Food and Wine Lover’s Guide to GlassFest 2018

Woah, can you believe GlassFest is here already?

If you don’t recognize the byline, no worries.?My name is Felicia and?I’m new to Urban Corning. I’ll be their college intern for the summer, so keep a look out for more posts by me coming your way soon!

Anyways, let’s get back to the glass-themed festivities…

As a 22 year old college student who is home for the summer, it’s hard to see why I would find any appeal in GlassFest. It’s crowded, it can get expensive, and it’s in my hometown. Nothing exciting, right? Well, personally, I am willing to withstand the crowds for a few perfect bites and sips. Here’s my list of favorite things to do for GlassFest that any food (and wine) lover would be inspired by.

Thursday

Start the weekend out right with wine Thursday at 2300?: GlassFest. I know, you’re probably thinking it will be massively crowded, and you would be right. But come on, almost nothing is better than a delicious glass of wine on a Thursday night. It feels a little scandalous, like “ooh I have work in the morning, but I’ll indulge.” Plus the Slambovian Circus of Dreams is playing, which has been described as a hillbilly Pink Floyd (sounds like a hipster’s dream!).

Friday

After you’ve finished out the work week, its time to get drinking with every alcohol connoisseur’s favorite event: a wine and beer tasting! Make sure to buy your tickets ahead of time at the Info Center at 1 W. Market St. for the pre-sale price of $18. You’ll enjoy tastes from almost two dozen wineries, breweries and distilleries. What’s better? They are all local! You’ll also be able to get your hands on some awesome dining promotions and see Market Street before the hustle and bustle of the weekend.

Friday night is also the GlassFest edition of Urban Arts Crawl! And to stick with the food and wine theme, the Radisson Hotel Corning is hosting the Post-Crawl Meetup beginning at 8pm in the outdoor lounge (“Market Street Social”). Don’t miss a chance to hang out, eat, and drink in Corning’s newest outdoor space.

Saturday

Take a moment to sleep in. You might be feeling the two nights of drinking catching up to you. When you’ve recovered, there will be plenty of food waiting for you in downtown Corning, and even some drinks, if you’re into the hair-of-the-dog kind of remedy. Find some parking (good luck!) and bring an umbrella. Rain is in the forecast.

I recommend starting on one end of the street and working your way towards the other end. Each block will be packed with artists, businesses and food vendors and oh yeah, tons of people, so it’s best to have a plan. Here is mine (warning: this weekend is not a good time to start your diet):

Block 1: Wall St. to Cedar St.

Start off with a snack to get you going with Pleasures of the Palate for some German roasted nuts, or if you’re ready to dive right in, try the Silo Food Truck with its extravagant selection of fried chicken.

Block 2: Cedar St. to Pine St.

Switch it up with something sweet from Dimitri’s Treats or compliment your fried chicken with some mac and cheese from Macarollin’.

Block 3: Pine St. to Walnut St.

Getting hot? Cool down with Abbott’s Frozen Custard. Not quite ready for dessert? Stop by Cheesed and Confused for some awesome and unique grilled cheeses.

Block 4: Walnut St. to Chestnut St.

Ready for dessert now? Or how about a beer? If you’re anything like me, they are one in the same. Snap out of your food coma by drinking a nice refreshing beer from Burgers & Beer of Corning. Wanna know what they have on tap? Check out the app, UNTAPPD, where they update daily.

Make sure to stay out for the fireworks happening at 9:45pm!

Sunday

By now, you may be ready to just skip the crowd and recover at home. But if you’re up for it, the Cellar is having a limited menu brunch and they make a killer chicken and waffles that is bound to soak up your hangover. Plus, even if the menu is a little limited, who doesn’t love a good brunch?!

For all the official GlassFest events and schedule, head to their website,?http://www.gafferdistrict.com/glassfest.