SU Remembrance Week, Tipp Hill Derby Fest, and C-NS football headline CNY morning
Central New York starts the week with Syracuse University’s Remembrance Week, a record-setting Tipp Hill Derby Fest, and Cicero-North Syracuse’s quarterback making headlines. Here’s what’s new across Syracuse and neighboring towns.
Syracuse University marks 38th Remembrance Week with blue lights and campus events
Syracuse University’s 38th annual Remembrance Week began Sunday night, with campus buildings including Hendricks Chapel, the Hall of Languages, and the JMA Wireless Dome lighting up blue to honor the 270 victims of the Pan Am 103 bombing, including 35 SU students, according to the Daily Orange.
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Events this week include the Rose Laying Ceremony at the memorial wall in front of the Hall of Languages on Friday from 2:00 to 2:45 p.m., a livestreamed candlelight vigil at Hendricks Chapel, and the 35 Empty Seats display on Shaw Quadrangle. The Remembrance Quilt Display is open to the public at Hendricks Chapel, and Bird Library is hosting a temporary exhibition from the Pan Am Flight 103/Lockerbie Air Disaster archives.
Remembrance Scholars will sit in the 35 empty chairs for 25 minutes on Wednesday at 2:00 p.m., continuing a tradition started in 2019. The Act Forward Symposium and Lockerbie Fellows presentations are scheduled for Thursday evening in the Heroy Geology Laboratory lobby. For more on campus events and education news, see our Syracuse schools page.
Tipp Hill Derby Fest draws crowds with longer, faster soapbox race at Burnet Park
The second annual Tipp Hill Derby Fest brought homemade soapbox cars and live music to Burnet Park and Ss. Peter and Paul Orthodox Church this weekend, according to the Daily Orange. This year’s race featured a 1,300-foot track, nearly double last year’s 700 feet, allowing racers to reach speeds up to 25 miles per hour, up from 15 miles per hour in 2025.
Participants, including competitors aged 13 and older, raced themed cars down the maintenance road of the Burnet Park Golf Course. Safety was a priority, with all cars tested for steering and brakes, and helmets required. The event also included a car-design contest and carnival-style games for children, who raced pre-built cars on a smaller track.
The festival, organized by Ss. Peter and Paul Orthodox Church, aims to bring the community together and raise donations for local causes. Live music and autumn foliage added to the neighborhood atmosphere on Syracuse’s west side, near Tipp Hill and Strathmore.
Cicero-North Syracuse quarterback Braydon Dems leads Northstars to 6-1 record
Cicero-North Syracuse senior quarterback Braydon Dems has thrown for 1,548 yards and 22 touchdowns with just two interceptions through seven games this season, leading the Northstars to a 6-1 record, according to the Daily Orange.
Dems, who also plays defensive back, rushed for 267 yards and five touchdowns this year. Last season, he finished with 1,031 passing yards and nine touchdowns. Dems’ father, Robert Dems, was the Northstars’ quarterback from 2001 to 2002. The younger Dems has outpaced his father’s legacy, leading C-NS to a strong start in 2026 and a 5-3 league record last year.
For more on local high school sports and updates from North Syracuse, check our CNY education coverage.
Meta Glasses grant brings new independence for Cayuga County residents with blindness
A grant partnership between Aurora of CNY and a private donor has provided Meta Glasses to Cayuga County residents with blindness, including Judy Spingler, according to The Citizen (Auburn). Susan Gray, blind services coordinator for Aurora of CNY, said the nonprofit serves people with vision or hearing loss in Cayuga, Onondaga, and Oswego counties.
The technology aims to promote independence and access for people with vision loss across Central New York. For more information, visit auroraofcny.org.
By The Numbers
- 1,300 feet: Length of the Tipp Hill Derby Fest soapbox track in Burnet Park this year, up from 700 feet in 2025 (Daily Orange).
- 25 miles per hour: Top speed reached by soapbox racers at Tipp Hill Derby Fest in 2026 (Daily Orange).
- 1,548 yards: Passing yards for C-NS quarterback Braydon Dems through seven games in 2026 (Daily Orange).
- 38th year: Syracuse University’s Remembrance Week, honoring Pan Am 103 victims (Daily Orange).
- 35: Number of SU students killed in the Pan Am 103 bombing, represented by 35 empty seats on Shaw Quadrangle (Daily Orange).
- 267 yards: Rushing yards for Braydon Dems in the 2026 season (Daily Orange).
- 22 touchdowns: Passing touchdowns for Dems this season (Daily Orange).
- 2 interceptions: Interceptions thrown by Dems in 2026 (Daily Orange).
- 2:00 p.m. Friday: Time for the Rose Laying Ceremony at SU’s Hall of Languages (Daily Orange).
- 700 feet: Length of the Tipp Hill Derby Fest track in 2025 (Daily Orange).
- 15 miles per hour: Top speed at last year’s Tipp Hill Derby Fest (Daily Orange).
- 3rd year: Mike and Elaine Parsons attended SU Family Weekend for the third consecutive year (Daily Orange).
What else to know in Central New York today
- SU Family Weekend brought parents from across New York and beyond to Walnut Park and Shaw Quadrangle for tailgating, live music, and football traditions before the Orange’s game against Louisville (Daily Orange).
- Kalshi’s $55 promo code “SYRACUSE” remains active for new users trading at least $25 on the platform, according to Syracuse.com.
- Auburn girls soccer’s Anna LeFevre was named Athlete of the Week for Oct. 4 to 10, per The Citizen (Auburn).
Where to check for updates
For the latest on Remembrance Week, visit Syracuse University’s official website. For Tipp Hill Derby Fest and Burnet Park events, check the City of Syracuse Parks Department. For high school sports and education news, see our local school news page. For accessibility resources, visit auroraofcny.org.
📷 Wikimedia / Wikipedia , Syracuse University , CC BY-SA 4.0 / Public Domain (verify per file)
Sources
- Daily Orange, SU Remembrance Week events, Tipp Hill Derby Fest, C-NS football, SU Family Weekend
- The Citizen (Auburn), Meta Glasses grant for Cayuga County residents
- Syracuse.com, Kalshi promo code offer
- The Citizen (Auburn), Athlete of the Week
