Blog
Holiday Open House at Johnson Hall
In conjunction with the City of Johnstown’s Colonial Stroll holiday activities, Johnson Hall State Historic Site will hold an Open House on Friday, December 6 from 5pm to 8:30pm.
Johnson Hall’s first floor will be decorated for the holiday season, where music of the 18th century will be performed by Ron Burch and Olof Jansson, members of Liaison Plaisantes. Refreshments will be offered in the historic butler’s pantry. The museum shop will offer 25% off for holiday shopping that evening. Horse-drawn wagon rides of the mansion’s south lawn will be available to visitors between 6pm and 8pm.
In addition, between 6pm and 8:30pm, a shuttle van will loop between Johnson Hall and a shuttle stop on Main Street in front of the park.
The evening’s event is free and open to the public. Donations will be gratefully accepted and will be earmarked for the continued restoration of Sir William’s bedchamber.
Johnson Hall’s Open House is part of the area’s Heritage Holidays in the Mohawk Valley, a collaboration of holiday celebrations taking place three weekends at eight local historic sites. Pick up a passport, visit at least three of the sites and be entered into a drawing for a gift basket.
This year’s event is co-sponsored by Johnson Hall, the Friends of Johnson Hall, Johnstown Historical Society, and Goderie’s Tree Farm.
Johnson Hall State Historic Site is located at 139 Hall Avenue in historic Johnstown, just off West State Street (State Highway 29 West). For more information, visit www.nysparks.com or www.friendsofjohnsonhall.org, or email darlene.rogers@parks.ny.gov to be placed on the Site’s emailing list.
Sports Card Show set for Johnstown
The 23rd Annual Thanksgiving Eve Sports Card & Sports Memorabilia Show will take place on Wednesday November 27th (5pm-10pm) at the Johnstown Moose Club, 109 South Comrie Avenue (Route 30A) in Johnstown. The show will feature 60 Dealer Tables full of Sports Cards & related Sports Memorabilia from Baseball, Football, Basketball, Hockey and NASCAR from the late 1800’s up to the 2014 Releases. Single cards, sets, autographed items and collector supplies will be available. Admission to the event is $2 and will automatically enter you for free drawings of Sports Memorabilia and 20lb Turkeys throughout the night. Also, the Twin Cities Autograph Raffle will be taking place featuring numerous items signed by sports stars & hall of famers, with the Grand Prize being an autographed Ted Williams Lithograph. For more information, visit the event website at www.tcsportspromotions.com or contact Mike Hauser at 518-725-5565.
Lapland Lake Nordic Vacation Center’s Annual Open House
Lapland Lake Nordic Vacation Center will host its two-day annual Open House Saturday and Sunday, November 23 and 24 from 9:00am – 4:30pm each day. Visitors are invited to tour the Finnish-style four-season vacation center which is celebrating its 35th anniversary year.
Open House is free of charge to all. Facility use fees will be half-price both days for those wishing to ski, snowshoe, tube and ice skate (conditions permitting). If there is no snow, visitors are welcome to enjoy complimentary hiking on the resort’s 50km trail system.
Visitors may enter a door prize drawing for a choice of any pair of new skis in stock OR a 2013-14 Season Pass Membership. If the individual whose name is drawn has already purchased their 2013-14 Membership, his or her purchase price will be refunded.
During the two-day Open House all new cross country ski and snowshoe equipment will be discounted 30%. Rental ski packages will be available for purchase from $125.00 for juniors and from $175.00 for adults. Season-long equipment rentals ($75 – $180 plus deposit) will be available as well. Lapland Lake’s operator, former US Olympian Olavi Hirvonen, will assist with proper equipment selection and sizing.
Spencer Morrissey, author of the newly published book, Adirondack Skier, a guide to some of the best trails in the Adirondack Park for cross country skiing, will be at the resort’s Finnish Line Lodge Saturday from 11am – 3pm to meet with customers and sign books.
Lapland Lake Season Pass Memberships will be available at normally reduced early-season rates; regular season pass rates go into effect Saturday, December 1st. For the sixth consecutive year all children ages 17 and under will receive free memberships when at least one of their parents purchases a 2013-14 Lapland Lake Season Pass Membership!
Attendees may visit with Lapland Lake’s reindeer at his lakeside home and enjoy complimentary cookies, hot chocolate, coffee and tea at the resort’s Tuulen Tupa Grill.
Lapland Lake has been the recipient of numerous awards and honors including the Adirondack Regional Tourism Council’s Private Sector Tourism Partnership Award; Best XC Ski Resort in the Mid Atlantic Region and Best XC Ski Resort for Families, Best XC Ski Resort Poll; Top Ten XC Ski Resort Catering to Families, xc ski resorts.com and Fulton County’s Tourism Partner Award.
A complete cross country ski and snowshoe facility, Lapland Lake offers fully equipped rental and retail shops, a comfortable warming lodge with snack bar, a trailside restaurant and overnight accommodations in private housekeeping cottages. The trail system has 50km of trails for all ability levels. 38km are marked, mapped and snowcat groomed with trackset and skating lanes; 12km are ungroomed, marked, mapped snowshoe trails. Cross country ski lessons are offered daily by the resort’s staff of PSIA-certified instructors. Other activities include ice-skating, tubing, sledding, kicksledding and wilderness ski touring. A full winter Calendar of Special Events is also offered.
Located in the south-central Adirondacks, Lapland Lake is conveniently located just over an hour’s drive from Schenectady; 60 miles from Albany and Utica; four hours from New York City and Boston. Interested individuals may visit online at www.laplandlake.com or contact Lapland Lake for information at 518.863.4974 or vacation@laplandlake.com.
Fulton County Represented on State Holiday Tree
The Fulton Montgomery Regional Chamber of Commerce announces Fulton County’s participation in “Decorate the Empire State”, the New York State Capitol Holiday Tree.
Gina DaBiere-Gibbs, Director of Tourism for Fulton County, was recently contacted by Curatorial Services in the Empire State Plaza, the department coordinating “Decorate the Empire State”. According to the correspondence she received, “Every year, the New York State Capitol features themed Holiday Trees. This year’s theme is “Decorate the Empire State!” We are reaching out to each New York State county and requesting a donation of holiday ornaments that best represents their county.”
“With the short timeframe we were given, the Tourism Department was able to secure two ornaments to send for inclusion on the State’s Holiday Tree to represent Fulton County,” states DaBiere-Gibbs. “Joyce Teshoney, at the Adirondack Country Store in Northville, generously donated hand painted ornaments by Pam Ackerknecht.”
The Adirondack Country Store regularly stocks these beautiful ornaments along with many other treasures. On December 7, the store will host a Holiday Open House featuring Pam painting and personalizing her ornaments. Mulled cider and Christmas cookies and Holiday specials will also be a part of this annual event.
For more information about Fulton County events visit our calendar.
Fulton County Foliage Report: Week of October 23-29
I LOVE NY started their Fall Foliage Reports on September 11 and will continue until the end of the foliage season, around the first or second week in November. Fulton County will also continue participation in this annual report.
Gloversville week of October 23-29
Fulton County Report for the Week of October 23-29:
Reporting station: Fulton County Tourism Department, Gloversville
Percent of trees predicted to have changed by the coming weekend: 100%
Brilliance: Dull
Predominating colors: Rust, little orange, little yellow
Rating: Past Peak
This week will likely be the last leaf report for Fulton County in 2013. The weather forecast has some rain, possible snow showers, and high temperatures in the 50s and lows in the 20s. It is time to start thinking WINTER!
Of course for winter tourism to be successful and at its finest with 44 Lakes…44 Choices, we need cold temperatures to freeze our lakes for ice fishing and a lot of snow for snowmobiling, skiing, and snowshoeing. Call for a FREE copy of our snowmobile trails map!
1.800.676.3858
‘Fresh’ Look for Upstate Agritourism Launched Today
Central New York agritourism gets a fresh spin with a website and marketing campaign launched today.
Designed to draw tourists and spark economic growth, CNY Fresh invites guests to experience the “Flavors of Central New York” through produce, farms, markets, farm-to-table restaurants and food-related festivals across a 10-county region.
CNYFresh.com provides a definitive listing of agricultural destinations in Broome, Madison, Schoharie, Otsego, Oneida, Herkimer, Chenango, Montgomery, Fulton and Onondaga counties. In addition to its exceptional collection of fresh products, the region is steep in a long history of high-quality agriculture.
Farm experiences, pumpkin patches, orchards, breweries and wineries are among the attractions. CNYFresh.com also highlights hundreds of events happening across Central New York, including farmers markets and festivals. The website features a “Find Fresh” map that allows travelers to explore Central New York by county and plan their trip.
“This campaign will positively impact local and state sales tax revenue as well as occupancy tax receipts collected throughout the participating counties,” said Kelly Blazosky, president of Oneida County Tourism and chair of the Central New York Vacation Region. “This increases the overall economic impact of agriculture and tourism, further sustaining 34,090 tourism jobs and 17,754 agriculture jobs across the 10 counties.”
Syracuse-based ABC Creative Group created CNYFresh.com and will handle all advertising and promotion of the initiative made possible by a CFA grant received by Oneida County Tourism from Empire State Development, Division of Tourism.
Fulton County Foliage Report: Week of October 16-22
I LOVE NY started their Fall Foliage Reports on September 11 and will continue until the end of the foliage season, around the first or second week in November. Fulton County will also continue participation in this annual report.
Gloversville week of October 16-22
Fulton County Report for the Week of October 16-22:
Reporting station: Fulton County Tourism Department, Gloversville
Percent of trees predicted to have changed by the coming weekend: 100%
Brilliance: Average to Dull
Predominating colors: Orange, yellow, rust (many leaves have fallen)
Rating: Past Peak
The leaves are starting to lose their bright colors. While some orange and yellow remain, the color has changed to rust and is becoming dull. Many leaves have fallen and cover lawns and paths making for picturesque autumn scenery.
The temperatures have been mild this fall and the forecast looks promising for another beautiful weekend. Halloween events and harvest festivals highlight the upcoming weekends. Visit our calendar to learn more about all of the exciting happenings in Fulton County.
1.800.676.3858
Fulton County Foliage Report: Week of October 9-15
I LOVE NY started their Fall Foliage Reports on September 11 and will continue until the end of the foliage season, around the first or second week in November. Fulton County will also continue participation in this annual report.
Northville week of October 9-15
Fulton County Report for the Week of October 9-15:
Reporting station: Fulton County Tourism Department, Gloversville
Percent of trees predicted to have changed by the coming weekend: 90-100%
Brilliance: Average to Bright
Predominating colors: Red, orange, yellow, still some green
Rating: Peak to Past Peak
The Southern Adirondacks of Fulton County are splashed with an array of reds, yellow, and oranges. In the lower elevations many highlights of green are still visible. But the leaves continue to change each day. The forecast for the remainder of the week through the weekend is sunny making for the best light to see the vibrant colors of autumn.
As I have mentioned before, many trees are shedding their leaves lining roads, walkways, and yards with fallen leaves and pine needles. I believe this weekend will be the last chance to see the picturesque fall foliage if you have not done so already.
Visit our calendar for more fun in Fulton County!
1.800.676.3858
Fulton County Foliage Report: Week of October 2-8
I LOVE NY started their Fall Foliage Reports on September 11 and will continue until the end of the foliage season, around the first or second week in November. Fulton County will also continue participation in this annual report.
Rogers Family Orchards, Johnstown week of October 2-8
Fulton County Report for the Week of October 2-8:
Reporting station: Fulton County Tourism Department, Gloversville
Percent of trees predicted to have changed by the coming weekend: 75-90%
Brilliance: Average to Bright
Predominating colors: Red, orange, yellow, still some green
Rating: Near Peak to Peak
We had some rain and the leaves continue to fall; this weekend may be your last chance for optimal leaf peeping. If the weather is clear within the next few days, take advantage of it and get out to see the foliage! The colors are beautiful and near peak or at peak in some areas. The forecast is not promising for early next week and the leaves may not make it until Columbus Day weekend.
Here is a reminder of the most popular fall foliage routes in Fulton County as voted on by visitors at our Visitor Center in Vail Mills:
- The most popular drive is Rt. 29A West/Rt. 10 North through the Caroga Lake, Pine Lake area, and 29A west through the Town of Stratford.
- The second most popular scenic drive is Rt. 30 North through Northville around the Great Sacandaga Lake and then south down Lakeview Road through the Town of Broadalbin.
- The third favorite starts on Rt. 334 and runs South through the community of Sammonsville.
FREE Harvest Tour, Route 29A Chain of Lakes, and Great Sacandaga Lake informational maps are available.
1.800.676.3858
Johnson Hall Lecture Series Concludes October 5
Johnson Hall State Historic Site’s 250th Anniversary Lecture Series, marking the building of the historic Johnson Hall estate, concludes on Saturday, October 5. Through October, on the first Saturday of each month, lectures that focus on the period surrounding the 1763 building of the home have been held at Johnson Hall.
Due to continued historic restoration on the mansion’s back entrance, the October 5 lecture will be held in the East Stonehouse, beginning at 11am, where seating will be limited. Refreshments will be available following the lecture. Regular public tours will be available after 1:00pm.
On Saturday, October 5, Judy Anderson will present “Georgian Opulence – in the Wilderness, above the Hudson, and on the Seacoast”. Anderson will explore the architecture and interior of Johnson Hall in relation to Schuyler Mansion, the van Rensselaer Manor House and the Jeremiah Lee Mansion, focusing in particular on the textiles, wall coverings and decorative finishes that would have embellished these 18th century houses, including bold and exuberant block-printed and hand-painted mural papers wallpapers. Those rare and striking wall coverings would have created some of the most opulent interiors of their era.
Signed copies of Anderson’s Glorious Splendor: The 18th Century Wallpapers in the Jeremiah Lee Mansion will be available for purchase following the lecture.
Judy Anderson is a social, cultural and architectural historian and lecturer who served as curator at the Jeremiah Lee Mansion in Marblehead, MA, as well as at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston and at Los Angeles-area art museums. She has lectured widely on the Lee Mansion, Marblehead architecture, and early American furniture and decorative arts, and taught a community architecture course. She writes and conducts architectural walking tours of Marblehead, which retains more than two-thirds of nearly 550 houses that stood at the time of the Revolution, developed an audio walking tour, and is currently planning an educational architecture website for the town.
Johnson Hall will close for the 2013 season on Sunday, October 13. For more information on Johnson Hall, contact (518) 762 – 8712, visit the Site’s Facebook page, or visit www.nysparks.com.