By Jessica Schultz
It’s fall and it’s beautiful. The colors, the crips air and the great variety of fall activities. Chautauqua County has a multitude of things to do and you can see them all on tourchautauqua.com but we reached out to a few of the local businesses to see if they could tell us about their events and what makes them special. The Villager had the great opportunities to speak with Lindsay Watts the Director of Digital Marketing at the Chautauqua Institution, Jennifer Johnson the owner of the Johnson Estate Winery and Errika Gonzales the Marketing Coordinator for the Merritt Estate Winery.
Chautauqua Institution:
The Villager (V): What does the Institution have to offer during the off-season?
Lindsay (L): “Anyone can enjoy Chautauqua Institution year-round, either through our special events throughout fall and winter or simply by stopping in to walk our picturesque tree-lined streets and footpaths. The Institution offers many opportunities to experience the beauty of the seasons on its historic grounds, with no entry or parking fees until the beginning of the 2023 season in June. We invite all to join us for our lakeside Halloween party at 3 Taps on Saturday, Oct. 29. Celebrate with specialty cocktails, costume contests and spooky entertainment. Then, on Nov. 12, we’re excited to host a public event with Dance Lab NY as they explore the question, “Who gets to dance en pointe?” The weekend of Dec. 16–18, experience the tranquility and stillness of the Institution’s grounds and complete your holiday shopping as Winter Village returns to Chautauqua’s Bestor Plaza after three years.”
V: What’s open and when?
L: “Chautauqua Institution’s grounds are a wonderful place to experience great dining and shop for the perfect gift or keepsake during the fall and winter. Through Oct. 29, stop into the Athenaeum Hotel’s Lobby Lounge, open from noon to 9pm daily, with handcrafted cocktails and delicious salads and sandwiches. Or enjoy Asian fusion-inspired menu options and drink specials lakeside at 3 Taps, open Thursday to Sunday, 4pm to 9pm, also through Oct. 29. Afterwords Café, open 8am to 2pm daily throughout the fall, winter and spring, offers coffee, baked goods, soups, salads, sandwiches and delectable desserts. You can also find the perfect gift or keepsake at the Chautauqua Bookstore, open daily from 9am to 5pm, or The Gallery Store inside the Strohl Art Center, open Thursday through Saturday from 1 to 5pm. For a full list of on-grounds merchants and links to their offerings and hours, visit merchants.chq.org.”
Johnson Estate Winery
The Villager (V): What makes your event, the Fall Foliage Walks, unique?
Jennifer (J): “Fall Foliage Walks, offered at Johnson Estate, are a unique way to experience autumn in Western NY – the trees are at their most colorful and the foliage in the vineyards is also showing the yellows and browns of the season’s end. This is a self-guided walk with a map provided by the Estate – go at your own pace and bring children and dogs if you wish. The walk is followed by pairings of cookies with our mulled wines.”
V: Where can reservations be made and how much is the cost of admission?
J: “Please visit the link to the Fall Foliage Walks – October 29-30: johnsonwinery.com/events/Fall-Foliage-Walks–October-29-30-2022.”
Merritt Winery
The Villager (V): Could you tell us what the upcoming Hallowine Weekend entails and why it’s is unique?
Errika Gonzales (EG): “Hallowine weekend features some scary good wine & candy pairings, a special sparkling Estrolita Apple Cider beverage, a Halloween themed selfie station, and lastly a chance to wine some great prizes! For our wine and candy pairing we have selected five of our Merritt Wines varying from dry to sweet, that pair perfectly with a variety of candy. We also crafted a special recipe with our sparkling Estrolita and apple cider which makes for the perfect fall treat. Make sure to try this refreshing beverage! Next, we have our Halloween themed selfie station; Take a selfie at our selfie station, share it on your social media using #merritthallowine (make sure it’s public!), the photo with the most likes wins the $100 value Hallowine Gift Basket! The winner will be contacted on Nov. 1st Lastly, make sure to sign up for our newsletter when you stop by for a chance to win a $25 Merritt Winery gift card. We will be selecting one random winner on Nov. 1st!
We can’t wait to see everyone for a scary good time! (This event is for ages 18+)
V: Please let us know if there is a cost of admission and where tickets can be purchased?
E: “There is no cost of admission! All are welcome to visit the winery and participate in our fun Halloween activities! Please note that a wine tasting ($5) must be purchased in order to participate in the wine & candy pairings.”
Don’t forget, you can also visit Panama Rocks located at 11 Rock Hill Road in Panama, NY and enjoy the crisp fall air in the outdoors. Hike the trails and climb the rocks while surrounded by amazing fall foliage. It’s a fun visit for any age, can be challenging or relaxing and is unique in the face that you can add axe throwing or glamping and make it more than a day trip. (Just hiking does not require a reservation). Note that minors must be accompanied at all time, you are responsible for your own safety while visiting and pets are not allowed. Reservations can be made online at panamarocks.com. Admission is $8.50 a person (additional charges for axe throwing) for ages 13-65, $6.50 for ages 6-12 and 65+/Active Military and Veterans are $7.70. Panama Rock is open daily from 10-5pm.
Make sure to come on out to Chautauqua County and not just enjoy the fall scenery but visit our local communities and enjoy the many fall activities they have to offer. Much unique fun can be found!