I picked up a book this week that’s about the Marathon Monks in Japan.

We don’t need to go to that extreme, but there are some races happening in our own neck of the woods this weekend, so lace up your shoes and get out for a run or walk!

If organized events aren’t your thing, there are always tons of trails to explore and I’ve got a good recommendation for a short stroll in the Trail of the Week below 👇

Speaking of races - this weekend is the Kentucky Derby; plenty of watch parties going on if you’re looking for a spot to grab a Mint Julep and kick back.

Got a race, hike, or trail you think others should know about? Hit reply and let me know about it.

Ok, let’s get into it!

🍻 Ready For Happy Hour?

If you didn’t answer last week, now’s your chance!

TRAIL OF THE WEEK: Cayuga Seneca Canal Ludovico Sculpture Trail

📅 EVENTS

Wednesday

• Trivia @ Liquid State (Ithaca) - Test your knowledge and enjoy a fun night out at Liquid State with Wednesday Trivia hosted by local author Bob Proehl.

• Good Neighbor Sketchbook Club (Groton) - Reconnect with your creativity at the Wednesday Evening Sketchbook Club—monthly meetups for sketching, sharing, and inspiration, free with advance registration. No skill necessary 😀 

• Trivia @ Hopshire (Ithaca) - Enjoy a lively night of trivia, craft beer, and food at Hopshire with the always entertaining Dave Ashton—every week at Trivia Night!

• Live Jazz @ Brookton’s Market (Brooktondale) - What's Cookin' Jazz Trio live and in person. Grab a cold drink and soak up the tunes.

Thursday

• Laughing Goat Farm Tour (Ithaca) - Get a personal tour of Laughing Goat Fiber Farm, meet over 80 goats and alpacas, and discover the art of fiber making—tours available daily by appointment.

• Astronomy on Tap (Ithaca) - Join Astronomy on Tap at Liquid State for an evening of beers, bites, and fascinating space science talks from real astronomers—happening once a month!

• Trumansburg Library Book Sale (Trumansburg) - Browse thousands of books across every genre at the Ulysses Philomathic Library’s Spring Book Sale, May 1–4 in Trumansburg!

• FLX Wienery (Dundee) - The FLX Wienery ACTUALLY opens today! 🎉🎉🎉

• Pizza Night & The Decades Band @ Tabora (Dundee) - Kick off May with live music, fresh pizza, and Tabora wines at Tabora Farm and Winery’s Pizza Night featuring the Decades Band and plenty of springtime vibes.

Friday

• Family Story Time @ Lab of Ornithology (Ithaca) - Join us for Family Story Time with bird-themed books, songs, crafts, and movement—fun for preschoolers and all ages at the Adelson Library!

• Live music @ Stonebend Farms (Newfield) - Venissa Santi trio live at Stone Bend on Friday evening.

• Wine Tasting @ Triphammer Wines (Ithaca) - Sip and discover new favorites at Triphammer Wines & Spirits with free weekly tastings, 10% off featured wines, and the largest Finger Lakes selection around.

• First Friday @ Montour Falls (Montour Falls) - Celebrate the season at May’s Taste of Montour First Friday with live music, vendors, raffles, and Main Street fun starting May 2nd.

• VFW Fish Fry (Dundee) - $15 a plate gets you Haddock or Shrimp, baked potato or fries, roll, and choice of slaw or salad. Bring sweatpants—or at least a belt with a few extra notches.

• First Friday @ Penn Yan (Penn Yan) Head downtown in Penn Yan for the Fiesta Friday themed First Friday; 5 pm—8 pm.

Saturday

• Friends of the Library Book Sale (Ithaca) - Browse over 250,000 books, games, and more at the Friends of the Library Book Sale in Ithaca—great finds at low prices, with discounts dropping each weekend!

• Lots of Kentucky Derby Watch Parties (All Over The Place) - Finger Lakes Distilling, Big Alice Brewing, & lots more.

• I Love My Park Day (Moravia) - I Love My Park Day at Fillmore Glen State Park, come help out and get the park clean and ready for the 2025 season.

• More I Love My Park Day Locations (Various) - Lots of opportunities to volunteer and help keep our beautiful parks ready for the summer - details here.

• Corn Ducky 5k & Youth Waddle (Cortland) - Kick off the Corn Ducky Derby at Suggett Park with a fun 5K and Youth Waddle—registration includes entry into the Derby, plus a special race for kids balancing rubber ducks on their heads!

• Naples Youth Corps 5k & 10k (Naples) - Celebrate the 5th Annual Naples Youth Corporation 5K/10K on May 3rd, 2025—run, walk, and help support local youth programs, with free race shirts, prizes, and a first look at the new outdoor stage your past support helped build!

• Crusaders United Color Run (Auburn) - Join the inaugural Crusaders United Color Run in Auburn to support Tyburn Academy and the United Way of Cayuga County, helping fund education, community resilience, and emergency assistance for local families.

• Syracuse Crawfish Festival (Syracuse) - Dig into a Louisiana-style crawfish and shrimp boil, live music, family fun, and local favorites at the Syracuse Crawfish Festival—all to benefit Operation Northern Comfort.

Sunday

• Cornell Wind Symphony Concert (Ithaca) - Experience the Cornell Wind Symphony’s vibrant celebration of Spanish music and a world premiere performance—free and open to all.

• Notorious G.I.B Cheese Fest @ Grist Iron (Burdett) - Get ready for cheesy eats, live music, local vendors, and Grist Iron brews at the Notorious G.I.B. Cheese Fest—happening May 4th! 🧀

• Live music @ Two Goats (Burdett) - Experience a boundary-pushing late afternoon / evening of jazz, blues, soul, and funk with some of the Finger Lakes’ finest musicians.

• Greater Binghamton Bridge Run (Binghamton) - Experience beautiful river views and a fast, scenic course at the Greater Binghamton Bridge Run, featuring a USATF-certified half marathon and 5K across four historic bridges.

• Mountain Goat Run (Syracuse) - Join a 46-year Syracuse tradition at the Mountain Goat Run, featuring a 10-mile race, kids’ fun run, pet walk, and a lively post-race party!

• Medved Madness Trail Races (Honeoye Falls) - Tackle the trails at The Madness with a 5-mile or 13-mile race through ever-changing terrain, then celebrate your run with a post-race BBQ—lawn chairs and adventurous spirit encouraged.

Want to see your event in an upcoming Finger Lakes Effect newsletter? Click the button below and add your event details!

More Events? Less Events? Different Types? Hit reply and let me know!

The Board

Want to spread the word about your business, a project, a volunteer opportunity, or just give a shout-out to over 850 friends in the Finger Lakes?

Mockingbird Paperie is the place to stop for hand-picked paper, fountain pens, journals, cards for any occasions (and for a good laugh), and more. Swing by and check them out!

FLX Wienery might be one of the best stops on the west side of Seneca if you’re craving a burger, hotdog, or maybe both. Don’t skip the fried cheese curds or the housemade crispy potatoes.

Forks On The Road: Eats & Drinks

La Monarka: Great Mexican food for the Finger Lakes!

We’re kicking ourselves that it’s taken us this long to track them down - we won’t make that mistake again and you shouldn’t either!

If you find La Monarka in your neck of the woods, swing by and bring your appetite! Check out their facebook page for updates on where they’ll be.

Maybe we need to ask them if they can cater a Finger Lakes Effect meetup?

Jeney - The Forkin’ Local

Ready For Your New Pet? 🐱🐶

Meet Indie!

Indie is a 2 year old female Retriever/Lab mix who brings the energy! If you can take her outside for walks or hikes and then snuggling at home she’ll be so happy!

Need a furry friend? Check out adoptable pets here (Auburn), here (Syracuse), or here (Ithaca) and set up a visit at the closest SPCA. But act fast—word on the street is that animals rarely last more than a week or two before finding homes.

Shout Out

Thanks to Adam & Tanya Engst for keeping the Finger Lakes running!

Adam and Tonya, president of the Finger Lakes Runners Club and founding member of its communications team, respectively, are pillars of the running community in Ithaca and the recipients of this month’s Hometown Hero award.

That’s all for now, folks

Until next week—have a great weekend and enjoy the area.

If you come across any great events or spots, hit reply to this email and let me know!

Adam Moody

Finger Lakes Effect

P.S. The Finger Lakes Effect will be evolving as it goes - if you have an idea for the style, look, or topics, hit reply and let me know.