Spring in Central New York

When it's warm and sunny, 100,000 spectators turn out for the St. Patrick's Parade through the heart of downtown Syracuse. But, rain or shine, we can count on at least 30,000 people to come downtown to watch. The parade, on the Saturday before St. Patrick's Day, bids farewell to Winter and celebrates everything Irish, who have a long history in Syracuse. Need a tell-tale sign of Irish affinity? The only green-over-red traffic signal in the world is at Tompkins Street and Milton Avenue in the heart of Syracuse’s Tipperary Hill neighborhood. The reason? Nearly a century ago, a group of "stone throwers," the sons and grandsons of Irish immigrants on Tipp Hill, were appalled at having English red over Irish green. After their stone-throwing broke it enough times, the city relented and put the green on top. That's no blarney, and it's been a Syracuse attitude ever since.

More than a thousand Irish step dancers from the U.S. and Canada compete in the annual Bob Gabor CNY Irish Feis, always held the last Saturday of April at the Fairgrounds. Feis is an Irish word that means festival. Irish dancing promotes discipline and hard work in addition to fostering a team approach to competition. CNY has one of the most robust Irish dance communities in the Northeast, and this Feis is the big one. The Feis, with Irish music, art, and baking, is one more example showing how involved the community is in preserving cultural heritage.

We love our big competitive races in Central New York, festive events that attract thousands of runners and thousands of cheering spectators. People in other cities probably love their races, too. But no one else has the Mountain Goat Run, a 10-mile race that goes up and down the highest hills of Syracuse and always seems to head uphill. If you're not ready for such a strenuous run, you can join the hundreds of volunteers, a great way to meet people and build a network. Or watch from a city neighborhood along the route, like Strathmore, where it's one big party as cheering people fill yards, bands play, and you might even see a mountain goat or two. If our big springtime race every May doesn't fit your schedule, there's always another coming up.

Syracuse Fashion Week is a celebration of Central New Yorkers' style, fashion, and creativity. For five days, designers, boutiques, stylists, artists, musicians, bars, and restaurants celebrate, kicking off each April with a Landmark Theatre runway gala featuring all-original designs. Close ties to Syracuse University's creative designers make this a must-see event. The Fashion Week organizers hold other events, including a second Fashion Week runway each autumn and a big Halloween party. Proceeds go to the Central New York Food Bank. Like so many Syracuse events, this one welcomes volunteers. It's philosophy: Always inclusive, never exclusive. Fashion Week includes many special events at various venues. For instance,  the Underground Show takes place at Marisa's Fortress of Beauty in Armory Square. This runway show features models in sexy lingerie, funky clubwear, swimwear, and decorative body paint.