This weekend, there’s a lot to be excited for in the Crystal City. With the Wineglass Marathon returning, the town will be buzzing with activity. Runners from all around the word will embark on our little city, which embraces the event each year. Restaurants will be serving pasta specials all weekend, aspiring racers will participate in the Corelle 5K on Saturday morning, and the entire region will be on deck to support, enjoy, and facilitate the big event in one way or another on Sunday.
But, before all that commotion and fanfare of the weekend, stands Friday evening – which, as it turns out, is a bit of a star in its own right. Here’s our recommended itinerary for how to spend the perfect Friday, September 28th in Downtown Corning.
Enjoy A Local Beer (5:00 – 5:30pm)
Grab a post-work drink at Liquid Shoes. As we’ve mentioned in the past, Market Street’s newest brewery is releasing some seriously stellar IPA’s. New releases, as popular as they are, rarely last on tap longer than a week or two. This past Wednesday, the Shoemaker Brothers released “Carmine On Billings,” a new New England Style IPA brewed with citra, ekuanot, and el dorado hops. If you haven’t had the pleasure of trying it yet, this Friday is a good time do so.
Support Local Students (5:30 – 6:00pm)
Make your way from Liquid Shoes to the Corning Transportation Center. There, directly across the alley and on the backside of 80 E. Market, you’ll find this year’s Alley Art Project mural. Each year, the mural is painted by?High School Learning Center Students who work alongside local artists and The Rockwell Museum. This year’s mural, which was inspired by the museum’s?Frederick Carder glass collection, celebrates the 150th anniversary of glass making in Corning, as well as the 10th anniversary of the Alley Art Project. Join the celebration and enjoy the public unveiling of this year’s mural by attending an official ribbon cutting ceremony at 5:30pm.
Explore Local Art (6:00 – 8:00pm)
After the Alley Art Project ribbon cutting, walk across Cedar Street and into the Rockwell Museum for the official celebration. In addition to three floors of amazing art, enjoy cupcakes, punch, and other refreshments. As part of the Urban Arts Crawl, the museum will be free and open to the public until 8:00pm
Speaking of the Urban Arts Crawl, make sure to make your way to the rest of the stops on The Crawl. First, stop by our friends at Card Carrying Books & Gifts for some pasta crafting. Flashback to your elementary school days by making a necklace or small collage with pasta that the shop spray painted with mixed metallics. Silver, bronze, and ? yes ? rose gold paccheri, macaroni, and farfalle will be available for you to craft with. It’s sure to be a fun activity for the whole family.
Once you’ve had a chance to explore your own creative side at Card Carrying, wander into West End Gallery to enjoy an artist demonstration by?Trish Coonrod and additional light refreshments.
Trish isn’t the only local artist who will be showcasing their talents throughout the evening. As you’re walking along Market Street, you’ll also have an opportunity to enjoy demonstrations by Urban Sketchers Corning. The group, led by Beth Landin, Lisa Gillis, and Gretchen Halpert, is a collection of artists who love to sketch around town and beyond. Part of a global community of artists that practice drawing on location, the group welcomes all who are interested in sketching. During the Urban Arts Crawl, artists will be sketching and doing artist demonstrations at each of the participating art venues.
Have Dinner And Drinks Outside (8:00pm)
This may be the last nice weekend to enjoy Market Street Social, the Radisson Hotel Corning’s new outdoor space. Once you’ve seen all there is to see during the Urban Arts Crawl, make your way to the Radisson, find a spot by one of the fire pits, order a Sam Adams Octoberfest and a bite to eat, and relax for the rest of the evening. It’s the perfect way to celebrate the end of September and the beginning of fall.
Logan is a typical twenty-something, with the not so typical soul of an old man. He enjoys wandering throughout Upstate New York in the search for the perfect cup of coffee. You can join in on his adventures, on both Twitter and Instagram, by following @LoganSweet369.