COMMUNITY DAY – 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. Meet the Middlefield Community and find food, crafts, art work and much more. There will be an auction featuring items donated by local crafters to support the Middlefield Historical Association and there will also be yard sales throughout the day. Free, open to the public, family friendly. District #1 Schoolhouse, Co. Rd. 35, Middlefield. Visit www.middlefieldhistorical.org/events-calendar
FIRST RESPONDERS – 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Public is invited to come meet the local first responders. Will include members of the local fire department, police, and emergency services. LifeNet will be doing a flyover at 11 a.m. and K9 units will be doing demonstrations throughout the event. Lake Front Park, Cooperstown. Visit www.facebook.com/otsegonyfirewire/
Come down to the park and make art with (mostly) natural materials. These items will be left in the park for others to find and enjoy. Pre-registration required, children must be accompanied by an adult. Come prepared to get messy. Presented by the Oneonta World of Learning. At Fortin Park, 167 Youngs Rd. in Oneonta at 10 and 11:30 a.m., Saturday, July 31. Call 607-431-8543 or visit Oneonta World of Learning on Facebook.
GRAND OPENING – 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Celebrate the opening of the Susquehanna SPCA’s new complex with ribbon cutting (10:45 a.m.) and an open house. Come explore the new facility, meet some cute animals (maybe take one home?) and more. Registration encouraged. Susquehanna SPCA, 5082-5088 St. Hwy. 28, Cooperstown. 607-547-8111 or visit sqspca.org/sqspca-ribbon-cutting-open-house-set-for-july-17/
THEATER – 7 p.m. The Glimmer Globe Theater presents ‘The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged)’ with 3 actors (in tights) performing all 37 of the bards plays. Cost, $15/adult. Fenimore Art Museum, Cooperstown. 607-547-1453 or visit www.fenimoreartmuseum.org
BENEFIT LUNCH – Noon – 2 p.m. Support Cooperstown Food Pantry at Empty Bowls Luncheon. Pick a unique bowl by a local potter to enjoy lunch of soup by local chef. Suggested donation $15. Parish Hall, Christ Church, 69 Fair St., Cooperstown. 607-547-2627 or visit cooperstownfoodpantry.org
HELICOPTER – 5:30 p.m. Army Reserve & NY Army National Guard collaborate with Cooperstown Graduate Program for military exercise featuring UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters landing at Bassett. Public is welcome to observe, tour once the aircraft are shut down. Please follow direction of military personnel to ensure a safe distance from the aircraft while it is in operation. Landing will be near Bassett Helipad, across from Clark Sports Center, Cooperstown.
Jackie Gibson, Worcester, brought members of the Delhi Tech Ukulele Club Lauren Davis, Gina Reinhardt, Elise Raponkus, Melody Riggs and others to help teach children and adults to start playing the instrument at a workshop this afternoon at Oneonta World of Learning. (Ian Austin/AllOTSEGO.com)
CONCERT – 3 p.m. Enjoy mix of American music for ‘Good Ol’ Summertime in Winter’ concert. Beat the winter blues with pieces like Carousel, America The Beautiful, more performed by Oneonta Community Concert Band. FoxCare Center, 1 FoxCare Dr., Oneonta. 607-432-7085.
FOOD FESTIVAL – 3-6 p.m. The 19th Annual Epicurean Food and Wine Tasting features samplings from 30 different restaurants, as well as a silent auction, all to benefit Catskill Area Hospice. $90, reservations required. The Otesaga, Cooperstown. Info, reservations, (607) 432-6773.
Escaping mom Amanda, Ava Wilber, 2, of Oneonta, makes a bee-line for where the action was – painting, painting and more painting – this morning at the annual OWL Paintfest at the Foxcare Center in Oneonta. This year’s theme was The Five Senses, which resulted in a lot of hands-on activity. Inset, Darcie Cooperman’s boys – from left, Emmett, 3, Gabriel, 6, Henry, 8, and Avery, 5 – eyes pop as they pick from a display of chocolate bars. The New Jersey family stopped by Paintfest while visiting grandmom Donna Cooperman, Hobart. The event was organized by Oneonta World of Learning (OWL), with support from Fox Hospital. (Jim Kevlin/AllOTSEGO.com)
IRISH DINNER – 4-7 p.m. The Knights of Columbus Tekakwitha Council 10968 host a corned beef & cabbage dinner with Irish step dancers performing. Free, donations accepted. St. Mary’s Parish Center, 31 Elm St., Cooperstown. Info, (607) 547-8519.
HOT COCOA RUN – 9:30 a.m. Enjoy fall day with 5K run/walk/roll followed by cup of hot cocoa. Benefit for Helping Hands Fund, assisting individuals with developmental disabilities, families meet challenges. Neahwa Park, Oneonta. 607-433-8445 or visit www.arcotsego.org/hot-cocoa-5k-run-walk-roll/
CONCERT – 4 p.m. Cooperstown Summer Music Festival concludes its 20th season with performance by celebrated Ying Quartet featuring works by Haydn, Tchaikovsky, more. Cost, $25/adult. The Otesaga, Cooperstown. 800-838-3006 or visit www.cooperstownmusicfest.org
Oneonta Girl Scout Liv Robinson, above, places a commemorative stone in the center of the Interactive Cancer Memorial & Survivor Garden she and other members of Troop 30132 built at the OWL Nest in Fortin Park. The two-year project includes a stone walkway, an interactive arbor where names of those lost may be written, and a forthcoming “wind phone” booth, where people can send their memories out on the wind. Following the dedication, each girl was presented with the Girl Scouts’ Silver Pin, one of the highest awards. At right, from left, Julia Rissberger, Bailey Roy, Sasha Dudek and Liv Robinson pose for a group photo as they cut a celebratory cake. (Ian Austin/AllOTSEGO.com)
