NEWSLETTER
Corning, N.Y. — By 1880, Thomas Edison had named Corning Glass Works as the sole provider of glass for his incandescent lamps. In November of that year, Corning sent over 300 dozen handblown bulb blanks to Edison and, in that first year, the small glass company made over 3,500 bulbs/blanks for the inventor. All these years later, Corning celebrates light, glass, and the magic that surrounds us during the annual October event The Days of Incandescence which is inspired by the role Corning Glass Works played in creating the essential glass envelopes for Edison’s incandescent lamps and a mysterious shop boy who blew the first glass bubble that would change the course of history for the small town of Corning and for the world. This year’s multi-day event runs October 23rd - October 25th in 2025.
Nowhere else in the world will you find the family-friendly spookiness of Halloween celebrated quite like The Days of Incandescence, a blend of historic fact and supernatural tale that transports you back to the year 1880.
The 3-day event includes Guided Historic Walking Tours (Thursday 10/23, Friday 10/24, and Saturday 10/25) where actors dressed in 1880’s attire lead you around town revealing tidbits from the past, a Themed Libations Crawl (Friday 10/24) featuring 12 shops on Historic Market Street with local wineries, breweries and distilleries offering delicious tastings. On Saturday, October 25th, the Days of Incandescence Celebration event in Riverfront Centennial Park from 4-8pm is an old-time festival featuring live folk music, horse and wagon rides, blacksmithing demos, juggling, artisan and food vendors, a magician, storytelling, a headless horseman. There will also be actors in period costumes overseeing vintage games and portraying characters from Corning’s history.
New this year is a special “Dance of the Gathers” on Saturday evening by dancers from Stage Door Performing Arts Center. This year’s Celebration event will also feature the return of 2023 Guinness World Record Holder and Winner of Food Network's Outrageous Pumpkins, pumpkin carver extraordinaire, Eric Jones doing live pumpkin carving in Centerway Square from 2:30-6:30pm (10/25).
Offerings Over the Three Days:
Thursday (10/23) Actor-led Guided Walking Tours
Cemetery Tour (facilitated by the ARTS Council)
Friday (10/24) Actor-led Guided Walking Tours
Archibald’s Libations Crawl
(tastings and sell bites at 12 stops, 12 local beverage producers)
Saturday (10/25) World-Record Pumpkin Carver Eric Jones Carving Live 2:30-6:30pm
Horse & Wagon Rides 3-7pm (small fee)
Days of Incandescence Celebration 4-8pm
Juggler
Magician
Food
Artisan Vendors
Blacksmith Demonstration
Storyteller
Face Painting
Folk Music
Headless Horseman (5-7pm)
More . . .
Although historic accounts differ, some claiming Corning made the first glass bubbles for Edison in 1879 while others suggest it may have been 1880, they agree that by 1880 Corning was the sole supplier for Edison’s glass containers. Although it may have seemed like just another job for the glass factory at the time, it became a transitional moment in the company’s focus and trajectory opening the door for applications of such a versatile material in the fields of science and technology. This special October celebration is a nod to that integral moment in the company's and the town’s story, as well as a fun way to embrace the supernatural elements of Halloween.
Explore Steuben is encouraging attendees to come in costume and to “share the light” (by extending kindness to others or sharing messages of positivity). Learn more and find links to get your tickets to the Libations Crawl and the Guided Walking Tours (limited # available) at DaysOfIncandescence.com.
In 2024, Days of Incandescence was named one of the "Best October Events in New York State" (TravelPulse). And in 2025, Time Out named the event one of the "Best Halloween Events in the U.S."
*photos available upon request
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