Auburn Prepares for Annual Summer Homecoming Weekend

The City of Auburn is gearing up for its annual three-day Summer Homecoming Weekend

The Equal Rights Heritage Center has announced the schedule of events for the three-day celebration of the city and summer to be held August 7-9 at locations throughout the city.

Friday, August 7: First Friday

• Cayuga Museum of History & Art

  • 5 – 7:30 PM explore the new exhibit “Harriet: A Taste of Freedom” plus music by the Four Friends Ladies Quartet. Visit the Central New York Community Foundation tabling with a fun interactive display. On Saturday, enjoy a Noon lawn performance by AHS’s Purple Lancers Drum & Bugle corps.

• Senator May’s Office

  • 5 – 7 PM Stop by the Auburn office to say hello and enjoy a treat.

• Crow City Books

  • 11 AM – 7 PM Kick-off Teacher Appreciation Month, teachers receive 10% off their purchase and can select one free (new) children’s picture book. Also, browse the free outdoor books cart.

• Shepherd’s Brewing Co.

  • 7 – 10 PM Enjoy live music by Joel Kane.

• Cellar & Folly Whiskey Co.

  • 4 – 10 PM Come in for $1 off all whiskey cocktails, and a free cocktail with the purchase of a bottle.

• State Street Event Plaza

  • 7 – 10 PM Come enjoy Summer Homecoming ‘Music on the Mall” Concert at the State Street Bandshell in downtown Auburn. This event will be held on the block of State Street between Genesee St. and Dill St. and is sponsored by the Auburn Downtown BID, Beginnings Credit Union and the City of Auburn.

• Moondog’s Lounge

  • 8 – 11 PM Enjoy live music by Ron Spencer Band and themed drink specials.

• Refinery Restaurant @ Hilton Garden Inn

  • 5 – 8 PM Enjoy a $5 lemonade cocktail special, appetizer specials, and live music in the outdoor patio space.

• Roast & Toast

  • 5 – 7PM Save $14 when purchasing two drinks (cocktail, mocktails, wine, or beer) and a charcuterie board for $30, plus check out the new cocktail menu. View artwork by painter Karen T. Lillie.

• Wild Flower NY

  • 9 AM – 9 PM Stop in for shopper snacks & candy, a raffle basket giveaway, and roll out of August specials.

• Seward House Museum

  • 5 – 7:30 PM Enjoy complimentary refreshments, an exhibit by artist Domenica Brockman inspired by the Seward House, and music by guitarist and vocalist Colleen Kattau.

• Case Mansion Presbyterian Event & Retreat Center

  • 5:30 – 7:30 PM Come see what’s happening at the center with short, guided tours and summer hors d’oeuvres.

• Combgrown Mead

  • 4 – 9 PM, take $1 off mead flights and get a free glass of mead with a purchase of a six pack of cans.

• Love of Hauls Boutique

  • Noon – 5PM do a free build your own candle with 6 different summer scents with a $75 purchase.

• Auburn Discount Liquor

  • 2:30 – 5:30 PM Join a complimentary wine tasting.

• Westlake Art Conservation Center

  • 2 – 4 PM Come tour the new conservation labs, just past Emerson Park in the former Lakeview Golf Course clubhouse located at 6642 E. Lake Road. RSVP 315.685-8534.

 

Saturday, August 8: Summer Homecoming

A shuttle will be transporting visitors for free, on the hour, from the ERHC to Willard Chapel and the West End Arts Campus throughout the day. We invite everyone to come and enjoy the festivities!

• NYS Equal Rights Heritage Center:

Head down to the NYS Equal Rights Heritage Center for a special Downtown Auburn Saturday Market that will run all day, 9 am-4 pm. Boasting an array of unique attractions and local artisans, this is one community event you won’t want to miss. The event features a variety of attractions:

• Over 20 artisan vendors

• Free History’s Hometown Walking Tour beginning at 9:30 AM, hosted by the Seward House Museum

• Live music by Bob Piorun Band from 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM

• Live music by Sydney Irving from 1:00 PM to 3:30 PM

• Jeff the Magic Man will be on-site from 9 AM to 1 PM

• Royal Promise Productions Elphaba and Glinda will be on-site from 11 AM to 1 PM

• Summer Rec Fun Zone (minigolf and a waterslide) will be on-site from 9 AM to 1 PM

• Make your own bubbles station on-site from 1 PM to 4 PM

The market connects visitors and the community with regionally sourced products while offering an array of family-friendly entertainment. Featuring food producers and  artisans, consumers will have access to locally grown, farm-fresh produce; baked goods; syrups and  honey; fine art; apparel; crafts and other specialty items, plus food trucks. This event is supported in part by Commemorate 250 funding provided by the City of Auburn’s Historic and Cultural Sites Commission and NYS Equal Rights Heritage Center. Other support for the Saturday Market is provided by the Skaneateles Area Arts Council, Wegmans, Taste NY and the Cornell Cooperative Extension. Visit https://equalrightsheritage.com/downtown-auburn-saturday-market/ for more Market information.

• West End Arts Campus:

At 12 pm, visit the Cayuga Museum for a performance by Auburn High School’s Purple Lancers drum and bugle corps! Afterwards, explore the new “Harriet: A Taste of Freedom” exhibition that is being displayed at five different sites around town. The Schweinfurth Art Museum and Cayuga Museum will hold the majority of the pieces, and more can be found at the Seward House Museum, the NYS Equal Rights Heritage Center, and Willard Chapel! Curated by Larry Poncho Brown, this multi-artist travelling show that depicts thelife and legacy of Harriet Tubman is not one to be missed! For more information and related programming, please visit https://cayugamuseum.org/harriet-a-taste-of-freedom/. Also on display at both sites is “Sa:gwáyoˀ Gayogo̱hó:nǫˀ, Cayuga People, We Returned.”

Pick up a “Harriet: A Taste of Freedom” passport booklet at the NYS Equal Rights Heritage Center before you visit each location and take it with you to get stamped. Those who complete their passports can return to the ERHC to be entered into a grand prize drawing. The drawing will be held on October 15th, so passports must be completed by then.

• Willard Memorial Chapel

Visit Willard Chapel for “An Afternoon at Tiffany’s: A Grand Reopening Celebration” at the historic Willard Chapel to celebrate the completion of their newly reconstructed parking lot and beautifully restored interior Tiffany lighting.

The celebration begins with a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony at 11:00 AM, marking an exciting new chapter for one of Auburn’s most treasured historic landmarks. Spend the day exploring the Chapel with free guided tours, browsing local art vendors, enjoying food and refreshments, wine tastings, raffles, and more in a fun, welcoming atmosphere.

Don’t miss your chance to win one of two incredible raffle prizes:

1. A Tiffany & Co. sterling silver tray

2. A miniature replica of one of the Willard Chapel’s own Tiffany stained glass windows

Raffle tickets are $5 for one ticket or 5 tickets for $20 and are available for purchase now through the day of the event. The winning tickets will be drawn and announced at 4:00 PM during the celebration.

Sunday, August 9: The Great Race

Celebrate Auburn’s classic tradition with hundreds of racers at Emerson Park! The race will include running, biking, and kayaking/canoeing/paddleboarding and is for racers old and young, serious and beginners. The race commemorates Captain Myles Keogh, who served in the Union Army during the Civil War and would later fall in battle at the Battle of Little Bighorn in 1876. Keogh is buried at Fort Hill Cemetery. For more information about the Great Race, visit https://great-race.com/.