If you've been waiting for spring to actually show up, today might just be your day. 78-ish degrees and a pretty good excuse to be outside.
Speaking of good excuses: the tables for our April 30 Dinner Club in Canandaigua are filling up. Come eat, drink, and meet some fellow Finger Lakes locals.
🥳 Week 1 - Event Guide 🥳
After announcing the Finger Lakes Event Guide last week, we’ve had a bunch more submissions.
We’re now at 100+ live events, and new event organizers are still finding out about it. Can you help get the word out?
If you know someone who organizes events in the Finger Lakes, please share the site with them. Free to submit, easy to use, and part of the Finger Lakes Effect community.
Haven’t checked it out yet? Head over here: https://fingerlakeseventguide.com
You can browse by date, use the calendar view, or explore via the map. Filter by town or lake, or search directly by keyword. More to come!
👋 Finger Lakes Effect Contributions 👋
Being a contributor means helping to keep 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
The Bulletin
Partner with the Finger Lakes Effect: Reach 11,200+ engaged Finger Lakes readers. We feature local businesses worth knowing. Get in touch here.
Got a community event or shout-out? I want to hear about that too.
Smoke & Dough - Need pizza? How about good BBQ? Swing through Himrod and see why Smoke & Dough has a 4.9 star rating while you fill up on good stuff.
🔔 UPDATES 🔔
Sunrise | 6:25 AM |
Sunset | 7:47 PM |
Moonrise | 5:18 AM |
Moonset | 5:57 PM |
Air Quality | 43 GOOD |
Pets: Awww Pat, what a cutie!
📢 Around The Lakes 📢
Community Milestones
The Canal Society of New York State brought their enthusiasm to Wayne County earlier this month, tracing 35 miles along three different canal routes through the area. If you've ever wondered about the canal systems that shaped our region's history, this piece covers their tour.
Seasonal
We’re seeing forecasts for a warm, stormy stretch this week across the Finger Lakes. Think early summer (read: warm with a side of rain) with temperatures climbing into the 70s or higher and multiple rounds of showers and thunderstorms expected through at least Thursday.
Community News
Wayne County's animal shelter just got a major upgrade: a brand new $4.5 million facility off Route 31 in Lyons, complete with better lighting, fresh air systems, and geothermal heating.
Safety
The City of Ithaca closed the Seneca Street Parking Garage on Friday after falling debris raised structural safety concerns. The closure is in effect immediately, so if you usually park there, you'll need to find an alternative. This also affects the Seneca St bus stops which have been relocated to in front of the Hilton.
📅 EVENTS 📅
Top Picks
2026 Sundae Showdown @ Ithaca Downtown Conference Center (Ithaca - Sunday)
Almost 420 Fest @ Grist Iron Brewing Company (Burdett - Saturday)
Napoleon Dynamite (2004) @ Smith Opera House (Geneva - Saturday)
Wednesday
Apothecary Fairy Dish Garden @ Brewers Kitchen and Taproom (Ithaca) – Create a charming miniature terrarium while enjoying drinks in this relaxing, beginner-friendly hands-on workshop.
Sips for Teachers @ Cayuga Lake Wine Trail (Fayette) – Celebrate educators with exclusive wine tastings, discounts, and perks across scenic Cayuga Lake wineries this spring.
Ithaca Spring Quest @ Located Throughout Ithaca (Ithaca) – A citywide scavenger hunt adventure solving riddles, exploring local spots, and competing for prizes.
Made in NY 2026 @ Schweinfurth Memorial Art Center (Auburn) – A juried exhibition showcasing diverse works by New York artists, highlighting creativity, craftsmanship, and standout talent.
Culinary To-Go Showcase Luncheons @ Cayuga Culinary Institute (Auburn) – Enjoy chef-prepared takeaway lunches while exploring student culinary creations and programs at Cayuga Community College.
Thursday
Trail Survey Program Workshop @ Danby State Forest (Ithaca) – A hands-on outdoor workshop exploring trail surveying techniques and environmental stewardship in a scenic forest setting.
Blooming Glass Garden Art Workshop @ Six Mile Creek Vineyard & Distillery (Ithaca) – Create whimsical glass garden flowers in a hands-on workshop blending creativity, sustainability, and a relaxing winery setting.
Fungi Uncovered: An Educational Tasting with Wine @ New York Wine & Culinary Center (Canandaigua) – An immersive tasting exploring mushrooms and wine pairings, blending culinary discovery with insights into fungi and flavor.
Seed To Supper @ Elizabeth B Pert Library (Hector) – A beginner-friendly gardening series teaching practical skills from planning and planting to harvesting your own fresh produce.
Liam Lawson Live @ Atwater Wine (Burdett) – An intimate evening of storytelling, folk guitar, paired with wine, blending history, heart, and rich melodies.
Friday
Birds & Blooms - Sapsucker Woods Walks @ Cornell Lab of Ornithology (Ithaca) – A guided nature walk exploring birds, trees, and seasonal blooms across scenic Sapsucker Woods and arboretum trails.
Wine and Pickle Pairing at Toast Winery (Rock Stream) – A unique tasting experience pairing wines with pickles, offering a fun and flavorful twist on traditional winery visits.
Tabora Cookie and Wine Pairings @ Geneva (Geneva) – A delightful tasting experience pairing handcrafted cookies with local wines for a sweet and savory treat.
Spring Wine and Cheese @ Wagner Vineyards (Lodi) – A scenic wine trail experience pairing regional wines with artisan cheeses overlooking beautiful Seneca Lake views.
Hook & Sip: Happy Hour Specials @ Either Oar (Hector) – A laid-back lakeside happy hour featuring drinks and casual bites in a relaxed Finger Lakes setting.
Stein Day @ ONCO Fermentations (Tully) – A relaxed brewery night with discounted pours, steins, and a welcoming atmosphere for friends and family.
Geneva Concerts presents the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra @ Smith Opera House (Geneva) – A spring finale concert featuring orchestral masterpieces, a world premiere cello concerto, and renowned guest performers.
Saturday
Cayuga Trails Club Presents: Best 50 Hikes @ 742 S Meadow St Suite 200 (Ithaca) – Celebrate a new hiking guide release with author insights, local trail stories, and community connections.
Spring Show @ The Elks (Horseheads) – A lively community market featuring handmade goods, local vendors, food, and fun auction surprises.
Spring Spectacular @ The Shoppes at Oldies but Goodies (Elmira) – A festive day of shopping, bridal showcases, local vendors, and food truck favorites in a lively market setting.
Cider Yoga @ Star Cider (Canandaigua) – A relaxed, beginner-friendly yoga session paired with refreshing cider in a fun and social setting.
2026 Earth Day Festival @ Ithaca Commons (Ithaca) – A family-friendly celebration with music, food, activities, and hands-on ways to support sustainability and climate action.
Baltimore Woods Earth Day Celebration @ Baltimore Woods Nature Center (Marcellus) – A nature-filled afternoon with guided walks, crafts, activities, and opportunities to connect with local conservation efforts.
Live Local Music Crawl in Honor of Art Wenzel @ Shep's Brewing Co. (Auburn) – A lively downtown crawl featuring rotating local bands across venues, celebrating community music and honoring Art Wenzel.
Blind Wine Tasting @ Hazlitt 1852 Vineyards (Hector) – A fun self-guided tasting experience exploring twelve Finger Lakes wines while testing your palate and discovery skills.
Napoleon Dynamite (2004) @ Smith Opera House (Geneva) – A quirky cult classic screening following an awkward teen navigating friendship, identity, and small-town life with offbeat humor.
Concert: Haley Heynderickx and Max Garcìa Conover @ Center for the Arts of Homer (Homer) – An intimate evening of indie folk featuring heartfelt songwriting and captivating performances from two acclaimed artists.
Almost 420 Fest @ Grist Iron Brewing Company (Burdett) – An afternoon of live music, craft beer, and laid-back festival energy with food specials and hazy vibes.
Sunday
2026 Sundae Showdown @ Ithaca Downtown Conference Center (Ithaca) – A fun-filled tasting event where creative sundaes compete, and attendees vote for their favorite sweet creation.
Hometown Hotties: The 2nd Annual Outlet 111 Drag Brunch! @ Outlet 111 - Waterfront Craft Cocktail & Wine Bar (Penn Yan) – A high-energy drag brunch featuring dazzling performances, local talent, and vibrant hometown pride in a lively setting.
Open Studios at Artist Alley Studios @ The Gallery at South Hill (Ithaca) – A casual open studio event with live demonstrations and opportunities to meet local artists in their creative spaces.
Bampas House 11th Annual Pour & Pair Wine Event @ Manor House Estate (Hammondsport) – A curated wine and food pairing experience showcasing local flavors while supporting compassionate end-of-life care services.
Pitch Please Block IV Concert @ Emerson Suites (Ithaca) – A high-energy a cappella concert by Ithaca College’s Pitch Please, featuring party hits, senior send-offs, and new member debuts.
ART × ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE - A Conversation @ Center for the Arts of Homer (Homer) – A thought-provoking panel discussion exploring how artists engage with AI across disciplines, examining its impact on creativity, authorship, and the future of creative work.
Recurring Events
Limited Duration - click here
Trivia - click here
Kid Friendly - click here
✅ READY FOR THE INSIDE FLX SCOOP? ✅
Finger Lakes Insider - This isn’t just a longer event list. It’s a curated, month-ahead game plan so you can lock in the fun stuff early, discover stuff 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
