Summer in Central New York

It's the time to wonder and wander... among our green hills, blue water and wide open spaces.

You're getting warmer

When people visit or travel here for business, they invariably marvel: It’s so green here. The next thing they say: You have so many rivers and lakes. Sometimes, we have to remind ourselves: Not everyplace is like ours. Unlike other places, our summer rarely has a hot or humid day. In fact, since Syracuse record-keeping started we've hit 100 degrees only a dozen times. Our warmest month, July, has an average high temperature of 82°F.

Softly caressing breezes in a land of emerald green

In spring, we put away the winter boots and open all the windows to outdoor warmth. Parks, rivers, and lakes beckon anew. And Central New York anglers have some fishin' to do. With trout and salmon seasons starting every April 1, legions of fly-fishing enthusiasts are drawn to the water. Because Central New Yorkers embrace civic action, we organize a region of volunteers for Earth Day cleanups. Festival season starts, turning Clinton Square and so many other hot spots, into places where memories are made.

Events we don't want to miss in Summer

Taste of Syracuse

The Taste of Syracuse claimed 225,000 visitors over two days in 2018, becoming Central New York's largest food and music festival. The Friday and Saturday festival spreads out from Clinton Square and features more than more than 80 food vendors selling $1 samples and many others selling full meals of their specialties. It starts when downtown office workers line up for lunch on Friday, and doesn't let up. Neither does the music from three stages, on various sides of our U.S. Federal Building and Courthouse. Here's a tip: Plan ahead, pick the foods you want to try, map them on your phone, and arrive hungry.

Jamesville Balloonfest

New York State Blues Festival

Syracuse Nationals

The annual PPG Syracuse Nationals is the largest car show in the Northeast. Owners of about 8,200 classic cars display them with loving care at the New York State Fairgrounds. The three-day schedule in July is jam-packed with contests, stunt shows, and seminars. Find gear, parts, and even vintage fashions. About 95,000 people attend the show, but don't think you have to be a dedicated motorhead to enjoy it. You'll see rare classics, amazing restorations, and old cars turned into muscular street rods. If the engineering, the mechanical prowess, and the labors of love don't grab you, the wild paint jobs on some of these rods is memorable art, proving once again there are many ways to embrace a passion.

Syracuse Arts & Crafts Festival

The three-day Syracuse Arts & Crafts Festival showcases some of the country's most talented artists, craftspeople, and entertainers. It's a spectacular show of artisans who display their work on the streets radiating out from Columbus Circle in downtown Syracuse. The show includes a juried competition in two dozen styles of art. Each year, more than 50,000 visitors shop and browse the art and craft exhibits. There's music, multi-cultural performances, and foods. It usually takes place on the Friday, Saturday, and Sunday of the last weekend in July.