Annual Festivals & Events in Syracuse
You’ll find entire months dedicated to the food, culture and experiences that make Syracuse the destination that it is. Food, tunes, fam fun and even more food. Syracuse is home to dozens of annual events and festivals focused on the
Pick A Season, Any Season
Summer
Syracuse really shines in the summertime. Any festival you can think of, we’ve got it covered — Polish Fest, Greek Fest, Nationals, Pride Parade & Festival, New York State Blues Fest, even the great New York State Fair! Get down and groove at one of the many outdoor music events or catch national recording artists live at the St. Joseph’s Health Amphitheater at Lakeview and make plans to catch an SU basketball game at The Dome.
Fall
Fall Festival Fun
Beautiful foliage, apple orchards, pumpkin patches and all the fall things — our picturesque landscapes make for the ideal autumn backdrop, and we’ve got everything from Irish Fest to the Apple Festival and Syracuse Film Festival, the semi-annual Syracuse Fashion Week, hayrides at the “best apple orchard in the country” at Beak & Skiff, Oktoberfest and epic tailgating before the big SU football games.
Winter
Ice skate and usher in the holiday season at the famous Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony in Clinton Square, check out Winterfest in the Inner Harbor or hit up the “most idyllic Christmas town” in the country with Skaneateles’ Dickens Christmas Festival, where a cast of over 50 actors take over the streets in a live-action production of A Christmas Carol. Recognized as the snow capital of the country, Syracuse is the ideal destination for fresh powder, snow-themed festivities and plenty of fun.
Spring
Syracuse springs back early. Kick off St. Pat’s celebrations with a green beer on Green Beer Sunday at Coleman’s on Tipp Hill followed by the Shamrock Run, CNY Irish Feis and St. Patrick’s Parade in March, or tune into the Syracuse Trad Fest, spring Syracuse Fashion Week or the Salt City Horror Fest at the Palace Theater.
January
Snow Leopard Days | Rosamond Gifford Zoo
Free Ice Skating Wednesday | Sunnycrest Ice Rink
Salt City Winter Antiques Show | NYS Fairgrounds
New York State Sportsman Expo | NYS Fairgrounds
February
Syracuse Winter Fair | NYS Fairgrounds
Syracuse Winterfest | Downtown Syracuse
CNY Winter Boat Show | NYS Fairgrounds
Sled For Red Cardboard Sledding Derby | Four Seasons Ski Resort
Green Beer Sunday | Coleman's, Tipperary Hill (City of Syracuse)
March
Syracuse Trad Fest | Various Venues
Shamrock Run | Tipperary Hill (City of Syracuse)
St. Patrick's Parade | Downtown Syracuse
CNY Irish Feis | NYS Fairgrounds
Salt City Horror Festival | Palace Theater, Syracuse
Syracuse Half Marathon | Oncenter/ Syracuse
April
TAP into the MOST | Downtown Syracuse
Syracuse Fashion Week | Downtown Syracuse
Syracuse Wine Festival | CNY Regional Market
NCAA Tournament Watch Parties | Various Locations
May
Syracuse University Commencement Weekend | University Hill + Downtown Syracuse
LeMoyne College Commencement Weekend | East Side Neighborhood of Syracuse
Crawfish Festival | Clinton Square, Syracuse
Syracuse Food Truck Battle | NYS Fairgrounds
Mountain Goat Run | Downtown Syracuse + Surrounding area
June
Taste of Syracuse | Clinton Square, Downtown Syracuse
St. Sophia Greek Cultural Festival | St. Sophia's Church, DeWitt
Polish Festival | Clinton Square, Downtown Syracuse
Juneteenth Celebration | Clinton Square, Downtown Syracuse
New York State Blues Fest | Chevy Court, NYS Fairgrounds
Syracuse Jazz Fest | Clinton Square, Syracuse
CNY Pride Parade & Festival | Inner Harbor, Syracuse
July
Middle Eastern Cultural Festival | St. Elias Church, Syracuse
Syracuse Nationals | NYS Fairgrounds
Skaneateles Antique & Classic Boat Show | Village of Skaneateles
Syracuse Arts & Crafts Festival | Columbus Circle, Downtown Syracuse
Northeast Jazz and Wine Festival | Clinton Square, Downtown Syracuse
August
Skaneateles Festival | Village of Skaneateles
St. George Macedonian Ethnic Festival | St. George Macedonian Church, Syracuse
CNY Scottish Games & Celtic Festival | Long Branch Park, Liverpool
Great New York State Fair | NYS Fairgrounds
September
Irish Festival | Clinton Square, Downtown Syracuse
Golden Harvest Festival | Beaver Lake Nature Center, Baldwinsville
Festa Italiana | Downtown Syracuse
KlezFest CNY | Jewish Community Center, Syracuse
October
Lafayette Apple Festival | Route 20, LaFayette
Retro Game Con | Oncenter/ Syracuse
Syracuse Film Festival | Various venues in Syracuse
Syracuse Bavarian Oktoberfest | NYS Fairgrounds
November
Annual Christmas Tree Lighting | Clinton Square
CNY Wine & Chocolate Festival | NYS Fairgrounds
December
Lights on the Lake | Onondaga Lake Park, Liverpool
Gingerbread Gallery | Erie Canal Museum
Dickens Christmas in Skaneateles | Village of Skaneateles
Festival of Trees | Everson Museum of Art
Holidays in the City | Downtown Syracuse