Corning's Gaffer District (Downtown Corning)

The Story of Corning's Gaffer District

Corning's Gaffer District is an historic downtown business district with restaurants, retail, local art and world-class museums.

General Information

Corning's Gaffer District is a historic downtown business district with restaurants, retail, local art and world-class museums. The culture and uniqueness of our historic downtown is reflected in local architecture and restoration along with the events and promotions held throughout our annual events.

What's a gaffer? That's a question we get a lot here in the Crystal City - by visitors and locals - who visit our downtown business district. A gaffer is a master glassblower and our name is a tribute to Corning's glass heritage.

Our historic downtown is known for its exceptional shopping, dining, arts and beautifully restored buildings, just steps away from the world famous Corning Museum of Glass. A year-long calendar of festivals and events celebrates decades of tradition, including the nationally-recognized Wineglass Marathon, the family favorite holiday event, Sparkle and GlassFest - a four-day celebration of glass and the fire arts in America's Crystal City.

Today nearly half of a million people visit Corning annually, to tour The Corning Museum of Glass and explore the Finger Lakes region. We invite you to explore our historic downtown, eat, shop, play and stay!

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