The Doubleday Cafe’s Tim Searles, above, prepares specialty grilled-cheese sandwiches made with goat cheese and elderberry jam at Grilled Cheese For A Good Cause at the Cooperstown Farmer’s Market Sunday evening; the Otsego 2000 fundraiser wrapped up the 51st annual Cooperstown Winter Carnival. Behind him Jim Hoffmann, Cooperstown, gets a bowl of soup from volunteer Susanna Membrino . The event featured live music, ice cream and of course, grilled cheese made special by many area eateries. In inset photo, Winter Carnival Committee chairman Rich McCaffery, right, congratulates Katie Marvel of Oneonta and her boyfriend, John Janitz, Jr. of Fly Creek, on receiving a $500 check for finding this year’s Winter Carnival medallion at Council Rock. The presentation was made at Cooperstown Distillery; the medallion hunt is sponsored by The Freeman’s Journal & Hometown Oneonta. The couple plans on going out to a nice dinner to celebrate. (Ian Austin/AllOTSEGO.com)
As the crowd looks across Otsego Lake from Lakefront Park, the grand finale bursts over the Leatherstocking Golf Course a few minutes ago. But another day of Cooperstown Winter Carnival Fun lies ahead, from a pancake breakfast at the Vets Club, 8-11:30, 60 Main St.; to free-throw and three-point competitions at the Clark Sports Center at 11; to the Winter Carnival Ice Breaker, food and fun at the Cooperstown Distillery, 11 Railroad Ave., 2-4:30. Tonight, enjoy bands at The Farmers Market, Cooley’s and the Pratt. Check the calendar for details. (AllOTSEGO.com photo)
GRILLED CHEESE NIGHT – 5 – 7 p.m. Enjoy comfort food from local chefs as well as local beer, wine, cider, live music, more. Proceeds benefit Otsego2000 & Otsego Outdoors. Cost, $25/adult, $15/child. Cooperstown Farmers Market, 101 Main St., Cooperstown. Call 607-547-8881 or visit www.otsego2000.org
SNOWSHOE WALK – 10:30 a.m.-Noon. Look for signs of life past, present and future with a guide from OCCA. Clark Sports Center, Cooperstown. Call 607-547-4488 or visit occainfo.org/calendar/winter-carnival-snowshoe-walk/
The sledding hill at Lakefront Park is packed as Cooperstown Winter Carnival fun shifts there this afternoon. Matthew Perrino, Max Koffer and Brenin Dempsey, top photo, join the fun; also available for sledding are large, inflatable sleds, with a giant Duck able to carry five kids at a time. At right, Owen Nolan, 9, tries out sugar on ice as Farmers’ Museum docent Pat MacGregor advises. Owen’s mom Stephanie and brother Aidan look on. There are also pony rides and wagon rides. The activities at Lakefront culminate with fireworks at 6, but bands and fun are planning throughout downtown this evening. (Jim Kevlin/AllOTSEGO.com)
Village Fire Chief Jim Tallman’s grandkids dipped their toes in the water this morning at the Cooperstown Fire Department “Heroes” Open House at the fire hall on Chestnut Street this morning, part of the 26th annual Cooperstown Winter Carnival. Visiting from the Albany area, Chief Tallman’s daughter-in-law Allison brought Claire, 4, and Nolan, 20 months, to witness firefighting demonstrations and other activities. The state police had a contingent, and the dean of the EMS squad, Fred Lemister, was demonstrating the Autopulse, a new apparatus that allows CPR to be administered automatically in the ambulance en route to the emergency room. How often has it been used? “Too often,” Lemister replied with his characteristic dry wit. (Jim Kevlin /AllOTSEGO.com)
A determined Alexander Kahn (108) led runners off the starting line at this morning’s Bob Smullens 5K Run, part of the 26th annual Cooperstown Winter Carnival. But it was Christian Hill’s Frank Wilsey (116), in red top, who crossed the finish line minutes ahead of the second-place winner. In this day where there’s a 5K or more every weekend, Clark Sports Center Special Events Coordinator Doug McCoy, the official at today’s race, noted the Bob Smullens, under various names, is Cooperstown’s oldest 5K. (Jim Kevlin/AllOTSEGO.com)
For the 25th year, Cooperstown’s Dick Sliter pours broccoli and cheddar chowder at the Soup ‘r’ Chili celebration underway until 2 at Cooperstown Baptist Church, Elm Street. Sliter, a local businessman who has also acted as interim pastor for the local Baptists, first began ladeling at the event in 1993. The chowder, he said, contains 8 pounds of broccoli and 8 pounds of potatoes. The luncheon is the traditional start of the Cooperstown Winter Carnival, which has events planned throughout the weekend. Soup ‘r’ Chili will also be served 11 a.m-2 p.m. Saturday at the Baptist Church. (Jim Kevlin/AllOTSEGO.com)
CHILDREN’S FREE THROW – 3-4 p.m. Elementary Free Throw contest for the Winter Carnival. Clark Sports Center, Cooperstown. Call 607-547-2800 or visit www.facebook.com/clarksportscenter
FAMILY COOKING – 5:30 – 8:30 p.m. Learn to cook “Valentine Desserts” with Executive Chef Jim Perillo. Cost $99/adult + 1 child. Includes all materials. The Otesaga, Cooperstown. Call 607-547-9931 or visit www.otesaga.com
If you hustle down to the Cooperstown Farmers’ Market – right now! – you still may help judge the best chicken wings in Baseball’s Mecca. The competition, a perennial hit at the Cooperstown Winter Carnival, which winds up today, continues until 4:30 p.m. Serving the wings are, from left, Josh McMahon, Georgia Hren-Saphier, Claire Kepner, John Saphier and Shirley Tyler. In right photo, Parker Davidson, 7 months, on mom Marassa’s lap, seems in awe of a new delicacy. (Jim Kevlin/AllOTSEGO.com)
For a 23rd year, Dick Sliter is stirring the pot at the Soup & Chili Luncheon underway until 2 p.m. at the Cooperstown Baptist Church on Elm Street. The event launches the second weekend of the 50th Anniversary Winter Carnival. In the background, Marge Schellhammer is sorting desserts. Sliter just finished a stint as the church’s interim pastor with the arrival of the Rev. Joseph Perdue, who succeeded Rev. Douglas Deer, who retired in 2014. (Jim Kevlin/AllOTSEGO.com)
The Doubleday Cafe’s Tim Searles, above, prepares specialty grilled-cheese sandwiches made with goat cheese and elderberry jam at Grilled Cheese For A Good Cause at the Cooperstown Farmer’s Market Sunday evening; the Otsego 2000 fundraiser wrapped up the 51st annual Cooperstown Winter Carnival. Behind him Jim Hoffmann, Cooperstown, gets a bowl of soup from volunteer Susanna Membrino . The event featured live music, ice cream and of course, grilled cheese made special by many area eateries. In inset photo, Winter Carnival Committee chairman Rich McCaffery, right, congratulates Katie Marvel of Oneonta and her boyfriend, John Janitz, Jr. of Fly Creek, on receiving a $500 check for finding this year’s Winter Carnival medallion at Council Rock. The presentation was made at Cooperstown Distillery; the medallion hunt is sponsored by The Freeman’s Journal & Hometown Oneonta. The couple plans on going out to a nice dinner to celebrate. (Ian Austin/AllOTSEGO.com)
