Things to do, places to eat, shows to see, places to stay in Madison County, NY      

The 15th Annual Madison County Hop Fest fun-filled weekend starts with a paired beer dinner on Friday night, September 17, at Blue Barbecue in Chittenango at 6 pm. The five-course meal created by Chef and owner, Bob Enigk will be paired with beers from Landmark Brewery, Brooklyn Brewery, Southern Tier, and DogFish Head.
The first course is DogFish Festina Peche steamed clams with garlic, Dijon mustard and heavy cream. The second course is a mesclun salad with tomatoes, crumbly bleu, smoked almonds, and Southern Tier Raspberry vinaigrette.  The third course is Brooklyn Lager braised pulled pork cannelloni with smoked gouda lager cheese sauce, and fried leeks. The fourth course is Grilled Baby Tenderloin, served with beer and bacon mashed potatoes, crimini mushrooms, and Brooklyn Brown Ale Steak Sauce. The fifth course is  the decadent Landmark Vanilla Bean triple chocolate cake with vanilla bean syrup.
Tickets are limited, so reserve your seat by September 7. Tickets for the dinner are $45. Reservations can be made by ordering them at www.mchs1900.org/hopfest, or by sending a check payable to the Madison County Historical Society, or by contacting the Blue Barbecue.
Brooklyn Brewery, Dog Fish Head, and Southern Tier will be on the society’s grounds on Saturday, September 18 under the Beer Tent! Tickets for the brew sampling are ($25 advance and $30 at the door) and available at Kraig’s Kegs/ Corey’s Beverages in Sherrill, the historical society, or online at www.mchs1900.org/hopfest. Tickets for the Taste of Hops are $15 advance and $20 at the door and available at the participating restaurants, or online at www.mchs1900.org/hopfest.
For more information about the 15th Annual Madison County Hop Fest please contact the Madison County Historical Society, 435 Main Street, Oneida, NY 13421, 315. 363.4136, 315.361.9735, www.mchs1900.org/hopfest. All proceeds from the Hop Fest support the educational programming at the Madison County Historical Society.  The Madison County Hop Fest is a 21-year and older event. Admission is charged only for the paired beer dinner, beer sampling, and taste of hops.

It is that time of year again for the Madison County Historical Society’s 46th Annual Craft Days! The event held on Saturday, September 11th(10 am- 5 pm) and Sunday, September 12th (10 am-4pm), is organized and hosted by the Madison County Historical Society at the society’s 435 Main Street location in Oneida. This year’s Craft Days will feature over 100 juried craft vendors, food, and entertainment.  Visitors can also tour the society’s headquarters, Cottage Lawn, an 1849 Gothic Revival Cottage, during the event. The Olde Tyme Fiddlers will be returning to entertain the crowd on Saturday from 1-3 pm. On Sunday, we are excited to have Ed Smith performing from 1-3 pm. As always visitors are sure to find a special hand crafted item, a delectable treat, and great music all in one location at the 46th Annual Craft Days at the Madison County Historical Society. Don’t forget to check out the daily demonstrations from our craft vendors. All weekend checkout our craft vendors who will be demonstrating. Don’t forget to purchase raffle tickets to win some fantastic handmade craft items. There will be face painting by Sue Flint of Oneida on Saturday from 1- 3pm and storytelling by the Oneida Library on Sunday from 1-3 pm; so bring your children to this kid-friendly event!

A free park and ride service will be provided in a new location throughout the weekend from the Glenwood Plaza on Route 46 in Oneida to the historical society.  Admission is $4 for adults, children 12 and under are free. Purchase a weekend pass for $6 and join us both days!No animals are permitted on the grounds, and there is no smoking.  For more information, please contact the Madison County Historical Society at 315-363-4136, 315-361-9735, or visit us at www.mchs1900.org.
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Caption: Don Micklon, a woodcrafter from Fayetteville will be returning to the Madison County Historical Society‘s 46h Annual Craft Days on September 11 (10am-5 pm) and September 12  (10am-4 pm).

On Saturday, September 18 from 12-2pm at the Madison County Historical Society, 435 Main Street will be The Taste of Hops: a food and beer pairing. This event is one of the many activities happening at the 15th Annual Madison County Hop Fest on September 18th!
From 2:30-5:30 on the society’s grounds under the Beer Sampling Tent come sample over 40 styles of craft beer from the following breweries: Matt-Saranac; Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, BluePoint; Butternuts; Magic Hat; Southern Tier, Long Trail, Ithaca, Sam Adams, Empire, Middle Ages, Cooperstown, Ommegang, and more!! Tickets for the Beer Sampling are $25 advance and $30 at the door. Tickets can be purchased at Kraig’s Kegs/ Corey’s Beverages in Sherrill, the Madison County Historical Society, or online at www.mchs1900.org/hopfest.
In its fourth year, the Taste of Hops: a food and beer pairing matches an area restaurant with a craft brewery to create an appetizer that uses beer as one of the ingredients. The restaurants participating this year are: Blue Barbecue of Chittenango; Colgate Inn of Hamilton; Johnnie’s Pier 31 of Canastota; Someplace Else of Canastota; Ye Olde Landmark Tavern of Bouckville; and Zabroso of Oneida. Tickets are limited- only 150 will be sold.   Tickets are $15 advance or $20 at the door if available. Tickets can be purchased online, or by sending a check payable to the Madison County Historical Society, or by contacting the participating restaurants.
The Hop Fest opens on Saturday, Sept. 18 at 11:00 am- 5:30 pm with video presentations on a variety of hop related topics throughout the afternoon and the crowning of the Madison County Hop Fest King at 2:00 pm. Stop in the Hop Shop for some hop-related items and hop plants, and beer pint glasses. Throughout the afternoon purchase your raffle tickets to win great beer related merchandise. Visit with the American Home Brewers Association all day. Stop by the North East Hop Alliance tent and Foothill Hops and learn about the many developments of hop growing in Madison County today. Check out the Great Lakes Brewing News booth and the Beer Connoisseur Magazine booth.  Make your reservations now for the paired beer dinner at Blue Barbecue on Friday, Sept.17. Tickets for the dinner are $45. Reservations required by Sept.7.
For more information about the 15th Annual Madison County Hop Fest please contact the Madison County Historical Society at 435 Main Street in Oneida, 315-363-4136, 315-361-9735 or www.mchs1900.org/hopfest. On Facebook you can find us at Madison County Hop Fest. All proceeds from the Madison County Hop Fest support the educational programming at the Madison County Historical Society.   There is no admission to attend the Hop Fest. Admission is charged for the Paired Beer Dinner, Taste of Hops, Beer Sampling. No one under the age of 21 will be permitted to enter the events where beer is served. Proper id is required for entrance to all areas where beer is served! Please do not bring children, strollers, or pets to the event. Tickets will be available for designated drivers (who must be 21 years of age) at the entrance of the beer-sampling tent.
Last year, Colgate Inn Chef, Chris Angle won Best of the Best at last year’s
Taste of Hops. At this year’s Taste of Hops, come vote for the restaurant that you think has the Best Food and Beer Pairing; Best use of local products; and help us choose the location of the 2011 paired beer dinner.

It may be the end of July, but these two headline September Events in Madison County are right around the corner.  Now is the time to make your plans and reservations for Craft Days and Hop Fest.  Both events take place at the Madison County Historical Society and both events should be at the top of your list of things to do this fall. 

The Oneida Community Mansion House invites the public to an opening reception for the exhibition “View From the Tower” on Tuesday, August 17 from 5 to 7 p.m.

Revealing the look of the landscape in Victorian times, this photographic exhibit documents many of the buildings once clustered near the Mansion House, residence of the Oneida Community (1848-1880).  Structures illustrated include barns, industrial facilities, tenant houses, and places where the business, service, and educational tasks of the famous utopian group took place. 

The centerpiece of the exhibition is a remarkable photographic panorama taken from the Mansion's North Tower in about 1874.  In addition to over thirty historical photographs, the exhibit includes an 1869 map of the grounds and two 1868 architectural drawings of the Mansion House.   

“View From the Tower” is located in a second-floor gallery funded by a Gorman Foundation grant and dedicated to exhibiting the Oneida Community Mansion House’s photographic collection.   

The Oneida Community Mansion House was the home of the 19th century utopian Oneida Community (1848-1880).  Today, the building houses a museum with permanent and changing exhibitions, residential apartments, overnight lodging, Zabroso Restaurant, and banquet and meeting space.  Guided tours are available Wed. through Sat., 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., and Sun. at 2 p.m. for a nominal fee.  The Oneida Community Mansion House is located at 170 Kenwood Ave., Oneida, NY.  For information call 315-363-0745 or visit www.oneidacommunity.org. 

The Madison County Historical Society in Oneida, NY has a summer program for children ages 9-12 that explores the day in the life of a nineteenth century child.  The summer camp will be held August 17 through August 20 from 10 am to 3 pm each day.   The program consists of a series of workshops. From making scrapbooks, to working with primary resources, to learning and practicing Victorian etiquette, baking, candle making, and role-play.  Snack will be provided. Participants must bring a bagged lunch each day. Tuition is $40 for members and $50 for nonmembers.  For more information, or to register a child call Sydney at the Madison County Historical Society at 363-4136, or 361-9735. Space is limited, and advance registration is required by July 23.

(Oneida)-- This year's guide offers a variety of exciting summer and fall activities for Oneida youth, adults and their families to enjoy.  The 2010 Oneida Parks and Recreation Fun Guide (Vol. 1) is available in electronic format on the City of Oneida’s Website (www.oneidacity.com).  This file may also be sent electronically through email.  Oneida Parks and Recreation has already put a host of activities into practice to reduce their paper use, however, doing a “E-Brochure” via the city’s website and email instead of printing it is our first step. Our attempt at keeping our fun guide in electronic format is an effort in paper reduction and projected savings in printing costs.  (Limited Hard Copies are available.)

To request an PDF formatted electronic copy to be sent to your email, please call the Parks and Recreation Dept. at (315) 363-3590 or email pmeakin@oneidacity.com

Included in the 2010 Fun Guide is information about programs and services such as summer camps, swimming lessons, pool hours, community events and concerts, sports and recreation, leagues and camps, park and facility rentals, registration information and much, much more! For more information about the programs and services or how to register visit www.oneidacity.com or call the Parks and Recreation office at 315-363-3590.

Registration for Oneida Parks and Recreation 2010 Summer Programs will be held on Saturday June 5, 2010 from 9:00am – 1:00pm at the Oneida Recreation Center (217 Cedar St.) Oneida, NY. Registration will also take place from If you can’t make our registration day on June 5, you can sign up starting Monday May 31, 2010 in the Recreation Dept. between 9:00am - 4:00pm; Monday through Friday.

Programs that require a fee must be paid at the time of registration; acceptable forms of payment are cash, check or money orders made payable to Oneida City Chamberlain. 

There are many events planned throughout Madison County to celebrate Memorial Day and the unofficial start of summer.  Here is a list of events that we know of that are perfect for the family.  Don't forget to have a safe and happy Memorial Day and please take a few moments to think about those who have made the ultimate sacrifice so we can enjoy living in the world's greatest nation.
Parades:
Canastota Monday May 31 10am with a ceremony to follow in Clark Park
Cazenovia Monday May 31 10:30-11:30
Munnsville: Sunday May 30th, 1pm
Oneida:  Friday, May 28 starting at 6:30 p.m. at Triangle Park.
If you know of others, please leave in the comments below or email us and give us the details.