From our four annual festivals to monthly art gallery nights, to free live music & public performances, there’s always something going on Downtown!
Performer Inquiry Form
Interested in performing at a downtown event? Artist selection is determined by a jury process. If you have been booked in the past, you will still need to submit a sound bite or link to your website along with your application. Music submitted must directly reflect the performance and style you would perform.
Event Equipment Rental Requests or Event Technical Assistance
Are you planning an event yourself and looking for local resources from speaking with expert event planners in Ithaca to borrowing equipment from the Tompkins Festivals Equipment lending program? Downtown Ithaca can help advise and program support to help make your event a success. Click on the link to submit your request.
Have an event coming up that you want featured on our site? Simply click the button below and follow the steps for submitting. Once you have submitted your event, it will then be listed on our calendar below (pending review).
This year State of the Art Gallery will again be sponsoring Seeing Ithaca Through the Eyes of Artists. It will take place during the month of August 2025, with gallery members and invited guests exhibiting work on the theme "Seeing Ithaca". In addition, exhibits will be hosted at various galleries and other venues that show art around town. All exhibits will celebrate Gallery Night on ... Read More
Latino Civic Association of Tompkins County Celebrates 2025 Hispanic Heritage Month with a Full Schedule of Community Events The Latino Civic Association (LCA) of Tompkins County is proud to announce its 2025 Hispanic Heritage Month celebration, featuring a series of engaging events throughout September, October, and November. Now more than ever, building community is essential, and the LCA is dedicated ... Read More
🎤✨ K-HOUSE Karaoke K-Pop-Up at Lot 10 Ithaca - Fridays AND Saturdays thru the Fall Semester! ✨🎤 You asked for more… so we’re giving you MORE! 🔥 The K-FAM will be KJ-ing every Friday AND Saturday night downstairs at Lot 10. 💜🎶 🎙️ Same crew. Same K-HOUSE magic. New downtown stage. 📍 106 S. Cayuga Street (Lot 10 – downstairs) ... Read More
Downtown Ithaca’s signature fall celebration returns with farm stand apples, cider treats, craft vendors, and live entertainment on the Commons. The festival opens Friday, Sept 26 (12–8 PM) with the Welcome Student Showcase, featuring performances by Cornell, Ithaca College, and TC3 student groups — capped off with a headline performance by Ithaca’s own Jimkata at the Bernie Milton Pavilion. Saturday, ... Read More
Featuring paintings and fiber art by Barbara Behrmann and paintings by Katrina Morse, "Imaginary Landscapes" is a point of departure for exploring the ways in which various design elements come together to suggest something both familiar and unknown. The show will run from September 4–28. An opening reception will be held on Friday, September 5, 5–8 pm. Regular hours Thursday-Sunday ... Read More
The Nocturnal Café (formerly Sacred Root Kava Lounge & Tea Bar) welcomes you to experience our weekly Open Mic Night hosted by a rotating cast of talented local artists. Come on down to share your song or story! Let's cultivate shared creativity! Showcase your talents and enjoy the experience of creative connection with a welcoming and supportive audience at Ithaca's ... Read More
Eva M. Capobianco will exhibit her photo-sculptures and books chronicling her experiences while hiking the Finger Lakes Trail from end to end. Susan C. Larkin will display her striking photographic portraits of members of her community. The portraits and interviews of these Caroline neighbors are included in her latest book, Connections. The show will run from October 2 – November ... Read More
Join us at Buffalo Street Books with author Jade Song, and our staff member Anamarie, in a book club discussion of Chlorine! A book about a ravenous swimmer and her longing to become a mermaid, by any means necessary. Jade Song is a writer and artist whose debut novel Chlorine was published by William Morrow. Awarded the American Library Association ... Read More
🎤✨ K-HOUSE Karaoke K-Pop-Up at Lot 10 Ithaca - Fridays AND Saturdays thru the Fall Semester! ✨🎤 You asked for more… so we’re giving you MORE! 🔥 The K-FAM will be KJ-ing every Friday AND Saturday night downstairs at Lot 10. 💜🎶 🎙️ Same crew. Same K-HOUSE magic. New downtown stage. 📍 106 S. Cayuga Street (Lot 10 – downstairs) ... Read More
Join us for a vibrant group exhibition showcasing talented Latine artists from within 100 miles of Ithaca. Come meet the artists, buy unique works of art, enjoy appetizers, and learn more about the Latino Civic Association and curators Loreto Molina & Yen Ospina. 📅 Friday, October 3rd 🕔 5–8 PM 📍 Downtown Ithaca This is a free community event—all are ... Read More
MIX Art Gallery Presents “PURPLE” Group Art Exhibition and Special Performance by Poet Gold ITHACA, NY — MIX Art Gallery is pleased to present “PURPLE,” a compelling group art exhibition opening October 3rd at 5PM and on view through November 1, 2025. The exhibition features a diverse range of media—including sculpture, fiber work, paintings, photography, and mixed media—from 28 accomplished ... Read More
Join us at Buffalo Street Books for Poetry as Spellcasting - A Reading For Palestine There will be a collection of Author Readings, as well as Zines, Broadsides, and Performances
🎤✨ K-HOUSE Karaoke K-Pop-Up at Lot 10 Ithaca - Fridays AND Saturdays thru the Fall Semester! ✨🎤 You asked for more… so we’re giving you MORE! 🔥 The K-FAM will be KJ-ing every Friday AND Saturday night downstairs at Lot 10. 💜🎶 🎙️ Same crew. Same K-HOUSE magic. New downtown stage. 📍 106 S. Cayuga Street (Lot 10 – downstairs) ... Read More
Get ready for a vibrant celebration at the 4th Annual Heritage Fiesta, happening in the Press Bay Parking Lot on Sunday, October 5th! 🎶🌮 📅 11 AM – 6 PM 📍 Press Bay Parking Lot, Downtown Ithaca Founded by Yen Ospina and organized by Yen Ospina & Stacey Dimas, this lively event promises a rich showcase of culture and tradition ... Read More
Join us at Buffalo Street Books with local author Christine Gelineau for observations on the intersections between real life, stories, and the natural world in this contemplative memoir as she reads from her new book, ALMANAC: A Murmuration About the Author: Christine Gelineau is past Associate Director of the Creative Writing Program at Binghamton University and teaches creative nonfiction and ... Read More
Join us at Buffalo Street Books for Katarzyna Bartoszynska in conversation with Alexis Becker as we celebrate the release of Reading Together About the Author: Local author Katarzyna Bartoszynska is a professor in English and Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies at Ithaca College, and is also a writer, translator, and avid reader. About the Book: Reading Together is a memoir-essay ... Read More
The Nocturnal Café (formerly Sacred Root Kava Lounge & Tea Bar) welcomes you to experience our weekly Open Mic Night hosted by a rotating cast of talented local artists. Come on down to share your song or story! Let's cultivate shared creativity! Showcase your talents and enjoy the experience of creative connection with a welcoming and supportive audience at Ithaca's ... Read More
Come and hang out with fellow artists and creatives. We'll do a few networking type conversation starters so you can meet new people! There will be snacks!
🎤✨ K-HOUSE Karaoke K-Pop-Up at Lot 10 Ithaca - Fridays AND Saturdays thru the Fall Semester! ✨🎤 You asked for more… so we’re giving you MORE! 🔥 The K-FAM will be KJ-ing every Friday AND Saturday night downstairs at Lot 10. 💜🎶 🎙️ Same crew. Same K-HOUSE magic. New downtown stage. 📍 106 S. Cayuga Street (Lot 10 – downstairs) ... Read More
Drop in for figure drawing sessions at CSMA, generally held on the 2nd and 4th Friday evenings of each month. If you’re an intermediate or advanced-level artist interested in drawing from the nude model, come join our non-instructed, open sketch sessions. Just grab your own supplies and enjoy an evening of creativity in the company of other artists.
Go on an adventure through gorgeous fall foliage with multiple artist studios as your destination! The Greater Ithaca Art Trail, a program of the Community Arts Partnership of Tompkins County, is hosting two Open Studio Weekends. On October 11th, 12th and 18th, 19th, 30 fine artists across Tompkins County will open their studios to you! Visitors can gather their art ... Read More
🎤✨ K-HOUSE Karaoke K-Pop-Up at Lot 10 Ithaca - Fridays AND Saturdays thru the Fall Semester! ✨🎤 You asked for more… so we’re giving you MORE! 🔥 The K-FAM will be KJ-ing every Friday AND Saturday night downstairs at Lot 10. 💜🎶 🎙️ Same crew. Same K-HOUSE magic. New downtown stage. 📍 106 S. Cayuga Street (Lot 10 – downstairs) ... Read More
Join us at Buffalo Street Books for community-led conversations about climate change, seen through fiction and non-fiction books. The Climate Literature Book Club meets every third Wednesday of the month! Parable of the Talents as well as The Uninhabitable Earth: Life After Warming are the books featured in this week's discussion Shop with us for 10% off these titles!
The Nocturnal Café (formerly Sacred Root Kava Lounge & Tea Bar) welcomes you to experience our weekly Open Mic Night hosted by a rotating cast of talented local artists. Come on down to share your song or story! Let's cultivate shared creativity! Showcase your talents and enjoy the experience of creative connection with a welcoming and supportive audience at Ithaca's ... Read More
🎤✨ K-HOUSE Karaoke K-Pop-Up at Lot 10 Ithaca - Fridays AND Saturdays thru the Fall Semester! ✨🎤 You asked for more… so we’re giving you MORE! 🔥 The K-FAM will be KJ-ing every Friday AND Saturday night downstairs at Lot 10. 💜🎶 🎙️ Same crew. Same K-HOUSE magic. New downtown stage. 📍 106 S. Cayuga Street (Lot 10 – downstairs) ... Read More
Before Buffy, before Twilight, before Octavia Butler’s Fledgling, there was The Gilda Stories. Join Buffalo Street Books for a very special event with the author of the first Black Lesbian vampire novel, Jewelle Gomez, in conversation with Nancy Bereano, founder of Firebrand Books. Don't miss this opportunity to hear from two queer icons.
Thanks to the generous support of the Arts Council of the Southern Finger Lakes, guitarist and composer Liam Lawson will perform his new arrangements of traditional Shaker songs with support from Josh Chamberlain (upright bass), Ali Diemecke (violin), Olive Mitra (percussion), and Christopher Ploss (accordion). Liam is a professional composer and multi-instrumentalist, who performs across the American northeast. He is ... Read More
Join us at CSMA for a series of workshops led by instructor William Hurley! This workshop is designed to give an overview of the history and construction of violin family instruments. There will be a practical focus on common repair problems, causes, and how to decide when an instrument should be taken to a luthier. The hope is to give ... Read More
The Latino Civic Association of Tompkins County is delighted to invite you to a magical and charming weekend featuring two wonderful puppet shows in Spanish — perfect for the whole family! 📅 Dates & Schedule Saturday, October 18 – The Kitchen Center (417 W State St, Ithaca, NY 14850): • 10:30 AM – Pedro and the Odyssey of the Paraná ... Read More
🎤✨ K-HOUSE Karaoke K-Pop-Up at Lot 10 Ithaca - Fridays AND Saturdays thru the Fall Semester! ✨🎤 You asked for more… so we’re giving you MORE! 🔥 The K-FAM will be KJ-ing every Friday AND Saturday night downstairs at Lot 10. 💜🎶 🎙️ Same crew. Same K-HOUSE magic. New downtown stage. 📍 106 S. Cayuga Street (Lot 10 – downstairs) ... Read More
Join Loaves & Fishes in celebrating 30 years of Empty Bowls, our signature fundraiser supporting free meals and advocacy for neighbors in need. Local potters donate beautiful handmade bowls, restaurants provide delicious soups, and Finger Lakes wineries contribute exceptional wine. Businesses and foundations sponsor this special event, making it a true community effort. Each ticket includes: • A handcrafted bowl ... Read More
Get into the autumn spirit with a family-friendly Pumpkin Paint & Sip, led by visual arts instructor Jessica Peery! Bring your family and paint your very own pumpkin masterpiece while enjoying a complimentary drink. For just $20, you’ll receive your choice of pumpkin, paints, and a free beverage. Want to paint more? Add an extra pumpkin for just $10.
In this two-session workshop taught by local art educator and screen printer Rose Tirrito, learn how to prepare a screen with your own image and then print it on your own garments and fabric! First session is Sunday, 10/19 and second session is Sunday, 10/26.
______ A Harpist at the Threshold: Hospice Stories of Love & Grace Written and performed by Jayne Demakos Through story and harp, a music-thanatologist shares deeply personal reflections from her work as a harpist at the bedside of the dying. Her performance explores how vulnerability, music, and presence can help guide the final passage with peace and dignity. With poetic ... Read More
The Nocturnal Café (formerly Sacred Root Kava Lounge & Tea Bar) welcomes you to experience our weekly Open Mic Night hosted by a rotating cast of talented local artists. Come on down to share your song or story! Let's cultivate shared creativity! Showcase your talents and enjoy the experience of creative connection with a welcoming and supportive audience at Ithaca's ... Read More
🎤✨ K-HOUSE Karaoke K-Pop-Up at Lot 10 Ithaca - Fridays AND Saturdays thru the Fall Semester! ✨🎤 You asked for more… so we’re giving you MORE! 🔥 The K-FAM will be KJ-ing every Friday AND Saturday night downstairs at Lot 10. 💜🎶 🎙️ Same crew. Same K-HOUSE magic. New downtown stage. 📍 106 S. Cayuga Street (Lot 10 – downstairs) ... Read More
🎤✨ K-HOUSE Karaoke K-Pop-Up at Lot 10 Ithaca - Fridays AND Saturdays thru the Fall Semester! ✨🎤 You asked for more… so we’re giving you MORE! 🔥 The K-FAM will be KJ-ing every Friday AND Saturday night downstairs at Lot 10. 💜🎶 🎙️ Same crew. Same K-HOUSE magic. New downtown stage. 📍 106 S. Cayuga Street (Lot 10 – downstairs) ... Read More
SUNDAY, OCT 26 – 12 to 4pm Ithaca Generator’s annual open house invites all makers, crafters, and curious folks to 233 Cherry Street, Ithaca, NY for an afternoon of crafting, demonstrations, and celebration of another successful year of creativity. Learn about our makerspace facility (which includes metal, wood, ceramics, fiber arts, 3D printing, + more!) and how you can get ... Read More
Join Buffalo Street Books for a series of workshops with nicole v. basta. This generative workshop series will allow our minds to circle a spiral of questions & ideas, to be liberated by the non-linear. Expect strange and very intentional multi-step prompts that shake you from the status quo. These workshops are for any writer, artist, thinker, dreamer, human looking ... Read More
Gain the professional insight you need to launch a marketing, PR and fundraising program that will bolster awareness without breaking the bank at a free breakfast workshop from The Communication Solutions Group, in celebration of their new Ithaca office. RSVP: https://tinyurl.com/EventBriteCSGIthaca
The Nocturnal Café (formerly Sacred Root Kava Lounge & Tea Bar) welcomes you to experience our weekly Open Mic Night hosted by a rotating cast of talented local artists. Come on down to share your song or story! Let's cultivate shared creativity! Showcase your talents and enjoy the experience of creative connection with a welcoming and supportive audience at Ithaca's ... Read More
Tompkins County Trivia Night Thursday, October 30 4:30-5:00 PM: Public Presentation with Anna Kelles 5:00-7:00 PM: Trivia game with host Dave Ashton of Lite Rock 97.3! Teams will all represent a different decade, and players are encouraged to dress up in costumes representative of their team's decade! There will be prizes for the best dressed team, and the trivia champions. ... Read More
🎤✨ K-HOUSE Karaoke K-Pop-Up at Lot 10 Ithaca - Fridays AND Saturdays thru the Fall Semester! ✨🎤 You asked for more… so we’re giving you MORE! 🔥 The K-FAM will be KJ-ing every Friday AND Saturday night downstairs at Lot 10. 💜🎶 🎙️ Same crew. Same K-HOUSE magic. New downtown stage. 📍 106 S. Cayuga Street (Lot 10 – downstairs) ... Read More
Join us on October 31st from 3-6pm for a spooky good time! Enjoy treats, refreshments, and hauntingly fun decor while you shop. Come in costume, bring your Halloween spirit, and take 20% off all carry-out sales during the event. Stop by for flowers, fun, and a little Halloween magic!
Friday October 31st at 3:30 pm is our Halloween Wine and Candy Pairing Event hosted in the Gallery. Join us for a festive afternoon full of delicious pairings, spooky fun, and great company! We hope to see you there!
Join us for a frightfully fun evening at the Greater Ithaca Activities Center (GIAC)! We will be hosting the GIAC Halloween Spooktacular on Friday, October 31st from 4:00 PM – 7:30 PM at GIAC and on Court St. between N. Albany St. and N. Plain St. Get ready for a spooktacular time with the Ithaca community! Enjoy a night of ... Read More
🎤✨ K-HOUSE Karaoke K-Pop-Up at Lot 10 Ithaca - Fridays AND Saturdays thru the Fall Semester! ✨🎤 You asked for more… so we’re giving you MORE! 🔥 The K-FAM will be KJ-ing every Friday AND Saturday night downstairs at Lot 10. 💜🎶 🎙️ Same crew. Same K-HOUSE magic. New downtown stage. 📍 106 S. Cayuga Street (Lot 10 – downstairs) ... Read More