Marathon combines an annual spring festival with a September fair and a river that flows south through the town. It is also home to a former opera house with preserved architectural features, a town park on the Tioughnioga River, and a public golf course. To plan your visit, start by choosing a focus: festival season, activities on the water, or architectural history.

Festivals in Two Different Seasons

The Central New York Maple Festival takes place in Marathon every spring and celebrates the town’s maple syrup industry. Events include a Maple Pageant and a pancake-eating contest. The Union Fair takes place at a different time of year: it is held in Marathon every September. It features vendors, baked goods exhibits, quilt and garden exhibits, and horse-drawn carriage parades. These offer two distinct occasions to choose from: a spring festival centered on maple syrup or a September fair with exhibits and parades. If one of the festivals is the reason for your trip, check the specific event dates before making plans.

Along the Tioughnioga River and at Lovell Field

The Tioughnioga River flows south through the Town of Marathon and is the main watercourse in Cortland County. Lovell Field is Marathon’s town park; it also has a boat launch. The river forms the park’s western boundary. The shallow areas below the old steel bridge are suitable for fishing or cooling off in the water on warm days. Lovell Field also has a playground with wide views across the valley. The park therefore offers both activities on the water and a place to play, while the view across the valley shows another side of the area.

A Former Opera House with Preserved Details

The Peck Memorial Library is a former opera house built in 1894 in the Late Victorian style. Original features preserved from its time as an opera house include a full stage, a balcony, a trapdoor, and an elaborately ornamented plaster ceiling. Above the library are also 11 restored skylights, which are illuminated at night. For architecture enthusiasts, the building connects the history of its former use with specific details such as the stage, balcony, and ceiling. The skylights add another architectural feature, one that also stands out for its nighttime illumination.

A Market, Tastings, and More

The Marathon Farmers’ Market is held weekly on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. on the Village Green. As schedules can change, check the hours before your visit. Dragonfyre Distillery offers tastings of its products. For golf, there is Maple Hill Golf Club, a public 18-hole course in Marathon. These options offer different ways to spend your time: a Saturday morning at the market, a tasting, or time on the golf course.

Marathon’s main transportation routes include Interstate 81, U.S. Route 11, and New York State Route 221. The three road names provide a general sense of direction; which route is right for you depends on your specific journey.

Discover more destinations: Cortland, Mcgraw.

Return to the main travel guide: Cortland.