Each year, our conference offers a number of special events for you to network, catch-up with friends, and have some added fun!
Registration for day trips and special events will open on November 10.
Special Events
Firestarter | Tuesday, June 2, 6-9 pm
Grist Iron Brewing Company, Burdett, NY
Join us before the official conference festivities for a fun evening at Grist Iron Brewing Company and enjoy the gorgeous sunset over Seneca Lake. Reunite with glassy friends from around the world and put your opening bids in for our Glass Class Auction!
Grist Iron is approximately half an hour away from Corning and round-trip shuttle tickets between Corning and Grist Iron are available for $10.
GAS Member: $50 per ticket
Non GAS Members: $75 per ticket
Gaffer’s Pour | Friday, June 5, 5-8 pm
Gaffer District, Corning, NY
Corning’s Gaffer District is proud to partner with the Glass Art Society Conference to present a sommelier-curated Craft Beverage & Wine Tasting experience. Guests and community members are invited to sip exceptional craft beverages and wines while exploring artisans, local shops, and galleries throughout Corning’s Gaffer District.
Check-in will begin at 4 PM. Tastings will take place from 5 – 8 PM. Get your tickets early! Early tickets are $35. Tickets will increase to $40 on April 15th and $50 on June 4th.
All attendees must check-in to have their ID checked and be given their tasting glass.
Checkin locations to be announced!
Please visit www.gafferdistrict.com for further details.
Closing Night Party | Saturday, June 6, 7-11 pm
Corning Museum of Glass, Corning, NY
End the Corning 2026 conference with a bang at our Closing Night Party! If you have purchased a four-day conference pass, you do not need to purchase a Closing Night Party ticket. Additional tickets are available for $50 per ticket for any guests you may want to bring to dance the night away!
Day Trips
Stained Glass, Grapes, and the Finger Lakes | Tuesday, June 2, 9 am – 4 pm
Shuttle pickup at the Corning Museum of Glass
Our journey begins at St. Januarius Church, a modern architectural gem that reflects the spirit and landscape of the region. Designed by architect Jim Johnson, the church’s floor plan echoes the shape of a grape leaf. Its most distinctive feature is the dalle de verre façade- walls of concrete embedded with richly colored glass pieces representing local grape varieties.
Next, we travel to Garrett Memorial Chapel, where light and artistry merge in one of the Finger Lakes’ most serene settings. Built in the early 1930s, the chapel’s stained-glass windows are among its most treasured features- crafted by the renowned Judson Studios of Los Angeles. These luminous designs include the final works of Frederick Wilson, completed in 1929, marking the close of an extraordinary stained-glass career.
We’ll conclude the day at Bully Hill Vineyards, nestled in the heart of Finger Lakes Wine Country. Established nearly 150 years ago by master cooper Walter Taylor, Bully Hill continues the area’s winemaking legacy with a warm, welcoming spirit. Enjoy a tasting of their signature wines and a relaxing meal overlooking the vineyards- a perfect finish to a day celebrating art, architecture, and the beauty of the Finger Lakes.
Tickets are $195 per person.
Art of the Cemetery: Ghosts of Glassmaking | Wednesday, June 3 at 10 am
Join The ARTS Council of the Southern Finger Lakes on Wednesday June 3, 2026 at 10am as we explore 3 cemeteries and visit the graves of both well-known and lesser-known glass specialists throughout the history of Corning.
Corning is known as the Crystal City because of its vast history of glass production and innovation. Names such as Hawkes Glass, Frederick Carder, and the Houghton Family stand out among our prolific glass history, but have you ever heard of the Giometti Brothers, Eggington’s Glass Cutting Shop, or Mary Purcell Roche?
On this special glass-themed cemetery tour guides will lead visitors through St. Mary’s Cemetery, Hope Cemetery, and Hope Annex to discuss the history of glassmaking in the Corning region through the men, women, and businesses that have made it possible. At each stop, we will detail the history of the glassmakers and innovators as well as discuss the art on the gravestones we visit.
Please be sure to dress for a trek over uneven ground. Some sites will be flat and others will be hilly.
Tickets are $30 per person
Photo credit: Lee Speary Photography
Corning Walking Tour | Wednesday, June 3 at 11 am and 1 pm
Known as the Crystal City, Corning is home to the world famous Corning Incorporated and has a rich glassmaking history that stretches back to 1868! Explore the art, science, and innovation that put Corning on the map during a walking tour of the town.
Tickets are $20 per person.
Sullivan Park Tour | Wednesday, June 3 12:15–3pm
Bus Pickup at Courtyard Entrance, CMoG
Enjoy a rare behind-the-scenes look at some of the labs fueling innovation at Corning Incorporated’s Sullivan Park research facility! During this exclusive tour, attendees will get to see Corning’s Emerging Innovations, display systems lab, and how challenging problems are being solved through the development of new materials with colored glass. Please wear business casual (comfortable, closed toe shoes, no skirts or dresses). No Cell Phones, cameras, or recording devices are allowed on site.
Tickets are $100 per person.
Photo credit: Corning Incorporated
Alfred University | Sunday, June 7 10 am – 5 pm
Come spend a day at Alfred University’s New York State College of Ceramics! Explore their inspiring spaces—tour the School of Art and Design/NYSCC Galleries and Scholes Library, step inside the Hall of Glass Science Engineering Lab for glass melting and properties demonstrations and experience the excitement of their Glass Studios in Sculpture Dimensional Studies (Hot Shop, Casting Shop, and Neon Studio). Lunch and refreshments will be provided.
Tickets are $95 per person.
Workshops
Consideration of Sacred Spaces for Site Evaluation (Field Session) | Wednesday, June 3, 9 am – 1 pm
Presented by Bryant J. Stanton, Stanton Studios & David Bleckman, J&R Lamb Studios; Christ Episcopal Church, 33 E. First Street, Corning, NY, 14830
This afternoon seminar will delve into the nuanced and respectful approach to stained glass restoration in sacred spaces. Too often, these cherished sites receive unsolicited bids and proposals hastily declaring “urgent” issues. This seminar aims to shift that narrative by providing a crash course in honest restoration sales.
Sacred spaces deserve more than a quick fix. Stained glass restoration is rarely a matter of life or death; instead, it involves a slow, incremental process. Thoughtful consideration and careful evaluation often yield better results, allowing communities the time to strategically prepare for preservation efforts that align with their financial capabilities and long-term goals.
Key topics of discussion will include:
•Honest assessments versus urgent scare tactics
•The incremental nature of stained glass deterioration
•Practical stop-gap repairs to buy time
•Small, manageable efforts that support preservation goals
This seminar emphasizes the importance of patience and strategic planning in preservation, reinforcing that there is no immediate crisis demanding hasty action. By attending, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of how great restoration work takes time and how we can contribute to building a solid foundation for future efforts. Join us to learn how to be a better part of the preservation process, ensuring that sacred spaces continue to be cherished for generations to come.
Tickets are $95 per person.