COOPERSTOWN, N.Y., Aug. 25, 2010 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- This fall, the Farmers' Museum in Cooperstown, NY will host four unique events celebrating the spirit and traditions of rural New York State and showcasing New York farming history.
The New York state Fall Foliage season kicks off with the 32nd Annual Harvest Festival, September 18-19, from 10 am-5 pm. The Farmers' Museum will feature a performance by bluegrass group Gravel Yard, special exhibits, delicious food, horse-drawn wagon rides, historic games and crafts for the whole family. This year, the museum again welcomes members of the Southern Tier Alpaca Association. Dozens of alpaca will be on site taking part in parades, shearing demonstrations and an obstacle course. Admission to the Harvest Festival is $12 for adults, $10.50 for seniors, $6 for children; for children six and under as well as New York State Historical Association members, admission is free.
In October, the museum is also hosting Tractor Fest, a must for anyone interested in farming history, equipment and machinery. This Cooperstown event starts October 9. Learn about the world of farm tractors and how they powered America's farms. See tractor demonstrations, enjoy wagon rides and even learn how to drive and operate a utility tractor.
On October 9 and November 13, with advanced reservations, visitors can enjoy an Evening at the Tavern -- a four-course candlelit meal complete with period music and games at the museum's historic Bump Tavern. Known for its hospitality, the Tavern has created a menu that follows a 19th century theme. Tickets for the evening are $60 for non-members or $55 for museum members.
Towards the end of October, visitors can experience Things That Go Bump in the Night. The museum staff will guide a lantern-lit tour of the museum's historic buildings and tell tales from the Louis C. Jones book "Things That Go Bump in the Night." Tours take place on the evenings of October 23, 29 and 30. The cost is $10 per person; children under three can tour for free. Reservations are required.
As one of the oldest rural life museums in the United States, The Farmers' Museum in Cooperstown, NY blurs the line between exhibition and working farm. This fall, Cooperstown festival visitors can also check out one of the most popular Cooperstown attractions, the Empire State Carousel. Billed as "the museum you can ride," it features 25 hand-carved animals representative of the agricultural and natural resources found in New York State. In addition, the Country Fairgrounds is a seasonal interactive exhibit where people can experience first-hand the delights of a fair in the 1900s. Visitors can even try old-fashioned games like lawn bowling, skittles and stilt walking.
About the Farmers' Museum:
The Farmers' Museum consists of over 20 historic structures brought to the site from locations around central New York. The buildings represent traditional crafts such as broom making, printing, blacksmithing, and tavern-keeping as well as residential and professional structures including a pharmacy. All of the buildings are furnished with the museum's collection of more than 23,000 artifacts that preserve traditions of agriculture and craft in 1840s New York.
Erin Richardson is a curator at The Farmers' Museum in Cooperstown, NY, an open-air museum celebrating rural life with historic architecture, traditional farming and crafts and hands-on workshops and seasonal festivals. Visit the Farmers' Museum for more information.