

See you there!

Sean Lukasik

Sean is the owner and partner at Creagent Marketing in Corning, NY. He helps businesses find their voice on social media and build their audience online. He helps individuals find delicious meals and great drinks throughout the Southern Finger Lakes.