By the time this lands in your inbox, I'll have seen what the Adirondacks are doing, and I'll tell you about it next time. Your job this week is the leaves closer to home. I pulled my favorite foliage drives from the archive to help. 👇
In this Middle of Somewhere, you'll find:
Fall foliage drives
A tick PSA (sorry)
On teh calendar (still long!)
Thanks for sharing the love of CNY with me!
Victoria
Three Fall Foliage Drives
A half-day around Owasco Lake, a full day on Keuka's Bluff (the best foliage view in the Finger Lakes, I said what I said), and an Adirondack rail bike if you want to make a weekend of it. People fly to New England for this. We just get in the car.
Leaf Peeping comes with a side of ticks
Madison County just confirmed a case of Powassan virus, a rare tickborne illness with no vaccine and no treatment. Cold mornings don't mean the ticks have clocked out. Stick to the middle of the trail, use repellent, and do a tick check (and a hot dryer cycle for your clothes) when you get home. Here's the story.
On the Calendar
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TUESDAY:
10/13 [Rochester] — The Vampire Circus brings its gothic cirque-style spectacle of acrobatics and Halloween theatrics to the Kodak Center. Tickets are for sale!
10/13 [Marcellus] — Stone Creek in Marcellus teams up with bookshop That's What She Read for The Literary Table at 6 p.m., a $75-per-person evening of a three-course dinner, a drink, and an introduction to three new novels (one to take home). Learn more.
10/13 [Syracuse] — The Downtown Syracuse Farmers Market wraps its season with one last Tuesday of fresh produce, baked goods, and flowers, plus Lunchtime Live music from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Learn more.
THURSDAY:
10/15 [Rochester] — Seneca Park Zoo's Spooktacular returns October 15-17 with family-friendly Halloween fun, costumes, and seasonal treats. Learn more.
10/15 [Auburn] — Willard Memorial Chapel hosts State of the Sites at 8:30 a.m., a free program marking 25 years of Auburn's cultural-sites initiative and what the city's historic sites mean for tourism. Learn more.
10/15 [Auburn] — Willard Memorial Chapel in Auburn hosts Nevermore, an immersive evening of Edgar Allan Poe readings, on Thursday, Oct. 15 from 6 to 8 p.m. Tickets are $30 at the door.
10/15 [Auburn] — Tribute show Live and Let Die: The Music of Paul McCartney plays Auburn Public Theater! Get tickets.
10/15 [Rochester] — OFC Creations Theatre Center stages "Bun in the Oven," running through Oct. 18. Get tickets.
10/22 [Rochester] — The RPO Piano Festival presents "Kern Plays Rachmaninov" at 7:30 p.m. at Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre. Learn more.
10/22 [Baldwinsville] — Enchanted Beaver Lake lights up Beaver Lake Nature Center Oct. 22-25 with more than 400 carved jack-o'-lanterns, 500 luminaria, magic shows, and storytelling along the trails ($35 per vehicle). Learn more.
FRIDAY:
10/16 [Rochester] — Seneca Park Zoo's Spooktacular returns October 15-17 with family-friendly Halloween fun, costumes, and seasonal treats. Learn more.
10/16 [Fayetteville] — The harvest-themed Phylla Mae Fall Fest brings two days of country dancing, workshops, and pumpkin carving, with live music from Star Charters and Missing Lynx ($30/session, $75 weekend). Learn more.
10/23 [Victor] — The Victor Spooktacular on Main St. turns downtown into a grown-up Halloween bar crawl with 10-plus stops, a costume contest, and a photo booth, starting at DeWolf Brewing. Learn more.
10/23 [Rochester] — The Memorial Art Gallery becomes the "Museum of the Dead" for a Halloween-themed evening of art and the macabre. Learn more.
10/23 [Rochester] — Bee Gees tribute "Stayin' Alive: One Night of the Bee Gees" plays the Kodak Center at 7:30 p.m. Get tickets.
10/23 [Baldwinsville] — Enchanted Beaver Lake: 400+ carved jack-o'-lanterns and 500 luminaria along the trails at Beaver Lake Nature Center ($35 per vehicle). Learn more.
SATURDAY:
10/17 [Rochester] — Seneca Park Zoo's Spooktacular returns October 15-17 with family-friendly Halloween fun, costumes, and seasonal treats. Learn more.
10/17 [Auburn] — New Hope Mills hosts its Fall Festival on October 17 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Auburn, with seasonal family activities at the historic mill and country store.
10/17 [Syracuse] — The free Tipp Hill Derby rolls into Burnet Park featuring soap box car racing, food trucks, and live music, with proceeds benefiting a local nonprofit fighting food insecurity. Learn more!
10/17 [Auburn] — Tribute act Stoned & Lonesome celebrates The Rolling Stones' early years at Auburn Public Theater. Get your tickets!
10/17 [Syracuse] — Zoo Boo returns to the Rosamond Gifford Zoo with a "kooky, not spooky" lineup of trick-or-treat stations, games, and keeper chats for families.
10/17 [Auburn] — Falcon Park in Auburn hosts free family Halloween fun at Homerun Halloween from 2 to 5 p.m., with trick-or-treating, donuts, and characters. Learn more.
10/17 [Auburn] — The Pantry Market's Fall Festival fills The Atrium on Genesee in Auburn over the weekend of Oct. 17-18, with local vendors, shopping, and food (Saturday 10 a.m.-7 p.m., Sunday until 4 p.m.).
10/17 [Weedsport] — Weedsport Speedway closes its 2026 season with Octoberfest at The Port packing 12 racing divisions into a full day of dirt-track action.
10/17 [Syracuse] — Toyfest, Central New York's largest toy and collectible show, fills the NYS Fairgrounds Science & Industry Building with up to 120 tables of vintage toys, comics, Funko Pops, and trading cards ($5, free for kids 12 and under). Learn more.
10/17 [Fayetteville] — Day two of the Phylla Mae Fall Fest: country dancing, workshops, pumpkin carving, and live music. Learn more.
10/17 [Rochester] — The Strong National Museum of Play hosts its Happy Hallo-Green workshop, an eco-friendly Halloween makeup session for families. Learn more.
10/24 [Near You] — Early voting starts
10/24 [Marcellus] — Marcellus together is hosting BooFest for the kids from 2pm-5pm!
10/24 [Syracuse] — The second annual Vegtoberfest, a free family-friendly celebration of plant-based living, brings vegan food, live music, arts vendors, and a costume contest. Learn more.
10/24 [Canandaigua] — The 41st annual Fall Into Canandaigua Festival takes over Main Street with a farmers market, pumpkin decorating, a magic show, horse-drawn wagon rides, and a kids' costume parade. Learn more.
10/24 [Mumford] — Genesee Country Village & Museum invites families to Trick or Treat in the Village among its historic buildings (Oct. 24-25). Learn more.
10/24 [Syracuse] — Zoo Boo's second weekend at the Rosamond Gifford Zoo, with trick-or-treat stations, games, and costumes encouraged. Learn more.
10/24 [Rochester] — The Kodak Center pairs a screening of "Hocus Pocus" with a themed tasting in its Taste-A-Long Experience. Get tickets.
10/24 [Rochester] — Anthology Live throws "It's a 2000s Halloween Party," a costume dance party themed to the 2000s. Get tickets.
10/24 [Rochester] — The Italian American Community Center hosts a Halloween Casino Night with gaming, costumes, and entertainment. Get tickets.
10/24 [Rochester] — The RPO Piano Festival continues with "Douglas Plays Tchaikovsky" at 7:30 p.m. at Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre. Learn more.
10/24 [Baldwinsville] — Enchanted Beaver Lake: 400+ carved jack-o'-lanterns and 500 luminaria along the trails at Beaver Lake Nature Center ($35 per vehicle). Learn more.
SUNDAY:
10/18 [Auburn] — Tribute act Stoned & Lonesome celebrates The Rolling Stones' early years at Auburn Public Theater (3 p.m. matinee). Get your tickets!
10/18 [Weedsport] — White Rabbit Roasting Co in Weedsport offers an Oktoberfest Cookie Decorating Class with six cookies, all supplies, and complimentary coffee or cocoa included. Learn more.
10/18 [Sterling] — Colloca Estate Winery in Sterling celebrates Oktoberfest with polka music, Bavarian food, and estate wines. Learn more.
10/18 [Syracuse] — Zoo Boo continues at the Rosamond Gifford Zoo with trick-or-treat stations, games, and keeper chats. Learn more.
10/18 [Rochester] — Last day for the Strong Museum's Happy Hallo-Green eco-friendly Halloween makeup workshop. Learn more.
10/25 [Auburn] — Grab your kiddos! Make those costumes! Cash in on free candy. Friends of Emerson Park are hosting a free Trick or Treat from 12-2pm!
10/25 [Auburn] — Elaine Peters presents Stories of Stained Glass at Willard Memorial Chapel at 2 p.m., a free (donations welcome) look at the history behind the chapel's Tiffany-designed windows. Learn more.
10/25 [Canandaigua] — Sonnenberg Gardens & Mansion offers a Haunted Stroll through its gardens and grounds. Learn more.
10/25 [Mumford] — Trick or Treat in the Village wraps up at Genesee Country Village & Museum. Learn more.
10/25 [Syracuse] — Final day of Zoo Boo at the Rosamond Gifford Zoo. Learn more.
10/25 [Baldwinsville] — Last night of Enchanted Beaver Lake at Beaver Lake Nature Center ($35 per vehicle). Learn more.
ONGOING EVENTS:
Fridays [Camillus] The Camillus Farmers Market sets up every Friday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Camillus Municipal Building through October, offering fresh local produce, baked goods, and artisan goods.
10/3-25 [North Syracuse] — Chuck Hafner's Fall Festival runs weekends from Oct. 3-25, 2026, in North Syracuse with axe-throwing, food trucks and family fun, free to attend rain or shine. Learn more.
10/8-18 [Rochester] —ImageOut, the Rochester LGBT Film Festival, runs October 8–18 at venues across the city, showcasing LGBTQ+ cinema from around the world. Learn more.
10/16-10/24 [Fairport] — Fairport Restaurant Week takes place! Featuring over 20 participating restaurants. There are so many new places to eat in the area that I’m going to make a point to try and go!
Fridays-Sundays in October [Liverpool] — The Spooktacular Stroll offers a family-friendly, half-mile walk-through experience at Long Branch Park in Liverpool on Fridays through Sundays in October, with themed witch, ghost, pumpkin, and dinosaur displays. Learn more!
Weekends in October [Baldwinsville] — Abbott Farms hosts its Fall Festival on weekends through October 30 with apple picking, corn mazes, wagon rides, hay climbs, and weekly theme days (Saturdays 10 a.m.–4 p.m., Sundays noon–5 p.m.).
Through 10/25 [Cazenovia] — Critz Farms' Fall Harvest Celebration has pumpkin picking, wagon rides, a corn maze, and handcrafted beverages ($10 weekends, $6 weekdays). Learn more.
Through 10/24 [Syracuse] — The Associated Artists of CNY 99th Annual Juried Members Exhibit shows members' drawing, painting, photography, and sculpture. Learn more.
Through 10/31 [Fairport] — The Fairport Scarecrow Festival lines Main Street and the Erie Canal trail with community-made scarecrows all month. Stroll the village and vote for your favorites. Learn more.
Through 10/31 [LaFayette] — Peak apple-picking season is on at Beak & Skiff Apple Hill, with U-pick orchards, hard-cider tastings, and a bakery and cafe. Learn more.
📝 PENCIL THIS IN:
10/30 [Auburn] — Roast & Toast's Zombie Ball runs 7 to 11 p.m. with DJ Addy, Halloween cocktails, $1 off your first drink if you show up as a zombie, and a costume contest with a $50 gift card on the line. Learn more.
11/1 [Rochester] — The Novel Affair Book Fair returns to ARTISANworks with local bookstores and authors, a DIY book-page bouquet bar, terrarium-making, coffee, and bites ($10). Learn more.
