CORNING, N.Y. (WETM) – The Corning Gaffer District is gearing up for its first fully in-person GlassFest in three years, saying the community is ready for the fun-filled weekend as well.

The four-day event next month will draw thousands of people to downtown Corning and feature live music performances, outdoor dining, activities for kids, fireworks, and vendors and artists on the street. And the Gaffer District as much as the community is excited for the complete return of the event after two years of scaled-back festivals due to the pandemic.

“I’m personally counting the days. I cannot wait!” said Gaffer District Executive Director Coleen Fabrizi. She added that the event, now in its 15th year, routinely draws visitors from across the country and even the world.

“Often people say they discovered it by accident,” Fabrizi explained, “but they’ve now been coming for the past five, 10 years.”

This year will also mark the return of the Rock the Park concert series from Simmons-Rockwell and the Memorial Day salute, which Fabrizi described as one of her favorite parts of the weekend. There will also be an observance of the 50th anniversary of the 1972 Hurrican Agnes floods.

“GlassFest is a shining example of what makes our Corning downtown special and unique. The energy and vibrancy of GlassFest weekend will be such a welcome return to normalcy after a long two years,” said Christine Sharkey, president of Corning Enterprises.

The event will kick off at 5:30 p.m. on May 26 with a glass ribbon cutting at the Corning Museum of Glass. It runs for four days through Mary 29.

Fabrizi said the event is totally worth it when seeing the faces of visitors experiencing GlassFest for the first time. “Talk about pure joy unfolding! And it doesn’t matter if they’re kids or grownups, it’s just such a cool event.”

The Gaffer District is excited to host its annual GlassFest event from May 26 to 29, 2022 — back in person for the first time since the spring of 2019.

More information can be found on the Gaffer District website or the event’s Facebook page.