News Briefs: April 17, 2025

Quartet Will Kick Off Festival

COOPERSTOWN—The Cooperstown Music Festival’s 27th season will open with a performance by the two-time Grammy-winning Attacca Quartet at Christ Episcopal Church at 4 p.m. on Sunday, May 18. They will perform their “Playlist” set, featuring work from their “Orange” and “Evergreen” releases and music by Finneas O’Connell and Radiohead. Tickets and a full season schedule are available at cooperstownmusicfest.org.

‘Write Out Loud’ Returns

COOPERSTOWN—Fenimore Art Museum’s Glimmer Globe Theatre will present its annual “Write Out Loud” performance at 7 p.m. on Saturday, April 26. It features a wide variety of poetry, prose, short fiction, and more written and performed by 24 regional authors. The event is free with a suggested donation. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and seating is limited; attendees are encouraged to register in advance by e-mailing m.tamburrino@fenimoreart.org.

Upcoming Classes Announced

COOPERSTOWN—Cooperstown Art Association will host a cold wax painting class for adults with Kristin Stevenson from 1-3 p.m. on Tuesdays, April 29 and May 6, 13 and 20. It is suitable for beginners or established artists wishing to explore a new medium. All materials will be provided. Cynthia Marsh will lead a “Sacred Geometry SoulWork Workshop” from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, May 3. For more information or to register, visit cooperstownart.com.

Sculpture Trail Artists Sought

CHERRY VALLEY—The bi-annual Cherry Valley Sculpture Trail seeks artists for its 2025 iteration, which will display up to two dozen works of sculpture at locations throughout the village. Proposals from established or emerging artists will be considered, and existing work may be entered as well as new. All entrants will be eligible for the $1,000.00 Grand Prize and $500.00 First Prize. Applications are due on Monday, May 5. For more information, visit cvartworks.org/sculpturetrail25.

Quiet Cat Café Is Saturday

ONEONTA—Huntington Memorial Library and Super Heroes Humane Society will run a Quiet Cat Café with adoptable animals from noon to 3 p.m. on Saturday, April 19. Twenty-minute time slots may be reserved at hmloneonta.org/adult-programs/. Participants can read or have a drink with the cats, and same-day adoption will be available.

Cooper Lecture Scheduled

COOPERSTOWN—Noted creative writing professor Rochelle L. Johnson will present a live Zoom lecture on Susan Fenimore Cooper’s coming-of-age in Europe at the Fenimore Art Museum from 7-8 p.m. on Thursday, May 1. The program is free with a suggested donation of $20.00. Registration is required at FenimoreArt.org.

YA Novelist Khorram To Speak

ONEONTA—SUNY Oneonta will host acclaimed young adult author Adib Khorram for a lecture and reading at Hunt Union’s Red Dragon Theater at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, April 23. Books from Green Toad Bookstore will be available for signing. The event is free and open to the public.

HoF Film Series Debuts in May

COOPERSTOWN—The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum will inaugurate a new Memorial Day Weekend film series this year, with six films screened over four days at the HoF and Fenimore Art Museum. The weekend opens with a sneak preview of the new documentary “Diamond Diplomacy,” on the role of baseball in U.S.-Japan relations, at the Fenimore at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 22. “Just a Bit Outside: The Story of the 1982 Milwaukee Brewers” and “Joy in Wrigleyville” will be shown at the HoF at 2 and 5:30 p.m., respectively, on Friday, May 23. Hall of Famers Rollie Fingers and Fergie Jenkins, respectively, will have Q&A sessions at these screenings. “The Sandlot” will be shown at 1 p.m. on Saturday, May 24. Jim Kaat, Ozzie Smith and Vince Coleman will speak after the screening of “Birds of a Different Game,” which begins at 6:15 p.m. Another title to be announced will play at the Fenimore at 10 a.m. on Sunday, May 25. For more information or to reserve tickets, visit baseballhall.org/memorialday.

Dance Festival Set for May 3

SHARON SPRINGS—The Sharon Springs Dance Festival will return with a full day of rhythm, culture and creativity on Saturday, May 3. There will be a wide range of free dance classes for adults and children beginning at 10 a.m. and a keynote performance by celebrated Ghanaian ensemble Gballoi Drumming and Dance at 7 p.m. The festival is presented by Klinkhart Hall Arts Center and will take place at Sharon Springs Central School. For more information, visit KlinkhartHall.com/Dance.

Development Summit Planned

HERKIMER—The 4th Annual Brownfield Developer Summit on the revitalization of blighted properties will be held at 100 Reservoir Road in Herkimer on April 29 and 30. For more information or to register, contact Mohawk Valley Economic Development District Deputy Director Heather Devitt at hdevitt@mvedd.org or (315) 866-4671.

Sohns To Play in King Cup

MONTREAL—Cooperstown native Maggie Sohns will represent the U.S. at the Billie Jean King Cup Juniors qualifying event in Montreal on April 16-18. Juniors is the top international team competition for tennis players under 16. Sohns was part of the runner-up under-14 team last year and will compete as part of a Junior BJK Cup team that has won three consecutive world titles. For more information, visit usta.com.

CSO Finale Set for May 10th

ONEONTA—Catskill Symphony Orchestra’s 2024-25 season will end with “A Night at the Movies: Celebrating the Works of John Williams” at Foothills Performing Arts and Civic Center on Saturday, May 10. This special evening will also feature the annual Wendy Brown Memorial Fundraiser and Guest Conductor Competition. There will be a gala dinner and silent auction at 6:30 p.m., followed by the concert at 7:30. Williams is one of the most iconic film score composers in Hollywood history, with more than 100 movies and five Academy Awards to his name. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit catskillsymphony.org or contact (607) 269-7501 or contact@catskillsymphony.org.

Chamber Seeks Biz Partners

UNADILLA—The Unadilla Chamber of Commerce will distribute branded swag bags at the annual Flag Day parade on June 14. Local businesses who wish to include their items should provide 500 branded items or brochures to the House of Consignment by June 1. Space in the chamber’s parade float is also available. For more information or to make inquiries, contact unadillachamber@yahoo.com.

Weekend Rally Planned

DELHI—Sustainable Otsego and Delaware County Democrats will co-sponsor an Indivisible rally in defense of democracy on Main Street in Delhi from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday, April 19. For more information, visit the Sustainable Otsego Facebook page.

Smithy To Host Kids’ Classes

COOPERSTOWN—The Smithy Clay Studio will host Jeanne Knowles for summer exhibition-themed clay classes for children in grades 4-8. The “Sundials and Lanterns” class will be held from 3:30-5:15 p.m. on Tuesdays from April 29 to May 30; students from this class are invited to display their work in the “Shadows and Reflections” show from June 4 to July 12, with an opening reception from 5-7 p.m. on Tuesday, June 3. There will be a “Whistles and Maracas” class from 3:30-5:15 p.m. on Tuesdays from June 3-24. Pieces from this class can be featured in the “Music and Movements” show from July 23 to August 30, with an opening reception from 5-7 p.m. on Tuesday, July 22. For more information or to register, visit smithyarts.org.

Meals Offered for Seniors

OTSEGO COUNTY—Otsego County Office for the Aging offers nutritious, affordable meals for seniors at three locations each week, providing a social space for this age group. Meals are served at Cherry Valley Facilities Corporation Cafe, 2 Genesee Street, at noon on Mondays and Wednesdays; at Richfield Springs Community Center, 6 Ann Street, at 11:30 a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and at Nader Towers in Oneonta, 2 Mitchell Street, at 11:30 a.m. Monday through Friday. There is a suggested donation of $4.00 for seniors over 60 and $11.00 for younger guests. Reservations must be made 24 hours in advance at (607) 547-6454. Monthly menus are available at facebook.com/otsegocountyOFA.

Plant Sale Set for May 3rd

COBLESKILL—Cornell Cooperative Extension’s Schoharie Master Gardeners will hold their annual plant sale from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, May 3. It will be part of SUNY Cobleskill’s larger plant sale outside CANR Greenhouse on State Route 7. All proceeds support CCE’s programming.

Hygiene Drive Now Underway

JOHNSON CITY—The Community Foundation for South Central New York’s second annual Hygiene Fund Drive will run from April 15-30. The campaign raised nearly $10,000.00 for 13 regional organizations last year and aims to double the total this year. To donate, text DIGNITY2ALL to 53-555 or visit givebutter.com/Z2QvFG.