By TED MEBUST
In support of veterans nationwide, Brewery Ommegang’s recent Hops for Heroes event raised funds for Soldiers’ Angels, a nonprofit organization that provides aid to active military, veterans and their families. Participating breweries throughout the country produced a special Veteran’s Day batch, Homefront IPA, the proceeds of which exclusively benefit the nonprofit’s mission.
“As part of our 25th anniversary, we thought it only proper that we do something to celebrate all the support the Cooperstown business community has given us over the years,” said Tim Holmes, event planner of Ommegang Brewery.
“We began with a kick off on the prior Friday evening with an open invitation to a social gathering around its well-known fire pit,” Mr. Holmes said. “The evening was capped off with a solid and colorful fireworks display.”
Next came the parade down Main Street in Cooperstown.
Friday, September 9
Brewery Ommegang
—Firepit Friday Finale Erin Harkes Band from 7-10 pm
—Tap House Café will be open until 9 pm, food truck and patio bar open until 10 pm.
—25th Anniversary Fireworks display at 10 pm.
All events free to the public — all ages welcome. Tables are first come, first served, no outside food or beverages, please!
MOZART CONCERT – 7 p.m. The Catskill Choral Society returns to the stage after a 2 year pandemic silence to celebrate 50 years of making music with their spring concert titled ‘How Can We Keep From Singing.’ The concert will feature the beloved Mozart Requiem accompanied by a full Orchestra. The program will begin with light choral pieces by such composers as Bernstein, Alice Parker, Samuel Barber, and Gwyneth Walker. Tickets, $25/adult. Available at The Green Earth, Oneonta, and Cooperstown Natural Foods. Hosted at The First United Methodist Church, 66 Chestnut St., Oneonta. Visit catskillchoralsociety.com
MEDICATION TAKE-BACK-DAY – 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Got unused medication? Avoid the risk of having dangerous unused medications in the house and take them to a DEA take-back-location. Otsego County location is The Otsego County Sheriff’s Office, 172 Co. Hwy. 33W, Cooperstown. 607-547-4271 or visit www.facebook.com/OtsegoSheriff/?view_public_for=1219166834832301
Like every other entertainment venue around the world, Cooperstown’s Ommegang Brewery felt COVID’s hard kick with an all-but cancelled summer concert season in 2020 and 2021. The popular destination spot comes back to life beginning Memorial Day weekend, though, once again welcoming national acts to its big field and Firepit Fridays along the way.
Community and Events Manager Tim Holmes told The Freeman’s Journal / Hometown Oneonta that Ommegang is planning on a busy summer after a “let’s play two!” doubleheader of shows from The Avett Brothers May 27 and 28. Sierra Ferrell opens the May 27 show, popular Boston band Lake Street Dive opens the already sold-out May 28 show.
“We’ll open to 7,500 people for each of those shows,” Mr. Holmes said. “Saturday is sold out and Friday is getting there.”
In a now time-worn pandemic tale, the Memorial Day weekend shows are events rescheduled first from 2020 to 2021, then again from 2021 to 2022. An August 23, 2022 date with Lord Huron at
Not too many businesses opened during the past 18 months thanks, of course, to COVID.
But welcome to Natty Bumppo’s, the newest restaurant to open in downtown Cooperstown.
Owner and Cooperstown native Ian Porto has been a longtime fixture on Main Street. You may know him as the previous owner of Tin Bin Alley, or perhaps from Northern Eagle Beverage and Cooperstown Brewing Company. Maybe even from Brewery Ommegang.
Now you’ll get to know him as the owner of Natty Bumppo’s on Hoff
HEROES RUN – 9 a.m. Come Commemorate 20 years since 9/11 with local firefighters, Assemblymen Salka and Oberacker, and others. An a capella group will be singing ‘God Bess America’ and there will be a flag raising ceremony ahead of the run. Will feature a 5K and 10K run starting at 10 a.m. Cost, $20 for the 10K. Proceeds will go to the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation. Begins and Ends at the Fly Creek Fire Station, 607-547-5469 or visit www.facebook.com/Fly-Creek-Volunteer-Fire-Company-409995299193467/
RECOVERY RUN – 9 a.m. Join the Rothenberger Road to Recovery Run in the 10K, 5K, or 1K run or walk. This run is in memory of Lucas Rothenberger and for those who have lost a loved one to addiction and to provide knowledge and education on the reality of recovery. The whole family is invited. Cost, $30 for the 10K. Neahwa Park, Oneonta. 607-267-4435 or visit rothenbergerrun.itsyourrace.com/event.aspx?id=11053
GOLF CLASSIC – 1 p.m. Join the Otsego Chamber of Commerce for the 35th Annual Golf Classic to support the Chamber’s efforts to help the local community thrive. Sign up for golf tournament at 1 and Lunch/networking event at 11:30. Registration required. Oneonta Country Club, 9 Country Club Dr., Oneonta. 607-432-4500 or visit otsegocc.com
OPENING RECEPTION – 5 – 7 p.m. Celebrate opening of ‘Made in New York: The Art of Wood’ a fine craft invitational exhibit. Also opening is the ‘Daily Draw: Revisited.’ On show 8/20 thru 9/24. Cooperstown Art Association. 607-547-9777 or visit www.cooperstownart.com
AWARDS PARTY – 5:30 p.m. Celebrate end of library’s summer reading program with the kids. Will include a show by Dan the Snakeman, awards for the kids who participated, more. Come between 1 & 5 for meet & greet with Dan the Snakeman, receive an interactive book, and meet his animals up close. Huntington Memorial Library, 62 Chestnut St., Oneonta. 607-432-1980 or visit www.facebook.com/hmloneonta/
ZOOMOBILE – 10 – 11 a.m. Visit with the animals of the Utica Zoomobile. Lakefront Park, Cooperstown. 607-547-8344 or visit libraries.4cls.org/cooperstown/upcoming-events/
NATURE – 8:15 p.m. Join the Delaware-Otsego Audubon Society to learn about the sights and sounds of nature at night. Learn about crickets, owls, bats, and fireflies. Will end with firefly catch and release so bring a container to hold them. Free, registration required for max of 20 people. All children must be accompanied by an adult. DOAS Sanctuary, Franklin Mountain, Oneonta. 607-397-3815 or visit doas.us/event/natures-symphony-and-fireworks/
KICK OFF – 7:30 p.m. Begin 4th of July celebrations with Hometown Heroes free concert. country artist Michael Christopher dedicated to our essential workers. Neahwa Park, Oneonta. Visit www.facebook.com/FNOneonta/
SUMMER CONCERT SERIES – 7:30 p.m. Enjoy fun performance of ‘The Ships Captain’ about the hijinks of 2 sisters, their guardian, and a mysterious suitor. This singspiel from 1817 includes parodies of famous pieces from Mozart, Beethoven, and popular German folk songs.Cost, $20/adult. Hyde Hall, 267 Glimmerglass State Park Rd., Cooperstown. 607-547-5098 or visit hydehall.org
JUNETEENTH – 3 – 8 p.m. Celebrate the 2nd annual Juneteenth, the celebration of the emancipation of the last enslaved people in the US, with food, live music, and art from a variety of local artists and authors. Neahwa Park, Oneonta. www.juneteenthoneonta.com