Community Calendar

Join the Erie Canal Museum, New York Power Authority, and New York State Canal Corporation for a look at the monumental Jerry Rescue and how its history connects to the larger context of the abolition movement along the Erie Canal.

The program begins at 6 p.m. in the Everson Museum auditorium with a multimedia presentation by Yao Kahlil Newkirk regarding his research into Buffalo's Peyton Harris, a prominent Black canal boat owner and abolitionist. Following the presentation, Newkirk will participate in a panel discussion featuring:

• Kyle Bass, associate professor of theater at Colgate University and resident playwright at Syracuse Stage
• Ckristina Bennett, 6-8 social studies instructional coach for the Syracuse City School District
• Robert Searing, curator of history at the Onondaga Historical Association

This event will be livestreamed via Zoom with support from Visual Technologies. Attendees can register for either in-person or virtual attendance.

Presenter Bios

• Yao Kahlil Newkirk is a multidisciplinary artist, scholar, poet, author, artist manager, and professional keynote speaker whose work lies at the intersection of performance, racial trauma, and Black cultural expression. He holds a B.A. and M.A. in theater performance and is completing his Ph.D. in Africana and American studies at the University at Buffalo. As founder and artistic director of Black Feather Theatre Company, Newkirk leads a traveling collective staging provocative, socially engaged works centering voices from the Black diaspora. His recognized durational performance, "Separation Anxiety," honored Trayvon Martin and victims of racial violence through a one-year embodiment of mourning, resistance, and artistic testimony.
• Kyle Bass is a playwright, screenwriter, and librettist whose work spans theater, opera, and film. His plays include "The Floydians," "Toliver & Wakeman," "Tender Rain," "Salt City Blues," "Possessing Harriet," and "Citizen James, or The Young Man Without a Country." His upcoming plays include "The Civilities," premiering at Franklin Stage Company in 2026, and "The Black Nationals," set to premiere at Syracuse Stage in 2027. In collaboration with MacArthur Fellow Ping Chong, Bass co-authored "Cry for Peace: Voices from the Congo." He adapted the libretto for "Treemonisha" for the Washington National Opera and authored "Libba Cotten: Here This Day." He also collaborated with Carrie Mae Weems on "Grace Notes: Reflections for Now," co-authored the screenplay for the feature film "Day of Days," and wrote the short film "Northeast." A three-time NYFA Fellow, Bass is resident playwright at Syracuse Stage and associate professor of theater at Colgate University. Learn more on Kyle Bass's Official Website.
• Ckristina Bennett is an instructional coach in 6-8 social studies at the Syracuse City School District and a Ph.D. candidate in teaching and curriculum at Syracuse University's School of Education.
• Robert Searing is the curator of history at the Onondaga Historical Association (OHA). Chartered in 1863, OHA operates six museums, including the Onondaga Historical Museum, Skä·noñh – Great Law of Peace Center, Onondaga Veterans Museum, Regional Aviation History Museum at Hancock International Airport, and the Brewseum at Heritage Hill Brewhouse. Searing writes a weekly column for The Post-Standard and Syracuse.com, and hosts "Repeating History," a radio show and podcast on WCNY 91.3 FM. He holds a B.A. in history from Binghamton University and an M.A. and M.Phil. in American history from Syracuse University.

Utica University’s free Films on Thursday series continues its Fall 2026 season on Thursday, October 1 at 7:00 p.m. with the documentary movie, "Ghost Elephants."

This visually stunning documentary follows National Geographic Explorers and KhoiSan master trackers in their search for an elusive Ghost Elephant herd believed to be living in a remote section of Angola. Is the Ghost Elephant the descendant of the largest land mammal ever recorded? Or is it just a myth? This gripping story features amazing cinematography of beautiful African landscapes that are best experienced on the big screen.

A complete list of the Fall 2026 film series, the campus map, parking information, and more information are available at https://www.utica.edu/film.

All films are shown at 7 p.m. in Macfarlane Auditorium in DePerno Hall and are free and open to the general public.

"The Laramie Project," by Moisés Kaufman and the members of the Tectonic Theater Project, comes to the SUNY Cortland Performing Arts Department this fall. Directed by Mark Reynolds, the play draws on hundreds of interviews conducted in Laramie, Wyoming, following the murder of Matthew Shepard in 1998. Company members traveled to Laramie six times over the course of a year and a half, weaving the town’s own words into a portrait of grief, fear and resilience. The result is a documentary-style work told through the voices of Laramie’s residents, from ranchers and clergy to students and police officers. SUNY Cortland’s BFA Musical Theatre students bring this ensemble piece to the stage in the Dowd Fine Arts Center Theatre. Performances run Oct. 1-4.

Aug. 6 – Oct. 16, 2026

The United Way of Cayuga County Personal Care Drive helps ensure that individuals and families in our community have access to essential hygiene items that are not always covered by assistance programs. Donations of items such as soap, shampoo, toothpaste, deodorant, and feminine hygiene products make a meaningful difference for those facing financial hardship. These everyday necessities support health, dignity, and confidence for our neighbors in need. Collected items are distributed through local partner agencies, reaching individuals and families across Cayuga County.

With the community’s support, we can come together to meet basic needs and uplift one another. Join us in making a simple but powerful impact.

Needed items:

• Shampoo
• Conditioner
• Toothpaste
• Toothbrushes
• Mouthwash
• Dental floss
• Razors
• Shaving cream
• Laundry detergent
• Toilet paper
• Feminine products
• Hand soap
• Body soap
• Diapers
• Wipes
• Deodorant
• Dish soap
• Tissues

Check the United Way of Cayuga County website for a list of drop-off box locations.

This summer, the Rippleton Schoolhouse at Lorenzo invites visitors of all ages to engage with history hands-on. Have a lesson in the authentic 1887 schoolhouse, try your hand at traditional games and activities, and explore the beautiful grounds. Follow Lorenzo’s Facebook and Instagram for special activities and scheduling changes. Sensory friendly. Admission is free.

Artist Frank Viola's work will be on display at the Gannett Gallery, SUNY Poly, until October 16th. Using several media, including found art, Viola's work is thought-provoking and beautiful.

Catskill Mountain Railroad
Fall Foliage Adventure  
September/October 2026

As the leaves begin to change color, a great way to view the beauty is on a Fall Foliage Adventure Train ride on the Catskill Mountain Railroad.

Our trains are fun for adults and children! Take a spectacular journey along the former Ulster & Delaware Railroad corridor and see the natural beauty of the Catskills from our railroad’s unique perspective. Join us as we travel through some of the oldest farmlands in the United States, where we will cross the Esopus Creek on the restored C9 Bridge and go through the Hurley Flats and into the foothills of Hurley Mountain.

Fall Foliage Trains will operate on September 26, 27, and October 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, and 12. Check our website for daily departure times. Train fares are $25.00 Adult, $23.00 Adult Discount (senior, military, veteran), $19.00 Children 2 to 12 years, and Toddlers under 2 years on the lap are free.

Check our website at https://catskillmountainrailroad.com for Fall Foliage Train schedules and to purchase tickets. All trains depart from Westbrook Station at 55 Kingston Plaza Road, Kingston, NY 12401 and then return. Rides are about an hour and fifteen minutes long and are approximately 8 miles round trip.  All Aboard!

In collaboration with the Center for Aging Resources and Enrichment at LeMoyne College, NOPL will be hosting this 4-part discussion around the book “The Years of Ripening" by Joyce Rupp. Books are available for pickup at the North Syracuse branch. Limited to 10 participants.

Registration is required on the NOPL Event Calendar or call 315-458-6184. (Registration opens at noon on Friday, Sept. 18.)

Dates for this book group are October 2, 9, 16, & 23. Participants will receive a free book to begin before the discussion sessions and make a commitment to try to attend all four sessions.

"The Years of Ripening: Reflections on Aging in the Later Years" by Joyce Rupp, 2026: This book presents a candid and conversational style encouraging introspection and discussion about what it feels like to be an older adult — not always easy! Addressed to people 70+ rather than younger retirees, it considers the practical and spiritual perspectives for dealing with these later years when time has taken a toll, but, as we can learn, experience acceptance and even joy are very possible.

Join us this summer for sketching in the galleries!

Grab a sketchbook and pencil and get ready to learn more about the practice of sketching with Hiram Cray, a professional artist and educator. Learn how to capture on paper the amazing properties of glass or simply follow along and discover the Corning Museum of Glass through the eyes of an artist, Fridays through July 24 to August 28. Note: Friday, August 21 is the only Friday this event will not be held.

Participants of all ages are welcome and will meet in the Admissions Lobby. Paper and pencils will be provided. Free with admission.

Tyler Art Gallery at SUNY Oswego presents Dialogues Across Time, a two-person exhibition bringing together the work of Juan Perdiguero and Marc Hungerbühler. Spanning three decades of practice, the exhibition traces each artist's evolution through key works selected to illuminate their individual trajectories and unexpected points of convergence.

Perdiguero's lifelike renderings of figures and animals stand in sharp visual contrast to Hungerbühler's organic abstraction, which resists figure and ground alike. And yet both artists circle the same essential concepts: control and surrender, permanence and impermanence, the tension between what endures and what dissolves. Their dialogue echoes what the Spanish philosopher Miguel de Unamuno called the tragic sense of life, which he defines as the human negotiation between our longing to persist and our awareness that all things change and end. Viewed together, their work is a sustained meditation on what it means to make something in the face of inevitable dissolution and decay. These artists find meaning not in resolving this conflict but in finding the courage to exist within the tentative state of the unknown. The resulting artworks give material form to a concept that holds sadness and profound beauty.

Hungerbühler will also be showing a two-channel immersive video installation in the White Box Gallery in Hewitt Hall. This installation will feature some of his well-known works such as Navajo, Stinger, Susie Q, and Civilian Pavilion.