Grassroots Festival of Music and Dance

Grassroots is one of the most famous festivals in the Finger Lakes, and has been nominated as one of USA Today’s top 10 outdoor music festivals. It takes place in Trumansburg over four days in late July, and features more than 75 bands as well as activities like healing arts and yoga, a Happiness Parade, workshops, beer and wine gardens, an art barn, storytelling, a vinyl lounge, and a movement tent. https://www.grassrootsfest.org/ 

Ithaca Festival

The Ithaca Festival kicks off every year in late May or early June with the Ithaca Parade, which captures the essence and fun of Ithaca’s unique culture. The rest of this 4-day festival is dedicated to a celebration of local and regional music, crafts, and food, with over 70 performances and almost 100 vendors. https://ithacafestival.org/  

Winter Lights Festival, Ice Festival, and Chowder Cook-Off

These three festivals coincide over a few weekends in mid- to late December and are centered on and around the Ithaca Commons. Events include light installations, a national ice sculpting contest, a silent disco, chowder sampling, and live performances. https://www.downtownithaca.com/winterlights-2/  

Apple Harvest Festival

Described by the Downtown Ithaca Alliance as “Ithaca’s premier event of the fall,” the Apple Harvest Festival is a three-day celebration of apples in late September or early October. There are many vendors offering a variety of fresh apples and apple-based treats (cider, donuts, baked goods, and more) as well as local crafts and artwork. There are also lots of food trucks and live music. https://www.downtownithaca.com/apple-harvest-festival/ 

Trumansburg Fair

The Trumansburg Fair has been held annually for over 170 years every August at the local fairgrounds. It offers a midway with rides, agricultural events, cornhole competition, demolition derby, and more.  https://www.facebook.com/trumansburgfair/  

Chili Cook-Off

The Chili Cook-Off is a wintertime festival and chili cooking contest between dozens of local restaurants and eateries. Attendees and judges vote on different categories (best meat chili, best vegetarian chili, best vegan chili, best presentation, best chili-inspired item, and best beverage). The competition is fierce, and the chili is hot.  https://sites.google.com/downtownithaca.com/2024-chili-cook-off/home