Did you drive by FLX Wienery this weekend? I did—and found out they’re closed until May 1st!

I got excited after checking their hours online, which said they were open when I was writing things up last week.

Hope you found something tasty nearby—we headed up the west side of Seneca for some amazing BBQ - details down below in the Forks On The Road!

Thanks for feedback last week - I’ll now link to the event location / website / main-whatever best represents the event down there in the Events section. The poll was split, so we’ll test this out for now.

If you miss the Google Maps links, let me know.

Almost forgot, you got your taxes in on time, right? 😅 

Ok, let’s get into it!

TRAIL OF THE WEEK: Keuka Lake Outlet Trail

I Need Your Help ❓❓❓

Something I’ve missed over the years is having lots of good Mexican food within a few minutes drive.

I’ve seen some places pop up but I probably don’t know where all the great spots are - specifically tacos.

Where are all of the great Mexican food joints at? If you’ve got a favorite (or two), send me your go-to spot!

I’m going to collect responses and try to get out and check out as many as I can in the coming week.

I’m going to collect responses and try to get out and check out as many as I can in the coming week.

Sundae Showdown

EVENTS

Tons of Easter events this week - a couple are included here, but honestly, just Google “Town + Easter Events”, otherwise this newsletter would be about 1,365 pages long.

Wednesday

• Trivia Night at Smokin Petes (Geneva) - Smokin Petes - Join for good food, drinks, and trivia every Wednesday from 6:30—8:30 pm.

• Lucky Hare Run Club (Watkins Glen) - Lucky Hare Brewing Bar & Grill - meet up with other walkers and runners between 5:30—6 pm and follow the planned routes (1-3ish miles). Hang out for a drink or a bite after.

• Trumansburg Winter’s Farmers Market (Trumansburg) - American Legion - Swing by on Wednesdays from 4—7 PM for the Winter Farmers' Market — with fresh vendors and hot meals from the Legion’s kitchen!

• Half Off @ Brock’s (Penn Yan) - Brock’s Bowl - ½ off bowling, shoe rental, and arcade games. Also, 12 wings for $7.

• Off The Easel Art Show (Canandaigua) - Pat Rini-Rohrer Gallery - 11 am—5 pm, also available on Thu-Sat. Showcasing works by Pat Rini Rohrer and over 30 acclaimed local, regional, and national artists.

• FishStock 2025 (Syracuse) - Green Lakes State Park - Show up and get a chance to adopt a Rainbow Trout to release into their new home at Green Lake. Crafts, food trucks, and more. Free event, but they are asking for non-perishable food donations to help out the Food Bank of CNY. 11am—1pm.

Thursday

• Trivia Night (Ithaca) - Liquid State - Trivia night with Bob Proehl. Enjoy some trivia, good beers, and Silo food truck tasty treats. 7—9 pm.

• Vinyl Showcase (Trumansburg) - Atlas Bowl - Local DJs, Collectors and Enthusiasts add their personal spin each week to the Vinyl Showcase. Tots and tunes, bowling, cocktails and more. 7—10 pm.

• Murder Mystery Night (Rochester) - Flight Wine Bar - Step into the roaring 1920s for Who Canned Tuna?, an interactive murder mystery where you become part of the show—enjoy a night of suspense, small plates, prizes, and vintage flair with a drink in hand and a mystery to solve. Tickets include drink, 3 small plates, and a murder. 6:30—9 pm. SOLD OUT (Sorry, just checked before I sent this email and it looks super fun so I’m leaving it in if you want to look more than a week out for another!)

Friday

• Connected By Glass with Tyler Thrasher (Corning) - Corning Museum of Glass - Join “mad scientist” Tyler Thrasher for a fascinating, free public talk blending science, art, and humor as he shares his creative journey—from opalized flowers to glowing insects—and the beauty found through trial and error. Free & open to the public. 6—7pm.

• Madelyn Rose Live (Hammondsport) - Steuben Brewing - Madelyn plays heartfelt, modern country music rooted in traditional sounds, blending honest storytelling and emotional depth with an upbeat, fun-loving energy. 5—8 pm.

• Digital Dome Show: Oasis In Space (Corning) - Corning Community College - Check out a planetarium show taking you on a journey as they look for liquid water in the solar system. 6—6:45 pm.

Saturday

• Ithaca Farmers Market (Ithaca) - Farmers Market Pavilion - The Ithaca farmers market is back in the pavilion for the season! 9am—3pm.

• David Greybeard Band Live (Penn Yan) - Abandon Brewing - Original roots and blues at a great brewery? Sounds like a good time. Have one of their heavy stouts for me! 3—6 pm.

• Jazz Ensemble with guest saxophonist Vincent Herring (Ithaca) - Cornell - Free and open to the public - no tickets required: The Cornell Jazz Ensemble teams up with acclaimed alto saxophonist Vincent Herring for a powerful night of jazz at 7:30pm.

• 4th Annual Easter Egg Hunt (Geneva) - Brewery Ardennes - This will happen rain or shine and lasts about 10 minutes, kicking off at 3:30 pm. Tickets include 4 eggs with prizes and a pint of your choice.

• Opening Day At The Windmill Farm & Craft Market (Penn Yan) - The Windmill Farm & Craft Market - Go help them open the Windmill for the 2025 Season! Enjoy great shopping, delicious eats, and wine, brew and spirits tastings.

Sunday

• Brunch at the Barn (Geneva) - Brewery Ardennes - Enjoy Belgian-style Brunch at the Barn every Sunday as Chef Jayden serves up brunch favorites alongside shareable plates, weekly features, and perfect pairings of beer, wine, and cider. 12—4pm. Might want to book a table this week being that Sunday is Easter - link here.

• Sunday Scrabble (Naples) - Engine 14 Brewery - Games and brews at the Engine 14 Brewery on Sundays.

• Tour of a Model Railroad Car (Manchester) - Manchester Model Railroad Association - All aboard for the Manchester Model Railroad Association’s monthly open house, featuring a new 40-foot O-Gauge layout that brings Lehigh Valley Railroad history to life. 1—3 pm.

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!

Forks On The Road: Eats & Drinks

Smokin Petes was smokin good! Our stop this weekend was a great “find” - actually, a reader suggested it—thanks Stephen!

We went all in with the three-meat combo—brisket, pulled pork, and ribs—with a couple sides (omg the smoked gouda mac and cheese) and a wing order for good measure. No regrets. The sheer abundance of food meant every bite was an opportunity to mix, match, and revisit your favorites. You get the sense they don’t want you to leave hungry—and trust me, you won’t.

The setting is casual and unfussy, perfect for letting your inner sauce-covered kid shine. Whether you’re a BBQ purist, a sauce sampler, or just there for the mac and cheese, Smokin’ Pete’s makes it easy to build your own kind of feast.

So come hungry, bring a buddy or two, and prepare to make some tough (but delicious) decisions. Smokin’ Pete’s doesn’t just serve food—it serves BBQ abundance in all its smoky, savory glory.

Jeney - The Forkin’ Local

Ready For Your New Pet? 🐱🐶

Meet Oscar!

Oscar is a 5 year old mixed-breed, a very friendly and lover of fetch type of guy.

Need a furry friend? Check out the pages 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.

That’s All 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.