Downtown Syracuse Events
April 28 - May 4, 2017
Check out the upcoming Downtown Syracuse events below or visit the Downtown Syracuse Online Calendar to view all events
Syracuse Fashion Week Gala
at the Landmark Theatre
362 S. Salina Street (map)
Friday, April 28, 6:30 pm

Syracuse Fashion Week Spring 2017 will host its premier Gala at the Landmark Theatre! Attendees will enjoy a runway fashion show featuring day and evening wear for men and women, dresses, custom couture, children's wear, avant-garde looks and bridal gowns. There will be passed hors d'oeuvres and a cash bar from 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm. The runway show starts at 8:00 pm. Click here for more information about Syracuse Fashion Week.

Participating stores and designers include Downtown business such as: Midnight Sun, Projex214, Vintage Love, Showoffs Boutique, The Changing Room, Modern Pop Culture, Indie Kids and NY Optometric, as well as Khangle, Boom Babies, Cocli, Fashion Fix, Caraline Stocker, Bethani Lake, Giovanni's and Rebecca's Bridal.

Cost: $30
Syracuse Fashion Week - The Underground Show
at Marisa's Fortress of Beauty
220 Walton Street (map)
Saturday, April 29, 6:00 pm & 10:00 pm

Syracuse Fashion Week's Underground Show promises sexy silhouettes, lingerie and fantasy fashions, with an emphasis on extravagant hair and makeup designs. There are two separate shows, at 6:00 pm and 10:00 pm. A beer and wine cash bar will be available.

Participating stores and designers include Modern Pop Culture, Kenn Kushner Designs, Inspired Designs, Le Petite Couturier, Van Dyke Apparel, Slit Weave, Fashion Fix and S&M Designs. 

Cost: $30
Night Market
at SKY Armory
351 S. Clinton Street (map)
Saturday, April 29, 3:00 pm - 9:00 pm

Enjoy a different shopping experience at Night Market. Stroll through three floors of trendy, stylish and original products from 60 local artists and craftspeople. Enjoy upbeat music, delectable eats and funky cocktails as you shop!

nightmarketsyr.com or 315-473-0826
Cost: $5/person (includes a tote bag)
An Evening with Carrie Newcomer
at Park Central Presbyterian Church
504 E. Fayette Street (map)
Saturday, April 29, 7:30 pm - 9:00 pm

Award-winning singer-songwriter Carrie Newcomer, with pianist Gary Walters, will perform in concert at the Park Central Presbyterian Church Saturday evening. Newcomer will showcase songs from her new album, The Beautiful Not Yet, as well as selections from her 15 previous albums. Billboard magazine hailed Newcomer's "pure, pitch-perfect voice," and Rolling Stone called her "rapturously tuneful." A contemplative Quaker, her songs explore how we might live more present, engaged lives, even in the face of division and uncertainty. Proceeds from the concert will benefit the Samaritan Center.

parkcentralchurch.org or 315-475-1677
Cost: $25
Ghost Hunt
at the Erie Canal Museum
318 Erie Boulevard E. (map)
Saturday, April 29, 8:00 pm, 8:30 pm, 9:00 pm & 9:30 pm

The Erie Canal Museum is offering an exclusive paranormal investigation of its 1850 National Register Weighlock Building. Central New York Ghost Hunters conduct investigations of possible paranormal activity and educate individuals and groups about this topic. Each one-hour session includes an evidence reveal and a ghost hunt. The event is designed for those who are 14 years old and older. Pre-registration and pre-payment are required. All proceeds benefit the Erie Canal Museum.

eriecanalmuseum.org or 315-471-0593
Cost: $20/member; $25/non-member
Members may purchase tickets by calling 315-471-0593 x15
Symphoria: Magnificat
at St. Paul's Syracuse
220 E. Fayette Street (map)
Sunday, April 30, 2:30 pm - 4:30 pm

Bach's radiant celebration of faith, scored for full chorus, soloists and orchestra is a fitting end to the Casual Series in the beautiful St. Paul's Syracuse, The Downtown Episcopal Church.

experiencesymphoria.org or 315-299-5598
Cost: $26 - $35; $5/student; 18 and under free
Sesame Street Live
at the Landmark Theatre
362 S. Salina Street (map)
Tuesday, May 2, 6:30 pm
Wednesday, May 3, 10:30 am & 6:30 pm 

No matter where you're from or where you've been, everyone is special - so join in as Elmo, Grover, Abby Cadabby and their Sesame Street friends welcome Chamki (Grover's friend from India) to Sesame Street. Together, they explore the universal fun of friendship and celebrate cultural similarities, from singing and dancing, to sharing cookies! Join the fun and make a memory with your friends and family!

landmarktheatre.org or 315-475-7979
Cost: $12.75 & $16.50
OHA Medal Breakfast
at the Marriott Syracuse Downtown
100 E. Onondaga Street (map)
Thursday, May 4, 8:00 am - 9:30 am

The OHA Medal is the highest honor that the Onondaga Historical Association (OHA) can bestow upon an individual for contributions made to the cause of preserving and interpreting our heritage. The 2017 OHA Medal will be awarded to OHA's Curator of History Dennis Connors and Journalist, Author and public speaker Sean Kirst. The OHA welcomes you to honor these two gentleman for their meritorious service to Onondaga County's history. Due to overwhelming support for the honorees, the breakfast will be held in the Grand Ballroom.

cnyhistory.org or 315-428-1864
Cost: $50/person
Cinco De Mayo: Mexican Folk Pottery
at the Everson Museum of Art
401 Harrison Street (map)
Thursday, May 4 27, 6:30 pm - 7:30 pm

Stop by the Everson Museum for a special viewing and discussion of select pieces of Mexican Folk pottery from the Everson's collection.

everson.org or 315-474-6064
Cost: Free with museum admission
Trivia Nights
Monday - Thursday

Monday
@ Wolff's Biergarten, 106 Montgomery Street ( map), 7:00 pm
Play for free and BYOF - Bring Your Own Food. Prizes will be available for the top teams. 315-299-7789

Tuesday
@The Evergreen, 125 E. Water Street (map), 8:00 pm
Play for free. The winning team takes home a $50 gift card each week. 315-870-3500
 
@Liehs & Steigerwald, 117 E. Fayette Street (map), 7:00 pm
Enjoy $5 glasses of wine during trivia. 315-299-4799

Wednesday
@The Saltine Warrior Pub, 214 W. Water Street (map), 8:00 pm
Play for free. Prizes awarded to the top three teams! 315-314-7740

Thursday
@Maxwells, 122 E. Genesee Street (map), 7:00 pm
Play for free. The winner of the entire contest takes home a trophy and some swag! 315-299-6633

Call for Volunteers: Downtown Living Tour
2.5 hour shifts still available on Saturday, May 20

The next big volunteer opportunity in Downtown Syracuse is just a few weeks away. Do you have plans on Saturday, May 20? The Downtown Committee is still looking for volunteers who would like to help our staff during the Downtown Living Tour on Saturday, May 20! Volunteer responsibilities include helping at registration, providing direction to tour-goers and monitoring the units to be showcased.  

All volunteers will receive a free t-shirt and a free ticket to take the Downtown Living Tour!

If you're interested, please send Kristine Sherlock a note at  ksherlock@downtownsyracuse.com. The deadline to sign-up to volunteer is next Friday, May 5

Each week, leading up to the Downtown Living Tour, we'll continue to offer sneak peeks at the properties we're featuring. This week, we're highlighting the State Tower Building and The Chimes Building. Fun Fact: Both buildings feature Art Deco elements. 
2017 Downtown Living Tour: Spotlight on The State Tower Building
109 South Warren Street (map)

Built in 1927, the State Tower Building still holds the distinction of being the tallest building in Central New York. Its Art Deco design by architects Thompson and Churchill set a precedent for iconic buildings that followed - including the Empire State Building and the Chrysler Building in New York City. The structure features a unique "wedding cake" design with floor plates decreasing in size in sections as the building rises and the exterior brick color transitions from darker to lighter to accentuate the building's height and elegance. Standing 315 feet tall, residents will be treated to unparalleled views of Downtown Syracuse.
 
Local developer Pioneer Companies purchased the building in March, 2016 with a vision of restoring the iconic structure to its original glory. In addition to repairing the masonry fa ç ade, upgrading the lower seven floors into class-A office space, and making significant structural and system upgrades, Pioneer will transform the upper 14 floors of the building to include 63 high-end residential units. Expected to be complete in October, 2017, State Tower residents will enjoy the comforts and conveniences of luxury city living. All units will be equipped with new, operable, historically accurate windows and original entry doors. They'll feature stunning vistas, modern layouts and deluxe amenities.

Spotlight on The Chimes Building
500 South Salina Street (map)

The Chimes Building - which many Syracuse natives remember earned its name for the musical chimes that sat on top of it- was designed by Shreve, Lamb and Harmon, the same architectural firm that designed the Empire State Building in New York City. The Chimes Building opened in 1929, two years before the Empire State Building.
 
Perched on the corner of South Salina and West Onondaga Streets, the building stands 12-stories high, adorned with modest Art Deco features.  It was once one of the most prominent office buildings in Syracuse. When renovations are complete, the newly renovated Chimes Building will boast as many as 150 upscale apartments, featuring a variety of layouts.  
 
There will be a fitness center on-site, as well as a paved, secure parking area. A covered, secure bridge offers access to the parking garage located across the street adjacent to the Marriott Syracuse Downtown. The new Centro Bus station terminal, located directly across the street, provides convenient access to public transportation.

Fun Fact: The Chimes rang every 15 minutes, and would play a short melody every hour, until they stopped working sometime after World War II. When you walk through the lobby of The Chimes Building on May 20, make sure to look for the mechanism! 

Tickets On Sale Now!

Tickets to the Downtown Living Tour are on sale now. You may purchase them at the Advance Sale price of $12 by clicking here , or by visiting our office located at 115 West Fayette Street from 9 am to 5 pm Monday through Friday. On the day of the tour, tickets will be available for $15, cash or check only, at Icon Tower located at 344 South Warren Street.
Downtown Syracuse News
Downtown Earth Day Clean-Up Attracted 400+ Volunteers 
Thank you for helping us give Downtown Syracuse a Spring Cleaning!

Wow! We are blown away by the dedication of our Earth Day volunteers. The Downtown clean-up Saturday, April 22, drew a record 400+ volunteers who stuffed more than 450 trash bags! Keeping with Earth Day tradition, the Downtown Committee of Syracuse, Inc. hosted a community clean-up to make sure the gateways to the center of the city are attractive, accessible and ready to welcome visitors now that spring has arrived. Downtown Committee staff met volunteers at  five different locations throughout Downtown Syracuse on Saturday morning. Each volunteer received gloves, trash bags and t-shirts, as well as vouchers to enjoy lunch in Downtown Syracuse thanks to partnerships with JRyan's Pub or Peppino's Neapolitan. 

This year, several Downtown organizations got groups together to join the effort, including AXA, Arcadis, BlueRock Energy, SEFCU, Sutherland Global and VIP Structures. You can check out the clean-up fun, by browsing this photo gallery on the Downtown Committee's Facebook page.

Another Syracuse Crunch Playoff Win!
Next game: Friday, April 28

On Wednesday night, the Syracuse Crunch played Game #3 against the St. John's Icecaps in the best-of-five playoff series. The Crunch held on for an exciting 3-2 win over the Ice Caps, giving them a 2-1 lead in the series!

The next playoff game will be held on Friday, April 28 at the Oncenter War Memorial. Click here to purchase tickets. 

As playoffs continue, the Crunch are asking you to help them FIN15H what they started and bring the Calder Cup to Syracuse. Help the Syracuse Crunch get the word out by sharing photos and #FIN15H on social media. The "15" represents the 15 wins needed throughout the playoffs to win the Calder Cup.
Click here to learn how the Syracuse Crunch are helping Downtown businesses.

Deal Alert! The Syracuse Crunch are offering a special rate of $18 per game during the five-game series with the St. Johns. Call Andrea Marino at the Crunch office at 315-473-4444 x13 to reserve your tickets today.

"All That Jazz: 35 Years of Syracuse Jazz Fest"
New exhibit open at the OHA on May 3

The Onondaga Historical Association (OHA) is offering a visual exhibit to celebrate 35 years of the Syracuse Jazz Festival. Located in the west gallery on the second floor, the exhibit features highlights from the musical festival, from the different venues, to music industry superstars and jazz legends, as well as some of Syracuse's homegrown musical talent. The exhibit opens on Wednesday, May 3 and will be available to view during regular museum hours: Wednesday-Friday, 10:00 am to 4:00 pm, and Saturday and Sunday, 11:00 am to 4:00 pm. The exhibit is set to close on October 3, 2017.

With help from Jazz Fest founder and executive director, Frank Malfitano, the exhibit is a walk down memory lane for some die-hard local music fans. Attendees will see Dizzy Gillespie's bulging cheeks while playing trumpet, Jean Luc Ponty's electrifying violin, B.B. King's guitar Lucille, Buckwheat Zydeco's accordion, Wynton Marsalis' big band style orchestra, or Kenny G's saxophone; or maybe singing to the songs of Aretha Franklin, the Doobie Brothers, Boz Scaggs, Natalie Cole or Smokey Robinson. Whatever musical tastes exist in Central New York, Syracuse Jazz Fest has touched almost all of them.

Traffic Alert: Washington Street Paving
Paving project to begin May 1

For your planning and travel purposes, Washington Street through Downtown Syracuse will be under construction for four to six weeks. Starting Monday, May 1, crews will start work on the curbs between Clinton Street and West Street, as well as the stretch between State Street and Salina Street. Construction will be performed between 7:00 am and 7:00 pm. While crews are working on the curbs, the street will remain open to motorists. Road work will start May 9, but Washington Street will still have two-way traffic. Paving will begin shortly after, at which time motorists and pedestrians can expect road closures, lane restrictions and detours. Check CityLine.syrgov.net for updates, or call 315-448-2489. We will share more details as we learn more information. 

Deal Alert: Cookie Happy Hour at Cathy's Cookie Kitchen
$1 select cookies

Stop into Cathy's Cookie Kitchen on your way home from work this Friday. Every Friday from 5:00 pm to 6:00 pm, all cookies in the display case are only $1!

Last Chance: Register Your Company For "On MY Own Time"
Register by Friday, April 28

The deadline to register to showcase your organizations' artistic talents is this Friday (tomorrow!). Join leading Central New York employers that support arts and culture in our community! Businesses and organizations of all sizes are invited to become part of CNY Arts' 44th annual On My Own Time.

Showcase your employees' creative talents at your workplace. Selected works of visual art from each participating business will become part of the grand finale On My Own Time exhibit at the Everson Museum of Art!

Please register by April 28 by calling 315-435-2162 or clicking the link below.

Cathedral Square Neighborhood Association's Organ Crawl Showcases Sounds and Stories of Historic Organs

The Annual Organ Crawl drew about 100 people on Sunday, April 23, to listen to three talented organists play the majestic organs of three Downtown churches. The event is the signature fundraising event of the Cathedral Square Neighborhood Association. Proceeds from ticket sales help the Neighborhood Association purchase flower baskets to dress its streets each spring and summer season. 

Attendees listened to Joseph Downing, James Potts and Anne Laver play the historic organs at Plymouth Congregational Church, St. Paul's Syracuse The Downtown Episcopal Church and Park Central Presbyterian Church respectively. Each organist played for about 25 minutes, taking the audience through a tour of sound produced by the organs. The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception boasts the largest organ in the neighborhood - but due to restorations, it was unable to participate in the Organ Crawl this year. Next year, there are plans to feature all four churches.