Every season offers exciting entertainment opportunities. Catch a film at Cinemapolis, a distinctive art house movie theatre; or see a performance at the beautifully renovated, historic State Theatre. Touted in the New York Times as one of America’s “Best Emerging Cities,” Ithaca is unquestionably the ideal playground for all.
Bristle & Turp
Bristle & Turp offers at home art lessons for kids, teens, and adults. Owner Erin Deneuville works with all experience levels and has expertise in painting, printmaking, observation drawing, sculpture, oil paintaing, collage, and more (like puppets and masks!). Visit Bristle & Turp’s website (listed below) to sign up!
More in
Experiential
We are a first-run movie theater located in the heart of Downtown Ithaca, specializing in independent, foreign, and locally-produced films; but more than that, Cinemapolis is a community cultural institution where the art of film is used to enrich people’s lives, grapple with and illuminate contemporary issues, and, of course, to entertain.
Circus Classes, camps, performances, parties and more for Kids and Adults in Ithaca, NY!
Comics for Collectors
Wednesday - Friday: 10:00am - 8:00pm
Satuday: 10:00am - 6:00pm
Sunday: 12:00am - 6:00pm
Comics For Collectors is a full time business, selling professionally illustrated narratives with sequential artworks within the diverse world of comic books and graphic novels. A large selection of Graphic Novels by numerous publishers, including Marvel and DC Comics. They have numerous Batman, Superman, Spider-Man, Avengers, X-Men books and comics. They also carry many of the top image books, like the hit series Walking Dead by Robert Kirkman. Other popular authors line their shelves like a who’s who in comics: Warren Ellis, Brian K Vaughan, James Robertson, Brian Bendis, John Byrne, Roger Stern, Alan Moore are just a few. Art pieces from Sonic, Spider-Man, Dreaming, Batman, and Archie hang on the walls for all to enjoy. Comics for Collectors makes sure to have a few hot game systems in stock, like Magic the Gathering, Settlers of Catan, Munchkin, HeroClix, Dungeon & Dragons, and Star Wars. Special orders are always welcome at no extra cost.
More in
Experiential
Community Arts Partnership
Since 1993, the Community Arts Partnership (CAP) has been one of the driving forces behind the vibrant arts community of Ithaca and its neighboring towns and villages.
The Community Arts Partnership’s mission is to strengthen the arts throughout Tompkins County while building the County’s reputation of being a cultural destination. Today CAP hosts four major public arts events, administers five different grant programs that support artists and arts programming, maintains a dynamic Artists’ Registry and helps artists with technical assistance, professional development workshops, and networking events.
The Community Arts Partnership’s ArtSpace Gallery is a multi-use space for the exhibition of works by local artists located on the ground floor of the Tompkins Center for History and Culture. A new exhibit will hang each month throughout the year. CAP participates in Open Gallery Night Ithaca, a walkable tour of art openings and cultural events throughout downtown Ithaca. Taking place from 5:00-8:00 PM on the first Friday of every month, CAP will feature a new exhibition opening in the ArtSpace Gallery on a monthly basis.
More in
Art Galleries
Community School of Music and Arts
Friday: 10:00 am - 5:00 pm
For 50 years, the Community School of Music and Arts (CSMA) has provided instruction in the visual arts, music, dance, theater, and languages. Every year, the CSMA welcomes more than 1300 students of all ages, skills levels, and backgrounds. In addition, the CSMA hosts several gallery spaces with monthly rotating exhibits including First Friday music.
Escape Ithaca
Saturday - Sunday: 10:00am – 1:00am (last group begins at 11:30pm)
Escape Ithaca is an interactive role-playing adventure where you are placed in a room, and need to use the clues around you to successfully “escape”. Every few months, a new room will be built based on a different theme. You and your team will have only one hour to decipher clues, unlock boxes, solve riddles and work together to unravel the mystery at hand.
More in
Experiential
Handwork
Sunday - 11:00 am - 5:00 pm
Handwork, Ithaca’s Artisan Cooperative, was started in 1976 by 12 local craftspeople. Working together they could afford the cost and time of opening a retail shop to sell their work. Handwork now has approximately 40 member artisans doing a range of work that includes pottery, woodworking, glass, jewelry, fiber arts, wearable arts, leather, paper and art.
More in
Experiential
Ithaca Guitar Works
Thursday - Friday: 10:00am - 8:00pm
Saturday: 10:00am - 5:30pm
Sunday: 12:00 - 4:00pm
Ithaca’s premier home for all stringed instruments! Ithaca Guitar Works features stringed instruments & accessories, sales & service, electric violins, violas, cellos, guitars, mandolins, amplifiers and effects, and used instruments. Ithaca Guitar Works is an authorized dealers for Fender, Taylor, Martin and many other brands.
More in
Experiential
Ithaca is Foodies
More in
Tours & Walks
Ithaca/Tompkins County Visitor Center
Looking for a room tonight? Or directions on how to walk a gorge trail from downtown to Cornell’s campus? We can help. The Downtown Visitor Center located on the main floor of the Tompkins Center for History and Culture can help with all of these requests and more. Open year round, seven days a week. Our team is ready to answer your downtown restaurant, lodging and event questions. FREE maps are available. Also take in the Ithaca is Gorges retail offerings and visitor information about all twelve Tompkins Center for History and Culture partner organizations.
To stock up on “Ithaca is GORGES” gear, check out www.GorgesGear.com for your fix of tees, hoodies, mugs and other gorges souvenirs.
More in
Tours & WalksWaterfalls
Jillian’s Drawers
Sunday 12:00pm-5:00pm
Thursdays until 8:00pm
Jillian’s Drawers is a small, mom-owned, local natural parenting store dedicated to helping you find high quality toys, baby carriers, shoes, breastfeeding products, nursing tops, and of course, cloth diapers!
More in
Experiential
Kitchen Theatre Company
Friday 10:00am - 6:00pm
Box Office Hours: Saturday - Sunday, 12:00pm - 4:00pm and one hour before showtimes
In its intimate performance space, Kitchen Theatre Company (KTC) creates professional theater that challenges the intellect, excites the imagination, informs and entertains. KTC nurtures a community of diverse artists and brings excellent art to the community and beyond
More in
Theaters - Movie & Performance
Lot 10 is Ithaca’s only two floor cocktail lounge and night club. Upstairs at Lot 10 features daily drink specials, live entertainment, DJ’s and dancing, along with a pool table, dart board and juke box. Lot 10’s second floor is the perfect destination for cutting loose and unwinding with friends.
Downstairs at Lot 10 features a sophisticated cocktail lounge that is second to none. A welcoming selection of comfortable couches and soft candle light along with an eclectic music selection provides the perfect ambiance that is sure to put you at ease. Downstairs offers a hand picked wine list, an array of fine liquors, craft beers and the only weekly rotating cocktail menu in Ithaca. Lot 10’s first floor is where you want to be when you are looking to relax and enjoy a quality drink in a casually refined setting while being served by some of the area’s finest bartenders.
With twice daily Happy Hours (5pm-7pm & 10pm-1am), daily drink specials, rotating art installations, innovative cocktails, live music, and a continually expanding entertainment schedule all located under one roof, Lot 10 is certain to have you coming back time and time again!
More in
Live Music
Sacred Root Kava Lounge & Tea Bar
HAPPY HOUR
2-4-1 KAVA
Monday - Friday
3pm-6pm
Rooted in Love ♥ Sacred in Spirit
Sacred Root Kava Lounge & Tea Bar is Ithaca’s nightlife alternative!
KAVA, TEA, MUSIC, ART, DANCE
Sacred Root is Ithaca’s newest nightlife alternative, serving kava – a traditional and relaxing ceremonial elixir from the South Pacific – as well as a diverse selection of organic and local teas, coffees, and RAW desserts.
Rooted in Love ♥ Sacred in Spirit
More in
ExperientialLive Music
SewGreen was founded in Ithaca in 2007 as a way to save unwanted fabric, yarn and sewing equipment from going to the landfill, and to teach sewing as a self-reliant skill. The original mission has grown to also include youth development, job training, and consumer education.
More in
Experiential
State of the Art Gallery
Wednesday - Friday: 12:00pm - 6:00pm
Saturday - Sunday: 12:00pm - 5:00pm
State of the Art Gallery is a cooperative fine art gallery showing new creative work by area artists. Owned and operated by visual artists from the Finger Lakes region of upstate New York, the State of the Art Gallery specializes in new works of fine art that express a unique personal vision.
Shows change monthly. Most involve members’ work, but several focus on work of non-members. Popular annual events are a regional juried photo show and a juried all-media invitational show. Both of these shows are attracting an increasing number of applicants from all parts of the country, and are widely attended. A public reception attended by several hundred people precedes these special shows.
More in
Art Galleries
State Theatre of Ithaca, Inc.
Saturday: 11:00am-4:00pm
STATE THEATRE OF ITHACA, INC. IS THE 501 C(3) NOT-FOR-PROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT OWNS AND OPERATES DOWNTOWN ITHACA’S LAST REMAINING HISTORIC THEATER. WITH JUST OVER 1,600 SEATS, THE STATE THEATRE HOSTS OVER 75 EVENTS EACH YEAR INCLUDING CONCERTS, THEATRICAL PRODUCTIONS, COMEDY SHOWS, CLASSIC MOVIES, DANCE PERFORMANCES, READINGS, AND COMMUNITY PERFORMANCES. OVER 50,000 PEOPLE ATTEND EVENTS HERE EACH SEASON.
More in
Theaters - Movie & Performance
Western Saloon-themed bar. The Range offers a 250 capacity room, a full sound system and a wooden dance floor with plenty of comfortable space to dance, drink or people watch.
More in
Live Music
The Sacred Altar at Sacred Root Kava Lounge & Tea Bar
Ritual tools for transformation. Featuring sacred blessing herbs for smudging, ritual incense blends, cauldrons, pendulums, runes, exciting prints, altar boxes, jewelry and more.
More in
Art Galleries
The Tompkins County Center for History & Culture is a captivating destination, providing a place for visitors to better understand the past, experience the present, and imagine the future for Tompkins County. As a must-see gathering point for both residents and visitors, our vibrant facility instills appreciation for our community’s global impact and promote further exploration into the community.
More in
Museums
Walking on Water Productions
https://www.walkingonwaterproductions.org/
Wine and Design
Saturday - Sunday: 1:00pm - 8:00pm
Wine & Design in Downtown Ithaca offers customers the chance to step out of their comfort zone and spend two hours exploring their artistic talents. To appeal to a wide variety of tastes, Wine & Design features a different painting every night on their online calendar.
