Okay, friends… apparently staying home this Labor Day weekend is simply
not an option. 😂
There is so much happening around Keuka and our neighboring communities that I'm beginning to think we need an extra day or two just to fit everything in.
We have history. Art. Live music. BBQ. The Windmill. Corn mazes. Pumpkins.
And now we can add
u-pick apples to the list.
Honestly, at this point, I'm exhausted just thinking about all the fun we're supposed to have. 😂
So pour another cup of coffee, grab your favorite adventure buddy, and let's break this down
town by town.
BATH
STEUBEN 250 — SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 5 | 9 AM–5 PM
Let's start in Bath, where
Pulteney Square will be stepping back into history for
STEUBEN 250.
This special event commemorates the history of
the United States, New York State and Steuben County, with a full day of activities, exhibits and patriotic celebration.
And here's one of my favorite words:
FREE. 😂
Admission is completely free.
Just show up, wander around beautiful Pulteney Square, explore everything being offered and immerse yourself in a little local, state and American history.
And here's another reason I'm particularly excited about this one.
📚 LOOK WHO WILL BE THERE!
My friend
Richard Leisenring Jr. will be on hand selling and signing both of his books:
📖 Elmira: The Civil War Prison Camp in Photographs, 1864–1865
🏍️ Curtiss Motorcycles, 1902–1912
If you've been following Keuka Roots for a while, you already know Richard's name has appeared around here more than once — particularly as I've wandered farther and farther down the Glenn Curtiss rabbit hole. 😂
But Richard won't just be bringing his books.
He will also have
several original Elmira Prison Camp artifacts on display, along with
a few Civil War muskets.
So if you're a Civil War history buff, a Glenn Curtiss fan, or simply someone who loves seeing pieces of history up close instead of just reading about them on the pages of a book, make sure you stop by and say hello.
And tell him
Penny sent you. 😉
The event is being presented on behalf of the
Steuben County Historian Office and the
Steuben County Historical Society.
And somewhere amid all that history…
🍗
Chris B's famous BBQ chicken.
Because apparently Chris B has decided we're not going hungry this weekend. 😂
Want to see the full schedule and everything happening at STEUBEN 250?
Explore the complete STEUBEN 250 schedule
🎨🎶 HAMMONDSPORT
PALETTES OF KEUKA — SATURDAY
Next stop… Hammondsport!
The much-anticipated
Palettes of Keuka Auction is happening Saturday, and this year's event is an extra-special one as Palettes of Keuka celebrates its
20th Anniversary!
All those beautiful palettes you've been seeing positioned around Keuka Lake this summer?
This is their big finale.
On Saturday, those beautiful palettes will
hit the auction block, giving you a chance to take home one of the unique pieces of art that has decorated our crooked lake all summer.
And here's the best part:
proceeds from those palettes will benefit the Palettes of Keuka Scholarship Fund, helping support the next generation of local students. ❤️
But there is
one special palette in this year's auction with a story — and a purpose — all its own.
Rachel McCloud has created a one-of-a-kind
glass mosaic made predominantly with mirrors to benefit the
Ami Miller Corell Foundation — Ami's Army.
Ami was a much-loved teacher at Hammondsport High School who devoted her life to encouraging students' interest in art and theater.
Her mantra?
✨
“Spread a little glitter every day.” ✨
After Ami lost her battle with cancer in 2025, her longtime friend Rachel founded Ami's Army in her honor with a wonderfully simple mission:
Help students.
And they have.
BOCES work boots. A prom dress. Art supplies. Gas money for a family traveling to Rochester while a loved one underwent multiple surgeries.
And
six scholarships for graduating seniors at Hammondsport and Campbell-Savona schools.
Every dollar raised from the auction of Rachel's special palette will go
directly to Ami's Army. ❤️
So whether you're bidding on Rachel's beautiful mirrored mosaic to support
Ami's Army, or hoping to take home one of the other palettes and support the
Palettes of Keuka Scholarship Fund, every bid has the opportunity to do a little good.
Twenty years of art around Keuka Lake — coming full circle by helping local students.
I rather love that.
Art helping students.
Friends honoring friends.
A community taking care of its own.
THAT is what small-town community is all about.
Follow Palettes of Keuka
🍺🎶 SUNDAY — CHRIS B & STATES APART
After all that Saturday adventuring, Sunday sounds like a pretty good day for some music.
Chris B & States Apart will be at
Finger Lakes Beer Company!
Good music.
Cold beverages.
Friends.
A September Sunday near Keuka Lake.
Really… what more do we need?
Well, coffee.
Obviously. 😂☕
🌾🌽🎃🍎 PENN YAN
THE WINDMILL — SATURDAY & MONDAY
And finally, we're heading back toward Penn Yan!
The Windmill Farm & Craft Market is open
TWO days this Labor Day weekend — Saturday AND Monday.
Which means two opportunities to wander, shop, eat, browse, visit with friends and come home with something you absolutely did not know you needed until you saw it.
You know how that goes. 😂
🌽🎃 KEUKA HARVEST — CORN MAZES & U-PICK PUMPKINS!
And apparently…
FALL HAS OFFICIALLY ENTERED THE CHAT. 🍂😂
Keuka Harvest is opening its
corn mazes Saturday, September 5!
There will also be
u-pick pumpkins and a few new surprises waiting at the farm.
Friends, you know how I feel about fall.
Give me pumpkins, a corn maze and a September afternoon and I'm a pretty happy woman.
NEW FALL HOURS — September 5 through November 14
Tuesday–Thursday: 3–6:30 PM
Friday: 1–6:30 PM
Saturday: 10 AM–6:30 PM
Sunday & Monday: Closed
🎟️
Admission:
Tuesday–Thursday: $6
Friday & Saturday: $8
Children 3 and under:
FREE
📍 Located next to
2932 Route 14A, Penn Yan, NY 14527.
Look for the
Keuka Harvest sign to enter the farm.
And yes, I realize the calendar may still technically say summer.
I don't care.
There are pumpkins. Fall wins. 🎃😂
🍎 FOR THE FIRST TIME — YOU CAN PICK YOUR OWN AT WAGER'S!
And just when you thought Penn Yan had enough fall happening…
Wager's Cider Mill is opening its Hoyt Road orchard to the public for u-pick apples for the very first time!
Beginning
Saturday, September 5, you can actually head into the orchard and pick your own apples.
And yes…
HONEYCRISP WILL BE AMONG THEM. 🍎
That alone may be enough information for some of you to grab your apple basket and head for Penn Yan. 😂
For more than 50 years, Wager's has grown and handpicked the apples sold in its store. But with its newest generation of orchards, the Wager family is doing something they've never done before:
They're inviting us into the orchard.
And I rather love that.
There's something about reaching up, twisting an apple from the branch and dropping it into your basket that makes fall feel just a little more official.
And apparently, Wager's isn't stopping with apple picking. There will also be
fall snacks and refreshments, new fall drinks, hard cider and selections from local breweries and distilleries to enjoy at the farm.
So now let's review our Penn Yan situation…
The Windmill.
Corn mazes.
U-pick pumpkins.
U-pick apples.
Honeycrisp.
Good grief.
At this point, Penn Yan is basically saying:
“Come on over. We've got fall covered.” 🍎🌽🎃🍂😂
☕ SO… WHERE ARE WE GOING?
BATH: STEUBEN 250 + 📚 Richard Leisenring Jr. + Civil War artifacts + 🍗 BBQ
HAMMONDSPORT: 🎨 Palettes of Keuka + ❤️ Ami's Army + 🎶 Chris B & States Apart
PENN YAN: 🌾 The Windmill + 🌽 Corn Mazes + 🎃 U-Pick Pumpkins + 🍎 Wager's U-Pick Apples +
HONEYCRISP!
Good grief.
We're going to need a longer weekend. 😂
But that's one of the things I love most about this little corner of the Finger Lakes.
You don't have to travel very far to find an adventure.
One road takes you to a town square filled with history. Another takes you to an art auction where neighbors are helping neighbors. Follow the lake a little farther and there's live music waiting.
Head in another direction and you'll find a corn maze, pumpkins, an orchard full of apples and probably something at The Windmill you had absolutely no intention of buying when you left home that morning. 😂
That's Labor Day weekend around Keuka.
Small towns. Back roads. Good people. And plenty of reasons to get out and explore.
Sometimes you just need to grab your coffee, call your favorite adventure buddy and say…
“Hey… wanna go?”
Now I just have to decide where I'm starting.
Actually, that's easy.
Coffee. I'm starting with coffee. ☕😂🍂
Stay Rooted. Stay Keuka.™
