Newfield’s inaugural Harvest Punch Festival is Sept. 14

Ben Stieler is an advocate for performances outside of a traditional theater venue.

Through Apple Cow Lips Company, Stieler has been able to stage clown and puppetry performances in a natural setting.

This led to Stieler organizing the first-ever Harvest Punch Festival on Saturday, Sept. 14, from 3 to 9 p.m. at Littletree Orchards at 345 Shaffer Rd. in the town of Newfield. A family-friendly event, Stieler said admission is on a “pay as you want” donation basis.

“I always appreciate theater being done outside of traditional venues as a way of showcasing the environment,” Stieler said. “It’s about the performers and what they’re doing, but it also helps us frame the natural landscape and enjoy it.”

Stieler, mainly a clown performer who is based in Philadelphia, has a history of working as an employee and performing at Littletree Orchards. When Apple Cow Lips Co. performed at the orchard last fall, Stieler had the idea of a bigger event.

“This performance is celebrating Littletree [Orchards] and nature and having theatrical performances outside,” Stieler said. “[The orchard] holds a special place in my heart.”

Stieler works with puppetry groups in Philadelphia and Vermont. He’s also gotten involved in what he calls the “growing puppetry scene” in Ithaca.

“The circuit is small, and the web is tightly knit,” Stieler said.

The performers at the festival will include:

• Amy Trompetter’s Redwing Blackbird Theater (Rosendale)
• Lily Pad Puppet Theater (Ithaca)
• Fern Circus (Ithaca)
• The Buoyant Heart Collective (Brattleboro, Vermont)
• The Apple Cow Lips Company (Ithaca)

Each performance will be 20-30 minutes in length, according to a release. Performances will be showcased from 3 to 6 p.m., followed by a variety of musical shows in the barn at the orchard.

Stieler said the festival will coincide with the opening weekend of the orchard’s “U-Pick” apple season. 

Stieler described the festival as “roving.” He noted that audiences are led by ushers to different locations throughout the orchard “where performances are happening.”

“[Audience members are] encouraged to see all of the performances and experience the full theatrical tapestry,” the release stated.

The first year of the festival was supposed to be last year, but Stieler noted that the orchard didn’t have apples due to poor weather conditions that resulted in a “catastrophic crop loss.”

The orchard is where Stieler’s theatrical clown and puppetry journey began. Stieler also went to a circus school in Ithaca to hone his craft.

“I want to celebrate this place and all they’ve done for me,” Stieler said, noting the orchard’s intention of taking advantage of the space they have. “We’ve done shows [at the orchard] in the past, but this is a bigger one to showcase. Hopefully, it will help us continue to grow.”

According to the release, the Harvest Punch Festival is made possible in part by funds from the Statewide Community Regrant program from the New York State Council on the Arts, the support of the New York state office of the Governor and the state legislature — administered by the Community Arts Partnership of Tompkins County — and a grant from the Tompkins Today and Tomorrow Fund of the Community Foundation of Tompkins County.

For more information, contact Stieler at applecowlipsco@gmail.com or go to applecowlipsco.com.

Newfield Notes appears every week in Tompkins Weekly. Send story ideas to editorial@vizellamedia.com.

In brief:

Town board to hold public hearing on Thursday

The Newfield Town Board will hold a public hearing at its meeting on Thursday, Sept. 12, at 7 p.m. at the town hall.

The purpose of the hearing is to speak on a proposed local campground law. According to a description, the purpose of the proposed law is to “promote the health, safety and general welfare of the Town of Newfield, and of its inhabitants, by establishing this local law governing transient camping and the operation and maintenance of campgrounds for that use.

“Campgrounds established before the effective date of this law are grandfathered in. If the campground transfers ownership, the new owner will be required to submit an application for a permit for operations.”

The public is invited to attend Thursday’s meeting either in person or via Zoom. The agenda and a breakdown of the proposed law can be found at newfieldny.org.

Dates for school tax payment deadlines

Newfield Central School District has announced dates for school tax payment deadlines.

A full payment without penalty is due by Sept. 30. If a payment is made after that date, there is a 2% penalty and a due date of Oct. 31. If a payment isn’t made in October, the school tax bill and penalties will be levied to the town of Newfield’s tax bills, with additional penalties.

Another option is to make partial payments, with the first payment on Sept. 30 and the second on March 3.

If residents or property owners have not received their school tax bill yet, they should contact the tax office at Newfield Town Hall at 607-564-9881 or townclerk@newfieldny.org.