We have a winner!
The votes are in from the Burger Competition and it was a close one. The top 3 were within 6 votes of each other, and 3rd and 4th place were decided by a single vote!
This past weekend was one of those "how do I pick just one thing" weekends around the Finger Lakes.
And speaking of picking things, I've got a quick poll for you this week.
I'd love to know what you think should be next on the community's radar. Scroll down and weigh in.
Let’s go!
WHAT SHOULD WE DO NEXT?
We’ve got a few projects partway done, so what should we focus on?
BIG (BURGER) WINNERS
The readers have spoken! Over the past 3 weeks, you submitted and voted for your favorite burger in the Finger Lakes.
In third place we have:
In second place is:
And the most-loved burger in the Finger Lakes according to you:
Thanks to everyone for submitting, voting, and tasting burgers over the past few weeks of the competition! If you haven’t been to one of the places on the list, head out this weekend and see what the buzz is about.
👋 Be A Contributor 👋
The Finger Lakes Effect is 100% free to read, independently owned, and locally operated (it’s me, my wife, and two cats).
Your contributions go toward keeping the Finger Lakes Effect going so we can have more fun, build more connections, and not have each edition filled with ads. I appreciate any and all support from this great group! — Adam
Adam doing some Finger Lakes Effect-ing on the road.
The Bulletin
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Got a community event or shout-out? We want to hear about that too.
Auburn Direct - Also featured in the holiday local crafts gift guide, Auburn Direct has been making dog collars, dog leashes, pet harnesses, and toys locally for over 75 years. Check them out in Auburn or online.
Steuben Brewing Company - Good brews, a comfortable scene, and a great view. And now? The winner of the Finger Lakes Effect Burger Competition, Butcher's Son, has an outpost right there.
🔔 UPDATES 🔔
Sunrise | 6:48 AM |
Sunset | 5:50 PM |
Moonrise | 11:11 AM |
Moonset | 3:48 AM |
Air Quality | 28 FAIR |
📅 EVENTS 📅
Top Picks
Cheese & Thank You! @ Hopshire Farm & Brewery (Freeville - Saturday)
Finger Lakes Film Festival @ Smith Opera House (Geneva - Saturday)
Sip Savor & Support @ Emerson Park Pavilion (Auburn - Sunday)
Wednesday
Mystery Flight Night @ Brewers Kitchen and Taproom (Ithaca) – Mystery beer flights, midweek challenge energy, guess to win, craft vibes, and bragging rights.
Vinyl Knight @ Middle Ages Brewing Company (Syracuse) – Vinyl spins, craft beer, retro grooves, and midweek music lover vibes.
Kitchen OPEN – Pizza Launch @ Hopshire Farm & Brewery (Freeville) – Farm brewery pizza night, house-made dough, fresh local ingredients, and laid-back vibes.
Neil Minet Live @ Riseform Brewing Co. (Penn Yan) – Live local music, craft beer vibes, relaxed midweek set in wine country.
Nature Trivia Night @ Baltimore Woods Nature Center (Marcellus) – Nature trivia, brainy fun, friendly competition, and woodland vibes.
Thursday
Starry Night Meditation & Sound Bath @ CHIROsport & Spine, LLC (Vestal) – Celestial meditation, immersive sound bath, and deep winter rest under projected stars.
Petal Haus Paint & Sip @ Roast & Toast (Auburn) – Paint and sip night, floral art, cozy drinks, and creative evening vibes.
CONCERT: Solas @ Center for the Arts of Homer (Homer) – World-class Celtic music, rich tradition, and electrifying Irish ensemble energy.
Dave and Jenn’s Karaoke Experience @ Lucky Hare Brewing Hector (Hector) – Grab the mic, sip local brews, sing your heart out, easy vibes, fun crowd, weeknight energy boost.
Mardi Gras Party w/ Ruben Moreno’s Zydeco Re-Evolution & Koray Broussard @ Stone Bend Farm (Newfield) – Zydeco heat, Mardi Gras vibes, farm dance floor energy, beads, boots, and nonstop rhythm.
Friday
3rd Annual Ithaca Experimental Film Festival @ Cornell Cinema (Ithaca) – Experimental cinema, cosmic themes, bold storytelling, indie film energy, Friday creative crowd. Continues on Saturday.
Dexter Kozen @ Garrett's Brewing Company (Trumansburg) – Friday pints, small-town brewery vibes, live local music, easygoing start to the weekend.
Souper Simple Lunch @ Buttonwood Grove Winery (Romulus) – Wine trail views, cozy soup lunch, winter lake vibes, simple weekend comfort.
Zack Hammond Headlines Comedy Night @ Sachs Tee House (Binghamton) – Stand-up comedy night, headline set, and casual Friday laughs.
Whiskey Wonderland Single Malt Tasting @ Hollerhorn Distilling (Naples) – Single malt tasting night featuring Japan and Scotland pours in relaxed distillery setting.
February Open Mic Night @ Sulfur Books (Clifton Springs) – Free community open mic for music, poetry, and spoken word in cozy indie bookstore.
Homebrewed Comedy @ McGraw Box Brewing Co. (McGraw) – Craft beer and live stand-up comedy night in relaxed brewery setting.
Planetarium Show: Supermassive Black Holes @ Link Planetarium (Binghamton) – Immersive planetarium show exploring supermassive black holes and cosmic science.
The Sweet Spot Dessert Experience @ The Lake House on Canandaigua (Canandaigua) – Six-course dessert tasting with champagne in romantic lakefront setting.
Janus – OSFL Chamber Music Series @ Corning Civic Music (Corning) – Intimate chamber music performance by OSFL in elegant short-format concert.
Mere Mortals – Live @ Auburn Public Theater (Auburn) – Free high-energy party rock night with Mere Mortals in Auburn.
Wine On Ice – Session 1 Early Access @ First Arena (Elmira Jackals) (Elmira) – Early access wine tasting event at Elmira’s arena.
Psychedelic Mixtape: The Visionary Experience @ Corning Community College Digital Dome Theater (Corning) – Immersive dome visuals, iconic soundtracks, trippy lightscape, cosmic vibes, full-sensory escape.
Saturday
Taste & Tour @ Buttonwood Grove Winery (Romulus) – Behind-the-scenes wine tour, tank tastings, vineyard stories, and cozy winter sips.
Cheese & Thank You! @ Hopshire Farm & Brewery (Freeville) – Artisan cheese tastings, craft beer pairings, farm brewery vibes, celebrate teachers.
Festival of Fire & Ice @ Ithaca Children’s Garden (Ithaca) – Glowing winter magic, firelight, storytelling, outdoor wonder, a cozy celebration under the cold sky.
Finger Lakes Film Festival @ Smith Opera House (Geneva) – Regional premieres, indie storytelling, historic theater vibes, creative winter night energy.
Canons and Cannons: Pops at the Forum @ Broome County Forum Theatre (Binghamton) – Family-friendly pops concert at the Broome County Forum Theatre.
Reggae Benefit Concert @ Stone Bend Farm (Newfield) – Student-led reggae benefit concert at Stone Bend Farm.
FLEX Wrestling Frozen Fight Night @ Mud Creek Bison Ranch (Savona) – Big personalities, championship drama, and winter fight-night energy in a wild ranch setting.
2026 Dream Big Gala @ Holiday Inn Binghamton Downtown (Binghamton) – Live music, Italian feast, art auctions, and a formal night celebrating big dreams and adventure.
Tommy Dorsey Orchestra @ Corning Museum of Glass (Corning) – Big band swing, timeless jazz classics, vintage romance, polished sound, dance-floor nostalgia.
Sunday
Packbasket Vertical Tasting: 10 Years of Cider @ South Hill Cider (Ithaca) – Vertical cider tasting, rare vintages, wild fermentation, and curated pairings.
Sip Savor & Support @ Emerson Park Pavilion (Auburn) – Winter tastings, lakefront vibes, local sips, community impact, cozy FLX energy.
Mardi Gras at The Brick @ The Brick (Corning) – Beads, DJs, dance floor chaos, bold colors, late-night Mardi Gras energy.
Celebrity Chef Night to Benefit the Chemung County SPCA @ Hill Top Inn Restaurant (Elmira) – Chef-crafted dishes, wine pairings, auction vibes, elegant night out, dining for a cause.
Recurring Events
Limited Duration - click here
Trivia - click here
Kid Friendly - click here
✅ WANT TO BE A FINGER LAKES INSIDER? ✅
Finger Lakes Insider - This isn’t just a longer event list. It’s a well-curated, month-ahead game plan so you can lock in the fun stuff early, discover gems you’d miss otherwise, and stop last-minute scrambling (and annoying calendar overlaps).
Thanks for supporting the Finger Lakes Effect!
See You Out There
Thanks for being part of the Finger Lakes Effect!
Adam Moody
