Community Events

Where we live: Athens / Sayre / Waverly

The Sayre–Athens–Waverly area, commonly called “The Valley,” is a small tri-state region along the Pennsylvania/New York border with a mix of riverfront parks, affordable housing, healthcare jobs, and community-focused events. It’s anchored by the Guthrie medical system in Sayre and has easy access to the Finger Lakes, Ithaca, and the Endless Mountains.

Community Activities:

Corning: 

• Downtown Corning: beautiful and walkable downtown, known as the Gaffer district, named for the glass blowers that help build Corning
  • Filled with unique shops and galleries, restaurants and family friendly bars
  • Great salons and spas
  • Gaffer District
• Corning Museum of Glass: world renowned glass museum with interactive exhibits for children and adults
  • Glass blowing demonstrations
  • Make your own glass works
• Rockwell Museum: American art museum and Kids Art Lab
• Harris Hill
• National Soaring Museum: Aviation Museum where you can try flying in a glider
• Harris Hill Amusement park
• Curtis Museum: Early aviation museum
• Keuka Wine Trail
• TAGS: local music venue and restaurant featuring a variety of touring artists and events

Watkins Glen: 

• Watkins Glen State Park: Stunning trail through the Watkins Glen Gorge, featuring countless waterfalls
• Downton Watkins Glen: Family friendly restaurants and shopping
• Painted Bar stables: stunning guided horse trails and riding barn
• Reisinger’s Apple Orchards
• Seneca Wine Trail
• Seneca Lake: a great place for boating, kayaking and swimming with rentals available
• Watkins Glen International: Internationally recognized raceway featuring both a road Course and Grand Prix Course where you can watch races, or drive the track yourself

Ithaca:

• Outdoor Activities
  • Explore the gorge trails at Buttermilk Falls State Park — one of Ithaca’s signature waterfall hikes.
  • Hike to Taughannock Falls, one of the tallest waterfalls east of the Rockies.
  • Walk the Cascadilla Gorge Trail between downtown and Cornell.
  • Visit Cornell Botanic Gardens during spring, summer, or peak fall foliage.
  • Paddle or kayak on Cayuga Lake.
  • Spend an afternoon lakeside at Stewart Park.
  • Drive or bike portions of the Cayuga Lake Wine Trail.
  • Swim or picnic at Robert H. Treman State Park and Lucifer Falls.
• Arts & Culture
  • Tour Cornell University’s campus, including the clock tower and historic stone architecture.
  • Visit the Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art at Cornell.
  • Catch live music, theater, or lectures at Ithaca College or Cornell.
  • Explore local artist studios on the Greater Ithaca Art Trail.
  • Take a pottery or art class at Kelly Brown Clayworks.
  • Watch an aerial arts or circus performance at Circus Culture.
• Shopping
  • Walk, shop, and people-watch at Ithaca Commons — the heart of downtown Ithaca.
  • Browse local vendors at the Ithaca Farmers Market, especially on weekends.
  • Explore boutiques, bookstores, and cafés inside The Dewitt Mall.
  • Hunt for vintage finds, records, and local crafts around downtown Ithaca.
• Restaurants & Food
  • Have wood-fired pizza and handmade pasta at Thompson and Bleecker.
  • Try creative small plates and cocktails at Food Lab.
  • Grab Mediterranean street food and malawach wraps at Lev Kitchen.
  • Experience Ithaca’s famous café culture with locally roasted coffee shops throughout downtown.
  • Visit wineries, cideries, and breweries throughout the Finger Lakes region surrounding Ithaca.
• Festivals & Events
  • Attend the annual Ithaca Festival — Ithaca’s biggest community arts celebration.
  • Check out seasonal events downtown like Apple Harvest Festival, ice sculpture events, and outdoor summer concerts on the Commons.