Apple Harvest Fest returns for 34th year

Posted by downtownalliance on September 21, 2016
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Eating, live performances, and family-friendly fun fills this three-day event

  Ithaca’s premiere autumn event is only a couple of weeks away. The 34th Annual Downtown Ithaca Apple Harvest Festival presented by Tompkins Trust Company will take place Friday, Sept 30, noon to 6 p.m.and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. both Saturday, Oct. 1 and Sunday, Oct. 2. This much-anticipated community celebration, featuring fresh local food, handmade crafts, games, giveaways, and live performances, will be held on and around the Ithaca Commons pedestrian mall (202 East State Street, Ithaca).

  More than 20 local farmers will be selling apples, cider, maple products, and other delectable seasonal produce and baked goods. Look for old favorites as well as new offerings. Littletree Orchards will return with their famous apple cider doughnuts and Laughing Goat Fiber Farm will once again bring its adorable goats to pet and their fiber to feel. Some of the new farmers include Robbie’s Produce with its fresh and juicy apples and concord grapes and other freshly picked items and Raw Gold Honey with their all-natural honey varieties.

   If you’re looking for a nice hot meal or snack, more than 20 food vendors will be serving up delicious dishes to suit every palate. Festival newcomers include Trini Style, who will set your taste buds ablaze with its Caribbean style curry and stew chicken and OmNomNomelettes will satisfy your breakfast inspired needs. Classic festival staples such as fried dough, blooming onions and pumpkin funnel cake will make their return.

   In addition to the farmers and foods, at least six dozen craft vendors from all over the community and the nation will converge in downtown Ithaca to display a cornucopia of stunning handmade items.

   Live entertainment is also a festival staple, and we will have a full lineup of acts set to take the stage throughout Saturday and Sunday at the Bernie Milton Pavilion on The Commons. This year’s performance groups will be lead off with festival newcomer Punk Hands who will perform from 10 to 10:45 a.m. on Saturday. Festival rookies include the Wailin’ Brass Band, Riley Owens, a Cornell University student, and the Indie Rock band Alter, which is comprised of former members from popular Ithaca group Second Dam, will also perform on Saturday. Sunday’s featured acts include Ithaca College’s premier a capella groups Ithacapella, Premium Blend, and Voicestream, which will take the stage from 10 to 10:45 a.m., and local favorite NEO Project performing from 5:15 to 6:15 p.m.

   On the West State street block of the festival’s footprint, there will be family-friendly performances from Farmer Tom, Hula Hut Polynesian Dance and the Strong Woman Show throughout the weekend.

   Concurrent with the Apple Harvest Festival, the Gnome and Fairy Fest will be held on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Press Bay Alley, 118 West Green St., Ithaca. In addition, the First People’s Festival, an annual celebration of indigenous culture coordinated by the Multicultural Resource Center, will be taking place at Dewitt Park, 315 North Cayuga St., Ithaca. The event will feature a traditional opening at 10 a.m., followed by live music, performances, arts and crafts, food vendors, children’s activities, and a smoke dance competition.

  Also, 2 Funny Entertainment will present its Finger Lakes Comedy Festival from 6 p.m. to midnight Thursday, Sept. 29 through Saturday, Oct. 1. Shows will be at Lot 10 and Acting Out NY.

   For a complete listing of vendors, performers, and activities, visit: downtownithaca.com

 

DIA hosting event to welcome college freshmen and transfer students

Posted by downtownalliance on August 25, 2016
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College classes are back in session, which means there are dozens of new-to-the-area students who may have yet to discover all the activities, services, shopping, dining, and culture that exists in downtown Ithaca.

No worries, though.  The Downtown Ithaca Alliance has got you newbies covered.

Through a partnership with Ithaca College, Cornell University and Tompkins Consolidate Area Transit (TCAT), Downtown Ithaca is hosting it’s first-ever welcome weekends, two consecutive activity-packed Saturday afternoons designed to acquaint college students with downtown.

From noon to 4 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 27, an estimated 700 new Ithaca College students, several residence assistants, and staff will make the trek down the hill to participate in Downtown Day – one of the scheduled activities happening as part of Ithaca College’s “Bomber Weekend.” Shops and restaurants have teamed up to offer a variety of activities, coupons and samples to students during the day, and DIA has organized a few walking tours and contests throughout the day to help students familiarize themselves with their home away from home.

   Roughly 1,800 first-time Cornell University students along with Cornell RAs, and staff are expected to participate in CU Downtown–an identical fun-filled day in downtown for new Cornell students from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 3.  CU Downtown is also a part of a Cornell University organized weekend of planned activities for new students.
   “Welcome Weekends is the culmination of years of trying to better connect with the student population, to entice them to frequently visit downtown. This partnership with universities and TCAT and the merchants working together to promote their offerings demonstrates each entity’s commitment to making downtown a part of student life,” said Allison Graffin, Director of Marketing for Downtown Ithaca Alliance.
  Downtown Ithaca regularly offers crowd-drawing events, and the city is home to unique boutiques, galleries, and shops, specialty stores, health care services, theaters, and dozens of locally-owned restaurants that serve a variety of American and ethnic foods.
   The DIA, as part of Welcome Weekends, will provide students with a glimpse of these types of establishments that are available on the Commons, Cayuga Green, Press Bay Alley & west downtown, Dewitt Mall and Aurora Street/East State during a series of guided walking tours. Students will also have the opportunity to learn more about the city’s businesses through an old-fashioned scavenger hunt with a Pokemon twist.
   While experiencing the city’s sights, students will also have the opportunity to watch some of Ithaca and Cornell’s student dancing, singing and/or instrumental performance groups at the Bernie Milton Pavilion on The Commons. These performances are an exemplary collection of the talent and creativity among students at both campuses, and the public is encouraged to take in the many performances on both Saturdays.
    Self-guided exploration of downtown will round out the Welcome Weekends activities.
“We are excited that our students will be able to learn about all that the downtown vendors and venues have to offer.  It’s also a great chance for students to experience the TCAT system with free rides from campus to downtown and back.  We are grateful for the partnership with the Downtown Ithaca Alliance and look forward to exploring future collaborations,” said Jacqueline Winslow, assistant director for Residential Education at Ithaca College.
Prior to experiencing downtown’s offerings, the students will learn how to use the TCAT system – an often intimidating task to those who have never utilized public transportation in Ithaca or anywhere.
    “TCAT is extremely happy and grateful to be part of this wonderful, worthy events and to collaborate with the Downtown Ithaca Alliance to acquaint students with our many community gems, to include the Ithaca Commons, and of course TCAT. We hope that this event will introduce incoming students to our system and take any mystery or trepidation out of using public transit,” said TCAT spokesperson Patty Poist.

 

 

Multi-talented artist Saul Williams performing in Ithaca on Sept. 8

Posted by downtownalliance on August 15, 2016
Posted in: Concert, Uncategorized. Tagged: , . Leave a comment

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Ithaca’s own Big Mean Sound Machine to open the show 
   The Downtown Ithaca Alliance enthusiastically announces multi-talented artist Saul Williams will join the already impressive list of artists performing in the CFCU Summer Concert Series lineup.
Williams, an American artist known for his blend of poetry and alternative hip hop, is headlining the Thursday, Sept. 8 concert on the Bernie Milton Pavilion stage.
Big Mean Sound Machine, a popular Ithaca-based funk band, is set as the opening act.  Performances will be held from 6 to 9 p.m.
Williams will be coming to Ithaca fresh off two popular music events – the Central Park Summerstage and Afropunk Festival. He is promoting his latest album Martyr Loser King, a multimedia project that engages the digital dialogue between the First and Third Worlds.
An acclaimed New York-based wordsmith, Williams has been producing ground-breaking music since 2001 when he released his debut album, Amhttps://downtownith.files.wordpress.com/2016/08/saul-williams-final-page-001.jpg?w=1462ethyst Rock Star, executive produced by Grammy-award winning producer Rick Rubin.
Since gaining global recognition for his writing and music, Williams has performed in more than two dozen countries and read in over 300 universities, with invitations that have spanned from the White House, Lincoln Center, The Louvre, The Getty Center, the Sydney Opera House and Queen Elizabeth Hall.
The 44-year-old Newburgh, NY native has collaborated with Nine Inch Nails and Allen Ginsberg, and has appeared in several films and television shows.
“Saul Williams is rightly famous all over the world for his poetry and his music,” said Ithaca Mayor Svante Myrick. “Getting him to play a free public show is a huge coup for our downtown and the Downtown Ithaca Alliance. And, personally, I am thrilled. Black Stacey, List of Demands, Amethyst Rock and Bloody Sunday are all mainstays on my playlists.”
Concertgoers are encouraged to use their reusable concert cups during this big event. Throughout the concert series, attendees are able to buy a reusable cup, of which the proceeds go to the United Way. This purchase enters the buyer into a contest, and any time they refill that cup, they gain more entries. On the night of the John Brown’s Body show, Downtown Ithaca will announce the winner of the reusable cup contest. The grand prize includes a private show with the Gunpoets for the winner and 10 friends.
Williams’ performance is brought to the area through an additional sponsorship from GreenStar Natural Food Co-op. The natural food store is opening its third Ithaca store on or around Aug. 17 at 307 College Ave. in Collegetown. An official announcement will be listed on Green Star’s Facebook page and website. GreenStar will also be sponsoring a music event, giving away prizes and offering free food at its new location on Sept. 9 and 10 as part of its Grand Opening Weekend. Visit www.greenstar.coop/collegetown for more information about this great “Natural Resource” opening so close to the Cornell University campus.
The award-winning Summer Concert Series is a free outdoor concert series open to the public and held every Thursday from late June to mid-September. Local and national acts perform music in genres including jazz, blues, reggae, folk, hip hop, country, bluegrass and rock. Last year, the series included two national acts, Son Little and Talib Kweli.
This month’s remaining shows include Anna Coogan & Willie B on Aug. 11, Richie and Rosie on Aug. 17, and Jimkata performing on Aug. 25.  During Jimkata’s performance, Downtown Ithaca will be giving away a pair of tickets to Big Mean Sound Machine’s Big Mean BBQ II, set for Saturday, Aug. 27.
September performances are The Gunpoets on Sept. 1, Saul Williams on Sept. 8, and John Brown’s Body on Sept. 15.
The CFCU Summer Concert Series is presented by CFCU Community Credit Union and is also supported by Seneca Beverage, Ithaca Marriott Downtown on the Commons, Green Street Pharmacy, Six Mile Creek Winery, Greenstar Natural Foods Co-op, The Ithaca Journal, Legacy Foundation, and the J. M. McDonald Foundation.
For more information about the CFCU Summer Concert Series and other summer events in downtown Ithaca, visit http://www.downtownithaca.com.

Ithaca pharmacist garners state award

Posted by downtownalliance on August 9, 2016
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ITHACA, NY, August 1, 2016 – Ithaca’s Green Street Pharmacy’s Nicole Pagano, co-owner and supervising pharmacist, has gained state notarity for her work addressing one of the Southern Tier’s biggest problems: drug addiction.

Pagano was recently honored as the 2016 recipient of the Cardinal Health Generation RX Champions Award from the Pharmacists Society of the State of New York for her passionate pursuit to make treatments such as Suboxone, Methadone and Naloxone (Narcan) more readily available for opiate drug users in Tompkins County.

“To receive this honor is an incredible feeling. It shows that what

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Ithaca’s Green Street Pharmacy Pharmacist Nicole Pagano recently received the Cardinal Health Generation RX Champions Award for her work to reduce and prevent drug abuse and addiction.

my team and I are doing is impactful and meaningful,” Pagano said.  “Withdrawal is the most agonizing pain a person can experience in their life. Well, we have the treatments available to assist users through it, so we should use them.” .

“Nobody says anything negative about people who use a nicotine patch, or about the diabetic who uses insulin…These treatments are no different from that,” she added.

Pagano fought — and won — when TotalCare elected to remove Suboxone as a preferred product on their formulary for the treatment of opioid dependence. She also worked with Ithaca Mayor Svante Myrick, State Director of the New York Drug Policy Alliance Kassandra Frederique, and many others health and government officials to develop The Ithaca Plan: A Public Health and Safety Approach to Drugs and Drug Policy.

In a few short months since the release of the plan, Tompkins County has increased the number of physicians willing to treat addiction by 50 percent, Pagano noted.

In addition to increasing the availability of treatments, Green Street Pharmacy has teamed up with the Alcohol and Drug Council of Tompkins County, the Cayuga Addiction Recovery Services, and area doctors to create programs that will target drug addiction and tackle the stigma that is attached to opiate users and addicts.

“Ithaca is being very proactive in addressing this issue now that we are aware that addiction is a disease and not just a bad choice,” Pagano said. “We are fortunate to have many resources and a community of open-minded individuals who are willing to explore alternative ways to address opiate addiction.”

Pagano also wants to assist people who may need daily doses of medications other than opiates.

She said she is working with Dr. John Bezirganian, Tompkins County’s Mental Health Center and Alcohol and Drug Council medical director, to introduce PreExposure Prophylaxis (or PrEP) to the area.

Pre-exposure prophylaxis is when people at very high risk for HIV and hepatitis C take HIV medicines daily to lower their chances of getting infected, Pagano explained.

“It’s very common in New York City, and it saves lives,” she said. “Everything I’m doing at the pharmacy is to make life easier for others, make the community a better place, and save lives.”

Pagano has owned Green Street Pharmacy since December 2011. She is the co-owner of Addison’s Apothecary Inc., in Addison, NY. Pagano resides in Steuben County with her husband and three kids. She is a Waterloo, NY native.

Media Contact:
Darlene M. Donohue,  Communications Manager

Downtown Ithaca Alliance

darlene@downtownithaca.com

Downtown Ithaca To Host Night on the Town March 14

Posted by downtownalliance on March 4, 2016
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Downtown Ithaca’s annual awards ceremony will return this year with an exploratory twist!

On Monday, March 14, 2016 from 6:00-8:00 PM, the Downtown Ithaca Alliance (DIA) will host A Night on the Town-an evening of celebration, reflection, and recognition at the historic State Theatre of Ithaca (107 West State Street.)
 
The evening’s keynote speaker will be Hilary Greenberg, a nationally-recognized expert in downtown revitalization. Greenberg’s consulting firm, Greenberg Development Services based in Charlotte, North Carolina, provides technical assistance to small- and medium-sized cities across the country, including many college towns looking to build stronger town-gown relationships.
 
Attendees will be able to sample a wide range of delectable bites at tasting stations run by several local restaurateurs including Coltivare, F. Oliver’s, The Ithaca Ale House Grill and Taproom, Luna’s Inspired Street Food, and Life’s So Sweet Chocolates. Wagner Vineyards and Wagner Valley Brewing Co. will be pouring some of our region’s best wines and beers.
 
Live music will be provided throughout the evening. The event will also feature a Tulip Bar courtesy of Bool’s Flower Shop and locally sourced personal care products for sample in each restroom.
 
The main event of the evening will be an awards ceremony recognizing a few of the individuals and organizations that have worked hard to make downtown Ithaca a more diverse and dynamic place to live, work, and play. 
 
The 2016 Best of Downtown awardees are: 
Retailer Of The Year: Benjamin Peters
Downtown Ithaca Lifetime Achievement Award: Stuart Lewis
Downtown Ithaca Emerging Business of the Year: Hawi Ethiopian Restaurant
Downtown Ithaca Office Business of the Year: Miller Mayer, LLP
Downtown Ithaca Economic Development Project of the Year: Lofts at Six Mile Creek and REV
Downtown Ithaca Tourism Project of the Year: Wizarding Weekend
Downtown Ithaca Alliance Board Member of the Year: Keith Bryant
Downtown Ithaca Special Commendation Award: The Ithaca Commons Project City Team (JoAnn Cornish, Jennifer Kusznir, Phyllisa DeSarno, Tom West, and Michael Kuo)
 
Tickets are $35.00 and include food and one complimentary glass of wine or beer. 
Will-call tickets may be purchased at tiny.cc/dianight.
Event is from 6:00pm – 8:00pm. Doors will open at 5:30 PM. 
Please contact eventsdowntownithaca@gmail.com with any inquiries.

Downtown Ithaca Salutes Tonight’s Fab5 Awardees

Posted by downtownalliance on February 29, 2016
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Tonight at Coltivare, downtown Ithaca’s innovative farm-to-table restaurant and event space, Tompkins Connect’s Fab5 Young Professional Awards Presented by Tompkins Trust Company will recognize several outstanding under-40 leaders in Tompkins County.
We at the Downtown Ithaca Alliance (DIA) would like to offer special congratulations to two awardees who are key members of our downtown community: Rookie of the Year Ducson Nguyen, alderperson for the City of Ithaca’s Second Ward; and Nonprofit Leader of the Year David Shapiro, Executive Director of Family & Children’s Service of Ithaca.
Says DIA Executive Director Gary Ferguson, “Ducson and David are most deserving of these awards. Age should always take a back seat to talent and here in downtown we see many under-40 people accomplishing great things on behalf of their community and their organizations. We salute the achievements of Ducson and David, as well as all the Fab5 winners.”
This evening’s awards ceremony will include five cocktails formulated specially for each of the award winners, plus a full spread of food provided by Coltivare and free tastings from some of the region’s finest wineries, breweries, and eateries. For last-minute registration, visit: http://tiny.cc/fab5tickets