Destination Guides: Ithaca, United States - Events & Entertainment

Events & Entertainment

January

 Light in Winter

Held in late January through February

Location: Ithaca

800-284-8422

The festival celebrates the fusion of music, art, and science with programs appropriate for ages 12 and up. Performances are held at the historic State Theatre, Cornell and Ithaca College campuses and will feature a variety of international performers.  Many related activities are offered for all ages throughout the weekend along Ithaca's Discovery Trail, at the Kitchen Theatre, and Solá and State of the Art galleries.

June

 Ithaca Festival

Held in early June
Location: Downtown Ithaca
Ithaca, NY   14850
607-273-3646
One of Ithaca's largest festivals and craft show celebrating the local area. Music, performers, and food vendors.

Juneteenth Festival

Held in mid June
Location: Southside Community Center
305 S. Plain St
Ithaca, NY   14850
607-273-4190
Celebrates the final emancipation of slaves in the USA. Music, food, and more.

July

Finger Lakes Grassroots Festival

Held in late July

Location: Trumansburg Fairgrounds
607-387-5144
80 plus hours of continuous musical concerts on three stages.

Sidewalk Sale Days

Held in late July
Location: Ithaca Commons, downtown Ithaca
607-277-8679
Special discounts and savings in many of the stores located on the Downtown Commons pedestrian mall. Mall specialty stores with numerous tables and racks of items on sale.

Community Fireworks Show

Held in early July

Location: Ithaca College
800-284-8422

Come see the fireworks display and enjoy all the fun activities. Fireworks start when it is dark. View on campus or anywhere you can see the two Ithaca College towers.

August

Downtown Ithaca's NASCAR Race Day

Held in early – mid August
Location: On the Downtown Ithaca Commons, Ithaca
607-277-8679
Help kick off the Nextel Cup Races in Watkins Glen. Meet NASCAR drivers, explore NASCAR race cars, buy memorabilia, enjoy wonderful food from local vendors and dance the day away to musical entertainment.

Trumansburg Fair

Held in late August

Location: Rte. 96, Trumansburg
607-887-6504
Come join the fun at the Trumansburg fairgrounds. There is so much to see and do, midway rides, games, truck and tractor pulls, fireworks, food, and the ever popular Demolition Derby.

September

Corn on the Curb Festival

Held in mid September

Location: Downtown Trumansburg 

607-387-4471

The festival is an annual celebration of the agricultural roots of the Trumansburg area. The event features corn chowder and cornbreads prepared by local restaurants, as well as live music. Other "corny" snacks and activities are also available.

Ithaca Youth Bureau Community Celebration

Held in mid September

Location: Cass Park
People of all ages are invited to enjoy a day of live music, food, rides, dragon boat races on the inlet, cooperative games and family activities at Ithaca Youth Bureau’s Cass Park and the Cayuga Waterfront Trail.

October

Finger Lakes Antique Show and Sale

Held in early October

Location: Women's Community Building, Ithaca

607- 272-1247
Annual Antique Show and Sale:  many vendors. 

Finn Funn Weekend

Held in early October

Location: Clarion University Hotel, Ithaca

The festival is an annual Northeast regional gathering of people of Finnish origin and descent and others interested in promoting Finnish culture and heritage.

Friends of the Library Annual Fall Book Sale

Starts the  2nd week in October.  Bringing book lovers from around the country to Ithaca, this popular event offers for sale a warehouse full of  collectors' editions and used books, children's books, CD's, magazines, and other printed material.  Volunteers work many months in advance to arrange the donated items on shelves by category.  Prices decrease each day during the week of the sale.  Lines stretch around the block as book lovers vie for entrance to this treasure trove. 
Location:  Esty Street, Ithaca
607-272-2223

Six Mile Creek Harvest Festival

Held in early October

Location: Six Mile Creek Vineyard, Ithaca

607-272-WINE
Live music, hayrides, food, fun.

Apple Harvest Festival, Craft Show and Sale

Held in early October
Location: Downtown Ithaca Commons
607-277-8679
A special regional festival featuring bountiful produce, apples, cider, baked apple goods. Craft fair, complete with performers, musicians, puppeteers, singers, story tellers, dancers, and band. .

Art Trail Open Studio Weekend

Held in mid October

Location: Tompkins County
800-284-8422
Find over 50 artists year round and discover exciting art throughout the Greater Ithaca area. Visit artists during Open Studio Weekends or call ahead to make plans with artists. Explore art studios, talk with artists, learn how art is made, and buy are in a relaxed atmosphere.

Fall Family Weekend

Held in mid October

Location: Cayuga's East Shore, Groton
Experience the essence of October with a Fall Family Weekend at the beautiful eastern shore of Cayuga Lake. Hosted by three area attractions:  Bakers' Acres Garden Center, Indian Chimney Farm, and King Ferry Winery.

Halloween Capers at the Cayuga Nature Center

Held in late October

Location: 1420 Taughannock Blvd., Ithaca

607-273-6260
This annual event features two haunted trails, one that visitors can walk at their own pace, the other with a guide on a timed ticket, which visitors receive when they pay for admission. Also enjoy hayrides, cider pressing, face painting, story telling, marshmallow roasting, critter encounters, and more.

December

Downtown Ithaca's Holidays Around the World

Held in early December

Location: All through Downtown Ithaca
607-277-8679
Come join the fun in Downtown Ithaca. Food, crafts, and tons of entertainment.

Trumansburg Festival of Lights

Held throughout the month
Location: Village of Trumansburg
607-387-9254
A festival celebrating the holiday season. Lighting of village Christmas tree, sing-a-long, music, crafts, horse and carriage rides and dessert contest.

Entertainment

Cayuga Chamber Orchestra
116 N Cayuga St.
Ithaca, NY   14850
607-273-4816

Call for performance schedule
A 35 member professional ensemble, the CCO is the official Ithaca orchestra and presents a subscription season including six full concerts, three chamber concerts and a holiday special "Caroling by Candlelight."  The group's programs are frequently highlighted by guest appearances of nationally known soloists.

Cornell Cinema
Willard Straight Hall
Cornell University
Ithaca, NY   14853
607-255-3522
Season: Year Round

Cornell Cinema is considered one of best campus film exhibition programs in the country. They screen over 400 films annually including classic foreign and Hollywood, documentaries, silent films with live music, international cinema, unusual children's films, recent art house hits and more. They also host visiting filmmakers. Seven nights a week in the beautiful Willard Straight Theatre on the Cornell campus during the fall, spring and summer sessions.

Cornell Music Department
101 Lincoln Hall
Cornell University
Ithaca, NY   14853
607-255-4097
Call for performance schedule
Performance is an integral part of Cornell’s cultural life and an essential part of its undergraduate programs in music. The Department of Music encourages music making through its offerings in individual instruction and through organizations and ensembles that are directed and trained by members of the faculty. The Music Department sponsors more than a hundred concerts and lectures on campus each year, given by faculty members, students, and distinguished visiting artists; most are free.

Hangar Theatre
Taughannock Blvd. at Cass Park
Rte 89
Ithaca, NY   14851
800-284-8422
Season runs June - August. Evening Shows at 7:30 & 8pm depending on nights; matinees at 3pm.
The Center for the Arts at Ithaca, Inc., also known as the Hangar Theatre, is committed to providing exceptional theatre experiences of high professional quality to enrich, enlighten, educate, and entertain the diverse audience in the Finger Lakes region and beyond. Strong education and training programs are central parts of our commitment to the local and national artistic communities. 

Historic Ithaca's State Theatre
107-113 West State St.
Ithaca, NY   14850
607-277-7577
Season runs year round, call for performance schedule
Historic Ithaca’s State Theatre offers a calendar of events featuring performances of nationally recognized, as well as outstanding regional music groups, dance companies, and theatre troupes.

Ithaca Ballet
607-277-1967

Call for performance schedule
The Ithaca Ballet, housed at the Ballet Center of Ithaca, is one of upstate New York’s only repertory companies. The ballet is a professional ensemble corps, having a varied repertoire of classical and contemporary works. Nationally known, and a member of Regional Dance America, the troupe tours the Finger Lakes Region.

Ithaca College School of Music
3322 Whalen Center
Ithaca College
Ithaca, NY   14850
607-274-3171

Call for additional information

Founded as a Conservatory of Music in 1892, the school has a long tradition of excellence in music performance. The guest artists presented are second to none, and the affordable ticket prices and multiple discounts make for the “best buy” in classical music in the Southern Tier.

Ithaca College Theatre
201 Dillingham Center
Ithaca College
Ithaca, NY   14850
607-274-3796
Season runs September – May, call for performance schedule
The Dillingham Center on the campus of Ithaca College is the home of the George R. Hoerner and Richard M. Clark Theatres. The Department of Theatre Arts presents drama, comedy, musical, opera, and dance productions.

Kitchen Theatre Company
116 N Cayuga St. (in the Historic Clinton House)
Ithaca, NY   14850
607-273-4497
Season runs year round, call for scheduled performances.
Bold - Intimate - Engaging "See it here first." - Syracuse New Times Critically acclaimed and nationally recognized, this is downtown Ithaca's year-round professional theatre. KTC provides an engaging mix of regional and world premiere plays to Central New York in an intimate 73-seat theatre that encourages a bold relationship between audience and actor. The theatre offers 6-Play Mainstage Season ~ Kitchen Counter Culture series ~ Family Fare theatre for all ages.

NYS Baroque
Ithaca Unitarian Church (Concert Site)
Buffalo & Aurora St
Ithaca, NY   14850

607-273-1581
Season runs year round, call for additional information.
Orchestra, on Original Instruments, offers unique performances of 17th & 18th century music using techniques and instruments of the period.

Schwartz Center for Performing Arts
430 College Ave
Ithaca, NY   14850
607-254-2700
Season runs September – May, call for performance schedule  

The Center  is home to Cornell University’s Department of Theatre, Film & Dance. Excellent plays and dance performances.  

The Cayuga Vocal Ensemble
607-273-3586
Call for performance schedule and additional information
The Cayuga Vocal Ensemble is a professional vocal ensemble whose mission is “to create for ourselves and for our community the experience of music’s ineffable power to touch the human heart and mind.”

Sports

Cornell University

410 Thurston Ave.
Cornell University
Ithaca, NY 14850

607-255-5241

Call for game schedules for all events and additional information.

Come enjoy a host of spectator sports year-round. 

Finger Lakes Vineyards offer tours and tastings on the Seneca and Cayuga Lake wine trails.

Locally at:

Americana Vineyards Winery 56

4367 East Covert Road

Cayuga Lake wine trail
Interlaken, NY 148473

607-387-6801

Cayuga Lake wine trail

Bellwether Hard Cider

Cayuga Lake wine trail 1

1609 Trumansburg Road (Route 96)
Ithaca, NY 14850

607-272-433721

27
Cayuga Ridge Estate Winery

Cayuga Lake wine trail

6800 Route 89 at Elm Beach
Ovid, NY 14521

607-869-5158

56

Frontenac Point Vineyard

Cayuga Lake wine trail

9501 Route 89
Trumansburg, NY 14886

607-387-96195
 

Hosmer Winery

Cayuga Lake wine trail 5

6999 Route 89
Ovid, NY 14521

607-869-3393

Lucas Vineyards

Cayuga Lake wine trail

3862 County Road 150
Interlaken, NY 14847

607-532-4825

Sheldrake Point Vineyard and Cafe

Cayuga Lake wine trail 5

7448 County Road 153
Ovid, NY 14521

607-532-9401

Cayuga Lake wine trail

74
Signore Winery

Cayuga Lake wine trail 1

153 White Church Road
Brooktondale, NY 14817

607-539-7935

 
Six Mile Creek Vineyard

Cayuga Lake wine trail

1551 Slaterville Road (Route 79 East)
Ithaca, NY 14850

607-272-9463