Family events in Finger Lakes, NY

Keep little hands engaged this summer with take-home craft kits. A new project will be available each week, offering a simple way to craft at home. Kits are available while supplies last.

Roll into a fun skate session with simple, budget friendly pricing. Admission is $7 for ages 18 and older and $5 for those under 18. Renting skates costs an additional $3.50, with sizes available from toddler 10 through adult 13, and you can pre-pay for rentals during session registration to save time. Group rates are available for 10 to 20 skaters when scheduled at least 10 days in advance, and interest can be submitted through a form. For safety, helmets, elbow pads, and knee pads are encouraged for all skaters.

Volunteers will work with Inclusion in Motion to wipe down equipment and tidy areas around the Motion Junction playground. The effort is open to everyone, with tasks available for any level of participation. Attendees may stay for the entire event or for a shorter time. Participation can count toward community service, and verification is available. Organizations interested in arranging a different day or time can contact the organizers to coordinate.

Set in the open air at the pavilion at Steamboat Landing, this market invites friendly connections as visitors catch up with familiar faces and meet new ones while browsing an array of stalls. It celebrates local agriculture, art, and food, featuring goods that are grown, crafted, and cooked within 30 miles of the member-built pavilion.

Discover the vital role of pollinators during a Drop-In Discovery Days session focused on these powerful garden helpers. This free summer series welcomes nature lovers of all ages to explore interactive, themed activities at their own pace, with staff and supplies available for support. No registration is required. The new Discovery Cart will be available, and a sign at the main entrance will help direct visitors. Sessions continue in light rain and are canceled in storms or heavy rain. Themes may change based on weather, materials, and staffing. This program is supported by the Tompkins County Tourism Program and the Legacy Foundation.

A community celebration of sound and unity brings together experienced practitioners and newcomers to sound healing for a collective Himalayan singing bowl experience aimed at a world record, with a focus on wellness, positive vibration, and connection. Set within Historic Downtown on Main Street in Canandaigua, the day features handmade artisan goods, opportunities to meet wellness and holistic practitioners dedicated to mind, body, and soul alignment, uplifting live music, and accessible workshops with a schedule to be announced. Family-friendly activities offer mindful fun for all ages, and a Tea Trail is planned with more details to come. The centerpiece is a shared singing bowl experience, and participants are encouraged to bring their own Himalayan singing bowl to contribute to the unified sound. Presented in collaboration with the Mystic Mermaid Artisan Collective, Amazing Mind Body Soul Center, the Canandaigua Business Improvement District, and additional partners. Admission is open to all with registration required, and vendor opportunities are available.

Art Saturdays is a one-hour youth workshop series for children ages 6 to 12, with supportive instruction in a small-group setting. Each session focuses on a stand-alone creative project taught by artists and art educators, and kids work at their own pace. Supplies and materials are provided as part of the workshop fee, and the projects can include things like paper weaving, polymer clay sculpting, foam printmaking, collage, painting, puppet making, drawing, or assemblage. The space is accessible, with an automatic door opener, elevator, and accessible restrooms.

Lucky Hare Brewing presents a community day fundraiser in support of the Watkins Glen fire department at Lafayette Park. Expect a family friendly atmosphere with food trucks, local vendors, and plenty to do, including bounce houses, a dunk tank, and a kids area featuring Nate the Great, a juggling magician. Live music comes from Cast Iron Cowboys and PA Line. Refreshments include Lucky Hare beer along with local wines, ciders, and more. Celebrate community spirit while helping a vital local service.

At the Canandaigua Rising in Unity Gathering, Witches of the Water’s Edge will lend their support to a Guinness World Record attempt for the largest gathering of singing bowls and will also perform during the event. The effort is being coordinated by the Mystic Mermaid Artisan Collective. Performance time is to be determined. Participant registration is available for those who wish to take part in the singing bowl record attempt.

This two-day running event at the Finger Lakes Welcome Center features a newly added 5K along with a half marathon and a relay, presented by Red Jacket Orchards. The 5K takes place on the first day, followed by the half marathon and relay on the next.

The Empire Street Stock Series reaches its sixth round with a championship night featuring a 30 lap main event that awards $1,000 to the winner. The program is presented by Close Racing Supply with support from I-Freeze. Special honors include the Buds Apple Pie Hard Charger, the Big Mike’s Auto Hard Luck recognition, and a WIX Filters random finish bonus. Additional backing comes from MadSkins and NG Promotions.

At the pavilion, a lively market brings together familiar vendors from the area. Meet artisans, farmers, and chefs offering products they make, grow, and cook within 30 miles of the pavilion. It runs on weekends and continues in any weather, rain or shine.

Celebrate group singing at a weeklong Summer Sing Camp designed for treble voices ages 9 to 13. Participants explore a variety of songs while building skills in vocal technique, performance, and musicianship through solfège, rhythm practice, and engaging activities. The program includes musical games, movement, and elements of musical theatre, all culminating in a group showcase at the end of the week. Open to new singers as well as those from Odyssey Choir. Tuition is $375 per student, and scholarships are available.

Week 6 of the FLX Unity Center Summer Program focuses on calm and reflection for participants ages 12 to 15. Activities introduce mindfulness and meditation, simple Zen-inspired practices, relaxed time in nature, and wellness routines that encourage self care. Throughout the week, young people build practical tools to move through daily life with steadiness and intention. This week is part of an eight-week series that blends hands-on learning, creativity, skill building, wellness, and community involvement, offered at no cost. Friday field trips are included, and the season concludes with a celebratory visit to Seabreeze. Registration materials can be picked up in person at FLX Unity Center.

This hands-on, six week cooking series helps young cooks build confidence as they practice kitchen safety, learn essential techniques, and try new ingredients while preparing dishes they can share at home. Each session builds on the previous one, encouraging creativity, collaboration, and opportunities for students to follow their own tastes and interests. Participants are encouraged to wear an apron or clothes that can get messy, choose closed toe sneakers instead of sandals, and bring a knife they already handle comfortably. Every class wraps up with time to enjoy the food prepared together. Plans are intentionally flexible so menus and skills can adjust to the group’s curiosity and experience, creating a responsive and engaging experience with a little everyday magic.

Settle in for an evening of classic country and swing with the Dean Goble Band, part of a summer concert series at Lafayette Park. Bring lawn chairs and blankets, relax with friends, and enjoy live music in a welcoming community setting. Arrive early to browse a local farmers market in the park, coordinated by FLX CDC, then stay for the performance. Admission is free and the atmosphere is family friendly, inviting attendees of all ages.

Young wrestlers can build solid fundamentals and grow their confidence at a summer camp led by Josh Antoine, an award-winning coach from Ithaca High School. Open to boys and girls entering grades 1 through 6, the camp features a staff of experienced coaches and ample one-on-one instruction focused on technique and strategy.

Explore the stories behind The Smith Opera House on a free, one-hour history tour led by historian Dr. Chris Woodworth. No RSVP is needed. Meet in front of the theater to begin. Admission is free, and donations of any amount are welcome to support the opera house. The route may include the balcony, which is not wheelchair accessible.

This summer cooking program welcomes teens who already feel comfortable in the kitchen or have cooked with the instructor before. Sessions are hands on and focus on sharpening safe kitchen habits, building confidence, and expanding culinary skills while creating dishes students can reproduce at home. Menus and lessons shift to match the group’s abilities and interests, encouraging a deeper look at ingredients, techniques, and flavor. Each meeting builds on core methods and introduces more advanced skills, thoughtful flavor pairings, and practical problem solving at the stove. Participants collaborate, experiment, and cook with purpose, growing both technical know-how and the confidence to pursue their own ideas. Students are encouraged to wear an apron or clothes that can get messy, choose closed-toe sneakers, and bring a knife they handle well. Every class wraps up with time to enjoy the food prepared together. Plans remain flexible so the experience meets students where they are, stays engaging, and leaves room for a little kitchen magic.

Area middle and high school wrestlers can refine their technique and build mental toughness over three focused days at Ithaca High School. The camp is led by Ithaca High School’s award winning coach Josh Antoine, with advanced instruction from technicians Julian Ramirez and Renaldo Rodriguez. Registration is available using the provided QR code or by text or email.

Parents and children from birth to age four can enjoy an open play environment with toys, books, and plenty of room to move in a cool indoor space during the heat of summer. After a single registration, you can attend whenever it works for you. This play space takes place at Cornell Cooperative Extension Tompkins County.

The Jess Novak Band brings a mix of pop, rock and soul to the Geneva Lakefront Concert Series. Led by singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Jess Novak, the group features Anthony Saturno on guitar and vocals, Gavin George on drums, and Jay Fabbri on bass. The performance features electric fiddle and guitar with vocals and songs rooted in pop, rock and soul. The concert is held outdoors at the pavilion along Seneca Lake next to the Finger Lakes Welcome Center, and attendees are encouraged to bring a chair or blanket. Food and drink will be available from JamRocks315 Food Tent, Taste of Soul Truck, Geneva Gelato, Mom's Main Squeeze, and the Finger Lakes Welcome Center, with vendors subject to change.

A beloved country band returns to Canandaigua as part of the second annual lakeside concert series. Weekly shows spotlight Central New York talent, and this edition brings a country performance on the lawn with lakeside views. Feel free to bring a chair or blanket and get comfortable for live music by the water. Admission is free and parking is available. Outside food or beverages are not permitted, and food and drinks will be available at the outdoor bar. All ages are welcome and the event is pet friendly. If weather fails to cooperate, the show will move indoors to the Cove.

Lyin' Eyes wraps up the Yates County Music Series with a tribute set featuring songs by the Eagles along with hits from the band members’ solo careers. Expect a crowd-friendly performance that encourages singing and dancing to well-known tunes at Yates County Courthouse Park District.

The day features music by DJ Jesse Music, plus daily offerings such as a beer tent with clams, carnival rides, and food and craft vendors.

Story + Craft is a weekly read-aloud followed by art-making or a guided craft for children. The program is best for kids 5 and up, though younger children are welcome with an adult to help.

This edition of the Beginnings Summer Concert Series brings live music to the Bernie Milton Pavilion on the Ithaca Commons, offering a free, all-ages concert in the heart of Downtown Ithaca. The lineup features Drew Kiddoo & The Blackouts alongside Miller and The Other Sinners. Expect a community-focused, outdoor experience with artists spanning a wide range of styles, including jazz, blues, reggae, folk, hip hop, country, bluegrass, rock, and more.

Music in the Park brings no-cost live performances to Seneca Falls, with a new band and local food vendors featured at each show. Pack a lawn chair and an appetite to enjoy food truck offerings and a relaxed summer atmosphere in the park. For the latest lineup and event updates, follow on social media.

Enjoy a relaxed reading session with certified therapy dogs. Betsy and Mr. Green Jeans, along with Kim and Dale, love hearing stories, spending time with people, and receiving gentle pets. This welcoming program is great for all ages and offers a calm way to practice reading aloud. The program is made possible with support from Kim and Betsy.

Want to win some tasty snacks? Join Candy Bar Bingo where you can play for prizes and winners will get to choose a candy bar or snack of their choice. Registration is required, and it is for registrants in grades 6 through 12.

Spend an evening surrounded by the glow of the gardens as live music fills Sonnenberg after dark. This family-friendly program welcomes all ages to enjoy a relaxed atmosphere and a beautiful setting. Tickets are available both online and at the admissions gate. General admission is $13, members pay $10, children ages 3 to 15 are $5, and children under 3 are free.