Friday’s Halloween — time to dig through the basement or the back of the closet and piece together a last-minute costume if you haven’t already. (Old flannel + cowboy hat? Works every time.)

And while we’re talking about seasonal chaos, Black Friday isn’t far behind.

Are there any local Finger Lakes deals you’re watching for this year?

Or something you wish existed — a special at your favorite brewery, a discount on local art, a “buy one, gift one” wine tasting?

Hit reply and let me know — I might reach out to a few local spots and see if I can line up something for us.

Monthly Newsletter?

The votes are in and over 75% of you are interested in a low-cost monthly version of the Finger Lakes Effect newsletter with a special quarterly version that lets you get a longer heads-up on events and more.

I’ll be diving into this and figuring out the details…more to come!

Jigsaw Puzzle Update

Designing a jigsaw puzzle is weirdly harder than I ever expected, but I’m narrowing down the options and working with a few designers (plus my… rough, very rough mockups) to create small image drafts we can vote on for the final design.

The Bulletin

Want to spread the word about your business, project, volunteer opportunity, or give a shout-out to 7,800+ friends in the Finger Lakes? Get in touch.

State Eatery - Bakery, Bar, and BBQ. An amazing, and incredibly tasty, menu that now features cocktails, mocktails, and more. Stop by hungry, and leave with leftovers.

Kindred Fare - Warm, welcoming, and built around the idea of sharing good food with good people — Kindred Fare is a Finger Lakes must-try spot. Whether you’re grabbing a seat at the bar or settling in for a full dinner, everything here is crafted with care and meant to be savored.

📅 EVENTS

Top Weekend Picks

Wednesday

• Pastel Pumpkins @ The Good Neighbor Grocery (Groton) – Create pumpkin-inspired art with pastels and ink in this cozy fall workshop celebrating local color and charm.

• Ghostly Readings @ Chemung Valley Museum (Elmira) – Hear haunting local tales at Chemung Valley Museum’s free Ghostly Readings — spooky history served at lunch.

• Lifelong Antiques Road Show @ Library Place (Ithaca) – Unearth the stories behind your keepsakes at Lifelong’s local Antiques Road Show in downtown Ithaca.

• Movie Night: Young Frankenstein @ Lyons Public Library (Lyons) – Laugh your bolts off at a free Halloween screening of Young Frankenstein with treats at Lyons Public Library.

• Boos & Brews Happy Hour @ The Tasting Room (Canandaigua) – Sip, snack, and celebrate spooky season at The Tasting Room’s fun and free Boos & Brews Happy Hour.

• What’s Cookin’ Jazz Trio @ Brookton’s Market (Brooktondale) – Unwind midweek with classic jazz, cozy vibes, and local flavor at Brookton’s Market’s free evening concert.

• Music Night: Sentry @ Outlet 111 Craft Cocktail & Wine Bar (Penn Yan) – Rock into Halloween weekend with Sentry live at Penn Yan’s waterfront bar, Outlet 111 — cocktails and good vibes.

• Haunted History Tours @ Seward House Museum (Auburn) – Step into the shadows of Auburn’s past with the Seward House Museum’s Haunted History Tours.

• An Evening with Edgar Allan Poe: A Dream Within a Dream @ Rye Bar & Restaurant (Elmira) – Step into the haunting world of Edgar Allan Poe at Rye Bar, where award-winning performer Tim Collins brings Poe’s tales to life over a themed dinner and eerie cocktails.

• The Vampire Circus: The Scariest Side of Cirque @ Smith Opera House (Geneva) – Experience spine-chilling acrobatics and gothic glamour in The Vampire Circus at Geneva’s Smith Opera House.

• Haunted Housel @ County Road 4 (Canandaigua) – Dare to enter the Haunted Housel — Canandaigua’s chilling maze of scares, screams, and Halloween fun!

Thursday

• Richie Stearns & Friends @ South Hill Cider (Ithaca) – Sip cider with a view and enjoy Richie Stearns’ soulful, genre-bending banjo tunes at South Hill Cider.

• Thasnai Sethaseree: Stoikov Lecture on Asian Art @ Johnson Museum of Art (Ithaca) – Explore art, politics, and culture at Cornell’s Johnson Museum with Thai artist Thasnai Sethaseree’s lecture.

• Watch Your Bach: A Spooky Strings Recital @ Ithaca College (Ithaca) – A hauntingly fun violin recital at Ithaca College — spooky strings and classical flair light up Halloween week.

• Punk Halloween Show @ Center for the Arts of Homer (Homer) – Turn up the volume and the attitude at Homer’s Punk Halloween Show — live bands, costumes, and chaos collide.

• NightLab: Beetlejuice @ Museum of Science and Technology (Syracuse) – Sip cocktails, play with science, and watch Beetlejuice under the stars at MOST’s adult-only NightLab.

• Coffin Nails, Pirates Plague, The Impurity & More @ The Lost Horizon (Syracuse) – Crank up Halloween weekend early with Coffin Nails, Pirates Plague, and more live at Syracuse’s Lost Horizon.

• Halloween Singles Mixer @ Lost Dog Café & Lounge (Binghamton) – Dress to impress (or haunt) at Lost Dog Café’s Halloween Singles Mixer — cocktails, costumes, and connections await.

• Broadway in Binghamton: The Music Man @ Broome Arena Forum (Binghamton) – Broadway’s The Music Man brings toe-tapping tunes and old-fashioned charm to Binghamton this Halloween weekend.

• Izzy True, Pleasure Dome, Don’t Don’t & Bisexual Lighting @ Nocturnal Café (Ithaca) – Indie, punk, and queer energy collide as Izzy True returns for a charged Ithaca Underground night!

🎃 Friday 🎃

• All Souls Gathering with Joe Crookston @ South Hill Cider (Ithaca) – Celebrate Halloween with Joe Crookston, live music, costumes, and cider under the stars at South Hill Cider.

• Garrett’s Annual Halloween Costume Party @ Garrett’s Brewing Company (Trumansburg) – Raise a glass and show off your costume at Garrett’s Brewing’s lively annual Halloween party in Trumansburg.

• Trunk or Treat @ Tunnel Bar (Main Deck Penn Yan) (Penn Yan) – Family fun, costumes, and candy galore at Penn Yan’s lakeside Trunk or Treat at the Tunnel Bar!

• The Official Halloween Bar Crawl @ Clinton Street Pub (Syracuse) – Two nights of spooky bar-hopping, costumes, and cocktails at Syracuse’s Official Halloween Bar Crawl!

• Laurentide Beer Company Halloween Party w/ DJ Boolanger @ Laurentide Beer Co. (Penn Yan) – Costumes, craft beer, and spooky beats—dance the night away at Laurentide’s Halloween Party with DJ Boolanger!

• Halloween Fest @ Lincoln Hill Farms (Canandaigua) – Haunted hayrides, live music, and farm-fresh fun light up Lincoln Hill Farms’ Halloween Fest!

• Digital Dome Show: Spooky Space @ Corning Community College (Corning) – Explore black holes, zombie stars, and ghostly nebulae in the Halloween-themed Spooky Space show!

• Adult Halloween Bash @ Hotel Canandaigua (Canandaigua) – Costumes, cocktails, and rock & roll—celebrate Halloween in style at Hotel Canandaigua’s adults-only bash!

• 3rd Annual Spooky Dance Party @ The Bundy Museum Annex Theater (Binghamton) – Live music, costumes, and spooky vibes fill the Bundy Museum’s Annex for Binghamton’s Halloween dance party!

• The Birds (1963) @ Smith Opera House (Geneva) – Hitchcock’s The Birds takes flight on the big screen for a chilling Halloween night at the Smith Opera House!

• FLX Trivia Night @ Parker’s Grille & Tap House (Penn Yan) – Test your smarts and win prizes at FLX Trivia Night—fun, food, and friendly competition at Parker’s Grille!

• Halloween Nights @ The Coldbrook Curse – Bradley Farms (Elmira) – Face the undead and step into legend — The Coldbrook Curse brings haunted chills to Bradley Farms!

Saturday

• Serendipity’s Halloween Bash @ Serendipity Catering (Ithaca) – Costumes, cocktails, and pizza — Serendipity’s Halloween Bash keeps the spooky fun alive for Ithaca’s grown-ups.

• Mixed Media Painting Class @ The Clay School (The ART Room) (Ithaca) – Learn acrylic and collage techniques, image transfers, and creative surface building in a guided, hands-on environment.

• STIC’s Holiday Craft Fair @ Southern Tier Independence Center (Binghamton) – Shop handmade gifts and support a great cause at the festive STIC Holiday Craft Fair in Binghamton!

• Fall Brew Fest @ 41 Lakefront Dr (Hosted by Seneca Lake Brew Trail) (Geneva) – Sip, savor, and celebrate fall with craft brews, food, and music at Geneva’s scenic Fall Brew Fest!

• Howloween Dog Costume Party @ Abandon Brewing Company (Penn Yan) – Pups, pints, and prizes—join the Howloween Dog Costume Party at Abandon Brewing on Keuka Lake!

• GrassRoots Unplugged! @ Stone Bend Farm (Newfield) – Local bands, farm food, and fall vibes—GrassRoots Unplugged brings live music back to Stone Bend Farm!

• Bob Piorun @ Anyela’s Vineyards (Skaneateles) – Live music, lake views, and fine wine—Bob Piorun performs at scenic Anyela’s Vineyards this Saturday!

• Dracula @ Auburn Public Theater (Auburn) – Experience the dark allure of Dracula live on stage at Auburn Public Theater—spine-tingling and timeless!

• Ghostbusters (1984) @ Smith Opera House (Geneva) – Catch the original Ghostbusters on the big screen—comedy, ghosts, and nostalgia at the Smith Opera House!

• Syracuse Day of the Dead Bar Crawl – Día de Muertos @ Wolff’s Biergarten (Syracuse) – Celebrate Día de Muertos with vibrant drinks, costumes, and culture at Syracuse’s festive Day of the Dead Crawl!

• Harvest Festival @ Binghamton German Club (Binghamton) – Polka, sauerbraten, and the famous Thieves Dance—celebrate autumn at Binghamton’s German Harvest Fest!

• Opening Celebration: The Fusion Arts COLLECTIVE 2025 @ Community Arts of Elmira (Elmira) – Celebrate Elmira’s creative spirit at the opening of The Fusion Arts COLLECTIVE 2025 fused-glass exhibit!

• EPAC’s Haunted Theater @ Endicott Performing Arts Center (Endicott) – Haunted guided tours through Endicott’s historic theater — spooky fun and family thrills await!

• Dial Up the 90’s @ Middle Ages Brewing Company (Syracuse) – Crank up the nostalgia with Dial Up the 90’s — live 90s hits, beer, and throwback vibes at Middle Ages!

• Fall Brew Fest @ 41 Lakefront Hotel (Geneva) – Sip, savor, and celebrate fall at Geneva’s lakeside Fall Brew Fest — 20+ breweries and local flavors!

Sunday

• Andrew Zhou: Piano Recital “Throughlines and Transcendence” @ Cornell University (Ithaca) – Experience Bach-inspired brilliance and modern premieres in pianist Andrew Zhou’s transcendent Cornell recital.

• Bluegrass Jam @ The Watershed (Ithaca) – Strum, sing, and jam along — Ithaca’s Bluegrass Jam at The Watershed is Sunday’s feel-good pickin’ party!

• Sunday Supper @ Anthony Road Wine Company (Penn Yan) – Savor a seasonal meal and wine pairings at Anthony Road’s intimate Sunday Supper on Seneca Lake!

• Herman’s Hermits @ Broome Arena Forum (Binghamton) – Classic hits and 60s charm — Herman’s Hermits and The Grass Roots bring retro magic to Binghamton!

Recurring Events

• Limited Duration - click here 

• Trivia - click here

• Kid Friendly - click here

Got an event we should feature in the Finger Lakes Effect? Click the button below and add your event details!

See You Out There

Thanks for being part of the Finger Lakes Effect!

Adam Moody

Finger Lakes Effect