If only life were like a box of Gretchen’s Confections chocolate (review) Gretchen's Confections is a cozy chocolate shop and cafe in the village of Marcellus.

Writer Lesley Porcelli went to Gretchen's Confections and found Gretchen’s chocolates to be completely divine and absolutely beautiful, with a soft velvety sheen that signifies they were handmade and hand-dipped, and with thoughtful, perfectly balanced fillings.

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Syracuse Sandwiches: This 47-year-old favorite still runs the room at Riley’s It's been on the menu forever, and no one knows how it got there.

Some sandwiches come and go. Others stick around for nearly half a century.
At Riley’s on Syracuse’s North Side, the Knickerbocker is the latter. Charlie Miller went to find out why.

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Syracuse mayor suggests new locations for displaced Clinton Square festivals in 2027 Syracuse Mayor Sharon Owens urged festivals to remain in the city.

Syracuse Mayor Sharon Owens urged festivals and events to have patience and plan to remain in Syracuse as the city makes contingency plans to move events out of Clinton Square in summer 2027 because of nearby Interstate 81-related work.

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Syracuse Jazz Fest announces 40th anniversary concert lineup, new location Admission remains free.

The Syracuse International Jazz Fest is moving to a new location for its 40th anniversary celebration. The four-day event will kick off with an opening night concert July 9, with headlining performances on July 10-11.

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Emery Cinema: Syracuse native launches new local film club focused on analog screenings Sam Johnston, a 2024 Newhouse graduate, launches Emery Cinema to provide independent film programming he wished existed when he was growing up in Fulton.

A Syracuse native wants to bring back the magic of watching movies the way directors intended. Emery Cinema, a new CNY cinema club that screens films on analog formats (8/16/32mm) rather than digital projection, hosts its first screening this weekend.

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Everson Museum of Art releases Lego set of iconic Syracuse building The Everson Museum of Art has partnered with BuildaMOC to create a buildable Lego version of the museum.

What medium could be a better choice to recreate the Everson Museum of Art’s blocky architecture at small scale than Lego bricks? Find out how to support the museum through this limited edition kit.

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Recognize these names? CNY women’s group searches for long lost relatives for its centennial The Central New York branch of American Pen Women are looking for descendants of their original officers to celebrate 100th anniversary.

The Central New York Branch of the American Pen Women will celebrate its centennial later this year. And they need your help finding the descendants of their founding members.

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Fred Grandy shines in Syracuse production of ‘Da’ at Redhouse Arts Center (review) This poignant play, which won the 1978 Tony Award for Best Play, serves up sentimentality and finely-honed Irish humor.

Redhouse Arts Center presents “Da,” a warmhearted, powerful memory play by Hugh Leonard, running March 20-29. The production stars Fred Grandy, who returns for his seventh starring role with the local professional theater.

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Syracuse official says Clinton Square ‘will not be in use in 2027.’ Where will festivals go? Construction work related to the Interstate 81 project is prompting Syracuse officials to develop contingency plans for its largest summer festivals.

Several parts of the Interstate 81 project will affect the blocks surrounding Clinton Square, and could take place during next year’s busy festival season, prompting the city to make contingency plans to host events.

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These Central NY school districts had the top math scores in 2025 The tests are given to students in grades three through eight each year.

See school districts' proficiency levels on state math assessments during the 2024-2025 school year, according to data from the New York State Education Department.

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New Carm’s Dog House location caters to the doggies of downtown Syracuse The 1830s Byrne Square building now houses Carm's Dog House, offering retail and daycare for downtown's pet-friendly community.

Carm's Dog House's new location in downtown Syracuse in a former night club brings a pet store and doggie day care to a city whose pup population continues to grow.

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Upstate NY ski resort invests $3M to increase snowmaking capabilities for 2027 season President of Greek Peak says four-year plan will be accelerated to one year

While this ski season winds down, Central New York's largest resort is accelerating its ability to make snow for next season.

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Brit Floyd, Board Game Night, Candlelight Pops: 22 things to do in CNY this week As Women’s History Month begins to close and spring approaches, here are 20 things to do in CNY.

This week you can express yourself through a community writing workshop, open mic night, dance night, improv comedy or a cookie decorating class. Find community at a board game night, coffee meetup for women and more, plus a variety of live music and theater performances.

Lannie’s on Onondaga Hill offers comfort food, strong service and prices that still make sense (Dining Out Review) Hearty dishes, attentive service and prices that feel almost nostalgic anchor this neighborhood gem.

At Lannie's Bar & Restaurant in Syracuse, critic Jared Paventi came away from the evening having ordered what amounted to four entrees worth of food, plus dessert, beers and two bowls of soup for just over $100, an unheard of feat these days.

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Syracuse Half Marathon returns Sunday with 3,000 runners, expect street closures The sold-out race will start near the Oncenter War Memorial on State Street at 7:30 a.m. Sunday.

The 13th Syracuse Half Marathon will bring more than 3,000 runners to downtown Syracuse this Sunday, with organizers warning motorists to expect traffic delays on city streets between 7:30 a.m. and 11 a.m.

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Burger Battle: 14 Syracuse-area restaurants compete for best in state The public can vote to pick the top 10. Judges will name the best in May.

The 10th annual debate over New York’s best burger is officially underway, and Central New York has plenty of skin in the game. Voting is now open:

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Syracuse grad stars in ‘Book of Mormon’ lead role at Landmark Theatre Dylan Knight Weaver, a 2023 Syracuse University graduate, returns to his college town as Elder Price in the Tony Award-winning show opening Friday.

2023 SU musical theater grad Dylan Knight Weaver says he feels "euphoric" to be a lead in "The Book of Mormon" touring cast. There are five performances of the Tony Award-winning musical at Landmark Theatre this weekend.

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Maple season is short but sweet: Statewide celebration returns this weekend at CNY farms Each year sugar shacks open their doors to let the public explore the process of maple syrup making.

Maple Weekend celebrates the return of the season at sugar shacks across New York and offers visitors the rare chance to see — and smell — how maple syrup gets made. See which farms near you are participating:

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Entrepreneur Jeff Knauss on leadership: Help others win and you win, too Co-founder of Arcovo AI and Digital Hyve achieved his goal of being able to retire at 35 but realized, “I’m built to build things.” His AI startup takes the busywork out of work.

Jeff Knauss, a co-founder of Arcovo AI, says implemented correctly, artificial intelligence can take repetitive and mundane tasks away, giving people more time to build human connections.

He spoke with Marie Morelli about motivation, leadership and why he won't leave Central New York.

Syracuse unveils ‘Green on Top’ marker honoring Tipperary Hill stone throwers Mayor Sharon Owens proclaimed March 17 as Stone Throwers Day as descendants gathered to honor the Irish American boys who protested a 1920s traffic light placement.

Descendants of Tipperary Hill’s stone throwers gathered Tuesday to speak for the unveiling of the “Green On Top” Legends & Lore marker, an addition to the annual St. Patrick’s Day celebration and flag raising ceremony.

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‘Big Night’ in Central NY: Meet the volunteers who help salamanders cross the road (video) Thousands of salamanders in NY are killed each spring crossing busy roads during their annual migration

Each spring, thousands of salamanders emerge from their underground burrows across Central New York. Who are the amphibian crossing guards helping them travel safely?

Coleman’s shamrock painting tradition continues despite ‘sludgey’ semi-frozen paint Paint left overnight in a car became 'sludgey' in frigid temperatures, but the St. Patrick's Day shamrock painting tradition drew crowds anyway at the Syracuse pub.

The paint almost froze but the party went on. Even with the frigid difficulties, the tradition drew a crowd, some even traveling to Syracuse specifically for the celebration.

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8 flower festivals blooming across Upstate New York this spring Gardens across the region are gearing up for a colorful spring season.

Ignore what's outside your window today. Spring is coming and with it stunning flower festivals full of color and fragrance. Grab your camera and wander through these spring flower festivals happening around the state.

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Syracuse Northside neighborhood guide: Welcome to Central New York’s cultural melting pot The Northside neighborhood of Syracuse is a melting pot of cultures, including Irish, German, Italian, Vietnamese, Laotian, Bosnian and Sudanese.

The Northside neighborhood of Syracuse is a melting pot of cultures, including Irish, German, Italian, Vietnamese, Laotian, Bosnian and Sudanese. From myriad cuisines and markets to the Mets, the Northside has a little of something from everywhere for everyone.

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Irish dance schools brave windy, icy Syracuse St. Patrick’s Parade 2026 Despite frigid weather and buffeting winds, dancers from schools of Irish dance didn’t let the cold deter them from skipping down South Salina Street.

The Syracuse St. Patrick's Parade presents a unique opportunity for Irish dancers to celebrate their schools and each other through a group performance.

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Not exactly Irish spring: Windy weather greets 2026 Syracuse St. Patrick’s Parade (photos, video) Thousands became Irish for one cold, blustery day.

Downtown Syracuse slowly came to life, a little quieter and much windier than usual. But, Syracuse has never been known for backing down from crummy weather. See photos from this year's Syracuse St. Patrick's Parade:

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‘Book of Mormon,’ Fairy Fest, ‘Rise from the Ashes’ fashion show: 23 things to do in CNY this week Celebrate the official start of spring with a maple sugar festival, forest hike and other environmental programming. Plus, find lots of concerts and arts opportunities this week.

Signs of spring continue to emerge, with maple sugaring activities and a forest walk to appreciate the changing of seasons. Plus, learn how to succeed in stand-up comedy, enjoy live music in a variety of genres, see Tony-winning “Book of Mormon” and more.

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Serving food and building community at Bailiwick Market & Cafe in Elbridge (Dining Out Review) Bailiwick’s food and commitment to community is commendable.

Good food brings people together. Great neighborhood restaurants build community. In Central New York, Bailiwick Cafe and Market does both, says @jacobpucci.bsky.social.

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Happy 315 Day, CNY!

Spring fishing program popular with families returns to Carpenter’s Brook in April Program runs Saturdays, April 4 to May 9, from 9:00-11:30 a.m.

Families, small groups and individuals will be able to enjoy a session of catch and release fishing fun at Carpenter's Book Fish Hatchery on Saturdays, from April 4-May 9. See the details:

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