Posts From: July 2015

Sauerkraut beer makes debut at Phelps Sauerkraut Weekend

Jul. 28, 2015

When you open up a craft brewery in the sauerkraut capital of the world, at some point, the local sauerkraut cheerleading squad will come knocking at your door. That is exactly what happened to Mike Darling last year, just two weeks before the annual Phelps Sauerkraut Weekend. This year's festival of fermented cabbage runs Friday, July 31 through Sunday, Aug. 2 in various locations in downtown Phelps. Mike is the head brewmaster, keg washer and CMO (Chief Mop Operator) of Crafty Ales & Lagers, a nano-brewery that opened in 2013…

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Phelps Sauerkraut Weekend starts Friday

Jul. 28, 2015

Unique festivals in the Finger Lakes? Yes, indeed! This weekend, venture to Phelps, in Ontario County, for the one and only Phelps Sauerkraut Weekend…

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The Finger Lakes were made for bicycles!

Jul. 25, 2015

This spring when I found out I would be working for Finger Lakes Visitors Connection, the official tourism promotion agency for Ontario County, I wanted to be able to see my county in a new way, a way that visitors see it, with fresh eyes, curiosity, and admiration. So I created a challenge for myself. To explore all of Ontario County by bicycle. And by that, I mean riding every single street, alley, road and avenue on my bike. I started the project in late April and will probably take two or three years to complete…

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Family Fun Day takes center stage at Sonnenberg this Sunday

By Valerie Knoblauch on Jul. 23, 2015

Gardens are a special treat around the Finger Lakes in the summer (and fall and spring). The neat thing about gardens is that the experience can change based on the company you keep. There’s a different mood and mission when you stroll a garden solo or as a hand-in-hand walk under the moonlight, or as a family on a nature adventure.  Sonnenberg Gardens and Mansion State Historic Park in Canandaigua has gardens for all these walks of life…

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Dance & Music Festival celebrates Native American traditions

Jul. 21, 2015

“Preserving a past. Providing a future.” That is the slogan of the Ganondagan State Historic Site. More than 300 years ago, Ganondagan was the site of a flourishing, vibrant Seneca community. Though the original community was destroyed by the French in 1687, today there are countless numbers of people working hard to preserve the culture and history of a nation that played a vital role in the region’s history…

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Ontario County Fair has something for everyone

Jul. 17, 2015

There is nothing that captures the spirit of a place quite the way a county fair can do. A warm and sunny summer day, the smell of fried dough and fair foods lingering in the air while kids dart excitedly from ride to ride, all playing out to the symphony of sounds from people conversing over classic cars and prized animals. It’s easy to blissfully lose oneself just taking in all there is to experience. Annual county fairs are among one of the oldest New York State traditions. Originally a place where people would gather to exhibit their livestock and show off their agricultural achievements, county fairs have since expanded to include not only these events but also everything from games and rides to food and shows…

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Backstage at Hill Cumorah Pageant is a kick!

Jul. 10, 2015

The green drumlins along the northern border of Ontario County are pretty and quiet. But for seven nights each summer, one hill in particular becomes the epicenter of a 77-year-old theater tradition that draws hundreds to a multi-level complex of 10 stages and thousands to the seats below…

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It’s three beautiful days in the NEIGH-borhood!

Jul. 07, 2015

In a private, secluded area off Townline and Murray Roads in Victor, Ontario County lies 100 magnificent acres of privately owned land. For 362 days a year, it is a quiet residential area. But for three days every year since 1990, this “NEIGH-borhood” transforms into an equestrian competitor’s paradise—and spectators can witness the entire competition from just feet away…

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Group tour expert reflects on her visit to the Finger Lakes

Jul. 06, 2015

In May of this year, our tourism office had the opportunity to host the Midwest Travel Writers Association’s (MTWA) annual spring conference. they stayed at The Inn on the Lake in Canandaigua.  We hosted 61 travel writers, photojournalists and industry suppliers for a four-night/five-day itinerary.  MTWA active members are writers, editors or contributors actively engaged in producing travel-related content for newspapers, magazines, web or specialty publications.  MTWA associate members are public relations professionals working in the field of travel and tourism.  We have hosted many travel writers in the past but this was our first time with an organized group of this size. What an adventure it was sharing the Finger Lakes with them…

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