EVENTS

Sat., Oct. 2: Take Your Kid Mountain Biking: 10 a.m. to noon
guided bike tour on Chemung River Trails meet behind the West Elmira town hall on W. Water Street. Cycle to Grove Street boat launch and back. All kids, 14 and under must be accompanied by an adult. All cyclists must wear helmets. Finger Lakes Mountain Bike Club, www.fingerlakesmountainbikeclub.com

Sept. 25: Huck Finn Model Raft Race
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Sat., Sept. 11: Mark Twain River Trail Mountain Bike Ride, 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
Meet at the Grove Street boat launch and take a 5-mile-long round-trip ride west on the dirt river trails. Learn about Mark Twain's humorous thoughts on bicycling. Co-sponsored by the Finger Lakes Mountain Bike Club. Fee: $10/rider.

Saturday river trash cleanup: 8:30 a.m. to noon
Sept. 18. Meet at the Grove Street boat launch in Elmira. Wear work boots or sneakers. Kids 15 and under must be accompanied by an adult.

The Saturday Fun Days
ENJOY A MONTH FULL OF SATURDAY FUN ON THE RIVER Saturdays in September will be full of fun, knowledge and challenges for Mark Twain fans and river lovers in the Twin Tiers.

The Mark Twain Fun Days run each Saturday in September and feature trolley rides to the Chemung River, bike treks along the river, a croquet tournament near the river and a model raft race on the river.

Participants will enjoy fresh-air exercise, play games, learn history and meet Mark Twain, Huck Finn, Becky Thatcher and soldiers from the American Revolution and Civil War.

“The Fun Days give everyone a chance to learn more about Mark Twain and local history, said Jim Pfiffer director of the Friends of the Chemung River Watershed, one of the organizations sponsoring the fun days. “Participants will also help raise money for charities and the River Friends and develop a better appreciation for the Chemung River.”

EVENTS INCLUDE:

Sept. 4: Trolley to the river: Ride an old-fashioned trolley to the Chemung River’s edge at the Grove Street boat launch in Elmira. Discover how the river inspired Mark Twain to write about life on the Mississippi River. Sponsored by the Chemung County Chamber of Commerce.

Sept 11 (time) Mark Twin River Trail Jaunt Bike/Hike tour: Take a leisurely bike ride or hike along the river trails from the Grove Street Boat Launch in downtown Elmira to West Elmira and back. You will run into Mark Twain and hear his humorous account of his first bike ride. You will bump into traveling minstrels, Tom Sawyer and Becky Thatcher. You will see American Revolution soldiers who battled the British and Indians along the river. You will hear from Confederate soldiers who will tell you what hell was like in the riverside Elmira prison camp during the Civil War. Sponsored by the Finger Lakes Mountain Bike Club. Donation: $10 to benefit The Falck Cancer Center/LIVESTRONG. For more information: (607) 733-6798, flmbc@yahoo.com, www.fingerlakesmountainbikeclub.com.

Sept. 18: Samuel Clemens Croquet Tournament: Relive the good old days with a fun croquet tournament in the front lawns of the Painted Lady Bed & Breakfast on Water Street in Elmira and a nearby Victorian home along the river. Enjoy refreshments and meet Mark Twain and his literary offspring, Tom Sawyer and Becky Thatcher. Donation: $10 to benefit the Friends of the Chemung River Watershed and the Mental Health Association of Chemung and Steuben Counties. For more information: (607) 846-3500, info@elmiraspainted lady.com or www.ElmirasPaintedLady.com.

Sept. 25: Model Huck Finn raft race: Kids in elementary and middle schools can build and race their own 1-foot long model rafts fashioned after Huck Finn’s famous river raft and win up to $100 in cash. Race starts in West Elmira and ends at the Grove Street Boat launch in Elmira. $5 entrée fee to benefit the Friends of the Chemung River Watershed. For more information: (607) 846-2242, riverfriends@stny.rr.com or www.chemungriverfriends.org.

For more information on all the above events go to www.marktwainfundays.com.

More information: Chemung River Friends 607-846-2242 or riverfriends@stny.rr.com