The historic Gaffer District is situated in the heart of one of the Southern Tier’s key cities, Corning NY. Home of Corning, Inc. and the Corning Glass Museum, the city packs regional and national history into its charming tree-lined streets. As a youth growing up in the Southern Tier, it was a rite of passage to attend the glass museum or to eat a famous burger at Boomer’s back in the day. Storefronts may have changed, but the vibrant enthusiasm of the city remains.

The Harvest Festival is the embodiment of this enthusiasm, with hundreds of vendor booths lining Market Street and complimenting Corning’s unique brick-and-mortar shops. A band plays under the watchful eye of the Centerway Clock Tower, while your little travel companion is mesmerized by the stilt-walking phoenix lady. The afternoon festivities can only be topped by a horse-drawn carriage ride around the square — then it’s time for a nap on the ride home.

Festivals like Corning’s Harvest Fest make the Finger Lakes region a perfect destination for entertainment, exploration, and family fun. As an online travel and lifestyle magazine, Explore Conesus Lake aims to capture the magic of these happenings every year. Subscribe to us, spread the word, and join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, and Reddit, or by signing up for the email list here: