Townie Upstate

12/23/2025

I am thrilled to introduce the three local Townies who will be kicking off the new year with me, helping to edit a monthly calendar of events and each curating a weekly Top 10 through their own local lens. All three are Oneonta residents who love getting out and about and making the most of what our area has to offer: Courtney Murphy, Leif Van Cott, and Mike Forster Rothbart.

Three new local editors to contribute in January

12/17/2025

As the year winds down, I’ve been thinking about the moments that made me especially glad I said yes and left the house. I try to get out and about as much as possible, and more often than not, I’m rewarded with a great experience—or at least a good story. Looking back on 2025, these are the 10 events, performances, and civic upgrades that stood out most to me—the ones I personally attended and genuinely enjoyed.

Read to the end for more information on Townie continuing into 2026.*

And an announcement about Townie in 2026!

12/12/2025

I don’t know about you, but this time of year always feels heightened. Holiday parties and end-of-the-semester grading, end-of-the-fiscal-year reports and appeals, rehearsals and performances—it all stacks up fast. I keep telling myself, “Girl, just get through this weekend and things will ease up.”

I just gave my last final exam of the semester and submitted grades to SUNY Oneonta. Tonight, we open “Hello, Dolly!” at Foothills, with performances Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m. My boo and I are heading out of town for a concert and overnight trip right after Sunday’s show wraps—a co-Christmas present to ourselves. My new job at Butternut Valley Alliance is still moving at a constant clip, though I’m hoping for a breather in the coming weeks.

And, friend, I know your plate is probably just as full this time of year, especially once holiday parties and gift-giving get added to the mix.

Amid this flurry of activity (and literal snow), what’s felt like a warm blanket is the sense of community wrapped around it all. I do community theater not just because I’m a bit of an exhibitionist who enjoys shamelessly shimmying in character for a crowd of hundreds, but because of the connections that come from working on a project with people from all walks of life. Every show brings new friends.

Last night, after our final rehearsal, a handful of us “Hello, Dolly!” performers made a customary post-dress rehearsal pilgrimage to the Red Jug Pub. I arrived first and was greeted at the door by a former student. As I turned to wait outside, I heard, “Cassandra!”—two current students waving me back in. Another student stopped by with a hug and an internship update. Two more were working behind the bar, giving my group of non-college friends exemplary service. It was a really affirming reminder of why I love teaching here.

That same warmth has carried through my first two months with BVA. I’ve been holding Tuesday morning office hours at Five Kids Bakehouse in Gilbertsville and Thursdays at The Gatehouse in Morris, and the Valley has been incredibly welcoming. More people have shown up to these early office hours than to my SUNY office hours all semester. I’ve learned about hellbender salamanders, local plans for the 250th anniversary of U.S., efforts to create a scenic byway, and an inspiring idea for a trail sculpture made from repurposed plastics recovered after a flood.

Not to get ahead of myself, but I may have some news about Townie continuing into 2026. Fingers crossed, I’ll have more to share next week.

Below are my top picks for things to do in the Oneonta area this weekend—starting, of course, with Orpheus Theatre’s production of “Hello, Dolly!” at Foothills.

Link to top events in comments.

12/03/2025

I’ve been really excited to see everything that’s planned for this weekend in Oneonta to celebrate the holiday season. After a quieter, less coordinated year last year, this one is shaping up to be festive and fun downtown.

Most of the action is happening on Saturday: the annual greens sale at St. James Church in the morning, followed by a holiday market at CANO and Krampus Day at Lythik Noir midday, all leading up to the parade and tree lighting. The holiday parade steps off from Elm Street at 3:30 p.m. Members of Otsego Pride Alliance will be marching to bring awareness to its February production of The Laramie Project with Foothills. Members of the cast of Hello, Dolly! (which includes yours truly as Ernestina Money) will perform a medley of favorites from the show and at least one holiday tune on the new Gallodoro Stage in Muller Plaza before the tree lighting at 4:30 p.m. There are other coordinated efforts, too, including events at Foothills featuring a clown and Mrs. Claus. Catskill Choral Society’s holiday concert is this Friday and Saturday as well.

I’ve been spending a lot of time in the Butternut Valley and am completely enamored with the community of artists and interesting people who call it home. One of them is the delightful sculptor Elizabeth Nields, who has an opening at the Gatehouse in Morris on Friday. I first met Elizabeth at the coffeehouse about a month ago, when she and her husband—another artist who owns Dunderberg Gallery in Gilbertsville—invited me to sit with them and share spinach artichoke dip. I’m looking forward to heading back to the Gatehouse for a late-afternoon event there, a place where I’ve spent many hours meeting with members of the Butternut Valley Alliance, the organization I recently joined as its first full-time executive director. With this week’s storm, our area is looking very Narnia—an excellent backdrop for holiday festivities. I hope to see you out and about.

With this new job on top of teaching at SUNY Oneonta, I’m stepping back from Townie. I’ve got two more editions of Townie this year—we’ll wrap on December 17, when I plan to sunset the publication unless someone in the community feels called to take the reins. If that someone might be you, let’s grab a coffee and talk. Email me anytime at [email protected].

Dec. 3-9, 2025: Ideas for fun and frivolity in and around Oneonta, NY.

11/24/2025

We’re hitting the ground running with holiday-season activities. This week features heartwarming ways to celebrate—including a post-Thanksgiving bash, a second-anniversary party, and a beloved fundraiser that helps make Oneonta’s community Christmas dinner possible.

Thanksgiving is the unofficial kick-off to giving season. For some, that means giving time—like volunteering for the Thanksgiving dinner at the Elks Lodge or the Christmas dinner at First United Methodist Church. For others, it means making a monetary gift to local nonprofits that rely on donations to keep the lights on and keep our community vibrant. “Giving Tuesday” is Dec. 2 this year—keep an eye out for emails, letters, and social posts from organizations you care about, and support them if you’re able.

The Saturday after Thanksgiving is Small Business Saturday, a reminder to keep your dollars local instead of defaulting to big-box stores or online giants. This is a great week to start (or continue) shopping small and supporting the local business owners and makers who help define this place.

I’ve got three more editions of Townie—we’ll wrap on December 17, when I plan to sunset the publication unless someone in the community feels called to take the reins. If that someone might be you, let’s grab a coffee and talk. Email me anytime at [email protected].

Nov. 26-Dec. 2, 2025: Ideas for fun and frivolity in and around Oneonta, NY.

11/19/2025

As always, our local calendar is bursting with events, and everywhere you turn, someone’s throwing a can’t-miss concert, hosting a fundraiser with heart, or inviting the community to gather around film, food, and creativity.

I’m sticking with my promise to highlight my Top Five events each week (even though my heart wants to sneak in 15). These are the ones I’m especially excited about—and the ones I’d clone myself to attend if I could. Also, keep an eye out for community dinners and food drives: lots of people and organizations are organizing events this season, like St. Mary’s Church, which is hosting a dinner at the Elks Lodge on Nov. 27.

Townie is rolling along until December 17. After that, I’m hoping someone out there feels called to pick up the torch. If that someone might be you, let’s grab a coffee and talk about it. Email me anytime at [email protected].

Nov. 19-25, 2025: Ideas for fun and frivolity in and around Oneonta, NY.

11/12/2025

Wowza! Everyone’s getting in their big event of the fall (or even the year) before Thanksgiving, and this week is packed with reasons to say, “You know what? Cold and snow aren’t so bad when you can head indoors for dancing, films, theater, and food.”

I’d planned to feature just five top events each week until December 17, when Townie will ride into the sunset (unless someone wants to take it over!). But there’s simply too much happening not to share all the events I wish I could make it to.

If you’re interested in carrying the Townie torch, let’s talk. Buy me a coffee and we’ll chat about what that could look like — just drop me a line at [email protected].

Nov. 12-18, 2025: Ideas for fun and frivolity in and around Oneonta, NY.

11/05/2025

In case you haven’t heard, your Townie, Cassandra, went and got herself a full-time job—on top of teaching at SUNY Oneonta! I’m now the first full-time executive director of the Butternut Valley Alliance, a wonderful nonprofit focused on economic development, environmental stewardship, and arts promotion in western Otsego County’s Butternut Valley.

Since there just aren’t enough hours in the week, I’m sunsetting Townie in its original format. Through December 17, I’ll be sharing a streamlined “Top Five Picks” edition to honor a sponsorship agreement with Susquehanna Spirit.

A few folks have asked if someone might take over Townie to keep it going—so, you tell me! If you’re interested in carrying the torch, reach out, buy me a coffee, and let’s talk about what that could look like. Reach me at [email protected].

Nov. 5-11, 2025: Ideas for fun and frivolity in and around Oneonta, NY.

11/03/2025

When I started Townie more than two years ago, I was making my own schedule as a consultant and had just moved back to Oneonta because I wanted to be here, not because I was escaping something or had nowhere else to go.

I’ve lived in many places: Boston, New York, Baltimore, Auckland, Prague, Milan, Florence, Bologna, Utica—not as cosmopolitan as the rest of my former homes, but still a very cool place! Oneonta and this region of upstate New York are among my favorite places.

Townie has been a—mostly unrequited—pen pal exchange, with friends and neighbors who want to know what’s happening in our area. It’s been an outlet to give back to the community I love by making it easier for readers to experience all the good stuff happening here. It’s been delightful to hear from readers, both my personal network and people I’ve never met before. My friend who moved to another state still reads it and screenshots passages that make her giggle.

I’m writing to let you know—burying the lead a little here—that the way I’ll be giving back to the community has shifted. I’ve become the first full-time executive director of Butternut Valley Alliance (BVA), a nonprofit connecting people to place through economic development, environmental stewardship, and arts promotion in the region of western Otsego County known as the Butternut Valley. This is a full-time role with big responsibilities—and a lot of excitement—as we turn the page on BVA’s next chapter.

I’m joining on the heels of the group recruiting SFCU to open a branch in Morris to prevent a banking desert after Community Bank’s closure there. BVA is also leading the effort to bring two NY Forward grants totaling potentially $9 million to improvements in the valley’s two main hubs—the villages of Morris and Gilbertsville.

I’ve been hesitant to step into a full-time position again—I’ve loved being a consultant for different nonprofits and municipalities. But this opportunity felt like the perfect next chapter for me. I want to give this role the time and energy it deserves, on top of teaching at SUNY Oneonta and maintaining a personal life (shout out to all my community theater groups!). Because I just don’t have enough hours in the week, I’ll be stepping back from publishing Townie in its current format.
Billing for paid subscriptions ended a couple of weeks ago. I’ll continue publishing Townie in a shorter weekly highlights format through December 17 to honor a sponsorship with Susquehanna Spirit, a new dispensary in Otsego County.

I’ve loved every bit of working on this project over the past couple of years. Thank you for reading, for showing up, and for getting out into our community. I hope to see you in the Butternut Valley at one of BVA’s events, like the Friendsgiving Fundraiser on November 16—last year’s dishes people brought were legendarily delicious. Morris and Gilbertsville are two gems in our area—come visit! You’ll most likely find me at The Gatehouse or Five Kids Bakehouse. Share a scone and a cup of coffee and say hello.

Big news from Townie creator Cassandra Miller

10/29/2025

So, the federal government has now been shut down for 28 days, closing in on the longest shutdown ever, when it was shut down for 35 days in 2018. This is not a political statement—it’s a statement of fact. I don’t know about you, but I don’t like my government playing fast and loose with my life and my neighbors’ lives.

If we’re going to start talking politics, you might want to start at home. Learn about who is running for office to represent you—and work for you. Remember that elected officials are your proxies for how you want your community to be. If you’re voting in the Oneonta area and weren’t able to attend the local election debate at Foothills, catch up by watching the unedited livestream by Otsego Media on its page.

You get to choose the type of person you want to make the decisions that align with how you want our community to be. Vote on Election Day, on Tuesday, November 4, at Foothills or Hartwick College. Or zip on down to early voting any day before then—to the Brenner Building (skate house by the pond) at Neahwa Park or to the Meadows Office Complex in Cooperstown.

If you haven’t yet, learn a little more about at least four candidates running for local office through interviews created in collaboration with Hartwick College Institute of Public Service.

Once you’ve voted, you may want to celebrate exercising democracy. Why not do it at a local event, where you can connect with friends and neighbors and people who may have voted for other people—in essence, connect with your community. Let’s work together at home and show the federal government how it’s done.

Read on for lots to do around the community this week!

Oct. 29-Nov. 4, 2025: Ideas for fun and frivolity in and around Oneonta, NY.

10/22/2025

I hope your costume chest is brimming with options, because this week there are at least three chances to dress up as Carmen Sandiego, Marilyn Monroe, Jessica Rabbit, 1980s Madonna-inspired Miss Piggy, or your go-to, mermaid. (By “you,” I mean “me.” These are my options this year.) The hills are full of trunk-or-treats, corn mazes, ghost tours, and more ways to embrace the Halloween season.

Normally, it takes a lot for me to drive more than 30 minutes away from Oneonta for an evening event, but I am going this Friday to see my very funny friend do stand-up at Wayside Cider in Andes. Not to brag on her behalf, but she did a tight five that stole the show during a set at the Belvedere—one that included a surprise appearance by Amy Schumer, who also praised her. Come to Andes this Friday and laugh at her jokes with me!

Cooperstown Concerts, who I adore not just for their stellar shows, but also because they’ve been a regular sponsor of Townie, is presenting an inaugural Diwali celebration this Sunday. As of this morning, it’s sold out—woo! Snag tickets to see any of their shows this season if you can.

Below are my top event picks this week:

Practically Magic Cabaret and Comedy Night at Wayside Cider in Andes (Friday)

Oneonta Costume Parties! Bartender’s Ball at B Side, Vampire Ball at Foothills, Heaven and Hell Costume Party at Foothills

Oneonta Area Election Debate at Foothills in Oneonta (Tuesday)

In relation to election coverage, I’ve teamed up with Hartwick College Institute of Public Service to interview candidates running for local office. Visit townieny.substack.com for the first two posts.

Every edition of Townie exists thanks to 74 amazing paid subscribers (up from 73 last week—thank you!) and sponsors like Cooperstown Concerts and Susquehanna Spirit. If Townie has ever helped you find your way to a concert, festival, or local gem, consider joining the crew and becoming a paid subscriber today.

Read on for lots to do around the community this week!

Oct. 22-28, 2025: Ideas for fun and frivolity in and around Oneonta, NY.

10/21/2025

I'm partnering with Hartwick College Institute of Public Service to interview candidates running for public office this year. Learn more about the views and vision of Oneonta Town Supervisor candidates Brett Holleran and Will Rivera. City of Oneonta - Government Hartwick College

Hartwick College Institute of Public Service and Townie teamed up to interview local candidates running for office