SEPTEMBER

Sept. 19-21

Oktoberfest. Celebration of all
things German with entertainment, children’s games, family contests and
plenty of food. Friday and Saturday, noon-11 p.m.; Sunday, noon-6 p.m.
Clinton Square, downtown Syracuse. Free. 675-8321.

Sept. 20

Native American Homecoming Festival.
Make corn husk dolls and watch many other demonstrations at this
celebration of local Indian nations. 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Tutelo Park, 151
Bostwick Road, off Route 13A, Ithaca. Free. (607) 272-2292. 

Syracuse University Football. The Orange take on Northeastern. 3:30 p.m. Carrier Dome, SU campus, 900 Irving Ave. $18-$57. (888) DOME-TIX.

Sept. 20-21

AppleFest. A Cooperstown-area
celebration of apples, antique tractors, music, games, food and wagon
rides. Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sunday, noon-5 p.m. Fly Creek Cider
Mill, 288 Goose St., Fly Creek. $2/donation fee; free/under 12. Free
parking. (607) 547-5895.

Sept. 21

Westcott Street Cultural Fair . Sun. noon-6:30 p.m.
John Rossbach, Sophistafunk, Marcia Hagan and Fluid Drive and Ronnie
Leigh will perform on the main stage during the festival that
celebrates the city’s artistic population. 500 block of Westcott
Street. Free. 703-6848.

Sept. 22

Savoring the Salt City. Annual
event features the area’s finest cuisine, from appetizers to entrees to
desserts, all under one roof. Proceeds benefit the Cystic Fibrosis
Foundation. 5:30-9 p.m. Empire Room, New York State Fairgrounds.
$50/admission. 463-7965. 

Sept. 26-28 

Apple Harvest Festival. Enjoy
crafts, food, children’s activities and entertainment during this
three-day celebration. Friday, noon-6 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 10:30
a.m.-6:30 p.m. Downtown Ithaca. Free. (607) 277-8679. 

Sept. 27

SU Football. The Orange take on Pittsburgh. Noon. Carrier Dome, SU campus, 900 Irving Ave. $18-$57. (888) DOME-TIX.

Sept. 27-28

Salt City Cat Club Show. Purebred
and household cat competition, Friskies’ “Living Booth” and stage show.
Cat-friendly vendors have everything under kitty creation, food for you
and your pets. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Onondaga County War Memorial, 411
Montgomery St. $12/family; $6/adults; $3/children under 12. 687-6871.

OCTOBER

Oct. 3-5

Great Cortland Pumpkinfest. Tons,
literally, of pumpkins, with activities including weight-guessing
contests, crafters, games, food, a 5K race and more. Pancake dinner
Friday, 4:30-7 p.m, $5/person; $20/family. Saturday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.;
Sunday, noon-4 p.m. Courthouse Park, Church Street, Cortland. Free;
fees for the race. (607) 753-8463. 

Oct. 4-5 

The Great Pumpkin Festival. See
the famous 1,000-pound pumpkins and gorge yourself on pumpkin desserts,
enjoy wine-tasting; games, kiddie rides, crafters, corn maze and live
music. Saturday, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Washington
Square Park, East Fourth and Bridge streets, Oswego. Free. 343-7681.

Oct. 4

New Hope Antiques Charity Market.
Check out the huge selection of antiques and collectibles; vendor setup
fees donated to Syracuse Big Brothers & Sisters. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. New
Hope Antiques, Route 41A, New Hope. Free. 497-2688.

Oct. 5

Festival of Races. Annual
family-fitness event includes men’s and women’s 5K runs, 3K fun and
fitness run, and a community fun(d) walk. 9 a.m.-noon. Near Manley
Field House and Lampe Athletic Complex, Comstock Avenue. Free parking.
Free for spectators. Entry fees $5-$20. 446-6285.





Oct. 7-12

Super D.I.R.T. Week. A fast and
furious motorsports event. Super-modified race cars roar around the
track. Opens Tuesday at noon, then daily at 8 a.m. Call for a specific
events schedule or go to www.dirtmotor sports.com. Grandstand, New York
State Fairgrounds. General admission tickets, Thursday-Friday, $25;
combination packages, single nights, reserved seating, $35-$100. Call
to reserve. 834-6606. 

Oct. 10

University Community Harvest Farmers’ Market.
SU and SUNY ESF present this marketplace of locally grown fruits and
vegetables, as well as soaps, ceramics and information about
sustainable farming. 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Waverly Lot, corner of Waverly and
South Crouse avenues on the SU campus. Free. 443-5381.

Oct. 11-12

LaFayette Apple Festival. Annual
apple-lovers’ event features more than 500 crafters and vendors;
scarecrow, Apple Queen and pie baking contests; food and entertainment.
Saturday, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.; Sunday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Apple Run, a 1-mile fun
run (free) or 15K race ($20 in advance), takes place Oct. 12. Rowland
Road, off Route 20, LaFayette. $3/pre-sale at LaFayette McDonald’s;
$4/at gate. 677-3300. 

Oct. 11

Syracuse Crunch. The Crunch and Rochester Americans battle it out. 7:30 p.m. Onondaga County War Memorial, 515 Montgomery St. $13-$20. 473-4444. 

Oct. 11-12, 18-19

The Greater Ithaca Art Trail. The
opening weekend for free, self-guided tours of 50 artists’ studios.
Visit on your own, or call ahead and make plans with the artists. 11
a.m-5 p.m. Trail brochures can be picked up at the Clinton House
Visitor Center, Cayuga and Seneca streets, Ithaca, or by calling (607)
273-5072. 

Oct. 17-19

Country Folk Art Craft Fair. More
than 150 crafters from around the nation display their wares at the New
York State Fairgrounds. Friday, 3-9 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.;
Sunday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. $6/at door. (248) 634-4151. 

Oct. 19

Collectorfest. Sports cards,
comics, toys, dolls and many other collectible items at the
Horticulture Building, New York State Fairgrounds. 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
$4/adults; free/children 10 and younger. (607) 753-8580. 

Oct. 17-18, 24-25

The Great Zoo Boo. Enjoy some
kooky, not spooky, fun with clowns, friendly witches and scarecrows,
and a train depot at the zoo’s annual pre-Halloween Party. 6-8:30 p.m.
Rosamond Gifford Zoo at Burnet Park, 1 Conservation Drive. Advance
tickets: $3.50/members, $4/non-members; $5/at door; $3/advance group
sale, 20 or more people; free/children under 3. 435-8511, Ext. 113.

Oct. 24-25

Norwich Pumpkin Festival. Stand
in awe of the hundreds of jack-o-lanterns on display on scaffolding,
and enjoy haunted houses, food and fireworks. East and West Parks,
downtown Norwich. Free. (607) 336-1811.

Oct. 25-26 

Salt City Autumn Antiques Show.
Annual show with more than 275 selected dealers creating an
80,000-square-foot treasure trove. Saturday and Sunday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
Center of Progress Building, State Fairgrounds. Free parking.
$6/person; $7/weekend pass; free/under 12. 824-2462. 

NOVEMBER

Nov. 1

SU Football. The Orange take on Louisville. Time to be announced. Carrier Dome, SU campus, 900 Irving Ave. $18-$57. (888) DOME-TIX.

Nov. 1-2

Great New York State Model Train Fair.
Local chapter of the National Railway Historical Society conducts a
show of the finest collectible little engines that could. Saturday, 10
a.m.-6 p.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Center of Progress and Toyota
Exhibit Center, New York State Fairgrounds. $8/adults; $6/seniors and
children younger than 15; $12/two-day pass. 488-8208. 

Nov. 7-9

Holiday Shoppes. The Junior
League of Syracuse’s annual shopping event. Friday, 10 a.m.-7 p.m.;
Saturday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Sunday, noon-5 p.m. $6; weekend passes $10;
free children under 10. 423-9775

Nov. 14-23

Holiday House. A one-stop shop
for all things Christmas; this year’s theme is Enchantments of the
Season. Tuesdays-Thursdays, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Fridays and Saturdays, 10
a.m.-2 p.m. Rome Art and Community Center, 308 W. Bloomfield St., Rome.
Free. 336-1040.

Nov. 15

SU Football. The Orange take on Connecticut. Time to be announced. Carrier Dome, SU campus, 900 Irving Ave. $18-$57. (888) DOME-TIX

Nov. 23

Jingle Bell Run. Tie bells to
your shoelaces and join this fund-raising 5K run/walk and 10K run for
the Arthritis Foundation’s Central New York chapter. Onondaga Lake
Park, off Route 370, Liverpool. Registration: $17/until Nov. 8;
$20/Nov. 8-21; $25/Nov. 22 and 23; free/children younger than 8. (800)
870-1771.

Nov. 25

Lights on the Lake Opening Night.
Annual holiday lights spectacular runs nightly through Jan. 4, 5 to 10
p.m., Onondaga Lake Park, off Onondaga Lake Parkway, Liverpool. $8/car
or $6 advance tickets available until Nov. 20 at Wegmans. 453-6712. 

Nov. 28

Holiday Magic in the Square. The
tree gets plugged in and Christmas in Syracuse officially begins.
Followed by the annual City Hall open house. 7 p.m. Clinton Square,
downtown Syracuse. 448-8005.

Nov. 28-Dec. 21 

Dickens’ Christmas. Explore the
London of 120 years ago every weekend through Dec. 21. Saturdays and
Sundays only (after opening day), noon-4 p.m. Throughout downtown
Skaneateles. Free. 685-0552. 

Nov. 28-Dec. 31

Gingerbread Gallery. The Erie
Canal Museum transforms its exhibition gallery into a street scene from
the 1800s featuring more than 30 gingerbread houses in “store windows.”
Through Dec. 31. Tuesdays-Saturdays, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sundays, 10 a.m.-3
p.m. Erie Canal Museum, 318 Erie Blvd. E. $3/donation. 471-0593. 

Nov. 28-Dec. 20

Christmas Around the World.
Musical entertainment, cooking demonstrations, storytelling, a visit
from Santa, plus an exhibit of international Christmas trees. Fridays
and Saturdays, 5-9 p.m.; Sainte Marie among the Iroquois, Onondaga Lake
Parkway, Liverpool. $1/person; free with Lights on the Lake ticket.
453-6768.

DECEMBER 

Dec. 3-28

Christmas at Lorenzo. This
historic mansion will be decorated with thematic decorations,
gingerbread galleries, and live music on Saturdays. Wednesdays-Sundays,
1-4 p.m. Lorenzo State Historic Site, 17 Rippleton Road, Cazenovia.
$3/adults; $1/ages 5-12. 655-3200.

Dec.5-14

Holiday Festival of Trees and Lights.
The Everson turns into a forest of decorated holiday trees. Open
Tuesdays-Fridays and Sundays, noon-5 p.m.; Saturdays, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Everson Museum of Art, 401 Harrison St.$5/suggested donation. 474-6064.
 

Dec. 6-7

Plowshares Craftsfair & Winter Peace Festival.
Celebrate a world of peace and justice with more than 50 crafters,
hearty food and lively entertainment. Saturday, 10 a.m-5 p.m.; Sunday,
11 a.m.-5 p.m. Nottingham High School, 3100 E. Genesee St. $2/adults,
free/ages under 16 and over 65. 472-5478. 

ONGOING EVENTS

Downtown Farmers’ Market. About
50 farmers and dealers sell produce, crafts and more. Tuesdays, 7
a.m.-4 p.m.; through Oct. 14. One Lincoln Center, South Salina and
Washington streets. Free. 422-8284.

Guided Horseback Rides. One-hour
rides available Tuesday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; through November.
Highland Forest, Route 80, four miles east of Fabius. $25 per person
per hour. Reservations needed. 495-6263.

Fall Harvest Celebration.
Mondays-Fridays, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Free, with limited activities.
Saturdays and Sundays, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; to late October. Special events
each weekend, as well as traditional attractions, including corn maze,
pumpkin patch, hayrides, petting zoo, and more. Critz Farms, Route 13,
three miles south of Cazenovia. $5/adult; $3/seniors; free/under 2.
662-3355. 

High Esteem’s Creepy Camp. Oct.
3-31. Halloween event includes the creepy cabins and plenty of other
Halloween frights. Not for children younger than 8. Held rain or shine;
proceeds benefit High Esteem Camp Goodwill. Fridays and Saturdays, 7:30
p.m.-midnight. Sundays, 7:30-10 p.m.; plus Thursday, Oct. 25, 7:30-10
p.m. High Esteem Camp Goodwill, Route 13, Chittenango. $8 and up.
655-9735.

Howling Hayrides. Oct. 16-18,
23-25. Ride through ghoulish settings and enjoy doughnuts and cider—if
you achieve safe passage. 7-9 p.m. Town of DeWitt Parks and Recreation
Department, Maxwell Park, East Syracuse. $8/gate; $7/advance;
$5/person, group rate. Groups of 15 or more can reserve for Thursday
nights. 446-9250, Ext. 9.