Genesee Country Village & Museum will be showing off the best of the local harvest scene at this year’s Fall Festival and Agricultural Fair, Saturday and Sunday, October 5 and 6. In the tradition of a classic county fair, the museum will have entertainers, animal demonstrations, and cooking competitions, all in the picturesque Historic Village setting. An additional perk for families, kids ages 17 and under are free all weekend.
On Saturday, local cooks will test their skills over an open fire at the Cast Iron Chef competition. Reigning champion Gary Giusti from Wegmans will try for a fourth win against two formidable new opponents, Eric Smith, owner of Original Stumpblower Ciderworks, and Paul Tweksbury, retired U.S. Navy. Visitors can watch the battle play out while tasting samples of the recipes being created.
There are plenty of entertainment options for families, including perennial favorites Punch and Judy as well as Signora Bella’s 19th century circus act, a magic show, and in the style of P.T. Barnum, the Museum of Oddities. The John L. Wehle Gallery will also be holding one of its popular Gatherings, where curatorial staff give an inside look at the museum’s renowned antique clothing collection, illuminating the threads that connect fashion and culture across time periods.
New this year, Sandi Connelly and Jeff Mills from RIT’s College of Science will give an interactive talk on the history of agriculture, and how it is impacted by technology and science. What role will vegetable-based “meat” play in our future diets? Are GMOs dangerous? Hear the answers to these questions and more at a talk that looks to the past to inform the future.
In addition to enjoying the peak fall foliage, visitors can see antique farm equipment demonstrations, peruse entries in the arts and handiwork competitions, watch sheep herding as well as goat and poultry shows, and cheer on the teams competing for the Mayor’s Cup Base Ball Championship. Local products and companies will be showcased in the Imagine Monroe tent as well as the Market Tent, including local honey, ironworks from Spangler Forge, Katboocha kombucha, and much more.
Support for the Fall Festival and Agricultural Fair provided by Market New York through I LOVE NY/New York State’s Division of Tourism as a part of the Regional Economic Development Council awards. Other event partners include Imagine Monroe, Wegmans, CP Ward, Bonduelle, and Stihl.
Museum hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday. For information, visit www.gcv.org or call 294-8218. Museum admission for the Fall Festival & Agricultural Fair is $22 for adults, $19 for students and seniors, and free for youth 17 and under.
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