Things To Do In Gloversville

Curated every year by one-man band Positive Mental Trip, Positive Mental Trip Music Fest pumps jams from 50 bands and artists on three stages over four days and nights in the Catskills. This year's headliner, That 1 Guy (Friday at midnight), lays down bass-heavy syncopation from his self-invented electronic instrument he calls the "magic pipe" while riffing quirky lyrics into a distorted microphone. Performing each day, Positive Mental Trip mixes drum machines, synthesizers, and guitar riffs to create genre-bending journeys through funk, electronica, and rock. Music mavens can peruse the schedule for a host of treble-clef-savvy acts, from In the Dark (Saturday, 2 p.m.), a collective that includes Tom Constanten of the Grateful Dead, and Cappy Franti and Friends (Saturday, 6:30 p.m.), a posse led by the son of legendary musician Michael Franti and the cousin of Mozart's piano.

Along the main stretch at Hilltop Paintball, one recalls the Old West while spying the silhouettes of two cowboys leaning against wooden structures and dangling signs swinging in the wind before a camo-clad anachronism emerges from behind a wagon wheel. The stranger locks and loads a paintball marker before hightailing it to one of seven terrains with scenario games, such as Alien Planet and speedball. In order to win matches, he and his teammates must navigate obstacles, including stacks of logs, hay bales, and clones of Barney Fife. In airsoft matches, they play a paint-free game with similar principles to paintball, and an onsite target range gives them a chance to hone their aim. To shake it up, they can practice putting at an 18-hole mini-golf course, try their hands at Nerf Dart Tag, or refuel at the barbecue and picnic area. The facility also accommodates larger groups for special events such as corporate outings and birthdays with custom packages, and a private party tent is available with advance reservations.

Adam Towne, a Pan Am-trained pilot and full-time flight instructor since 2006, subscribes to the ideology of Wilbur Wright: "It is possible to fly without motors but not without knowledge and skill.” In this spirit, he leads custom instruction for students of all experience levels, from first-time flyers to out-of-practice pilots looking to refresh their skills. From his four-seat, 160 horsepower Piper Cherokee PA28-140 (which is also available for rental), Adam can take photographers skyward to capture landscapes, construction projects, or proof that birds run on tiny, feather-covered engines.

Though an 18-hole course today, Canajoharie Golf and Country Club had, for most of its life, just nine holes. The original course was established in 1936, and hosted such golf luminaries as Craig Wood and Paul Runyan—both stars of their day, even though they used wooden drivers. It wasn't until 1992 that the second nine was added, bringing the course up to its present length of 6,146 yards with a par of 71.

Course at a Glance:

• 18-hole, par 71 course
• Total length of 6,146 yards from the back tees
• Course rating of 69 from the back tees
• Course slope of 118 from the back tees
• Four sets of tees per hole

The subject of a recent, aggressive overhaul to improve course conditioning, Hales Mills Country Club challenges golfers with a 6,100, par-71 layout. The course shares the green landscape with an all-grass driving range, where golfers can warm up their swing or test out the efficacy of their new camouflage golf bag. After rounds, golfers can unwind at the on-site restaurant, which serves dinner specials and classic pub fare.