As a farming community, we appreciate rainy days, but we understand rain may dampen your plans. Here is a little inspo for days better suited for indoor activities. We’ve shared the Finger Lakes museums to visit on a rainy day. Here are even more fun ideas that help you stay warm, dry, and entertained when raindrops fall over Finger Lakes Wine Country.
Attend a Workshop Series or Class
There is no better way to connect with locals and have fun than by joining a class at one of the region’s maker spaces. Here are some fun ways to get creative and even learn something new.
Rabbit Row Yarns & Haberdashery in Corning, NY, is the region’s only sustainably sourced needle and fiber craft product shop. It is tailored for knitters, crocheters, weavers, dyers, spinners, felters, and stitchers. They offer one-on-one and small group lessons for knitting, crocheting, embroidery, mending, darning, and felting.
FLX Studio and Maker’s Space in Montour Falls, NY, offers a variety of classes and workshops throughout the year for all ages and skill sets. Their courses, from fiber arts, drawing, and painting to jewelry and mixed media, are designed to help you express your unique creative voice.
Pixie Moss Meadows in Corning, NY, offers a variety of workshops featuring a new set of classes monthly designed to inspire creativity and community. They also host a unique DIY garden bar with beautiful succulents, decorative pots, dirt, moss, gravel, and sand.
Tioga Arts Council in Owego, NY, presents various artist series throughout the year and workshops on multiple skills, from writing to metalsmithing. They also often showcase artists’ exhibitions and sales. Equally, the Arts Center of Yates County hosts exhibitions, workshops, and a series of classes for those looking to do something creative on a rainy day.
Attend a Winery Event
Rainy days are a perfect backdrop for winery events and gatherings. Follow the Seneca, Keuka, and Cayuga Lake Wine Trails for all the happenings, from holiday-focused events and markets to wine pairing events, private dinners, and live music. Winery events are an excellent opportunity to meet the region’s winemakers and tastemakers and explore the wines that continue to elevate the Finger Lakes as a premier wine destination.
Enjoy a Concert or Theatrical Production
You don’t have to be in a big city to enjoy the performing arts. The Clemens Center in Elmira, NY, hosts a Broadway Series featuring many blockbuster theater productions, concerts, and other family entertainment. A visit to Powers Theater, one of two theater performance spaces, is an experience. The architecturally stunning space has been restored to its vaudevillian-era grandeur, displaying magnificent murals, gold-leaf details, and reconstructed opera boxes, reviving its 1925 glory.
The Civic Music Association has hosted performances in the Corning Museum of Glass (CMoG) Auditorium since 1951. Visit their website for information on concerts in jazz, choral, and other popular music genres.
A Little Something For the History Lovers
On warmer, sunnier days, the Schuyler County Historical Society hosts free walking tours around Watkins Glen’s prominent landmarks. But for days when it’s best to stay inside, definitely check out their open houses hosted at various locations, including the Brick Tavern Museum, Wickham Rural Life Center, and the Lawrence Chapel. The Chemung County Historical Society not only hosts a series of exhibits to walk through, but they also host a variety of programs for adults throughout the year, including book talks, art workshops, and other events.
Visit a Local Library
The Southern Tier Library System is comprised of 48 member libraries, each with its own unique feel and look. Some are large, contemporary buildings, while others are in historic buildings with refined details—such as Tiffany stained glass windows! You can find the complete list of libraries here and check out what family-friendly events they are hosting throughout the year.