The Rochester Folk Art Guild will hold its annual fall open house and apple festival Oct. 10 and 11 at its Middlesex campus, offering studio tours, craft demonstrations, food and live music.
The free event will run from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days at 1445 Upper Hill Road. Organizers said the weekend is designed as a family-friendly celebration of the fall harvest and the guild's craft traditions.
Visitors can take self-guided tours of the guild's pottery, weaving, woodworking and graphic arts studios, along with Inspired Designs and the East Hill Gallery, which features natural-fiber clothing. Artisans will be available to discuss their work, and finished pieces will be offered for sale.
Demonstrations will include potters working at the wheel and woodturners shaping pieces on a lathe. Hands-on activities will give visitors a chance to make a colored-paper notecard, pinch a small clay pot and visit the guild's alpacas.
Cider pressing and food mark the harvest weekend
Fresh apple cider will be pressed outdoors during the festival, and visitors can help operate the guild's screw press. Jugs of cider, organic apples and pears will be available to take home.
The guild will also serve a farmhouse lunch made with produce from its garden, along with seasonal desserts. Fresh bread baked on site will be sold during the weekend.
Organizers said the event combines the guild's working studios with a traditional harvest gathering. The setting allows visitors to see how pieces are made while meeting the craftspeople behind pottery, textiles, woodwork, prints and clothing.
Live music scheduled both afternoons
Saturday's music schedule begins with Mike Joseph at noon, followed by Steve Anderson at 1 p.m. and Lisa Bigwood at 2 p.m.
Sunday will feature Adrian Ford and Elder Dimpfl at noon, Emma Silverstein at 1 p.m. and the Good Weather Trio at 2 p.m. Performances will take place under the festival tent.
The event is open to visitors of all ages, and admission is free. Activities, food and artwork may have separate costs.
The Rochester Folk Art Guild is located on Upper Hill Road in Middlesex, in Yates County. The organization operates studios and programs centered on traditional and contemporary craft.
FingerLakes1.com is the region’s leading all-digital news publication. The company was founded in 1998 and has been keeping residents informed for more than two decades. Have a lead? Send it to news@fingerlakes1.com.