THE FUN IS CLEAR
These events highlight what to do in Corning this summer
The Corning Museum of Glass and the Rockwell Museum, the biggest tourist attractions in Corning, have several events planned this summer. • But theirs are not the only ones. Here are some event highlights to check out.
Summer attractions in the Gaffer District
June Jam: Call it Corning’s version of American Idol. Summer in Downtown’s June Jam is a karaoke competition with a first-place prize of $1,000. Nightly competitions from 7-9 p.m. will be held June 20 at Carey’s Brew House, and June 27 at Brick.
Gus Macker Basketball Tourna
ment: Gus Macker will make its Corning debut July 20-21, marking the new centerpiece of the Summer in Downtown series. The 3-on-3 basketball festival will feature vendors and attract hundreds of visitors of all ages to the Crystal City for a weekend of hoops heaven. The event will shift to Elmira in 2025.
Storytime in the Square: Build a love of reading this summer with Ms. Sue, of the Southeast Steuben County Library, who will take the stage at Centerway Square at 10 a.m. every other Tuesday (weather permitting) from June 11 to Aug. 20. Each week will feature a different theme, such as “Welcome Summer” and “Christmas in July.”
Summer attractions at Corning Museum of Glass
The Corning Museum of Glass welcomes over 300,000 guests annually and has seen a substantial spike in visitation each summer, said Brady Spaulding, marketing and media generalist at CMoG. In recent years, CMoG also experienced substantial growth in its number of autumn visitors, a trend it is working to maintain.
CMoG offers a variety of galleries and exhibitions throughout the summer, along with regular lectures and presentations. Here are a few highlights.
“Blown Away” Season 4: CMoG has played a key role on “Blown Away,” a Netflix series that recently debuted Season 4. CMoG visitors can explore artwork made during the series and learn never-before-seen artist’s insights about their finished work.
The Story of Glass and Wine: Few things shout “Corning” more than glass and wine. A CMoG exhibition on display this summer explores both through “Fire and Vine: The Story of Glass and Wine.” This exhibit allows guests to discover the many ways glass touches wine as it travels from the grape to your goblet.
Get Stoked!: Obtaining, preparing and managing the fuel to power energyhungry glass furnaces has been a largely invisible part of the glassmaking process ... until now. “Get Stoked! Fueling Furnaces from Wood to Sun” explores the use of fuel in glassmaking, from the wood burning furnaces of the ancient world to the exploration and adoption of renewable resources in the 21st century.
Summer attractions at The Rockwell Museum
Willa Rose Vogel, a Rockwell Mu
seum spokesperson, said the museum has seen a post-COVID uptick this spring, heading into the busy summer timeframe. “About 15,000 visit the Rockwell Museum through the summer months, and tourists continue to visit the museum through December,” Vogel said. “It took a long time to recover from COVID, but the first quarter of this year has been really promising for the return of tourism.”
Music on the Terrace: The Rockwell will host live music on the terrace each month this summer with light refreshments, specialty cocktails and a cash bar. Check out shows by Maddy Walsh Trio June 12, NEO Project July 10, and Ariel Arbisser Aug. 14. Advance registration is required.
Summer Explorers: The Rockwell is hosting a series of Summer Explorers events in July and August. These art lab workshops offer drop-in projects and gallery activities that encourage families to create connections and engage with art. Workshops are suggested for ages 5-12, and no registration is required.
Alley Art Project: Check out the unveiling of the latest mural through the Alley Art Project, inspired by artist Romare Bearden in The Rockwell’s collection. The Sept. 27 event will take place from 5-6 p.m. at Corning Community College’s Schuyler Hall Maker Space. Meet the student artists and designers, and check out the latest mural up close.