GOODBYE BINGO—6 p.m. Say goodbye to 2022 with your friends and a fun game of Bingo. Spend a couple of hours with your friends and win prizes, bid on the gift basket, and enter the 50/50 raffle. Proceeds of the night go to support the Superheroes Humane Society. Minimum purchase of $10 to play. Roots Brewing Company, 175 Main Street, Oneonta. (607) 435-0035 or visit facebook.com/superheroeshs
SNOW TUBING—11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Weather permitting, Glimmerglass State Park will be open for snow tubing on the hill. Admission is $5/person. Snow tubes are provided; there is a warming hut with snacks and hot chocolate available for purchase. Check the Facebook page or call the park office to confirm the slope is open. Glimmerglass State Park, 1527 County Highway 31, Cooperstown. (607) 547-8662 or visit facebook.com/GlimmerglassStatePark/
BLOOD DRIVE—8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Save up to three lives with the American Red Cross. Elm Park Methodist Church, 401 Chestnut Street, Oneonta. Register at redcrossblood.org
SUNDAY SPEAKER—3 p.m. The Friends of the Village Library present “Community Voices: Our Immigrant Stories,” in which a panel of local and regional neighbors tell their recent and not-so-recent stories of immigration experiences. Upstairs Ballroom, Village Library of Cooperstown. (607) 547-8344 or visit facebook.com/VillageLibraryOfCooperstown/
ZUMBA-A-THON—10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Dress up as your favorite superhero and join the instructors for a fun Zumba session where all the proceeds go to the American Cancer Society to help stomp out cancer. Tickets, $10/person. Includes giveaways, fun and fitness. Laurens Central School, Multi-purpose Room, 55 Main Street, Laurens. Visit facebook.com/TheOtsegoCountyChamber/
FIRST DAY HIKE—9 a.m. to noon. Start the new year right with a guided hike around a beautiful lake, then warm up by the fire at Briggs Pavilion. Gilbert Lake State Park, 18 CCC Road, Laurens. (607) 432-2114 or visit otsegooutdoors.org/event/first-day-hike-at-gilbert-lake-state-park-2/
FIRST DAY HIKE—10 a.m. to 5 p.m. First day of 2023, enjoy a self-guided hike through the woods and on the shoreline of Otsego Lake. First 100 hikers will receive a First Day Hike giveaway. Please wear appropriate clothing and footwear for trail conditions this winter. Glimmerglass State Park, 1527 County Highway 31, Cooperstown. (607) 547 8662 or visit otsegooutdoors.org/event/first-day-hike-at-glimmerglass-state-park-3/
The summer of 2022 will be remembered as the year our beloved Lake Otsego first suffered a Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB).
The conditions which allow a HAB to occur are known. This column reviews Village of Cooperstown public beaches, boat launch sites and most importantly, Village drinking water.
The SUNY Oneonta Biological Field Station (BFS) has monitored lake conditions for decades. This summer, when Glimmerglass State Park first noted an algae bloom on July 27 and closed, BFS began twice weekly testing at locations around the lake. The results of those tests are on their website — suny.oneonta.edu/biological-field-station.
A kayak sits ready to launch from Brookwood Point on Otsego Lake.
As summer winds down and autumn approaches, there is perhaps no better time to get out and enjoy the beauty of Otsego County’s pristine lakes and waterways.
For people who own their own boats, this time of year is generally when they begin to taper down their activity after a long summer of many days on the water, but for those who don’t have a boat of their own it is an excellent time to rent one from one of the local boat rental operations. From fast-moving power boats, to spacious pontoon boats, to kayaks and canoes, numerous local rental opportunities exist.
Otsego Lake, the “jewel in the crown” of county lakes, offers several possibilities.
Relatively clear water at Five Mile Point on Monday, August 22, but with a close look colonies of Microcystis aeruginosa are visible in the water. Total Microcystin concentration was 0.6 µg/L , determined for a sample collected at the time of this photo.
The Biological Field Station (BFS) collected samples for toxin analysis around Otsego Lake yesterday, 22 August 2022. All sites had detectable levels of the toxin microcystin, though concentrations lake-wide were generally less than last week. Results for each location are below. We provide these results for informational purposes and to aid in decision-making; these results represent a snapshot in time. Bloom conditions are known to change rapidly with weather. When there are visible accumulations on the shoreline or the water surface, caution is warranted. A link to DOH guidance is below. The cyanobacteria causing the bloom is called Microcystis aeruginosa.
Sample Collection Notes: Collection began at 10:00am at Three Mile Point; we proceeded clockwise around the lake. Weather conditions: overcast, occasional light rain, Air temp 70° F. No surface accumulations were visible where samples were collected. Small accumulations were observed in protected areas around boats and docks at both BFS properties.
According to Holly Waterfield, CLM SUNY Oneonta Cooperstown Campus Biological Field Station Main Laboratory the Biological Field Station (BFS) collected samples for toxin analysis around Otsego Lake in the last few days. All sites had detectable levels of the toxin microcystin; some much higher than Monday. Results for each location are below. We provide these results for informational purposes and to aid in decision-making; these results represent a snapshot in time. Bloom conditions are known to change rapidly with weather. We have learned that when there are visible accumulations on the shoreline or the water surface, caution is warranted. A link to DOH guidance is below. The cyanobacteria causing the bloom is called Microcystis aeruginosa.
Folk music legends Robin and Linda Williams will return to the area for an evening concert at Hyde Hall on August 20 at 6:30 p.m. They are known internationally for their harmony and songwriting talents. The couple has dedicated their career to making a blend of acoustic bluegrass, folk, and Americana with warm vocal harmonies with a humorous twist with insightful observations.
The husband-and-wife singer-songwriter folk music duo from Virginia met in 1971 and began performing in 1973. They have performed together for more than 40 years and appeared numerous times on film, radio, and at the Grand Ole Opry.
Jonathan Maney, Hyde Hall’s executive director said, “Robin and Linda Williams are world-class folk musicians with 24 personal recordings, thousands of concerts on three continents, a Robert Altman-directed movie, and hundreds of performances on NPR’s A Prairie Home Companion. We are honored to host such amazing artists!”
DRAG SHOW – 7:30 p.m. Hyde Hall presents local drag artists guiding visitors through time to learn about the origins of the estate and the history of the area. Event includes signature cocktails, live music, dancing, and fun. Tickets, $30 general admission. Hyde Hall, 267 Glimmerglass State Park., Cooperstown. 607-547-5098 or visit hydehall.org
OTSEGO COUNTY FAIR – 10 a.m. – 9 p.m. Come enjoy music, rides, food, exhibits, and much more at the Otsego County Fair. Otsego County Fair Grounds, 469 Mill St., Morris. 607-263-5289 or visit www.otsegocountyfair.org
The beach at Glimmerglass State Park has been closed for swimming due to a Harmful Algae Bloom which is affecting the north end of Otsego Lake.
The other local beaches such as 3 Mile Point and Fairy Springs remain open at this time. Jenna Utter, Cooperstown Village Clerk, says “Village Parks remain open at this time and we are monitoring the situation closely.”
SPRINGFIELD PARADE – 11 a.m. One of the oldest 4th of July parades in the country returns from a two-year hiatus. Parade will feature floats, marching bands, equestrian and much more to honor veterans groups, fire departments, and community organizations from all over the region. Will be followed by music, Brooks BBQ, historical displays, a quilt show, raffles, and much more at the Springfield Community Center and then a concert at 7:30 at Glimmerglass State Park, followed by fireworks. Parade will proceed down Rt 20 and Rt 80 to The Springfield Community Center, 129 Co. Hwy. 29A, Springfield Center. 315-858-0304 or visit www.facebook.com/SpringfieldParade/
HOMETOWN 4TH – 1 p.m. Kick off the 4th of July celebrations with a parade down Main Street Oneonta finishing at Neahwa Park where there will be live music, dance, kids activities, food, arts & crafts, and much more. Continues to 9:30 with Fireworks and then a fireworks afterparty featuring Cosmic Karma Fire Spinners and Hanzolo from 10 – 11 p.m. Neahwa Park, Oneonta. Visit www.hometown4th.com
CONCERT & FIREWORKS – 7:30 p.m. After parades and festivities head down to the beach for an Independence Day concert featuring the Council Rock Band. Followed by Fireworks at dusk. Glimmerglass State Park, 1527 Co. Rd., 31, Cooperstown. Visit www.facebook.com/SpringfieldParade
Hyde Hall, at Glimmerglass State Park, hits the ground running with the “Hyde Hall and Glimmerglass State Park Block Party and Opening Day” from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. on Saturday, May 28. The history-filled mansion invites the community for a day of crafts, food, animals and music to kick off an exciting 2022 season, and the park will have camp safety programs, a band on the beach, birdhouse building and a bird hike/tour.
“I think you’ll see a lot of changes at Hyde Hall this year,” said John Aborn, Marketing Manager. “We’ve got some really great, new innovative events planned throughout the year.”
The Hall’s board of directors adopted a new, condensed mission statement: Preserve and share Hyde Hall; promote research, and develop inclusive educational programs and events that help diverse audiences to explore, understand, and appreciate history.
“We’ve been able to introduce a number of programs this season that are going to allow us to keep to our new mission,” Mr. Aborn said.
THEATER – 3 p.m. First released in the 2022 NEXT! Staged Readings of New Works by Regional Playwrights series is ‘Cards and Spinners’ by Dan Smirlock, directed by Lissa Sidoli chronicling 4 nights of friends coming together to laugh, tell stories and air grievances before, during, and after the pandemic. Streaming free on Facebook. Presented by The Fenimore Art Museum, Cooperstown. 607-547-1400 or visit www.facebook.com/GlimmerGlobeTheatre/
Hyde Hall, at Glimmerglass State Park, hits the ground running with the “Hyde Hall and Glimmerglass State Park Block Party and Opening Day” from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. on Saturday, May 28. The history-filled mansion invites the community for a day of crafts, food, animals and music to kick off an exciting 2022 season, and the park will have camp safety programs, a band on the beach, birdhouse building and a bird hike/tour.