Ithaca, New York’s walkable urban district is fortunate to be home to a number of phenomenal venues for music, film, and theatre. In fact, our city was just named The Most Exciting Place in New York by Movoto Real Estate, which found Ithaca to have the highest number of nightlife and music venues of any city in the state – including New York City!
So, this summer, why not head to downtown Ithaca and take in a show?
The State Theatre of Ithaca had its opening night on December 6, 1928. Today, the 1,600-seat non-profit venue offers a diverse and abundant calendar of events featuring internationally recognized performers as well as outstanding regional musicians, dance companies, and theatre groups. Coming soon: Menopause the Musical; Kathleen Madigan; Electric Hot Tuna. Visit: stateofithaca.com.
Cinemapolis, Ithaca’s independent first-run movie theatre, has been a staple in downtown Ithaca for 25 years. In 2009, Cinemapolis opened its doors to a brand new stadium seating theatre, which hosts evening movies plus weekend matinees and special community screenings. Coming soon: Wish I Was Here; We Are The Best; Life Itself. Visit: cinemapolis.org.
Lot 10 Bar and Lounge is Ithaca’s only two-floor cocktail lounge and nightclub. Upstairs at Lot 10 features live entertainment, DJs, and dancing, along with a pool table, dartboard, and jukebox and is the perfect destination for cutting loose and unwinding with friends. Coming soon: Djug Django; ComedyFLOPS Improv Troupe; Mosaic Foundation. Visit: lot-10.com.
Bar Argos, situated in the Argos Inn recently restored to historical perfection by Avi Smith, is the perfect place to enjoy unique cocktails, the company of friends, and a variety of live shows and other special events throughout the week. Coming soon: Bike-in Cinema; Ti Ti Chickapea; Stark Nights. Visit: argosinn.com.
The Readers’ Theatre of Ithaca presents staged and on-screen performance readings of plays, including modern classics by the likes of Neil LaBute and Yasmina Reza as well as never-before-seen pieces by local playwrights. Cinemapolis plays host to their live performances. Coming soon: Photograph 51; Wrecks; Sinkhole. Visit: thereaderstheatre.com.
The M&T Bank Summer Concert Series is free and open to the public and is held each Thursday through September. Regional acts perform a diversity of music from bluegrass to funk and Seneca Beverage sponsors a beer and wine garden. Coming soon: The Destination; The Horse Flies; Thousands of One. Visit: downtownithaca.com.
Where else can you find music, movies, and plays in downtown Ithaca? The list of venues above is only a jumping-off point. Check out downtownithaca.com to learn about other hotspots like The Kitchen Theatre; Ithaca Guitar Works; Waffle Frolic;Silky Jones; The Shop; Kilpatrick’s, and also be sure to visit ithacaevents.com and ithaca.com for other local happenings.
