The Syracuse Wine Festival returns to the Oncenter on April 18, kicking off a spring calendar that runs through June with film screenings, cleanups, art shows and the region’s biggest outdoor food festival.
Here is a date-by-date rundown of confirmed events, with ticket prices and locations verified through official sources.
April
April 8 – May 22: “We’re Just Here for the Bad Guys” by Brian Van Lau at the Kathleen O. Ellis Gallery at Light Work, Syracuse. Free admission, per the CNY Arts calendar.
April 8 – May 16: 30th Annual “Made in NY” Exhibition at the Schweinfurth Art Center, 205 Genesee St., Auburn. The juried show features work by artists living in New York State. Admission details at schweinfurthartcenter.org.
April 9-11: 6×6 Community Art Show & Fundraiser — Community members create and display 6-by-6-inch pieces. Location and times available through CNY Arts.
April 18: Syracuse Wine Festival at the Oncenter Convention Center, downtown Syracuse. Session 1 runs 1-4 p.m. ($30), Session 2 runs 6-9 p.m. ($35), and VIP entry at 5 p.m. costs $40. Tickets include unlimited wine, spirits, cider and specialty food sampling, a paint-and-sip station, photo booth and commemorative glass, per Eventbrite.
April 18: 7th Annual Onondaga Lake Conservation Corps Earth Day Cleanup, 10 a.m. to noon along the Onondaga Lake shoreline. Volunteers pick up debris and learn about local wildlife from National Audubon Society staff, per Audubon.
April 19: SASFest at The Palace Theatre, Syracuse. Noon to 9 p.m. The Syracuse Actors Studio screens independent films made by its members. Tickets available on Eventbrite.
Late April: Downtown Earth Day Cleanup — The Downtown Committee of Syracuse organizes one of the city’s largest annual cleanups. In past years, volunteers met at 9 a.m. in Armory Square and 10 a.m. in Clinton Square. Gloves, bags and T-shirts are provided. The 2026 date has not been formally announced as of April 8, per the Downtown Committee.
May
May 5: Syracuse Cinco de Mayo Bar Crawl at Wolff’s Biergarten, Syracuse. Details and registration available on event platforms.
June
June 5-6: Taste of Syracuse in Clinton Square, downtown. The annual food festival features dozens of local restaurants, live music and activities. Admission is free, per tasteofsyracuse.com.
Summer: Downtown Syracuse Farmers Market — Held every Tuesday in Clinton Square, typically 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., from mid-June through mid-October. The market features local produce, baked goods, coffee, donuts and live music. Vendor applications are open at [email protected], per the Downtown Committee of Syracuse.
Sources: Visit Syracuse events calendar, Eventbrite, Downtown Committee of Syracuse (downtownsyracuse.com), CNY Arts (cnyarts.org), National Audubon Society, Taste of Syracuse (tasteofsyracuse.com), Schweinfurth Art Center
