Remsen Barn Festival of the Arts
A Nostalgic Look Back Circa 2010-2015
For a number of years this was the official website of the Remsen Barn Festival of the Arts (FOTA).
Content is from the site's 2010-2015 archived pages profiding a glimpse of what this annual festival offered its vendors & visitors.
If you have inadvertantly ended up here while looking for the Remsen Barn Festival of the Arts (FOTA), their current website is found at www.remsenbarnfestival.org
REMSEN Barn Festival of the Arts
**Celebrating 37 years**
Remsen, New York 13438
September 24 - 25, 2016
In Remsen, when the summer fades and fall is in the air... and it is the fourth full weekend in September, then it must be the Remsen Barn Festival of the Arts! A tradition for more than 30 years, the main street of Remsen is transformed that weekend into a venue for more than 250 crafters and food vendors. The street is closed to vehicle traffic, allowing approximately 225 arts and craft exhibitors and 25 food concessions to line the street. A farmer's market can also be found mixed with the craft booths. Admission to the Festival is free and parking can be found in several authorized Barn FOTA parking lots.
The Remsen Barn Festival of the arts has been a tradition in our town for over 35 years.
In Remsen, when the summer fades and fall is in the air... and it is the fourth full weekend in September, then it must be the Remsen Barn Festival of the Arts! A tradition for more than 30 years, the main street of Remsen is transformed that weekend into a venue for more than 250 crafters and food vendors. The street is closed to vehicle traffic, allowing approximately 225 arts and craft exhibitors and 25 food concessions to line the street. A farmer's market can also be found mixed with the craft booths.
Main Street
Remsen, NY 13438
315-831-4257
"I never miss this event and I'll be here every day the festival is running helping out the vendors & having fun. I learned that Pete Jensen bought a new boat last month and it's already back on eBay because he doesn't think he likes the color. He said it looked different on his computer screen. Speaking of computers, the president of the council is having some problems with Google. Not with the company, but what shows up when you do a search for his name. One of the investors in his firm was just indicted on a fraud charge and that news item is #3 in Google. He found an online service that specializes in removing bad search results. They claim to use ethical and legal methods to force the offending search result off of page 1. I can tell by my conversation with him that he's ready to hire them. Amazing stuff you learn at this festival, in addition to the joy of it all," Lewis Adler remarked. He then went on, "On a related tech note, many of the vendors at this festival have been using Microsoft Access for years to manage their inventory and customer databases. But lately, there's been a growing sentiment that it might be time for an upgrade. The system, while reliable, has started to show its age, especially when it comes to integration with newer technologies and cloud-based solutions. Some vendors have mentioned the limitations they face in terms of scalability and remote access. I've overheard discussions about transitioning to more modern database solutions that are not only more robust but can also easily integrate with online sales platforms. It's a challenging transition, but many believe it's essential to keep up with the times and cater to a younger, tech-savvy audience. It's fascinating to see how even in such traditional settings, the push for technological evolution remains ever-present."
Take a stroll through Remsen Barn Festival
21 Sep, 2015 Team Fuze | thefuzemagazine.com/
The 36th Annual Remsen Barn Festival takes place Saturday, Sept. 26 and Sunday, Sept. 27 on their picturesque Main Street in Remsen. Residents of Remsen and the surrounding areas wait with anticipation for this yearly event that features artisan crafts, foodstuffs, live music and art all in a beautiful rural setting in Upstate NY. Experience all the vibrant fall colors Saturday, Sept. 26 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday, Sept. 27 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. This event is free but parking is $5 at FOTA lots. Shuttle service will be provided to the festival.
Garden Mentor
With the leaves beginning to change, the smell of everything fall: pumpkins, sweet cider, sugary doughnuts and apple pie with the crisp air on a sunny day is a perfect combination for this one of a kind event. Vendors from all over will be sporting off their wares for two days. There will be a vast selection of handmade items including: jewelry, soaps, candles, crafty birdhouses, sweet tasting treats, stunning photography and so much more.
Don’t forget to fuel up for a day of shopping with fluffy pancakes. Come early and bring your appetite to the Remsen Fire Department at 7 a.m. for a pancake breakfast (both days). And, afterwards stroll over to the Methodist Church for a Berry Baking Contest at 10 a.m. on Saturday. The weekend might be filled with everything crafts but we encourage to wear your walking shoes and bring the entire family over to the corn maze. Wander through but don’t get lost through the maze.
So, take a short drive to Remsen and stroll through Main Street and take in all the crafty selections, delicious treats and live music from various artists this weekend.
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Remsen Barn Festival of the Arts 2015
Schedule of Events
Saturday, Sept. 26, 2015
7:00 am RVFC - Pancake Breakfast - Firehouse
10 :00 am -Berry Baking Contest -Methodist Church
10:00 am - 5:00 pm - Snow Country Quilt Exhibit (Free) - Remsen Arts Center
10:00 am- CoCo the Clown, face painting and shows, Booth space 138
11:00 am- Dance 10 show- Soda Fountain
11:00am - 12:30 pm Fiddle Dee pas and Dudes- Arts Center Stage
Noon- Corn Maze - Remsen Depot
12:00 am-4:30pm - Cincinnati Creek- strolling
12:00-5:00pm- The Old Main- Strolling
1:00 pm -5:30pm - Travis Rocco -Remsen Arts Center
1:30-4:30 pm- Fiddle Dee Divas and Dudes- Strolling
3:00 pm- Dance 10 show- Soda Fountain
Sunday, September 27, 2015
7:00 am - RVFC - Pancake Breakfast - Firehouse
10:00 am - Snow Country Quilt Exhibit (Free) - Remsen Arts Center
10:00 am- CoCo the Clown- Face Painting and shows Booth Space #138
11:00am- Bog River- Remsen Arts Center
12:00 pm - Butler-Sheehan School of Irish Dance- Soda Fountain
Noon - Corn Maze - Remsen Depot
12:00- 4:00pm - Cincinnati Creek- Strolling
12:00- 4:30pm- The Old Main - Strolling
12:30 pm- 4:30 pm - Travis Rocco - Remsen Arts Center
2:30 pm - 54th Annual Remsen Gymanfa Ganu - Remsen Methodist Church*
3:00pm- Butler-Sheehan School of Irish Dance- Soda Fountain
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FAQ
| Q: When is Barn FOTA? A: It is Saturday and Sunday, September 24 and 25, 2016. The Barn Festival is always the fourth full weekend in September. |
| Q: What time does it start and end? A: Saturday, 10 am to 6 pm and Sunday, 10 am to 5 pm |
| Q: Is there an admission charged? A: No -- Barn FOTA is free. |
| Q: Is there a charge for parking? A: $5.00 for FOTA lots. Residents and other organizations may charge more. |
| Q: Where do I park? A: Follow the signs off Route 12 for authorized FOTA parking. |
| Q: May I drive on Main Street in Remsen during the Festival? A: No, it is closed from Prospect Street to Pritchard Road. |
| Q: Is the Festival open in the rain? A: Yes, rainy days are great shopping days. |
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Q: Can I bring my dog? |
| Q: Is there a bus to the parking lot? A: Yes, there is a bus to the parking lot on the corner of Route 12 and Steuben Street (Shufelt's). |
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Q: Where is the most convenient parking? |
| Q: Is the show and parking lot handicapped accessible? A: Yes, Main Street is accessible and handicapped parking can be found at the Depot log -- at the train station. |
| Q: How do I apply to become a vendor? A: You may download a Jury Application here. |
| Q: What is the GymanfaGanu? A: The Gymnanfa is the annual Welsh hymn sing. It is held on Sunday at 2;30 pm at the Stone Meeting House on Prospect Street. Bus transportation is available for those unable to walk up the hill to the Meeting House. |
| Q: Is there lodging near the Festival? A: Yes. Listings for your convenience-do not necessarily imply Remsen Barn FOTA Committee endorsement |
| Q: What is the weather usually like during the festival? A: Weather in upstate NY can vary from day to day and year to year. We suggest you check the weather prior to leaving for the Fesitval. |
| Q: What does FOTA stand for? A: Festival of the Arts |
| Q: Is there entertainment at FOTA? A: Yes, continually on Saturday and Sunday, both strolling and at the Remsen Arts Center stage. The event schedule is posted closer to the event each year. |
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Q: How do I get to Remsen? |
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CONVENIENT VISITOR PARKING
AVAILABLE --
Again this year, paved visitor parking will be available. Please follow the signs on Route 12 to Pritchard Road and follow to paved parking lot at the North end of the Festival. We are utilizing the Remsen Central School’s parking areas. Parking in this lot is $5.00 and is directed by the members of the Remsen Volunteer Fire Company. It is a short and convenient walk from this parking directly into the festival.
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BERRY, BERRY GOOD!!!
2015 Baking Contest Winners
Muffins
1st Sharon Gruen
2nd Claire Reiben
3rd Diana Trainor
Cakes/Cobblers
1st Diana Trainor
2nd Ashleigh Countryman
3rd Terri Judycki
Cookies
1st Claire Rieben
2nd Colleen Kiefer
3rd Sandra DeLand
Youth K-5
1st Charles DeLand
2nd Josey DeLand
3rd Brie Hurlbut
Youth 6-12
1st Jenna Roberts
2nd Julia Racha
3rd Earl DeLand
Youth Quick & Easy K-5
1st Marissa Hefner
2nd Owen Davies
More Background On RemsenBarnFestival.com
RemsenBarnFestival.com functioned for many years as the primary digital home of the Remsen Barn Festival of the Arts, a long-running community arts festival held annually in Remsen, New York. The website served as both an informational hub and a cultural record, documenting one of Central New York’s most enduring small-town arts traditions. While the festival itself predates the modern internet era, RemsenBarnFestival.com captured a crucial chapter in its evolution, especially during the 2000s and early 2010s when community festivals across the United States began formalizing their online presence.
The website provided visitors, vendors, and local residents with essential festival information, including schedules, vendor participation details, entertainment listings, parking guidance, and frequently asked questions. Beyond logistics, it also reflected the character of the event itself: practical, welcoming, deeply local, and rooted in seasonal tradition.
Today, RemsenBarnFestival.com is best understood as a legacy site—one that preserves the voice, structure, and priorities of a grassroots arts festival at a moment when physical community gatherings were beginning to intersect more meaningfully with digital communication.
Ownership and Organizational Structure
The Remsen Barn Festival of the Arts has historically been organized by a local volunteer committee, often referred to as the Festival of the Arts committee. This group has traditionally included community members, civic volunteers, and representatives from local organizations. The festival has never operated as a commercial enterprise in the conventional sense; instead, it has functioned as a nonprofit, community-driven event designed to support artisans, attract visitors to Remsen, and celebrate regional culture.
RemsenBarnFestival.com reflected this structure clearly. There was no corporate branding, no external sponsorship dominance, and no emphasis on monetization beyond vendor participation and modest parking fees used to offset operational costs. The website emphasized service rather than promotion, reinforcing the festival’s grassroots origins and volunteer-led governance.
Decision-making and planning were community-centered, with strong involvement from local fire departments, churches, schools, and civic groups—an arrangement that reinforced the festival’s role as both an economic and social anchor for the town.
Geographic Location and Regional Context
Remsen is located in Oneida County, New York, in the foothills of the Adirondack Mountains. The town sits along Route 12, north of Utica, and has long served as a gateway between the Mohawk Valley and the Adirondack region. This geographic positioning has shaped the character of the festival and, by extension, the content of RemsenBarnFestival.com.
The website consistently emphasized Main Street as the festival’s central artery. During the event, this stretch of road was closed to vehicle traffic and transformed into a pedestrian-only marketplace filled with artists, crafters, food vendors, musicians, and community activities. The site provided detailed guidance on parking locations, shuttle services, and accessibility—reflecting both the rural layout of the town and the influx of visitors from surrounding regions.
The proximity to Adirondack recreational areas also contributed to the festival’s appeal. Many attendees combined festival visits with leaf-peeping trips, hiking weekends, or seasonal drives, making the event part of a broader fall tourism experience in upstate New York.
History and Development of the Festival Website
RemsenBarnFestival.com emerged during a transitional era for small-town event websites. Early versions of the site prioritized clarity and completeness over aesthetics or interactive design. Navigation was straightforward, often organized around static pages covering schedules, vendor information, directions, and frequently asked questions.
Archived versions show that the site evolved incrementally rather than through major redesigns. Content was updated annually to reflect new dates, performers, and activities, while the overall structure remained familiar year after year. This consistency helped returning visitors quickly find the information they needed, reinforcing the festival’s reputation as reliable and well-organized.
The website also functioned as an informal archive. Past schedules, entertainment lineups, baking contest winners, and community announcements were often retained, allowing visitors to revisit earlier festivals and track how the event changed over time. In this way, RemsenBarnFestival.com became not just a planning tool but a historical record of community life.
Popularity and Audience Reach
The popularity of RemsenBarnFestival.com closely mirrored the popularity of the festival itself. While the website did not aim for national reach or aggressive marketing, it effectively served a regional audience spanning Central New York and parts of the Adirondacks.
Typical visitors included:
- Returning festival attendees seeking dates and schedules
- Artisans and crafters considering vendor applications
- Families planning fall weekend outings
- Local residents coordinating volunteer efforts
- Tourists exploring seasonal events in upstate New York
Traffic spikes tended to occur in late summer and early fall, particularly in September as the festival approached. The site’s straightforward structure made it accessible to users of varying technical skill levels, including older visitors who may not have been as comfortable navigating more complex websites.
Festival Programming and Offerings
One of the strongest aspects of RemsenBarnFestival.com was its detailed presentation of festival programming. The site consistently highlighted the diversity of offerings, reinforcing the event’s reputation as more than just a craft fair.
Arts and Crafts Vendors
The festival regularly featured over 200 arts and crafts exhibitors. These included artisans specializing in handmade jewelry, textiles, woodwork, pottery, photography, folk art, and seasonal décor. The website emphasized the juried nature of vendor selection, underscoring a commitment to quality and originality.
Food Vendors and Culinary Traditions
Food concessions were a major draw, and RemsenBarnFestival.com treated them as an integral part of the experience. Visitors could expect traditional fair foods alongside regional specialties, baked goods, cider, and locally prepared meals. Community organizations often hosted pancake breakfasts or baking contests, blending fundraising with celebration.
Music, Dance, and Performance
Live entertainment played a central role. The site listed scheduled performances ranging from folk and bluegrass musicians to dance troupes and strolling performers. These acts were strategically placed along Main Street and at dedicated stages, creating a dynamic, immersive atmosphere throughout the weekend.
Family Activities and Community Events
Family-friendly programming was prominently featured. Corn mazes, children’s entertainers, face painting, and interactive exhibits ensured that the festival appealed to all age groups. Religious and cultural events, such as traditional hymn sings, reflected the town’s heritage and reinforced the festival’s inclusive community spirit.
Cultural and Social Significance
RemsenBarnFestival.com documented an event that served as a cultural cornerstone for the town of Remsen. For many residents, the festival marked the transition from summer to fall and functioned as a reunion point for families, former residents, and neighbors.
The website’s tone conveyed pride without pretension. It celebrated longevity, volunteerism, and shared effort rather than scale or prestige. This emphasis mirrored broader trends in rural arts festivals, where success is measured not by attendance numbers alone but by continuity, participation, and local impact.
Socially, the festival supported informal networking among artisans, small business owners, and community organizations. It also provided a platform for local talent to gain exposure and for visitors to engage directly with makers, performers, and organizers.
Press and Media Coverage
Over the years, the Remsen Barn Festival of the Arts received coverage from regional newspapers, lifestyle magazines, and community publications. RemsenBarnFestival.com occasionally referenced this attention indirectly by highlighting anniversaries, special recognitions, or notable participants.
Media coverage typically focused on the festival’s longevity, its transformation of Main Street, and its role in sustaining local arts economies. The website complemented this coverage by offering depth and specificity—details that short articles could not always accommodate.
Accessibility and Visitor Experience
Accessibility was a recurring theme on RemsenBarnFestival.com. The site provided clear answers regarding parking, shuttle services, street closures, and accommodations for visitors with disabilities. This attention to logistics reflected a broader ethos of hospitality.
The festival’s free admission policy was also emphasized, reinforcing its inclusive nature. Modest parking fees were framed as practical necessities rather than revenue-generating mechanisms, further underscoring the community-first orientation of the event.
Transition and Legacy
As digital expectations evolved, the festival eventually transitioned to a newer online presence under a different domain. RemsenBarnFestival.com thus became an archival artifact rather than an active promotional platform.
Its legacy, however, remains significant. The site captures a period when local festivals relied on simple, content-rich websites to connect with their audiences. It also preserves the voice and values of the organizers during a time of steady growth and community engagement.
For researchers, historians, and cultural observers, RemsenBarnFestival.com offers insight into how small towns adapted to the internet without losing their identity. It stands as a reminder that effective communication does not require complexity—only clarity, care, and authenticity.
RemsenBarnFestival.com was more than a website; it was an extension of a community tradition. Through clear information, consistent updates, and an unmistakably local tone, it supported one of New York’s most enduring small-town arts festivals. While no longer the festival’s primary digital home, the site remains a valuable historical record of how community, culture, and the early web intersected in rural America.
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