Legend of the GathersCorning, NY — Nowhere else in the world will you find this story. 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, this annual multi-day celebration takes place each October culminating on Halloween. This year’s festivities run from October 20th through October 31st throughout Corning’s Gaffer District and includes guided historic tours, themed farm markets, live music, a libations crawl, live demonstrations, horse and wagon rides, a circus juggler, meet the artist book talk, Cemetery Tours, Ghost Hunt and more. 

The Days of Incandescence is inspired by a very real historic event set in 1880 Corning when Thomas Edison sent someone from his company to Corning Flint Glass Works to see if they could make the special glass envelopes required for his incandescent lamps. Ordinary window glass wouldn’t do. What no one expected, however, was the role a mysterious young shop boy would play in blowing the first glass bubble. Now, every October, Corning celebrates light, glass, and the magic that surrounds us.

We published a supernatural fictional picture book, The Legend of the Gathers: Protectors of the Light to tell the story and we created some fun events inspired by that story and Corning’s unique history.

This Year’s 12-Day Celebration will feature:

  • Themed Farmer’s Markets
    October 20th and October 27th
    Everyone is encouraged to come in costume, a period piece from 1880 is even better

*newsies will be handing out the special commemorative 1880 newspaper

  • Live Music
    October 20th - SILVER LINING
    (offering . . . tunes) from 10:00am-1:00pm at Farm Market in Riverfront Park

    October 27th - Pat Kane Duo
    (playing . . . music) from 10:00am-1:00pm at Farm Market in Riverfront Park
  • Guided Historic Walking Tours
         (explore Corning’s Gaffer District on a special tour led by residents from 1880’s Corning)
    Tour Dates - October 21st, 22nd, 23rd, 28th, 29th
    7pm (tour begins and ends in Centerway Square)

    *additional tours at 3pm will take place on October 22nd and 29th
    **must register in advance, limited spots available
  • Archibald’s Libation Crawl
    Thursday, October 27th
    5-9pm
    Adult-Friendly Event
    Costumes Encouraged
    Pick Up Commemorate Glass
    12 Stops in Gaffer District
    Local Beer and Wine Samples
    Listen to Tales from 1880 Corning Residents
    Solve the Clues for Chance to Win a Prize

Engage with sundry characters from Corning’s past, as local actors bring a bit of 1880 
Corning to life with fun facts and more while you sample local wine and craft beverages 
at various locations throughout the Historic Gaffer District. Solve clues for a chance to 
win a prize.

          *must register in advance, get tickets here: 
           https://exploresteuben.ticketleap.com/archibalds-libations-crawl-2022/ 

  • The Art of the Cemetery Tour
    Friday, October 28th
    5:30-8:00pm
    Guests Board Bus at Heritage Village at 5:30pm
    Limited Number of Seats
    Private Tour of Local Cemeteries
    Explore History and Symbolism Behind Gravestone Art
    Tour Ends with tasting of locally crafted adult beverages (hard cider, wine) and Lively Discussion of the History of the Tavern in Historic 1796 Benjamin Patterson Inn

Guests should feel comfortable standing and walking short distances on uneven ground to join this tour and are encouraged to bring their own lanterns and flashlights, as it will get darker as the tour progresses.

Preregistration is required and tickets cost $10 per seat. Make reservations as soon as possible, due to limited space on mini bus. You can register at earts.com or here.

  • All Hallows Event
    Heritage Village of the Southern Finger Lakes
    12-4pm
    Saturday, October 29th
    FREE Admission

1-day event centered around the supernatural tale The Legend of the Gathers inspired by the mysterious boy who blew the first glass bulb and phantom folk who, legend has it, arrive each October to help get light out into the world. The story was made into a beautifully illustrated picture book (available for purchase at Heritage Village, Card Carrying Books, The Corning Museum of Glass and Finger Lakes Unique).

  • Meet the Artists (meet the illustrator and author of the picture book The Legend of the
  • Gathers: Protectors of the Light which tells the tale of that mysterious boy and phantom
  • folk called The Gathers who arrive each October in Corning to help share the light)
  • Craft Beer Tastings with Liquid Shoes Brewing (Incandescence Stout)
  • Pumpkin Painting (free activity)
  • Farm Fresh Apples and Cider (free samples)
  • Hearth Cooking Demonstrations (costumed docents cooking on the hearth)
  • Spinning Demonstrations (costumed docents use spinning wheel in one-room log cabin)
  • Blacksmithing Demonstrations (costumed docents work the anvil in blacksmith shop)
  • Live Music
  • Awaken the Spirits: Special Behind the Scenes Ghost Hunt 
               (led by experts from the Paranormal Society of the Twin Tiers, you can use their
               equipment or bring your own for this special behind-the-scenes Halloween three
               hour search for signs of spirits)
    7-10pm
    Heritage Village of the Southern Finger Lakes
         *must register in advance, get tickets here:
         https://awaken-the-spirits-ghost-hunt-109729.square.site/shop/ghost-hunt/4
     
  • Horse & Wagon Rides
    Rides Leave Centerway Square in Front of Old World Café
    1:00pm-5:00pm
    Saturday, October 29th
    Experience Corning from the Back of a Wagon
         Small Fee
  • The Days of Incandescence Celebration
    Riverfront Park and Centerway Square
    12-4pm
    Saturday, October 29th

    Horse and Wagon Rides (will run 1-5pm)
         Rides depart from Centerway Square in Front of Old World Café
    Live Music - 4:00pm-5:30pm - Chicken String Wing Band at Market in Riverfront Park
    6:00pm-7:30pm - Pat Kane Duo at Market in Riverfront Park
    Live Juggling - 6:30-7:30pm at The Fountain
         Nate the Great (Ithaca Circus Performer Juggling Sundry Items Including Fire)
    Market Vendors
    Craft Beverage Libations
    Food
    Jack-o-Lantern Contest  - 5:00pm
    The community is invited to carve jack-o-lanterns at home, bring them to the park where they will be illuminated helping make Corning GLOWand sharing the light. There will be judging and prizes, then folks can take their jack-o-lanterns home to have for Halloween. 
  • Awaken The Spirits Ghost Hunt
    Not Too Spooky
    October 29th
    7-9pm
    Special 3-Hour Halloween Ghost Hunt
    Engage With The Other Side
    Investigators from Paranormal Association of the Southern Tier (P.A.S.T.) will lead Hunt
         Must Register In Advance:
         https://awaken-the-spirits-ghost-hunt-109729.square.site/shop/ghost-hunt/4

When Edison reached out to Corning Flint Glass Works after getting patents for his incandescent lamp, he was looking to the small town glass factory to not just produce the special heat resistant glass, but needed it’s skilled glassblowers to create blown bulbs “free hand” or without using a mold. It was an arduous task, one that took gaffer James Lear and his crew all day to complete 165 bulbs that were satisfactory to Edison’s representative. But only after Lear had been unsuccessful, and a mysterious shop boy blew that first bubble. 

To learn more about the real boy, the actual historic event, the beautifully illustrated picture book story which is available to purchase, and the full list of events, visit DaysOfIncandescence.com.

Guided Historic Tour Guides from 1880s Corning

Here are a couple images (with photo credit listed if needed):
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/is9uwn4t4ysohrt/AABVKSemcLXQsY-miy8OKGawa?dl=0

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Corning and the Southern Finger Lakes (aka Steuben County Conference & Visitors Bureau) was established in 1994. As Steuben County’s official tourism marketing agency, our mission is to stimulate the tourism economy through authentic storytelling, supporting & developing destination amenities, and connecting visitors to the Southern Finger Lakes. Steuben County is home to the World’s Most Beautiful Wine Region (Budget Travel), America’s Coolest Small Town: Hammondsport (Budget Travel), and one of the Most Fun Small Towns: Corning (Rand McNally). It has also been recognized as a top value destination (ShermansTravel).  

 Contact:

Dave DeGolyer, Communications Manager

Explore Steuben

1 West Market Street, Suite 201
(607) 426-5371 (cell)
ExploreSteuben.com