The final week of June is a musical one around Central New York.
The Syracuse Jazz Fest, a summer favorite since 1983, promises five days of free live music, including headliners Kenny G, The O’Jays, and The Mavericks at Clinton Square, dozens of acts will be performing around downtown on Wednesday night, and a special gospel concert is scheduled for Sunday afternoon at Syracuse University.
It is another busy week at the Empower Federal Credit Union Amphitheater with two concerts. James Taylor and His All-Star Band take the stage on Wednesday followed by Willie Nelson’s Outlaw Music Festival on Friday.
Country superstar Brad Paisley is at the Turning Stone Event Center on Sunday.
Know of an event you would like to see on this list? Email us at least two weeks in advance at features@syracuse.com.
Monday
Bad Art Competition
Teens and tweens are invited on Monday to visit NOPL Brewerton and make some really “bad art.” Come use anything (and everything) from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. to create some fantastically terrible art. There will be awards for the Loudest, Brightest, and Most Atrocious. The art will be displayed in the library for the month of July. It is free.
Where: 5440 Bennet Street, Brewerton.
When: Monday at 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
How much: Free.
Collage Jazz
Kick off Syracuse Jazz Fest week a bit early with a concert by Collage Jazz at the Rome Art and Community Center. The group will present two special sets dedicated to clarinetist Sidney Bechet, along with many well-known favorites from the swing era and the Great American Songbook. The concert is free and open to the public and takes place from 5-7 p.m. Also happening that same evening at the center is their new weekly summer event, “Music, Markets and More.” Food and craft vendors will be on hand from 4-8 p.m., set up on the large lawn. Collage will play from the porch area, where there is ample room in the beautiful RACC gardens for the audience to experience the concert comfortably. Those attending should bring their own chair or blanket for seating. Two other concerts are scheduled for July 29 and August 26.
Where: 308 West Bloomfield St., Rome.
When: Monday from 5-7. Food and craft vendors will be open from 4-8.
How much: Free to attend.
Tuesday
Strawberry Social
Kick off summer with a strawberry social at Syracuse’s Soule Library at 5:30 p.m. Enjoy a free strawberry sundae at their park-like setting. There will be sidewalk chalk for the children. A book sale begins at the same time inside the library. All items cost $2 or less, please bring a reusable bag and cash. At 6, The Meditations will be playing R and B music. Library staff will be on hand to sign people up for their summer reading program. Please bring a lawn chair or blanket. A few chairs will be provided to those who need them.
Where: 101 Springfield Road, Syracuse.
When: Tuesday at 5:30 p.m.
How much: Free.
Wednesday
Syracuse Jazz Fest
Downtown Syracuse will be filled with music this week as Jazz Fest returns for another year. The long-running free festival continues Wednesday with performances by 26 acts at 21 clubs throughout downtown. The scene shifts to Clinton Square on Thursday with The Mavericks headlining. Concerts start Thursday through Saturday at 4 p.m. and continue until 11. Kenny G headlines on Friday and The O’ Jays on Saturday. On Sunday, the grand finale is the “Return to Community: A Sunday Gospel Jazz Service,” at Hendricks Chapel, featuring performances by the Black Celestial Choral Ensemble of Syracuse University. This free program, which starts at 12:30 p.m. with a pre-event luncheon, is open to the first 1,000 attendees. The concert starts at 3. For a complete schedule and list of performers, go to https://syracusejazzfest.com.
Where: Wednesday performances are at several spots around downtown Syracuse, see the website for a complete list. Concerts from Thursday through Saturday are at Clinton Square. The event concludes on Sunday with a “Gospel Jazz Service” at Hendrick’s Chapel at Syracuse University.
When: Wednesday starting at 5 p.m. Thursday-Saturday from 4-11 p.m. and Sunday at 3 with a pre-event luncheon at 12:30.
How much: Free
James Taylor and His All-Star Band
Six-time Grammy winner and 2000 Rock and Roll Hall of Famer James Taylor returns to Syracuse on Wednesday night with a stop at the Empower Federal Credit Union Amphitheater. Taylor, the singer of such hits as “Fire and Rain” and “You’ve Got a Friend,” will bring along his “All-Star Band.” Tickets are available at Live Nation.
Where: 490 Restoration Way, Syracuse.
When: Wednesday at 8 p.m.
How much: Tickets start at $35, plus fees.
Thursday
Beaver Babies
Beaver Lake Nature Center’s Beaver Babies program provides a naturalist-led outdoor experience for caregivers and their little ones, ages nine months to three years old. They will explore nature through walks, art, songs, and stories. Siblings who are too young to participate are welcome to be carried along for free. Please register here for the event. It runs from 10-11 a.m. Future Beaver Babies events are scheduled for July 11, 25 and August 8 and 22.
Where: 8477 East Mud Lake Rd., Baldwinsville.
When: Thursday at 10 a.m.
How much: $7 for non-members, $6 for members. Registration does not include $5/vehicle admission.
Friday
Outlaw Music Festival
The Outlaw Music Festival is an annual touring music festival founded by Willie Nelson. It makes its way to Central New York on Friday night with a star-filled lineup ready to take the stage at the Empower Federal Credit Union Amphitheater at Lakeview. The festival celebrates country and folk music and features artists like Nelson, Bob Dylan, Robert Plant, Alison Krauss, and more. Tickets are available for the 5:30 p.m. concert at Ticketmaster , Vivid Seats, StubHub or SeatGeek.
Where: 490 Restoration Way, Syracuse.
When: Friday at 5:30 p.m.
How much: Tickets start at $49.50, plus fees.
T Munchers Poetic Day
T Munchers will perform poetry on Friday at 5 p.m. at Syracuse City Hall’s Atrium. With a “nice rhythmic soft instrumental beat and a microphone,” shows the art and creativity behind poetry. This event will emphasize the “real life situations in the Urban areas, giving those in need of help a space to feel a sense of support and help as well as confidence.” The event is free.
Where: 201 East Washington Street, Syracuse.
When: Friday at 5 p.m.
How much: Free.
Saturday
Take a Kid Karpin’
Come out to Longbranch Park and fish in the “Take a Kid Karpin’,” catch and release carp fishing tournament on Saturday. The tournament runs from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. with registration starting at 7:30. It is open to anglers ages 7-16. Register as a team of four or five or as pairs or individuals, and they will be placed on a team. Kids will take turns fighting big fish and try to bring home the gold for their team. Expert members of the Wild Carp Club will be ready with carp fishing equipment, all set to help you reel in the biggest fish they’ve ever caught. Parents should have their camera and phones ready to get a shot of a trophy fish before its released back into the Seneca River. Kids will also get a certificate with the weight of their fish. This is a NY State free fishing weekend, so no fishing license is required. Cost to fish the tournament is $10 per angler. To ensure that they have enough volunteers and equipment, space is limited for the tournament. Call or text at (315) 323-7226 or e-mail kidskarpin@gmail.com to reserve your spot.
Where: 3813 Long Branch Rd, Liverpool.
When: Registration begins at 7:30 a.m. on Saturday. Fishing is from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
How much: $10 per angler.
Auburn Italian Heritage Festival
The second annual Italian Heritage Festival is scheduled for Auburn’s State Street Plaza and AT Walley’s in Auburn on Saturday. The free, family friendly festival runs, rain or shine, from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Celebrate Italian culture with food and drink, the “Uncle Louie Variety Show” at 1 p.m., followed by a meatball eating contest at 2:30, and then live music.
Where: State Street Plaza, Auburn.
When: Saturday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
How much: Free to attend.
International Mud Day
Celebrate International Mud Day at Ithaca Children’s Garden on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Enjoy family-friendly outdoor fun with mud pits, slides, and art in ICG’s Anarchy Zone. Activities include mud painting and science experiments. Admission is free but donations are welcome. Wear mud-ready clothes and bring a change for a day of educational fun connecting with nature. This event is perfect for all ages. Please register by clicking here.
Where: 121 Turtle Lane, Ithaca
When: Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
How much: Free, donations welcome
The Dinner Detective Murder Mystery Dinner Show
A few tickets remain for North America’s largest interactive comedy murder mystery dinner show. Held at Baldwinsville’s Mohegan Manor from 6-9 p.m., this fun evening gives you a chance to play detective while enjoying a fantastic dinner. Throughout the night a crime will be committed, hidden clues will be revealed, and detectives will help crack the case. A top prize will be awarded for the evening’s “top sleuth.” General admission is $76.95 per person. If you can’t make the June performance, there will be more coming on July 27, August 10, 24, September 14, 19, and October 12. Click here for more details, menu, and to purchase tickets.
Where: 58 Oswego Street, Baldwinsville
When: Saturday from 6-9 p.m.
How much: $76.95 per person
Dragonflies and Damselflies
The Seneca Meadows Education Center and the Montezuma Audubon Center is hosting a two-part nature event on Saturday morning featuring the study of dragonflies and damselflies. Learn about their behavior and importance at a slide and video presentation at Seneca Meadows at 9 a.m. before a short drive to the wetland preserve to look for some. A mile-and-a-half walk on flat terrain is necessary, Meena Haribal is the guest presenter, she has authored a book about these insects. All ages are welcome. Please prepare for the weather with rain gear, water bottles, hats, sunscreen, and good walking shoes. The event is free, but you must register here.
Where: 1977 NYS Route 414, Waterloo
When: Saturday, 9-11 a.m.
How much: Free
Sunday
Brad Paisley
Country music star Brad Paisley returns to Central New York on Sunday with a performance at the Turning Stone Event Center in Verona. It starts at 8 p.m. The concert will be the only New York stop on Paisley’s “Son of the Mountains World Tour.” Paisley’s hits include “We Danced,” “I’m Gonna Miss Her (The Fishin’ Song),” “Mud on the Tires,” and “Whiskey Lullaby.” Tickets can be purchased via Ticketmaster and resellers like VividSeats, StubHub, TicketNetwork or SeatGeek.
Where: 5218 Patrick Road, Verona
When: Sunday at 8 p.m.
How much: Tickets start at $85, plus fees.
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