College’s campus, boasts a wide-enough selection that anybody can find something they like, depending on the time of day. Hosts range from college students to community members, so there’s consistently fresh and familiar voices introducing the songs and curating the playlists.
BEST NON COMERCIAL R A D I O S TAT I O N WICB 91.7
BEST COMMERCIAL R A D I O S TAT I ON WVBR It has been a bit of a transitional era for WVBR as they pivot to an alternative music format, away from their previous content. Regardless, they clearly remain one of the favorites for Ithacans looking for audio entertainment. “We’re thrilled that our listeners have responded so positively to our format switch to ‘Ithaca’s Alternative,’” the station’s General Manager Christopher Morales said. “It’s an honor to be part of such a special and musical community, and we’re especially thankful to our volunteer staff who keep the station on-air.” by Ross Haarstad. The production, directed and choreographed by Gerry McIntyre, was successful throughout its run, both in sales and reviews. “We are so thrilled about how this musical lit up our community, and how the community embraced this story that reminds us of the importance of walking in someone else’s heels,” said Michael Barakiva, the artistic director of the Hangar Theatre.
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WICB91.7 FM Sports talk, jazz, rock, rap, country, showtunes. Whatever you can imagine, WICB has it. The station, which is based out of Ithaca
Led by Bevin O’Gara and Stephen Nunley, Kitchen Theatre had another successful year in 2019. Highlighted by productions of “Grounded” and “Royale.” They say their mission is to create bold theatre within our intimate space that engages community and
sparks important conversation. And if you missed Kitchen’s shows so far, no worries: you still have seven different productions you can catch in the 2019-2020 season, which runs through June 2020.
BEST OUTDOOR ADVENTURE T R E M A N PA R K Treman State Park, located on Enfield Falls Road in Ithaca, boasts Enfield Glen, the tall Lucifer Falls and plenty of trails that twist and turn past the park’s waterfalls. Camping is available, with a two-pet limit, and there are RV sites, cabins and tent-spaces. For $80 per year, you can enjoy the park year-round to satisy any of your outdoor activity desires.
B E S T FA M I LY E V E N T I T H A C A F E S T I VA L What else? Ithaca Festival marks the annual celebration of warm weather, foods from all over the world and myriad cultures, and it doesn’t hurt that it happens right after all the students leave town. It’s a joyous occasion, highlighted by the kick-off parade that marks the beginning of the festival, even if it seemingly gets rained on every single year. Ithacans showed their support in the most important way over the winter, raising $30,000 to support the festival through some temporary financial struggles in advance of the 2019 festival.
P E O P L E BEST OPTOMETRIST ALEX WOOD
ELECTED R E P R E S E N TAT I V E Svante Myrick
BEST ELECTED R E P R E S E N TAT I V E S VA N T E M Y R I C K Going into an election year, the Best of Ithaca award is sure to bolster Mayor Svante Myrick’s campaign efforts and should probably become a main talking point. Myrick has won several similar awards in the Best of Ithaca competiton before.
Dr. Alex Wood, the owner of Ithaca Cayuga Optical Services on the Commons, said he was honored to have so many people trust he and his staff to care for their vision over the last 30 years, and credited his staff with bringing the same level of care and passion to the work that he has tried to during that time. “I love my patients and it is a very serious responsibility to take care of their eyes,” Wood said. “My staff and I have been here over 30 years
“I can’t say why, but I can say I’m honored,” Myrick said. “With so many high quality elected officlals in town this is very meaningful to me. I know not everyone agrees with me on every issue, but maybe the voters sense that I love Ithaca, I love my neighbors, and I always do my best to serve the city.”
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on the Commons and we feel very welcomed in Ithaca. [...] Ultimately, we’re here to help people see better, put their mind at ease if they have questions or issues, and try to have a good time each day. I try to learn something from each patient along the way. [...] I owe a great deal of gratitude to my wonderful staff who care as much for our patients as I do.”
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