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Photograph by Roberto F. Lagares.
We have lakes at home
EDITOR'S LETTER
BY LEAH STACY LEAH@ROCHESTER-CITYNEWS.COM
It’s that time of year. You know, when the people around you click into vacation mode. Even with everything going on in the world, trips abroad and weekend getaways are still happening. Seeing a photo of someone you know on a boat, beach or backdropped by some exotic scenery is the norm for the next few months. Here’s an idea: what if we didn’t have to leave home to have a world class experience?
(I’m gonna let you in on a secret…)
One of my favorite Instagram accounts lately is @flxbevculture, which features weekly takeovers from beverage professionals in the Finger Lakes region. It’s managed by Jonas Raider, a new-ish area transplant who works at Pinnacle Wine and Spirits and is keen to create more awareness around the cool (bev) things happening here.
When Jonas asked me to contribute to the account right before Rochester Cocktail Revival a few months ago, I was a little intimidated — I’m beverage professional-adjacent, at best. I’ve helped during harvest. I’ve poured at tasting tables. I know some liquor rep lingo. And you bet I’m bringing a good bottle of local wine to a dinner party. As I walked back through my photos and experiences from the last few years in the Finger Lakes, it was a poignant reminder of how special the area is — and what an impact it’s had on my career journey, and many others.
This letter’s title is a nod to the muchinterpreted internet phrase, “we have food at home,” a riff on that phrase we all heard as kids. Think of it as a reminder not to take the region for granted. The Finger Lakes has it all: 11 lakes, hills for hiking, forests, a booming craft beverage scene, four seasons and proximity to some of the best (OK yes, I’m biased) cities in the northeast.
A few years ago, the CITY team decided to devote our entire July issue to covering the Finger Lakes. And even though it’s not close to enough pages, we hope you learn something new in these pages, or it inspires an adventure to one of the lakes.
See you out there,
Area of constant dawn
BY LEAH STACY LEAH@ROCHESTER-CITYNEWS.COM
Clocking in at 0.92 square-miles, the village of Aurora, Cayuga County, is perhaps the smallest place with one of the biggest reputations in the Finger Lakes.
The village is located within the town of Ledyard, on the shore of Cayuga Lake — the longest of the Finger Lakes at nearly 40 miles, with an average width of 1.75 miles. The total population is less than 300 people.
The Cayuga people of the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy dubbed the land ‘deawendote,’ or the “village of constant dawn,” for its stunning sunrises. It was also known as ‘chonodote,’ or “peachtown,” for its abundance of peach orchards planted by the natives — destroyed by the hundreds in 1779, when General George Washington issued a campaign against the Seneca, Cayuga and Loyalists in Central New York.
Aurora was settled by AngloAmericans in 1795 following the Revolutionary War, and in 1976, just after the bicentennial, the entire village was placed on the National Register of Historic Places, with several buildings earning national landmark status.
In 1868, Henry Wells (of the Wells Fargo Express Company) founded Wells Seminary for women, a 300-acre campus overlooking Cayuga Lake. He rejected an offer from Ezra Cornell to merge their two newly founded schools, as creating higher
As
education opportunities for women was “the dream of Wells’s life.” (The college would not become co-ed until 2005.)
For the next 156 years, Wells powered the village of Aurora, creating jobs year-round, bringing in part-time residents to boost the economy and subsidizing municipal costs like the water treatment plant, which was under college ownership.
On the morning of April 29, 2024, Wells College announced its permanent closure, citing “that the College does not have adequate financial resources to continue” and “many small colleges like Wells have faced enormous financial challenges … exacerbated by a global pandemic, a shrinking pool of undergraduate students nationwide, inflationary pressures, and an overall negative sentiment towards higher education.”
The college community — more than 350 students and 150 staff and faculty — was given no advance notice.
When she heard the news, Rachel Snyder, a 2011 graduate of Wells College who now lives in Rochester, immediately went to work. The Wells Legacy Society (WLS) was founded two weeks later, with her as president.
“We organized to ensure the campus wasn’t turned into a development,” said Snyder, who works at the Rochester nonprofit Measures for Justice. “A lot of areas in the Finger Lakes are being developed by private equity firms, and we want to preserve the historic architecture and incredible artifacts on campus.”
WLS has raised about $46,000, largely through a Facebook group of approximately 3,000 alums, which Snyder has run for five years. Part of the funds have gone into legal fees, and part to help 87 students left without tuition or book assistance.
WLS is made up of volunteers who are connected to Wells in
myriad ways; Snyder, for instance, met her husband through her Wells roommate and held her bridal shower at the college. Vice president Karen Hindenlang is a longtime Aurora resident and a Wells College alumna (‘77). Her husband was a beloved senior professor and faculty advisory committee member who retired before the college closed.
“I’m the society’s boots on the ground in Aurora, because I’ve lived here for decades,” said Hindenlang, who is also chair of the village’s zoning board.
An early focus of WLS was the impending legacy partner — Manhattanville University in Westchester was the frontrunner — which was awarded to Hobart and William Smith Colleges in midJune. The Geneva-based school will maintain the closed college’s records and endowment, keeping it in the Finger Lakes region. With that substantial win underway, WLS can refocus its energy.
“We want to bring media attention to the way the college was closed, but also to make sure that the architecture is preserved so that
the campus itself doesn’t just get torn down and replaced with some glass and metal structure,” said Snyder. “We want to help create a sense of place in Aurora for Wells alums, too, because this place is really important to a lot of us.
In March 2025, Wells College was selected for the Landmark Society of Western New York’s Five to Revive list, which calls attention to sites across the region in need of rehabilitation. The Landmark Society then strives to facilitate investment and protect the area’s architectural heritage, working to create connections and reactivate buildings within the communities. According to a statement on the Landmark Society’s website, “the college is home to many National Register buildings ... Unfortunately, as part of the closure Wells College decided against turning on the heat in many of its buildings this winter, and they also turned off all water and drained the pipes, creating potential for mildew and rot as well as damage to structures and artifacts. For now, the duty
The main building at Wells College.
PHOTO BY KEN LARSON
The Louis Jefferson Long Library at Wells College.
PHOTO BY KEN LARSON
to protect the college’s significant physical assets falls to the college’s trustees, and their decisions will impact the local community. The economies of small college towns, especially those in primarily rural areas, are highly tied to the activities of the college and its students. Better care and rehabilitation of this historic campus could stimulate the local economy by providing jobs and generating business.”
The campus is assessed at $8.5 million, and WLS is hoping the winning bid comes from a nonprofit, a senior living community or a destination similar to Chautauqua Institution.
“There’s been a heart of service at the core of this community, and, of course, the cultural and educational benefits,” said Hindenlang. “The library was open to the community and then the lectures and concerts were all available to the public. It was the ‘common wheel’ people used to talk about.”
Throughout the past year, the Aurora Village Board has urged state officials to work with Wells College trustees to keep the campus zoned for a nonprofit, educational institution. In April 2025, the “Ithaca Times” reported that a formal $10.8 million joint offer had been submitted by Grande Venues, the Hiawatha Institute for Indigenous Knowledge and Summit World Schools, “with plans to transform it into a multifaceted educational and residential hub.”
In the meantime, the campus was largely fenced off in January, though the village’s only doctor is still practicing from the onsite clinic and the golf course is still active. The water treatment plant struggle is ongoing, like a complicated custody battle, as full ownership has not been transferred to the village and legal fees are rising. Residents may see their water bills rise rapidly as the village takes on a $300,000 annual cost to operate the plant — a 27% increase in the yearly budget.
“This is pretty unique,” said Hindenlang. “There’s no template, so now we’re just waiting for more information or a finalized sale.”
According to April 2024 data from The Hechinger Report, a national nonprofit newsroom that reports solely on education, American colleges are closing at a rate of roughly one per week. Small, liberal arts institutions have been hit hardest; Cazenovia College outside Syracuse and Medaille College in Buffalo both closed a year before Wells, in 2023.
“Wells was liberal arts school, and that’s also being devalued throughout our country, when we need it more than ever,” said Snyder. “Helping to preserve that community and critical thinking and acting with humanity — that’s important.”
Notable Wells alums include Frances Folsom, who would later become President Grover Cleveland’s first lady and then marry
An aerial photo of the village of Aurora. PHOTO PROVIDED
Wells College president Thomas J. Preston, Jr. after Cleveland’s death, serving on the Wells Board of Trustees for nearly 50 years.
But perhaps the most notable alum is Pleasant T. Rowland, creator of the American Girl dolls and books, who injected a sizable amount of money into redeveloping historic village properties from 2001 to 2007. Rowland, who lives in Madison, Wisconsin, is largely responsible for the Inns of Aurora, a luxury resort and spa that’s been featured in “Architectural Digest” and “National Geographic Traveler” as well as recently landing on the “Travel+Leisure” World’s Best List 2024, the “Condé Nast” Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards 2024 and the “Vogue” Global Spa Guide.
But Rowland also chased out most of the small business owners as she rehabbed the mansions they inhabited, said Hindenlang, including the local funeral home. And the Inns of Aurora can’t fill all the jobs lost when the college closed.
“My heart hurts for the people left behind in the village — they
have limited access to their own water plant and their livelihoods have been impacted,” said Snyder. “It’s devastating.”
Many of the villagers worked as college staff: maintenance and housekeeping, electricians and plumbers. They went away to get licensed and came back to work at Wells. When the closure happened last year, it was felt immediately.
“Everybody was connected to the college. I think for one family here, it was six generations,” said Hindenlang. “Think of the institutional memory they hold, how do you download those databases?”
While the future of the campus remains in question, the members of WLS are hopeful.
“Aurora is a little jewel of the Finger Lakes,” said Snyder. “It would be a tarnish on the legacy to just let Wells fade into oblivion.” wellslegacysociety.org
E.B. Morgan House, which is part of the Inns of Aurora. PHOTO PROVIDED
The Indigenous Spirit Dancers share Haudenosaunee culture through movement.
Dances of the longhouse
CULTURE
BY SYDNEY BURROWS
created the troupe initially as
The indigenous Spirit Dancers perform in 2023.
a form of creative expression, but quickly realized that the engaging performances were an opportunity to raise awareness of Haudenosaunee traditions. Over time the group expanded, becoming a sought-after presence at schools, cultural festivals and even major sporting events featuring the Buffalo Bills and Sabres and Rochester Amerks.
The dancers’ mission is educational as much as it is performative.
“Each show is a living lesson in Haudenosaunee culture,” said Jimerson Jr. “It’s a cultural awareness, cultural presentation, cultural pride. It’s a passion of ours to share and educate our audiences about who we are.”
The company’s programming often includes explanations of the songs, their meanings and the history embedded in the movement. This approach ensures audiences enjoy the dances, but also understand their cultural significance.
Within the Seneca Nation, dance and music are intertwined together, deeply integrated into social life, where traditional dances are performed frequently at social gatherings. The Indigenous Spirit Dancers are accompanied by musicians and traditional singers, with the songs usually performed by men positioned in the center of a circle or at one end of the performance space. Children begin learning the dances at a young age, frequently joining in during performances.
“The little guys steal the show,” Jimerson Jr. said. “They’re always watching, always listening. You’d be surprised how many are right on the beat right away.”
The performances range from solo to group choreography and include women’s, men’s and partnered dances. There is no formal recording of the routines; instead, they are passed down from generation to generation. Jimerson Jr. describes the movement as a natural embodiment of the music.
“Between dance and music, there’s a positive energy, a connection that comes from within,” he said. “Music soothes the soul. We call it medicine.”
Equally vital to the dances is the regalia worn by performers. Unlike
costumes, the regalia is meaningful, personal and often handmade. Men in the Indigenous Spirit Dancers wear a headdress adorned with a single feather, symbolizing their identity as citizens of the Seneca Nation. Women wear beaded barrettes and intricate jewelry, with each piece contributing to their personal stories. The craftsmanship — from embroidery to beadwork — is an art form in its own right.
The Indigenous Spirit Dancers are often featured performers at Ganondagan’s Indigenous Music & Arts Festival, happening July 2627, and will perform both days this year. Held at the Ganondagan State Historic Site in Victor, the two-day celebration is a dynamic expression of Indigenous art forms. The festival, which started in 1989 as a one-day event with a single tent and a few hundred visitors, has now grown into a major community gathering with over 3,000 attendees, more than 125 volunteers and roughly 30 Native vendors, food stands, art demonstrations and performances by both traditional and contemporary Indigenous artists.
diversity within Indigenous cultures, reinforcing that Native peoples are not a monolith,” said Jeanette Jemison, a member of the Akwesasne Mohawk, Snipe Clan, and the Friends of Ganondagan’s program director and founding executive director. “While many Indigenous cultures share common values, such as peace and stewardship of the earth, each has unique traditions, languages and artistic expressions.”
The large performance tent, where many of the dance performances take place, is a focal point of the festival. Some of the shows, such as
those presented by the Indigenous Spirit Dancers, include an element of audience interaction, encouraging viewers to join in and experience the
Accessibility is also central to the festival’s mission. Admission is free, and American Sign Language interpretation is provided at all major performances, with interpreters even available to accompany guests. This year’s festival also includes the All Our Relations Tent, a space for crosscultural exchange, and in addition to the Indigenous Spirit Dancers, there will be appearances by Cayuga actor and musician Gary Farmer (of “Reservation Dogs” fame) and awardwinning Mohawk musician Derek Miller.
These performances and programs ensure Haudenosaunee traditions are not only preserved, but celebrated.
“It’s not just an event,” said Jemison. ‘It’s a summer tradition and a deeply meaningful celebration of culture, resilience and community.” ganondagan.org
“The festival highlights the
The Allegheny River Seneca Dancers perform in 2024. PHOTO PROVIDED
Nature prevails
BY JUSTIN MURPHY
Awetland is an aquatic environment. We knew that, and yet here we were.
The plan was to rent a canoe from the marina at the south end of Owasco Lake in Cayuga County and paddle along the inlet, taking in the Owasco Flats Nature Preserve at our journalistic leisure.
We learned that morning, though, that the marina’s ownership does not consider boating season to have quite begun in early June. Its advertised rental business was not yet fully open for the year and the canoes were still in storage.
Discouraged but not deterred, photographer Max Schulte and I proceeded to Plan B: exploring the wetlands on foot. This seemed sub-optimal yet sufficient. We applied insect repellent, double-knotted our boots and made our way toward the loop trail displayed on a map in the parking lot.
A wetland is an aquatic environment. A hiking trail in an aquatic environment requires a sturdy boardwalk, and Owasco Flats doesn’t have one. We waded instead through thighhigh foliage on a faint foot path, mostly following the mucky west bank of the inlet.
To our left, box turtles basked and squadrons of fish dodged bellyflopping bass. Vireos, woodpeckers and warblers conversed overhead, interrupted
A pair of journalists take an unexpected walk through the Owasco Flats Nature Preserve.
specialist for the Nature Conservancy. “That’s what we want to see in floodplains.”
The 1990s were a low point for the flats. An ill-advised canal through the wetland greatly impaired its ecological functioning, and garbage dumping had reached crisis proportions. A group of concerned citizens organized an advocacy organization, the Owasco Flats Nature Reserve, Inc., to raise public awareness and funds for restoration.
ecological significance.
Covering about 2,000 acres between Owasco Lake and the village of Moravia, the flats are a natural floodplain with an important role in maintaining water quality in the lake, the drinking water source for the city of Auburn. Aquatic vegetation
and sunken detritus slow the water entering the lake, allowing time for sediment and pollutants like phosphorus to settle out.
“It frequently floods — and that’s a good thing,” said Olivia Green, a freshwater resilience
A series of land acquisitions over the last 20 years by Cayuga County, the Nature Conservancy and the state Department of Environmental Conservation add up to about 700 acres under protection, Green said. The state is currently funding wetland restoration work as part of a plan to combat high phosphorus levels
Justin Murphy hikes the Owasco Flats at the southern end of Owasco Lake's inlet and floodplain. PHOTO BY MAX SCHULTE
PHOTO BY MAX SCHULTE
and increasing algae blooms in Owasco Lake.
“About 50 percent of the total flow to the lake comes in through the flats,” said Adam Effler, executive director of the Owasco Lake Watershed Management Council. “When you can slow down water flow and create retention areas to allow the sediment to settle out, you can really reduce the amount of pollution entering the lake.”
Most of the flats is closed for recreational purposes. At the north end, 500 acres or so are set aside as
the Owasco Flats Nature Reserve, with an access road, parking and boat launch off state Route 38 by South Shore Marina. There is also parking and a boat launch farther south off Warner Road near where the inlet meets Mill Creek.
After we spent about 30 minutes slipping and squelching along the inlet, the trail came to a comparative opening alive with dragonflies, a few short wooden bridges covered in swamp water like steeping tea bags and the remains of a trestle from the Lehigh Valley Railroad. We paused
here to stomp the mud off our boots, check for ticks and survey for birds.
The flats is a very active bird habitat, with more than 200 species observed there in recent years. Those include the Virginia rail, a reclusive wading bird with a bright orange bottom beak, as well as a wide variety of warblers during the spring and fall migrations. It is also an important home for the many salamanders that breed there.
The abandoned railroad bed is supposed to serve as an elevated path for the return leg of the hike. Here, too, we found the marketing materials sorely misaligned with reality. Where we managed to make out the trail, it was crowded by huge proliferations of multiflora roses. We dodged some and ducked others but eventually gave up, nettled and nicked, and clambered up the embankment to finish our stroll along the shoulder of busy Route 38.
It was not the visit to the flats that we had hoped for, but the fault was ours. Next time, we will be better prepared. A wetland is an
PHOTO BY MAX SCHULTE
A spa with sparks
BY PATRICK HOSKEN PATRICK@ROCHESTER-CITYNEWS.COM
When would-be welders walk into Stacey Mrva’s studio, she’ll likely hand them some metal. By the time they leave, those pieces will be bent and fused into recognizable shapes like pumpkins, dragonflies and reindeer — beautiful decor ready to be displayed on mantels.
But each object is a bonus. The experience, according to Mrva, is the real takeaway.
“This isn’t painting with a twist,” she said. “We’re not here to just hang out and have some wine and do a little painting. We’re getting dirty. You’re wearing the equipment. There’s sparks flying.”
Mrva offers weekly women’s welding workshops at her Ironwood Studios in Springwater, a converted barn and farmhouse dating back to 1847. The classes are kept small, between four and six people, so that everyone can actually get to know each other.
One student has taken 18 different workshops.
Ironwood also offers classes for women in recovery as well as teen girls in Livingston County, partially funded through the Genesee Valley Council of the Arts. Much like the suggested age range for board games, her attendees’ ages have run the gamut, from eight to 83.
As a rite of passage, the workshoppers — retirees, creatives, adventurers — use chalk to write their initials on a metal
plate. Then Mrva fires up the welding machine, and the women trace the letters using a blast of ultraviolet light.
She calls the act of using the welding gun “empowering.”
“I always tell people it’s a lot like cooking because you can hear when the weld is right,” Mrva said. “When it starts to not sound right, you adjust what you’re doing.”
She first welded at Syracuse University, where she planned to study jewelry making and metalsmithing but ended up a sculptor. Mrva’s very first welding machine, a graduation gift from her parents, still sits on the floor in her barn.
Her sculpture work colors the South Wedge, where she lived for many years before moving south. Mrva’s bespoke iron benches dot South Clinton Avenue, and she regularly presented work at former neighborhood mainstay Tap and Mallet.
One of her latest commissions can be seen in the village of Churchville: a bicycle in honor of local 19th-century suffragist and temperance activist Frances Willard.
“I didn’t learn in trade school,” Mrva said. “In art school, they’re like, ‘There’s the welder,’ and you figure it out. So, I’m self taught.
I tell the ladies in class, ‘I don’t know the technical ins and outs of how this thing works. To me, it’s like magic, which is kind of more fun to think of it that way.”
Mrva lives in the farmhouse near the barn with her husband, Thomas Richens, a musician and drum tech for national touring bands like Megadeth and Babymetal. They bought the three acres of land in 2020 and transformed the barn, previously an antique shop, into her studio.
But there were risks. They both worked in nontraditional, creative fields not necessarily thriving during the pandemic.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 20
Stacey Mrva demonstrates proper welding technique bracing her welding arm for stability.
PHOTO BY ROBERTO F. LAGARES
Stacey Mrva owner of Ironwood Studios.
PHOTO BY ROBERTO F. LAGARES
Then the previous owners told them about the tree growing near the barn: an ironwood.
“I immediately got goosebumps,” Mrva said, “like, this is meant to be.”
After renovations, she began offering workshops in 2022. Mrva’s impulse to teach was sparked by a workshop she’d led at Edison Career & Technical High School where she was “watching these young women supporting each other, cheering each other on and making mistakes. They could just be themselves and try and fail and help each other out. That was the coolest energy.”
A few years in, the second floor of the barn is still a work in progress. But a light fixture on the ceiling made out of an old drum kit points to its potential future as a music space.
“Upstairs will definitely be some music, some live stuff, some recording, some events and drum clinics,” Richens said.
Until then, when he’s not on tour, Richens is around to help any way he can. For Mrva’s birthday, he gave her a new welding helmet. Afterward, she customized it with Ironwood’s “Find Your Spark” slogan.
The sparks are literal. The welding gun heats up to several thousand degrees Fahrenheit, and anyone standing near it is safest in a helmet and long sleeves. The process requires focus and being present. Mrva said that might be why one attendee likened Ironwood Studios to “a spa with sparks.”
Stacy Porcelli, a faithful patron who now helps Mrva teach some of the classes, wouldn’t go that far. But she gets it.
“You have to be in the moment,” Porcelli said. “You’re kind of hyper-aware, especially the first time. And it’s really cool, like, ‘Oh, this isn’t so scary.’ It feels like you learned something.” ironwoodstudiosinc.com
Significant part of the craft is bending the metal into the appropriate shapes. Mrva pre-bends the metal used for her workshops.
PHOTO BY ROBERTO F. LAGARES
Four family run farms make
up
the Finger Lakes Cheese Trail.
Whey finding
FOOD & BEV
BY TEN GARDNER
Avisit to a dairy farm activates all the senses: first, the smell of fresh country air. The touch of warm sun on skin. The sight of towering barns and animals in the fields beyond. The sound of hay crunching underfoot as goats bleat in the distance, accompanied by the barking of resident farm dogs — a symphony of domestic farm life.
And then, there’s taste.
Following the Cayuga Wine Trail from Waterloo to Candor, the Finger Lakes Cheese Trail highlights four family run dairy farms: Muranda Cheese Company, Lively Run Goat Dairy, Sunset View Creamery and Side Hill Acres Goat Farm. Offering cheese tastings and locally made dairy products, each stop on the trail presents a one-of-a-kind experience for visitors.
Steve Messmer, owner of Lively Run Goat Dairy in Interlaken near Cayuga Lake, connects to his inner child through his work on the farm.
“I’ve been making hay since I was 10 years old,” he said. “I always like to open the window in the summer when I’m driving down the road, because I can smell cut hay fields from a long ways away.”
Lively Run Goat Dairy is a humble dairy farm managed by the entire Messmer family. A hand-painted sign just off the
Cheese wheels line the walls of an aging room at Muranda Cheese Co.
PHOTO BY ROBERTO F. LAGARES
main road, cracking from years under the beating sun, advertises “Sales, Tasting, Tours.” A small tent out front, sides flapping gently in the wind, hosts cheese tastings right next to the barn that houses goats whose milk has been carefully crafted into cheese.
Lively Run’s goat cheese feta is arguably the unsung hero of their catalogue. Its tangy mouthfeel characteristic of goat’s milk cheese combined with its dense crumble is no doubt due to the meticulous methods of the cheesemaker, who happens to be Messmer’s 37-year-old son, Pete.
Muranda Cheese Company, situated between Seneca and Cayuga Lakes in Waterloo, takes a more elevated approach to the tasting experience, welcoming crowds into a large, converted barn with high ceilings and acres of open farmland beyond the walls. Describing texture
and taste hundreds of times on busy weekends alongside free live music and a curated selection of local wine, tasting room employees at Muranda Cheese Company have a deep understanding of all things cheese.
Though it is no longer a working farm, Muranda Cheese Company is still wholly rooted in family ties. Owner and cheesemaker Blane Murray remains intimately involved in the cheesemaking process.
Foundational to the many flavors of their tasting room are the expansive vaults of aging rooms just beneath the floorboards, holding walls of cow’s milk cheese wheels until they’re perfectly matured. After they are cooled and humidified with care, the earthy musk of cheese rind and vibrant hues of blue and gold within these caches is a testament to the dedication of Muranda’s cheese connoisseurs. Their Parmesan and Gouda blend, Lady of the Lake,
The tasting room at Muranda Cheese Co. features tasting counters at opposite ends and a central bar equipped with a stage above for live music performances.
PHOTO BY ROBERTO F. LAGARES
crystallizes into a delicate crunch with a gentle bite, impeccable when paired with a Muranda-branded Dry Riesling, made by Glenora Wine Cellars just across Seneca Lake.
At Sunset View Creamery in Odessa at the base of Cayuga Lake, three resident farm dogs wag their tails, anxiously awaiting a gentle pat and ready to lead visitors through a self-guided tour of the farm. Tiny calves, eager to socialize, stick out their tongues and swoon at the prospect of a good head scratch. Sunset’s farm store is packed with freshly made cheeses, beef tallow lip balms, and all the fixings for an afternoon charcuterie board. A six-generation enterprise, Sunset View Creamery is a familyrun business founded on creating exceptional products.
Outside the village of Candor, just beyond Cayuga Lake, is Side Hill Acres Goat Farm, home to Russell Kellogg, an archetypal farming man who inherited the business from his father. Kellogg heads the daily operations of the farm along with multiple generations of his family, a
steadfast caretaker of the animals that keep his business going.
“I just enjoy it,” he said. “Milking first thing in the morning. Graining them, checking on them, watering them, and then turning around and going back into the cheese plant after I go get the grandkids on the bus.”
Kellogg’s wife, Rita, died two months ago. For him, the farm is a reflection of his heart: his familial bonds with the animals, the family he raised and the woman he built a life with. Even through their grief, the Kellogg family continues to deliver quality for their customers. They craft their cheese by hand, a delicate labor of love that is their New York State Fair award-winning product.
All four dairy farms on the Finger Lakes Cheese Trail share ancestry. On any given day, there are four generations of the Kellogg family working at Side Hill Acres Goat Farm, from Kellogg, who is a great-grandfather, milking goats in the darkest hours of the morning and pausing his chores to pick up his great-grandchildren from the school bus in the late afternoon to his granddaughter joining him in the early evening when she returns from work.
Family run farms carry a palpable weight of humanity, they are the lifeblood of food security in this country. A trip along the Finger Lakes Cheese Trail offers a glimpse into the quiet, daily devotion behind the food everyone eats — and the families who make it all possible. fingerlakes.com/cheese
Lively Run Goat Dairy in Interlaken.
PHOTO BY JACOB WALSH
Four destinations that offer Finger Lakes-centric getaways.
Sip, shop and stay
BY JACKIE PERRIN
For those planning a Finger Lakes getaway, the search might be focused on “sip wine on a porch swing” or “stitch a quilt with animals looking on.”
In Penn Yan, two farmhouse stays — one at a vineyard, one on a jam-happy Mennonite-owned farm — deliver lots of space, major charm and wildly different weekend moods; while smaller, quirkier stays in Romulus and Bloomfield offer the perfect porch, pour or pony to match any vacation vibe.
THE VINEYARD HOUSE AT FOX RUN, PENN YAN foxrunvineyards.com/stay-at-thevineyard-house
This dreamy five-bedroom Eastlake Victorian on the grounds of Fox Run Vineyards is a front-row seat to all things vino. Built in 1870 and used as a family home until 2024, it’s now a stylish rental with just enough polish to feel fancy, but not fussy. Each bedroom features whimsical fox-themed décor (because why not lean in?), and the wide-plank floors, original woodwork and scenic views of Seneca Lake and the vineyards at Fox Run add extra charm.
A stay at The Vineyard House puts guests right in the heart of wine country magic. For a true visual experience, consider
HEALING SERVICES: Sunday 10:00am *Except 4th Sunday (see below)
Hot Dinner every 4th Sunday of the month. 27 Appleton Street • churchofdivineinspiration.com
booking during harvest season and sip wine while the crew works the vines just outside the house. It’s a rare chance to see the action up close and even meet the team, said
It sleeps up to 12, perfect for wine-loving friend groups, wedding parties or families who can negotiate peacefully over the king suite. Guests have easy access to tastings, tours, and the café and deck of Fox Run (no designated driver required). The kitchen is fully equipped, there’s a large patio with a grill out back, and even a well-behaved dog (only one) is welcome. Kids can join the fun, too — the big backyard overlooks the vines and is great for running around, playing games or sipping while the sun sets.
WEAVER-VIEW FARMHOUSE, PENN YAN weaverviewfarms.com/house-rental.html
For a getaway that feels like a warm hug from grandma and has enough space for the whole crew, the 3,500-square-foot farmhouse at Weaver-View Farm might be just the ticket. Whether it’s a trip to wrangle a multigenerational family vacation or gather the girls’ guild, this place is tailor-made for reconnecting.
The century-old charmer sits just steps from the Weaver-View Amish Country Store, where shoppers can browse hand-stitched quilts, stock up on homemade jams and pickles and lose themselves in shelves of fabric, nostalgic wooden toys and
fresh-baked pies.
Out front, there might be a pony hitched to a cart or chickens strutting near the barn. The farmhouse, which is kid- and petfriendly, sleeps up to 20 guests and features modern upgrades — including double ovens, a full laundry, air conditioning and WiFi. But with no TVs, handcrafted quilts on every bed and plenty of porch space for sipping coffee and stargazing, it’s a Hallmark movielevel set designed for a dreamy, unplugged getaway.
Quilters, take note: this is more than just a place to stay — it’s a fullon quilter’s retreat headquarters. The rental features a design wall, cutting and ironing stations, task lighting and adjustable chairs. The location is just minutes away from a dozen local quilt shops, but with expert quilt designers onsite at the Amish country store, along with a shop that offers 10,000 yards of fabric and grandma’s hand-quilted patterns on display, guests might not need to venture far.
BUTTONWOOD GROVE CABINS, ROMULUS
buttonwoodgrove.com/cabins
Craving wine, woods and a little off-the-grid peace? Tucked behind the tasting room at Buttonwood Grove Winery, four cozy cabins offer all the charm of a vineyard getaway, with just enough rustic flair to make it feel like an adventure (minus the tent stakes).
Each cabin sleeps two to four guests and comes with a queen bed, full bathroom, TV, microwave, mini-fridge and coffee maker, plus heat, A/C, linens, towels, and firewood. Outside, there’s a firepit and charcoal grill for toasting marshmallows or just enjoying the good life.
Guests will be close to the action on weekends — live music, food trucks and tastings — but the peaceful setting makes it easy to slip away for some quiet time or simply observe behind-the-scenes happenings on the farm. Wander down a wooded trail to a secluded waterfall, a scenic retreat perfect for unwinding between glasses of wine.
LAZY
ACRE FARM, BLOOMFIELD lazyacrealpacas.com
This getaway is a fiber lover’s dream. Lazy Acre Alpacas in Bloomfield is part-yarn shop, partalpaca petting zoo and part-creative hideaway. Whether guests visit for a felting or crochet class, a farm tour or just an overload of alpaca cuteness, they’ll leave with stories — and maybe a skein or two.
Even better, a duo can stay the night. The cozy guest suite sleeps two and features an oversized bathroom, coffeemaker, microwave and airconditioning, with views of grazing alpacas outside the window. Though outside pets aren’t allowed in the suite, the owner’s cats and dogs roam the property, adding to the charm. It’s also a great base for exploring the scenic
Finger Lakes region, with easy access to lakes, parks and wineries.
Each stay includes a guided farm tour (offered twice daily except Mondays), and it’s not just a stroll and a selfie — guests will learn how fleece from different parts of the alpaca is used — like belly fleece for dryer balls and blanket fleece for sweaters and scarves — and be able to touch and tell the difference between fleece types. The tour ends with hand-feeding the alpacas, a ridiculously cute moment that’s worth repeating.
The Alpaca Country Store onsite is also stocked with handknitted hats, scarves, socks, gloves and fun alpaca-themed gifts. Want to stretch it out? Try yoga with the alpacas on Tuesday evenings or Saturday mornings, when in season.
Weaver-View Amish Country Store.
PHOTO PROVIDED
Alpacas at Lazy Acre Farm. PHOTO PROVIDED
“UPSIDE DOWN”
BY CHAZ & THE DAZZLERS
The members of Chaz & The Dazzlers hold onto their own childlike whimsy and lightness as they tackle all the ups and downs of parenting on the group’s new album, “Upside Down.” From tricycles to temper tantrums, it’s reminiscent of The Happy Fits at its most fun and Band of Horses at its most contemplative.
The project, released in early May, takes its first steps with “Roll,” one of many tracks to feature multi-instrumentalist Nick Lord’s sparkling saxophone and mandolin contributions. The sax adds a depth to an already-sticky chorus, and when vocalist Chaz Hearne declares, “I want to roll everywhere with you,” listeners decide whether that means in a stroller, down the side of a hill or something else entirely.
Never too serious, the album straddles the gap between adulthood and childhood, incorporating jazzy sax solos into easygoing, simple melodies. A particular standout is the picture book- esque “Garlic Girl,” a lighthearted track about a vegetable vendor that’s equal parts indie rock and nursery rhyme.
Like the transition from childhood to adulthood, the album isn’t all carefree — the gentle sway of surf-rock track “Canopus” ends with a sudden blare that segues into “Alarm,” the band’s contemplation of the world we’re passing on to the next generation. While urging the kids into the streets to “hold your pissed off signs,” the song ends with the wistful acknowledgement that what the kids want “could be such beautiful change, if we would let it.”
Across these 10 tracks, Chaz & The Dazzlers’ creative approach to childhood makes for a dazzling listen indeed.
— LIZ HOGREFE
“RICOCHET” BY THE ELECTRIC SPIDERS
Singer-songwriter Ryan Sutherland has shown flashes of so-called “garageprog” before, namely on his 2022 album “Sutherland II.” But with his new crew, The Electric Spiders, he goes all in, fusing basement vigor with winding song structures.
The group’s first EP, “Ricochet,” is pure Rochester: recorded and mixed at Ben Baker’s Canadaway Records studio in the 19th Ward and boasting a song called “Red Hot with Relish.” Baker, like Sutherland, plays guitar. But the compositions don’t revel in shred.
Instead, the multiple shifts of “Silhouette” provide a template: high-energy garage rock punctuated by Scott Wright’s space-age keyboards and bossa nova percussion from Colin D’Annunzio.
For better or worse, the six-track EP has the raw feel of a live set. In the minus column, bassist Sean Wilson-Leslie is largely drowned out in the mix. When lead guitar lines arrive, the lack of studio sheen can blunt their impact at what’s supposed to be triumphant moments.
But optimistically, the minimal polish reveals both the raw power Sutherland wrings out of his mates and the first-idea, best-idea excitement typical of any new creative voyage.
Indeed, “Raw Power” may have been an inspiration (even indirectly, all garage rock is at least partly descended from The Stooges). But imagine Iggy Pop favoring psychedelic frontiers instead of groove. Sutherland commands with his deep baritone, sounding descended from Jim Morrison when he asks, Did you see that scarecrow dance?
“Rise High,” the most outwardly prog offering, also has the steadiest rhythmic framework and a chance for Wright to absolutely freak it on the keys. This is where “Ricochet” soars.
The title track, too, spits molten fire and sends a warning signal to those who might not have brought earplugs to the gig. Listeners who welcome the noise just might’ve found a new local live favorite.
— PATRICK HOSKEN
“HOMESICK” BY FLYING OBJECT
Like 22nd-century Beat poetry in a cocktail of roots/pop/funk, Flying Object’s first-born full-length “Homesick” is for when windows are down and defenses are up.
Released May 23, the album plates Matt O’Brian’s vocal and bass-led new Americana atop a tight ensemble: Max Flansburg and Mike Martinez (guitars), Chris O’Brian (drums) and Elliot Schwartzman (keyboards). Matt is Rochester’s prince of crooner dub, inspiring grins, head bobs and the feeling of getting away with something.
The easy space-soul of “Electrocute Me” toys naively between the sheets, landscaping electrical schemes of entendre.
On “Homesick,” Matt the songwriter breaks walls of perspective as lyrical and melodic elements riddle and cascade in unison. Somehow, an obvious mixed-meter groove perfectly supports the arc, with grids of deft lead-guitar work.
“Flat Earth” races popular conspiracies against one another to produce a richly coated space-echo soul-folk sound that captures Flying Object’s live energy. My girlfriend told me that the earth is flat, he sings. I don’t really know about that / What about UFOs? I know we used to believe in those.
The tie-dye, slow-funk jam of “New Hat” proclaims gentle slow prose through a bitten lower lip, with a modulated extended solo. “Trouble With You” prolongs love in a minor country backbeat, where one would rather be asleep than in someone’s presence. The proudly creeping “Snaggletooth” develops around a toothy motif with soaring vocals atop a bumping double-guitar sonic blanket.
“Ranger” soothes with an apologetic swing, lyrically yearning to be a better man via Matt’s athletic vocal performance. In a Pulp-esque disco croon, “Can’t Just Go Around Sayin’” surrounds blame and betrayal: No you can’t just go around sayin’ things like that to boys.
Closer “Photographer” rides lines of support and resentment within a relationship, as Flying Object lands “Homesick” with honey soul as on-the-nose as the romantics it depicts.
— RYAN M. YARMEL
“MISSING” BY ATOM, TIMOTHY LONG, CONTINUUM ENSEMBLE
The opera “MISSING” weaves together stories of a missing Indigenous girl, a young law student, their families and a professor who teaches characters about the Indigenous Gitxsan language and culture.
The opera was written by composer Brian Current and librettist Marie Clements and premiered in Vancouver in 2017. The debut recording comes out July 11 from the forward-thinking New York City label Bright Shiny Things.
The artists created this work, in their words, “to give voice to the story of Canada’s missing and murdered aboriginal women and girls, and to show that each and every one of these missing people is honored.”
The story uses abstract elements to connect to these very real and painful events, told in both English and Gitxsan, with music that has a bit of a minimalist groove.
This album is a rich resource to explore, digging into music that tells meaningful stories and connects to social issues. At the same time, something in here commands attention the way a good Broadway cast recording does.
It is strange, in some ways, to think that such a work could be listened to for fun or enjoyment. But despite the haunting story and the questions it asks (“How can our daughters live?”), I am also beguiled by the luminous beauty and energy of this music.
The Rochester connection here is conductor Timothy Long, artistic and music director of opera at the Eastman School of Music. A citizen of the Muscogee Nation and the Thlopthlocco Tribal Town, with matrilineal Choctaw heritage, Long is a passionate advocate for Indigenous artists. This is one of his many projects worth following for both its artistry and the way it can expand an understanding of the world.
— MONA SEGHATOLESLAMI
todo DAILY
Full calendar of events online at roccitymag.com
SATURDAY, JULY 5
SPORTS Rochester Red Wings vs. Buffalo Bisons
Innovative Field, milb.com/rochester
Buy some peanuts and Cracker Jack and enjoy an all-American ball game beginning at 6:05 p.m. There will be a Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra postgame performance as well as a Marine Corps 250th anniversary celebration. The night ends with a brilliant, colorful display of fireworks. Tickets range from $16-$25.
ROISIN MEYER
RECREATION
Teen Takeover
Roc Play Palace, rocplaypalace.com
Reinforcing its mission “to create a safe inclusive environment where people of all ages and abilities can experience the joy of play and feel a sense of belonging,” Play Palace in Henrietta will hold a second Teen Takeover for ages 14-18. The second event of its kind — after a successful pilot in June — is designed to provide a secure, inclusive and fun environment for teens to enjoy the play areas and sensory rooms at the recreational venue. Teens can hang
from 7-10 p.m., and tickets are $27 (a signed parental consent waiver is required for entry).
LEAH STACY
FAMILY Trains & Trolleys at Twilight
Rochester & Genessee Valley Railroad Museum, rochestertrainrides.com
Summertime scenery from a vintage freight train? Presented by the R&GV Railroad Museum in collaboration with New York Museum Transportation is a journey featuring a series of historical trains and trolleys with a destination that features complimentary ice cream and live jazz music. Trains depart every 30 minutes from 4-8 p.m. Tickets start at $10, kids ages 4 and under ride for free.
ROBERTO LAGARES
SUNDAY, JULY 6
MUSIC
Wiz Khalifa and Sean Paul
Darien Lake Amphitheater, darienlakeamp.com
Sean Paul’s early 2000s hits “Get Busy” and “Gimme the Light” presaged the dancehall takeover of the pop charts that happened the following decade. Wiz Khalifa, meanwhile, remains beloved for his songs “See You Again” and “Black and Yellow,” both of which hit No. 1. Put them together for a July show and the result is, as the name of their joint tour suggests, good vibes only. With special guest DaBaby. 6:30 p.m. Tickets $30-$200 (with VIP at the high end).
PATRICK HOSKEN
MONDAY, JULY 7
FILM
“Seven”
The Little Theatre, thelittle.org What’s in the box? If you don’t know the answer to that question, it’s never been a better time to find out by experiencing a 4K remastered screening of director David Fincher’s viscerally upsetting and dark “Seven,” just in time for its 30th anniversary. Brad Pitt, Morgan Freeman, neo-noir, Christian theologically motivated serial killings — the, uh, “fun” starts at 7 p.m. PH
TUESDAY, JULY 8
FOOD + BEV
Downtown After Hours Tasting Experience
Lila’s, flowercityfoodtours.com
Calling all food enthusiasts: this three-hour walking food tour of Downtown Rochester is for you. Explore the diversity and delicious taste of Rochester’s ever-developing cuisine, whether you are exploring the traditional Garbage Plate or an upscale restaurant. Be ready to feast with stomach, eyes and mind as you learn about the historical, architectural and cultural highlights of City Center. Tours are available weekly until October 29, from 5:30-8:30 p.m. $89. RM
WEDNESDAY, JULY 9
MUSIC
Concerts by the Shore: RPO
Ontario Beach Park, ontariobeachentertainment.org
Bring your beach chair to the shore of great Lake Ontario to enjoy a classic summer experience with a 37-yearold Rochester tradition. Order a Zweigle’s hot and an old fashioned lemonade from one of the many food and bev vendors while listening to the artistically rich compositions from the century-old RPO. The best part? Admission is free! The RPO will begin playing at 7:30 p.m., but arrive early for an optimal spot on the lawn. RM
CONTINUED ON PAGE 39
Hochstein at High Falls
Thursdays at 12:10 p.m.
Granite Mills Park
WXXI CLASSICAL | THE ROUTE 88.5 | THE LITTLE THEATRE
5 Fun Things to Enjoy in July!
Join The Route (FM 88.5) and WXXI at Granite Mills Park on Thursdays for Hochstein at High Falls, a free lunchtime concert series in the city’s High Falls District. Bring a lawn chair and your lunch and enjoy performances from our local favorites! Debbie Kendrick Project (7/10), Watkins & the Rapiers (7/17), Mambo Kings (7/24), and Candy (7/31) take to the stage in July.
PBS Book Club Scavenger Hunt
Now through July 18
PBS Books Reader’s Club Interactive Adventure is a free nationwide scavenger hunt inspired by the bestselling novel Lessons in Chemistry and powered by the Goosechase app. Join readers across the country in completing creative, curiosity-filled missions that celebrate science, storytelling, local libraries, and the joy of lifelong learning. Visit pbs.org/experience for the full details. Let the literary games begin!
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Corn Hill Arts Festival
Saturday, July 12, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. & Sunday, July 13, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
With nine streets, hundreds of artists, and dozens of musical performances, the Corn Hill Arts Festival is a favorite summertime tradition. Be sure to stop by WXXI’s booth on Atkinson Street to say hello and enter a special drawing! The Route (WRUR-FM 88.5) is also a proud sponsor of The Porch at 27 Atkinson Street Stage at the Festival. Musical performances on that stage include Steve West (10:15 a.m.), Raedwald Howland-Bolton (12:25 p.m.), and Frances Lovett (2:35 p.m.) on Saturday, and The Fiddle Witch (10:30 a.m.), Papa Muse (12:30 p.m.), and Ryan Johnson and Glen Cummings (2:30 p.m.) on Sunday.
Rochester Pride Parade
Saturday, July 19, starting at 11 a.m. South Avenue and Science Parkway to Highland Park
Did you know that the first Rochester Pride Parade was on June 28, 1989, in honor of the 20th anniversary of the Stonewall uprising? Catch WXXI marching for the second time in this colorful, glorious, and inclusive parade, now in its 36th year.
Thursday Nights are for Music Icons!
Don’t miss these five special concerts that spotlight genre-defining, crossgenerational live music legends with undeniable cultural and musical impact. Thursdays at 10 p.m. are reserved for music legends on WXXI-TV.
Elton John
Studna)
A Capitol Fourth 2025
Friday, July 4 at 8 p.m. on WXXI-TV
On July Fourth, A Capitol Fourth, America’s National Independence Day celebration, honors our country’s birthday with an all-star salute. For over 40 years, this toprated extravaganza, featuring a parade of superstars — including Frankie Valli, Patti LaBelle, John Williams, Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, Reba McEntire, Carole King, and more — has offered the best in American entertainment, featuring coverage from 20 cameras positioned around Washington, D.C. that ensures viewers are front and center for the greatest display of fireworks in the nation.
(Provided by PBS)
POV: The Ride Ahead
Monday, July 21 at 10 p.m. on WXXI-TV
Samuel Habib is a typical 21-year-old, itching to move out, start a career, and find love. But no one tells you how to be an adult, let alone an adult with a disability. Can a community of disability activists help him follow his dreams?
This film is presented as part of Move to Include, a partnership between WXXI and the Golisano Foundation, an award-winning national initiative to promote disability inclusion, representation, and accessibility in public media. (Provided by POV)
Cooking with Legends: Lidia Bastianich & Jacques Pépin
Friday, July 18 at 10 p.m. on WXXI-TV
In Cooking with Legends, Lidia Bastianich and Jacques Pépin double the fun when the two “good-natured bosses” and longtime friends come together for a lively program to share personal family stories and lifetimes of experience on air, alongside mouth-watering recipes that made their careers. Lidia hailing from Pola on the Istrian Peninsula, and Jacques from Bourg-en-Bresse, France, express their passion for the foods that embody the cuisines of their native cultures as they personify what it means to live the American dream.
(Provided by PBS)
VOCES: Slumlord Millionaire
Monday, July 28 at 10 p.m. on WXXI-TV
Winner of the Audience Award at the 2024 DOC NYC Film Festival, Slumlord Millionaire explores the rapid gentrification of New York City neighborhoods and the housing crisis sweeping not only New York but the nation. Median rents nationwide are higher than ever, and some landlords have become aggressive in getting long-term tenants to leave to turn apartments over to market rate for a high profit. As costs drive up further and displace families who make up the fabric of these neighborhoods, a group of fearless residents, activists, and nonprofit attorneys fight corrupt landlords for the basic human right to a home.
(Credit: VOCESMedia)
SPATCHCOCK FUNK SEASON TWO
Bold new flavors, same ol’ catchy Funk. Spatchcock Funk is back with an exciting new season of drinks and recipes that get people and stories together, and this time Rochester is on the hit list!
In episode four, “The 19th Hole”—airing Saturday, July 26 at 11:30 p.m. on WXXI-TV—while touring Central New York region’s best locations to celebrate the New York culinary scene, host Matt Read and producer Alex DeRosa (pictured) let their appetites chart a course to the Canandaigua Country Club for a classic golf course family outing. Watch as the Rochester chapter inspires a cocktail that unwinds friendly competition on the course and whips up a dip that sets the vibe. The episode then showcases Rochester’s infamous Garbage Plate, which gets a clever remix, followed by an easy-to-put-together sweet treat that truly completes a fun day at the course.
Got you curious yet? Catch the whole season this July every Saturday at 11:30 p.m. with repeats on Saturday at 4 p.m., starting July 12 on WXXI-TV.
Met Opera 2025 Laffont Grand Finals Concert
Saturday, July 26 at 3:20 p.m. on WXXI Classical
The Met Opera has announced the winners of the 2025 Metropolitan Opera Eric and Dominique Laffont Competition: sopranos Alissa Goretsky and Emma Marhefka, mezzo-sopranos Sadie Cheslak and Michelle Mariposa, and baritone Luke Sutliff. The Metropolitan Opera Eric and Dominique Laffont Grand Finals Concert was hosted by mezzo-soprano Jamie Barton, a 2007 competition winner. Soprano Janai Brugger, a 2012 winner, joined as guest artist.
Image courtesy of metopera.org
Proud to Be
Saturday, July 19 at 12 p.m. on WXXI Classical Pride Month, which in most of the country is recognized in June, is celebrated in Rochester on Saturday, July 19th with the annual Rochester Pride Festival and parade. So today WXX Classical celebrates unique identities and reflects on how pride and authenticity show up in our lives. Host Kevin O’Conner asks classical musicians in the LGBTQIA community about their thoughts on Pride, along with music performed, conducted or composed by those featured artists.
This American Life
Saturdays at noon and Sundays at 6 p.m. on WXXI News (FM 105.9)
Each week the team at This American Life choose a theme and put together different kinds of stories on that theme. As they describe: "Mostly we do journalism, but an entertaining kind of journalism that’s built around plot. In other words, stories! Our favorite sorts of stories have compelling people at the center of them, funny moments, big feelings, surprising plot twists, and interesting ideas. Like little movies for radio."
Credit: Wren McDonald
How We Survive: Investing for the Climate
Sunday, July 13 at 9 p.m. on WXXI News (FM 105.9)
In this station special from Marketplace’s “How We Survive” climate team, we investigate the rise, fall and reincarnation of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) investing. And we look at where Wall Street money is driving solutions, where it’s causing more problems, and we ask if capitalism is even compatible with sustainability.
Selected Shorts: Tangled Lives
Sunday, July 20 at 9 p.m. on WXXI News (FM 105.9)
Host Meg Wolitzer presents three unexpected encounters about those situations and people that pull you in and don’t let go, affecting a character's life in some unusual or enduring way. “Missed Connection—M4W” by Raphael Bob-Waksberg, performed by Richard Kind, takes the idea of “chance encounter” to its limits. “My Years of Living Dangerously” by Danielle Henderson, performed by Karen Pittman, explores the idea of sin and redemption. And, in Melissa Banks’ ruefully comic “Run Run Run Run Run Run Run Away,” performed by Julianna Margulies, one sibling makes a bad choice the other must live with.
Midday Bash by Downtown
Definitely
Parcel 5, rochesterdowntown.com/ midday-bash
Sometimes you can’t wait ‘til Friday to slam the laptop shut. Get out of the office at midday and recalibrate with a lunchtime stroll through the heart of the city at Downtown Definitely’s Midday Bash. Happening on Wednesdays monthly at Parcel 5 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., enjoy food vendors, music, games — and a place where email can’t find you. The event is free to attend. RL
THURSDAY, JULY 10
MUSIC
Party in the Park
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Park, rochesterevents.com/partyinthepark
This concert series continues for the 28th year, and the evening’s lineup features two tribute bands: The Seven Wonders play the music of Fleetwood Mac, while Highways Boys are a Zach Bryan tribute band. General admission tickets start at $10.95. Gates open at 5 p.m. ALEX CRICHTON
FAMILY
Pride Day Celebration
Memorial Art Gallery, mag.rochester.edu
In their continued efforts to create space for inclusion within the art gallery world, the MAG will celebrate Pride with an opportunity for the community to champion love and acceptance. The day features activities for all ages and free admission to the museum; bring a lawn chair and picnic blanket and hang in the Centennial Sculpture Park from 5 p.m. - 9 p.m. RL
FRIDAY, JULY 11
THEATER
“A Midsummer Night’s Dream”
Highland Bowl, rochestercommunityplayers.org
One of Shakespeare’s most beloved comedies comes alive in Highland Park thanks to director Lizz K.d., who has brought in musical contributions from local mainstay Seth Faergolzia and special dance sequences from Elyssia Primus. Free performances run through July 26. All shows are at 8 p.m., including ASLinterpreted performances July 12-13. PH
MUSIC Bands on the Bricks: Latin Night
Rochester Public Market, bandsonthebricksroc.com
The Public Market is a shapeshifting, borderline magical place in the community. Depending on the day, week or time of year, the space transitions from a bustling community market to art gallery exhibition space and, in the case of Bands on Bricks a free weekly concert series. Running every Friday from July 11 – Aug. 15, the series kicks off with Latin Night at 5:30 p.m.; free for all to attend. RL
MUSIC
Summer Busking Series by East & Alex
East End, eastandalex.com
With a fresh team behind neighborhood promotions and a newly reopened Anthology, the East End revives an ever-popular event: busking. Featuring 10 local buskers, the Summer Busking Series will happen along East Avenue, Alexander and Lawrence Streets, turning the area into a vibrant outdoor live music venue. Bring cash to tip the musicians! Free to attend; busking will take place 5-8 p.m. RL
SATURDAY, JULY 12
FESTIVAL
Corn Hill Arts Festival
cornhillartsfestival.com
One of Rochester’s longest standing summer events, the Corn Hill Arts Festival showcases hundreds of artists and musicians, winding through several streets in the iconic neighborhood. Whatever art form is your favorite, you’re likely to find it here, along with food vendors and family-focused activities. The fest continues Sunday, July 13. DENISE YOUNG
MUSIC
Gundecha Brothers
Memorial Art Gallery, dograartfoundation.com/event Dhrupad, billed as “India’s most ancient and profound classical musical tradition,” is on full display at the MAG in this concert courtesy of the internationally touring Gundecha Brothers. The goal is to appreciate the music itself but also to allow the experience to transcend a typical
performance context and become meditative. Show’s at 5 p.m.; ticket info at the link. PH
FAMILY
ROC Con Poder
The International Plaza, cityofrochester.gov
Enjoy live performances by Tito Allen, Mayri, Lia Marquis and Julie at the third annual iteration of this family friendly event celebrating Latin music, culture and community. The day is hosted by Más Poder 97.1 FM, Rochester’s first 24-hour Latin radio station owned by Ibero-American Action League. Swing through from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the International Plaza, 828 N. Clinton Ave.; admission is free to all, but VIP access is available by calling 585-802-1473. LS
SUNDAY, JULY 13
MUSIC
Hozier
CMAC, cmacevents.com
Confession: I hadn’t thought much about Hozier in the dozen years since “Take Me to Church” hit No. 2 on
the Billboard Hot 100. But on social media, Hozierposting has seemingly reached an all-time high. I now know that 1) he’s tall, 2) he’s Irish and 3) he is fiercely beloved for his activism as much as his music. Sounds good to me, but I’m still calling him Andrew. He headlines this 8 p.m. show. Tickets are going fast, because he’s Hozier! PH
FAMILY
Big Bounce America Tour
Grace and Truth Sportspark, thebigbounceamerica.com
The biggest touring inflatable event in the world comes to Hilton’s
Grace and Truth Sportspark for one weekend, July 11-13 — The Big Bounce America 2025 Tour includes seven massive inflatable attractions, including the newly expanded 24,000-square-foot “World’s Largest Bounce House.” The event is separated into age-specific sessions (with options for families to bounce together); tickets start at $22. LS
MONDAY, JULY 14
FILM
Ames Amzalak
Rochester Jewish Film Festival
JCC Hart Theater and Dryden Theatre, jccrochester.org
Now in its 25th year of telling Jewish stories from all over the globe, this local staple runs through July 20, with films every day. Monday’s offerings include two at the JCC Hart Theater (“The Glory of Life” and “The Soul of a Nation”) and two at Dryden Theatre (“UnBroken” and “Mazel Tov”). Screenings run 11 a.m. through 8:30 p.m. Tickets $5-$14. PH
BAGGED MULCH &
Large selection of fine pottery
TUESDAY, JULY 15
FOOD + BEV
Beer Pairing Dinner
Sager-Stoneyard Pub, sagerbeerworks.com
This sudsy take on a pairing dinner joins a blonde ale and an IPA with pan con tomate and patatas bravas, respectively. And that’s only the first two courses (of four). This delectable partnership between Sager-Stoneyard Pub and DeWolf Brewing Company runs 6-8 p.m. Tickets $46.90 per person. PH
WEDNESDAY, JULY 16
MUSIC
La Krema
Ontario Beach Park, ontariobeachentertainment.org
Buffalo’s Jesse Pabon helped launch merengue band La Krema, which also dips into bachata. This so-called “Latin band with an English twist” has been around for more than 20 years, refining its sound. Summer by the beach is just about the perfect time and place to catch them. Free admission for this 7 p.m. show. PH
THURSDAY, JULY 17
FOOD + BEV
Sunset Sips
Austin Steward Plaza, rochesterdowntown.com
Wind down from the work week and gear up for the weekend with this Thursday evening event along the banks of the Genesee River. With a variety of drinks, food from Melt, Neno’s and Sonny’s Landing and live music from Amanda Ashley, there’s something for everyone. 5-7 p.m.; free to attend. MEGAN MACK
FRIDAY, JULY 18
MOVIE
“Wicked”
Parcel 5, rochesterdowntown.com
Grab a bite from a local food truck or some movie concessions and take a seat on the lawn in front of an 18-foot-wide, 10-foot-high LED video wall. Be there by 7 p.m. for pre-movie fun and games and then settle in for the screening, courtesy of Movies with a Downtown View. There’s a limited supply of complimentary blankets, so organizers suggest bringing your own (low) chair. Free. MM
MUSIC
ChamberFest
Canandaigua
Various locations, chamberfestcanandaigua.com
This classical festival, which runs July 18-25, celebrates all things chamber music with virtuosic classical guitarist and native Buffalonian Jason Vieaux and scintillating string trio Time for Three as headliners, bringing their chameleon-like approach to genre. There’s also a July 22 concert paired with a five-course meal at The Lake
House on Canandaigua, an evening of “Rhythm and Rapture: the Brahms Effect” at Finger Lakes Community College (featuring a quartet) on July 23, and a children’s concert on July 24. PH
SATURDAY,
JULY 19
CULTURE
ROC Pride Parade
South Wedge, trilliumhealth.org/ rochester-pride
One of the cornerstones of summer in Rochester kicks off at 11 a.m. at South Avenue and Science Parkway and marches northward, ending at Highland Park. That’s when the party really begins. The fest runs until 6 p.m. with plenty of food and drinks to power your displays of Pride. This year, Assemblymember Harry Bronson will serve as the parade’s Grand Marshal and Reverend Myra Brown will be Honorary Marshal. So, what’s everyone wearing? PH CONTINUED ON PAGE 42
Gentles Farm Market
Selling local fresh fruits and vegetables for over 100 years.
DANCE
“CHOREOMANIA”
The Rose Room, instagram.com/ grassroots_dance
Founder and creative director of Grassroots Dance Exploration Amya Brice has made their work everpresent in the local dance community, from solo shows to collaborations, within the past year. Brice’s work explores thought-provoking stories and entertaining movements; the upcoming “CHOREOMANIA” is based on a 1519 plague in Strasbourg, France (and features CITY’s own dance writer Sydney Burrows). Tickets are $15; the show also plays July 20.
RL
SUNDAY, JULY 20
SHOPPING
Community Garage Sale and Flea Market Mashup
Rochester Public Market, cityofrochester.gov
You know you’ve been looking for that childhood favorite game or book or toy that got lost in one of the many moves that your parents put you through. (No? Just me? OK, then.) In any case, you can never have too much stuff, right? (Still no? Hmph.) Well, maybe you just need a stockpot and don’t want to spend $50 at Target. Go find your new treasure at the market. Open to all ages; free entry. DY
OPERA
1080 Penfield Rd
Monday-Saturday 9am-6pm Sunday 9am-5pm Open May-October
gentlesfarm.com
“The Anonymous Lover”
Robert F. Panara Theatre at RIT, fingerlakesopera.org
Composer Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges, has often been
labeled the “Black Mozart.” But does that distinction do him justice? This work, which the local opera company calls a “frothy love story,” dates to 1780 and was revived about a decade ago. FLO’s production is its first with Stephanie Havey at the helm in the new role of artistic director. Tenor and Eastman School of Music alum Jonathan Pierce Rhodes leads the 2 p.m. show. $30-$68. PH
MONDAY, JULY 21
MUSIC
The Cold Stares
Fanatics Pub, fanaticspub.com
Lima’s premier destination for live music brings the bluesy, soulful tunes of The Cold Stares to town for this 7 p.m. show. The three-piece, Indiana’s answer to The Black Keys, just released its latest disc, called “The Southern Part 2,” and it’s ready to let those chunky riffs, Stetson hats and pearl-snap shackets resound throughout the watering hole. $22, and $27 for VIP. PH
TUESDAY, JULY 22
MUSIC
RPO’s “Around the Town”
Maplewood Rose Garden Pavilion, cityofrochester.gov
The Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra comes to you! This special RPO ensemble concert series is back for the summer. Enjoy beautiful music in (hopefully) beautiful weather. 6:30 p.m. Free and open to all ages. MM
WEDNESDAY, JULY 23
MUSIC
The Swell Season
Kodak Center, kodakcenter.com
Nearly 20 years ago, the musical romance film “Once” blew in on a jasmine wind and charmed both critics and the Academy, thanks especially to its signature song, “Falling Slowly.” The stars, Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová, also performed in a band called The Swell Season. In 2022, they revived the project; this summer sees the release of the group’s latest album (and first since 2009). Fittingly, it’s called “Forward.” They’ll sing selections from it at this 8 p.m. show. $63-$179. PH
MUSIC
The Decemberists
Point of the Bluff Vineyards, concertsatpob.com
For more than 20 years, The Decemberists have held a distinctive brand of hyperliterate folklore-rock that combines sardonic wit with historical(ish) events — makes sense for a band whose first gig together was scoring a silent film. They’ll bring their whimsical tunes “Down by the Water,” as it were, to Point of the Bluff Vineyards for a rare local performance. Gates at 5:30 p.m., music at 7:30 p.m.; tickets are $68 plus fees. LS
THURSDAY, JULY 24
MUSIC
Mambo Kings
Hochstein at High Falls, hochstein.org
Since 1995, this local outfit has enjoyed spreading the gospel of Latin, Afro-Cuban and rhythmic jazz music far and wide. This free noontime show finds the group in a scenic spot, a stone’s throw away from the rush of High Falls. Music begins promptly at 12:10 p.m. Don’t be late! PH
OPERA
“Falstaff”
Smith Opera House, genevalightopera.com
Under artistic and general director Gena Rangel, Geneva Light Opera presents Verdi’s final masterpiece for three performances through July 27. Unlike “Rigoletto,” which Finger Lakes Opera stages in August, “Falstaff” was penned by Verdi at age 80, eight years before his death. The result is a beloved comic work, far from thoughts of impending mortality. Tickets $20-$150. PH
ART
“LOCALS! ” Experimental Variety Show
Visual Studies Workshop, vsw.org
The abundance of talented artists in this city is one not to be taken for granted. Instead, this talent should be celebrated and displayed in collaboration as a community. That’s the goal of the inaugural “LOCALS!” Experimental Variety Show, which will highlight multiple mediums of work by local artists, from short films and musical performances to writing and spoken word. It all happens from 7-9 p.m. at the workshop’s new location, 36 King Street. RL
FRIDAY, JULY 25
ART
“William Gropper: Truth, Beauty, Justice, Humor”
Memorial Art Gallery, mag.rochester.edu
Painter William Gropper found visual resonance in the rhythm of laborers and hideousness in the closed chambers of politics. As a political cartoonist, he knew the value of caricature, though his works retain an air of beauty — even while veering into the grotesquely exaggerated. His unique lens centers this exhibition, which runs through January 2026. Regular MAG hours. PH
MUSIC
Finger Lakes Chamber
Music Festival
Hunt Country Vineyards, fingerlakes-music.org
Shostakovich’s “String Quartet No. 8” and Smetana’s “String Quartet in E Minor” are both on the program at this 6:30 p.m. concert in Branchport under the direction of artistic director Richard Auldon Clark. Free, but donations are appreciated. PH
CONTINUED ON PAGE 44
SATURDAY, JULY 26
CULTURE
Indigenous Music & Arts Festival
Ganondagan, ganondagan.org/events
This fest is always a hit, but 2025 brings a true showstopping headliner: Gary Farmer, the popular First Nations actor known for his remarkable work on FX’s “Reservation Dogs” and in Jim Jarmusch’s “Dead Man” opposite Johnny Depp. He’ll join Derek Miller for a blues-rock performance on the main stage, also featuring the local Indigenous Spirit Dancers. The free fest runs 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. PH
FESTIVAL
Spencerport Canal Days
Downtown Spencerport, spencerportcanaldays.com
Perhaps there’s no better source of local historical pride that also makes for a prime festival venue than the Erie Canal. Spencerport hosts its 43rd Canal Days this year, and as always,
you can meet with arts and crafts vendors, grab some grub, sample some wine and enjoy live music. Past years have brought classic car shows and chances to win prizes in the Canaligator Race. Free admission; runs through July 27. PH
SUNDAY, JULY 27
ART
Canandaigua Lakefront Art Show
Kershaw Park, lakefrontartshow.com
This regular fête on the shore of Canandaigua Lake provides a
challenge. Can the art showcased by local vendors and artisans be as breathtaking as the natural beauty of its backdrop? There’s only one way to find out. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days. Free entry and free parking. PH
FESTIVAL
Waterfront Art Festival
Charles E. Sexton Memorial Park, waterfrontartfestival.com Webster once again hosts this party, now in its 52nd year, for two days (July 26-27). As its name suggests, the setting is the stuff of an idyllic summer, and the event itself features hundreds of visual artists as well as a full lineup of live music — plus beer, wine and cider. The fest goes from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday. $5 admission; kids 12 and under get in free. PH
MONDAY, JULY 28
RECREATION
Strangebird Run Club
Strangebird, strangebirdbeer.com/events
Join the Strangebird crew every Monday for a Rochester neighborhood run, led by the brew pub’s resident marathon runner Zach. After the night’s run (which commences at 6 p.m. weekly), stay for community hangs, a house-brewed pint and some carb re-loading from the Strangebird kitchen. All are welcome. LS
TUESDAY, JULY 29
FILM
“Pavements”
Dryden Theatre, eastman.org
Dubbed the “greatest, indie-est band ever” by GQ, Pavement has become the quintessential ‘90s alt touchstone: influential but slippery, hard to define even as their aesthetic seems
inescapable. How to sum up such phantoms? Alex Ross Perry aims to make a documentary as evasive as the group itself, spanning reality (reunion tours in 2010 and 2022) and fictional (a biopic starring Joe Keery from “Stranger Things”). The result is the multiverse-exploring “Pavements,” screening at 7:30 p.m. And they’re coming to the chorus now... PH
WEDNESDAY, JULY 30
CARS
Wednesday Night Cruise
I-Square, facebook.com/ rochestermopars
Cars and rock and roll have long gone hand in hand. (Bruce Springsteen’s contributions have been singular in this field.) This Wednesday night ride of classic cars in Irondequoit turns up the volume, with music provided by the nearby House of Guitars. One free ice cream per car. See who’s got triples of the Barracuda and the Road Runner. 5-8 p.m., weather permitting. PH
THURSDAY, JULY 31
MUSIC
Jeffrey Lewis
Bug Jar, bugjar.com
Folk singer and comic artist Jeffrey Lewis summed up his own impact in a 2011 song: “A cult boyfriend’s like a record in a bargain bin / No one knows its worth ‘til a collector comes in.” He was speaking romantically, but the same applies to his musical identity, akin to big heroes like Daniel Johnston and his Lower East Side anti-folk contemporaries like Kimya Dawson. He’s a treasure, if you know where to find him. One place is the Bug Jar stage for this 18+, 9 p.m. show with local support from Pluck’s
Brock Saltsman. Tickets start at $17.70. PH
CULTURE
Puerto Rican Festival
Parcel 5, pr-festival.com
To celebrate its 55th anniversary, this high-energy festival — one of the longest-running ethnic festivals in the region — will once again take place at Parcel 5. The commemoration of Puerto Rican culture features, in the words of organizers, “three days of live music, delicious food, cultural events, celebrity guests and much more.” Headliners include Jose Alberto, Hector Acosta, Alexis y Fido and more. Tickets begin at $10. Through August 2. PH
FRIDAY, AUGUST 1
ART
St. Stanislaus Polish Arts Festival
St. Stanislaus Kostka Church, polishartsfest.org
This parish festival features Polish food staples like potato pancakes and
specialty beers, live music, raffles and outdoor activities, including “pisanki,” or traditional egg decorating. The festival goes Friday from 4 to 9 p.m. and Saturday 3 to 9 p.m. St. Stanislaus Kostka Church, 1150 Hudson Ave. PH
SATURDAY, AUGUST 2
MUSIC
The Killers
CMAC, cmacevents.com
A wise man once sang, “I got soul but I’m not a soldier.” In the intervening decades since that 2004 refrain, Brandon Flowers’ band of Las Vegas synthy, rootsy, arena-pop talents have become an American institution. This tour finds them at ease in the pastoral vibes of Canandaigua, powering through a catalog of pretty much all bangers. 8 p.m. show. PH
float
HEMLOCK CANOE KEEPS AN EVEN KEEL FOR HALF A CENTURY
WORDS AND PHOTOS
BY ROBERTO FELIPE LAGARES BERTO@ROCHESTER-CITYNEWS.COM
Escaping cold gray skies and soaking in the beaming rays of summer sunshine is borderline essential to human beings, especially when it can be done lakeside. The oft-overlooked Hemlock and Canadice Lakes of the Finger Lakes region offer a unique experience that the other lakes cannot: still waters and natural shorelines, thanks to their New York State-protected status. But while swimming is prohibited, other recreational activities — like canoeing — are fair game.
Sandwiched between Hemlock and Canadice Lakes is Hemlock Canoe, a company focused on crafting handmade canoes for over 50 years. The business, which has been under the new ownership of Matt and Samantha Cassavaugh since 2024, takes pride in the expertise and consideration that goes into each watercraft coming out of the shop.
“We’re shooting to get people in a boat that they feel comfortable in, that does what they want it to do and that they get to have forever,” said Matt Cassavaugh.
PHOTO ESSAY
Cassavaugh grew an interest in the boatmaking process as a hobbyist canoe paddler and met former Hemlock Canoe owner Dave Curtis through the paddling community. Curtis — who founded Hemlock Canoe in 1974 — was ready to pass on the torch, and Cassavaugh took over the business last year. Turning a hobby into a career is nothing new for Cassavaugh, who is also the head winemaker at Mendon winery 20 Deep, which he cofounded with David Gascon in 2018.
The canoe-building process all begins with a drawing. The designs (some of which are decades old) are then turned into wooden models to be tested in a body of water. When a final model is successfully achieved, that wooden boat is used to make a mold which is then used to create the final consumer product.
Each canoe model is tailored to a customer’s needs, taking into consideration the physical build of the paddler, style of paddling taking place and water type.
“If you’re trying to cruise across a nice flat lake, you want a different boat than if you’re trying to go down a gnarly, twisty-turny river,” said Cassavaugh.
The body of each canoe typically consists of materials like Kevlar and carbon fiber. These fabrics are chosen for their characteristic strengths, like the puncture resistance of Kevlar or the strengthto-weight ratio of carbon fiber.
“We use materials like Innegra (a high-performance polypropylene fiber) for abrasion resistance,” said Cassavaugh. “If you were to paddle into the shoreline and land on a sandy beach, the sand doesn’t act like sandpaper and wear out your boat.”
The fabrics are cut, layered into a mold and mixed with a resin composite. Once they’re placed, the craftsperson only has one to two hours to make adjustments before the material hardens.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 50
Woodworking is the final part of the process before a canoe is considered finished and ready to take on the water. On average, a canoe (using an existing mold) can be completed in a week’s time. That timeline is a testament to the talent and expertise of the craftsperson like Jeff Wenzel, who has been doing the woodwork at Hemlock Canoe for over seven years.
“These boats deserve all of your attention and care for detail when you’re working on them,” said Wenzel.
The world of paddling — like many hobbies — can be “as simple or complex as you want it to be,” said Cassavaugh.
Hemlock Canoe is an active contributor to the paddling community through events like “Night on the Lake” every Tuesday on Canadice Lake. The gathering welcomes everyone and includes a chance to try out canoe offerings.
“People that have bought canoes from us in the past — or even people that own other canoes by other brands — are just looking for somebody to hang out and paddle with,” said Cassavaugh. “There’s a lot of people out there looking for their community.”
Moving forward, Hemlock Canoe will continue to incorporate new materials and designs to build on their 50-year legacy of handcrafted boats.
“It’s really cool to build something that somebody’s gonna paddle for 30 years, take their kid out on and then their kid’s gonna be able to inherit that boat,” said Cassavaugh. “And all along the way, we get to paddle with those people.” hemlockcanoe.com
rewindHitting
BY JON HEATH
Ten years ago, in the back of a 15-passenger van, Ithaca-based band X Ambassadors recorded their debut album, “VHS.” Those listening closely might catch the rattle of the wheels on asphalt or the hum of the engine beneath frontman Sam Harris’s falsetto.
Harris remembers the process as a mad dash, fueled by the sudden success of their breakout single “Renegades” in March 2015, which took off after landing in a Jeep commercial. But the band’s rise wasn’t exactly overnight. Before “VHS,” they had released several EPs and offered up tracks like “Jungle” and “Unsteady” to the radio gods — though none initially stuck. Fans were connecting with the songs at shows, but the band still hadn’t proven it could be a hit.
“The radio department didn’t hear hits,” Harris said. “So, they decided not to go to radio with anything. At the start of 2015, we essentially thought that we might be dropped. Or maybe never put a record out. And then, ‘Renegades’ happened.”
Released three months later, “VHS” went platinum in the United States and propelled the band to international tours and stadium stages. “Unsteady” was
X Ambassadors bring 10-year “VHS” tour home to Ithaca.
MUSIC
Lead vocalist Sam Harris, keyboardist Casey Harris and drummer Adam Levin.
PHOTO PROVIDED
nominated for Top Rock Song at the 2017 Billboard Music Awards, while “Jungle” was remixed by Jay-Z.
What do the radio gods know, anyway?
To mark the 10th anniversary, the band — Harris, keyboardist Casey Harris and drummer Adam Levin — has reimagined and rerecorded the album. They’re hitting the road for a North American tour that will bring them home to the State Theatre of Ithaca for back-toback shows on Sept. 19 and 20.
When the band’s manager pointed out the milestone, Harris’s reaction wasn’t typical.
“Oh, great,” he said, “I don’t like anniversaries, they always freak me out.”
For a band that’s kept moving forward, looking back can be disorienting — even though, as Harris puts it, it’s part of the job.
“I have to constantly engage with my younger self every night on stage,” he said. “The music that we made back then was great, but I also want people to look at what we’re doing now and who we are now. It’s hard to live between those two worlds.”
That sense of time passing isn’t lost on Harris, who turns 37 in September.
“The older I get, the more fascinated I am with time. It feels like it all happened in the blink of an eye, and yet I’ve lived 10 lifetimes,” he said.
Those lifetimes have taken the band from their roots in Ithaca — just a few artsy kids writing big, heart-on-sleeve songs — to sold-out arenas and collaborations with Imagine Dragons, K.Flay, Machine Gun Kelly and others. And while the band now calls Los Angeles home, upstate New York still anchors their identity. When Harris moved west, his first act was to tattoo Cayuga Lake on
his forearm, a visible reminder of where he comes from.
“I think that it’s important to stay humble,” Harris said. “It’s important to me to always come at the world with a beginner’s mindset, and this is where I began, in the Finger Lakes. That’s my origin story.”
Ithaca is the band’s unabashed hometown, but Harris still considers himself a little bit of a Rochesterian — or, at least, Rochester-adjacent. His grandfather worked at Kodak, his mother grew up in the city and he still has cousins there. (Rochester isn’t a stop on this tour, but the band did play The Armory during the original “VHS” tour a decade ago.)
“Townie,” the band’s fourth album, was a departure from
the electronic sound of their previous two records. Harris brought new emotional depth to his songwriting, inspired by the death of his high school music teacher, Todd Peterson. The songs explore childhood, memories, and the friends they’ve lost along the way.
Sold-out shows at the State theater in 2024 reminded Harris that the bond between the band and their hometown runs both ways. The 1,600-seat venue feels like a second home. Not many bands of their caliber make a stop between Toronto and New York City — but X Ambassadors do, without fail.
It was during that tour that Harris felt the enduring pull of “VHS,” too.
“While we were touring
‘Townie,’ I can’t tell you how many people came up to me and were like, ‘I just gotta say, “VHS” saved my life, or saved my marriage, or gave me the idea to start my own band,’ or whatever,” he said. “These powerful stories that we would be told in passing, resonated so deeply with me.”
It’s a full-circle moment — proof that the songs born in the back of a van a decade ago left their mark not just on charts, but on lives. Now, as the band prepares to bring “VHS” home again, it feels less like an anniversary and more like a reunion — with the songs, the fans and the selves they used to be.
xambassadors.com
Sounds of summer
BY PATRICK HOSKEN PATRICK@ROCHESTER-CITYNEWS.COM
Jazmine Saunders still remembers her first role with Finger Lakes Opera. In 2021, the soprano appeared as a supernumerary — opera lingo for “extra” — in the local production of Rossini’s “The Barber of Seville.”
It didn’t matter that she neither sang nor spoke in the show. Being around professional artists preparing for and performing an operatic classic was thrilling.
“At the time, I was just dying to be in an opera production,” Saunders said. “More than anything, I wanted to see artists sing this work. I wanted to see the rehearsal process. I wanted to see the production process.”
It was, as the saying goes, the beginning of a beautiful friendship.
In the four years since Saunders’s first collaboration with her hometown opera company, she graduated from both the Eastman School of Music and The Juilliard School. And just weeks ago, in May, Saunders made her debut with the Metropolitan Opera at age 25, appearing as Barbarina in “The Marriage of Figaro.”
But this summer, she’s back home performing once again with FLO. In August, Saunders takes the stage as Gilda in Verdi’s tragedy “Rigoletto,” singing an aria that has become her trademark for auditions.
“In singing [‘Caro nome che il mio cor’] and in immersing myself with the story behind it, I became so deeply connected with the character,” Saunders said. “This young woman who is raised by a single parent and is living this sheltered life [but] sees joy and light in her situation. I
Finger Lakes Opera welcomes an elevated creative team and the return of a hometown soprano.
like to think of her as a light in the darkness of the story.”
FLO’s summer programming officially kicked off with a Juneteenth celebration at Mt. Olivet Baptist Church featuring Saunders and others; it continues with a production of French composer Joseph Bologne’s little-known “The Anonymous Lover” on July 20, featuring Eastman alum Jonathan Pierce Rhodes.
“Rigoletto,” meanwhile, finds Saunders paired with Eastman voice professor Joshua Conyers, who appeared in FLO’s premiere of new opera “Two Corners” in 2024.
This year’s productions arrive after promotions within the company, including a new artistic director and a new head of music. Elizabeth Long, FLO’s executive director, believes the appointments will help FLO’s thrive in its mission of community engagement — hence the events like Juneteenth.
“When I say it is more important than the performances in the hall, I mean that in a sense of balance,” she said. “I believe community engagement is as important as the performances we offer.”
It’s also FLO’s first season on its new stage: the Robert F. Panara Theatre at Rochester Institute of Technology, following previous productions at Monroe Community College and in Canandaigua.
Founder Gerard Floriano initially started up the company in 2012 at SUNY Geneseo and helped grow it into a home for emerging talent. He stepped away after the 2024 season.
Long says there would be no FLO without Floriano. So, the company has opted not to replace him, but
to elevate Stephanie Havey, who has several years of experience stage directing FLO’s productions and leading its Young Artist Program. She will now sit at the helm as artistic director.
Havey said artist development remains a key motivator for her work.
“That’s really a joy of mine. That’s what attracted me to working with our young artist program in the first place,” she said. “That’s something that Finger Lakes Opera has always been really good at, is finding new talent and helping to foster that talent. That’s something we’re trying to expand.”
Case in point: Saunders, whom Havey was “charmed” by even in her small “Barber of Seville” role.
“I’ve been following her career all the way to the top,” Havey said. “We had the perfect role for her this season, and we thought, what a great opportunity to bring her back home.”
Havey works in tandem with Brock Tjosvold, one of FLO’s past young artists who has risen to its head of music. Tjosvold, an Eastman vocalcoaching professor, said while Havey focuses on costumes, wigs, lighting, staging and big-picture elements of the productions, he can manage schedules to ensure pianists and vocalists thrive at FLO’s community events.
And, of course, he finalizes what ends up being heard on stage — and how it sounds. Part of the gig is making decisions about, for example, Bologne’s 18th-century French opera that hasn’t been performed frequently in the intervening centuries.
“In opera and classical music, there’s this expectation that we have to bring it to life, and I think sometimes we can lose that with these works that have lived on through tradition for hundreds of years,” he said. “[Interpreting the work] benefits our art form as a whole because it reminds us that performers always have to be the ones that bring it to life.”
Notably, those performers include the dozen in this year’s Young Artist Program, half of whom have a local connection.
Perhaps the most potent homecoming, though, is that of Saunders, who first educated herself by watching full operas on YouTube, “Rigoletto” included. To inhabit Gilda in front of her friends and family feels like manifesting a dream.
“It quickly became a goal of mine to sing this role in its entirety,” Saunders said. “Now that I’m able to do that and to do it in my hometown, it means a lot to me.”
fingerlakesopera.org
Soprano Jazmine Saunders made her Finger Lakes Opera debut in 2021’s “The Barber of Seville,” which was also new artistic director Stephanie Havey’s directorial debut.
Clockwise from left: Tenor Jonathan Pierce Rhodes and baritone Joshua Conyers; artistic director Stephanie Havey and head of music Brock Tjosvold.
PHOTOS PROVIDED
Beauty in the ordinary
BY SEAN O'HARE
Poet Marie Howe has always been attentive to the way moments of astonishing significance overtake daily life, so it’s fitting she was at home cleaning when she found out she’d won the 2025 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry. Indeed, the award announcement states how her writing “mines day-to-day modern experiences for evidence of our shared loneliness, mortality and holiness.”
Life imitating art, as Oscar Wilde would have it.
Howe, born and raised in Rochester, currently teaches at Sarah Lawrence College and was poet laureate of New York from 2012-16. She has received fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Guggenheim Foundation, and the Academy of American Poets and was awarded the Pulitzer for her “New and Selected Poems” (2024), which places new work alongside poems drawn from four previous collections: “The Good Thief” (1988), “What the Living Do” (1998), “The Kingdom of Ordinary Time” (2008) and “Magdalene” (2017).
For Howe, writing is at once private and collaborative.
“My community of writers is essential,” she said, adding how she would share new work on late-night calls with a fellow poet friend, and he would ask Howe in turn, “Can you listen to this?”
Language, poetry, links people in this way — it clears a space for profound vulnerability,
A Q&A with 2025 Pulitzer Prize winner — and Rochester native — Marie Howe.
ordinary
to communicate something of oneself, to regard the experiences of others. This simple, potent idea is at the core of Howe’s new book, and the topic of a recent chat between the poet and CITY.
CITY: Can you share more about the moment you found out you won a Pulitzer?
MH: Well, I was cleaning out the one closet in our apartment. My daughter and I live in a tiny, tiny apartment in Greenwich Village. I’ve actually been struggling because I have not been able to write very much lately. And the phone rang, it was my friend Michael Klein, who’s a wonderful poet and an old, old friend. He said, “Dolly, you won the Pulitzer Prize!” And I said, “Michael, stop. I did not. It’s not even funny.” And he said, “You did! you did!” It went on like that for about five more minutes. And I said, “It’s impossible.”
I slowly began to believe him, but it really did take me a while. Then everybody started calling and the news began to spread. So there’s a lot of excitement and joy and people calling and writing and texting; the poetry community is very connected. Really, it was exhilarating and truly overwhelming.
CITY: Has it set in yet?
MH: I don’t know. I mean, it’s extraordinary. I feel extraordinarily grateful for the affirmation because my book that’s awarded is 40 years of work. I also know that most writers, all of us, work quietly at home. And then you put out a book and, unlike theater or music, there’s a strange kind of silence that can happen. So I’m very, very gratified.
I also know that right now as we’re speaking there are people writing extraordinary books and extraordinary poems. And in many ways, there is no competition between artists at all. We’re all brothers and sisters in a community and we’re all cheering each other on. So a prize is wonderful
and overwhelming and counterintuitive.
CITY: As you were going through older work and shaping it into a new artifact, what were the guiding ideas or images?
MH: There wasn’t one! (Laughs.) I mean, it was agony! I found it very, very difficult. The thing about writing for me is you have this wood that’s your life, and you burn it in order to transform it into a poem. And so it’s your life, it’s your imagination, it’s your memory, it’s made up, it’s real — language, silence, music, all of it combines.
So it takes me a long time to write a book, like 10 years for each. I’ve looked at it so hard, I’ve made the book as tight as possible. So after a few years I don’t go back and read these poems. And it was really quite an experience to do so. My friends helped me a lot. It’s the kind of thing I think one really can’t (I couldn’t) do alone. It’s too difficult emotionally. So I just collected what I could. There were some poems I knew I didn’t want to include, and then I had new ones. So once my friends began to help, it became a lot easier.
CITY: You’ve been teaching poetry for a while now. What has that process taught you in turn about your own craft?
MH: Well, teaching poetry to other people means sharing published poems with other people, poems that are already published in books by other poets. And doing close reading of those poems, like, “How did she do that?” Then looking closely at what the poet chose to do. You see how a poem has perhaps lasted hundreds of years (some of these poems, thousands) — because they’re so well made.
So when I share those with young writers or graduate students, I get to be learning with them all the time. That is the great thing about that kind of work, because it’s soul work, it’s psychological work, and it’s also craft work.
CITY: In the first poem of the new collection, “Prologue,” the final line is: “And I did not know the way.” How do you think about the role of uncertainty, risk or even discovery in your writing, and what poetry can be doing right now at this particular moment in society?
MH: Well, those three words are the key words for me: uncertainty, risk, discovery. Because if you write what you already know, that’s not a poem. The poem has something to tell us, to tell me the writer – I don’t think I have anything to say. The great experience of having a poem happen is a kind of radical receptivity to something that is using your stuff, but for its own aim. I mean, that’s what Frost said: “No discovery for the writer, no discovery for the reader.” To be able to rest in uncertainty is crucial for art. And it’s crucial for human life. Because otherwise, we have opinions; and I don’t know how useful opinions are right now. I think moral decisions, yes; insights, yes. But I think art goes deeper than all that. I mean, all art does — painting, music, sculpture, dance — all of it tries to hold something that is essentially unsayable. mariehowe.com
Gateway to the Finger Lakes
BY LEAH STACY LEAH@ROCHESTER-CITYNEWS.COM
When Alyssa Belasco stepped into the role of executive director at New York Kitchen in 2020, it was a time of uncertainty. The COVID-19 pandemic was ongoing, making tourism almost non-existent, and New York Kitchen had recently undergone a rebrand and reorganization.
Belasco doesn’t have traditional hospitality training or experience, she spent most of her career working in marketing and communications for nonprofits — and her personal life has been spent championing food and beverage in Rochester and the Finger Lakes.
“Before I worked here, my husband and I would come for the experiences. That was a lot of what we gifted each other, and it became a favorite place for special occasions,” said Belasco. “So it was kind of a full circle moment when I got the job opportunity.”
Now, the North Winton resident commutes to Canandaigua almost daily, as does most of her Rochester-based staff. Originally opened in 2006 as the New York Wine and Culinary Center, New York Kitchen is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization
As it nears two decades, New York Kitchen continues to lead with local.
The Junior Chef Initiative enrolled 540 underserved students in 2024.
PHOTO PROVIDED
with an almost completely female staff led by Belasco — the board includes the executive director of the Sands Family Foundation, top staffers at Constellation Brands and Rochester Institute of Technology and the president of Finger Lakes Community College.
Positioned next to The Lake House on the shores of Canandaigua Lake, the building has the feel of a weekend getaway-meets-upscale school with its hands-on teaching kitchen and tiered-seating wine spectator theater. The bright tasting room features all New York State products, and each of the 11 Finger Lakes is represented, from wine and cheese to beer and gifts. The onsite restaurant and tasting room are open Wednesday through Sundays for visitors, and there’s a robust events calendar filled with wine and cooking classes, pairing dinners and professional certification courses.
The proximity to both Rochester — roughly a 30-minute drive — and the other Finger Lakes is ideal, in Belasco’s opinion, given the nearby Lake House and other
hotels, lakefront recreation options like Canandaigua Sailboard and the Constellation Brands-Marvin Sands Performing Arts Center (CMAC).
“You can make a weekend of it — Canandaigua is a perfect launchpad for your Finger Lakes journey,” she said. “We hope to be the place people start if they want to dip a toe into exploring Finger Lakes wines, learning more about how to taste wine or, on the culinary side, be introduced to new farms and producers in the area.”
Stefan Fleming, director of craft beverage industry development for NYS Empire State Development, said New York Kitchen is an amazing partner.
“(They are) introducing countless residents and visitors to local cuisine and craft beverage pairings that support New York businesses,” he said. “Their classes are equally engaging; nothing reinforces the prominence and quality of our world-class beverages like a side-byside, blind comparison against other renowned regions. It’s a fun, engaging and sometimes very surprising
experience for novices and experts alike.”
Since Belasco took the helm in 2020, educational programming has become an even greater focus for New York Kitchen. One of Belasco’s earliest hires was awardwinning wine writer (and occasional CITY contributor) Maiah Johnson
Dunn, who is the first-ever beverage education manager at New York Kitchen. In addition to curating a roster of 11 part-time teachers, Johnson Dunn is also building and teaching classes like “Wine for Normies” (her current favorite) and
CONTINUED
Maiah Johnson Dunn, beverage education manager at New York Kitchen. PHOTO PROVIDED
“Exploring Black Wines.”
“Wine was my pandemic pivot,” said Johnson Dunn, who relocated here from Boston, where she worked in corporate events. “So I’m thankful (Alyssa) took a chance on me. She has given me a lot of free reign to experiment with classes. We need
to make it accessible for people, that’s what wine, in particular, really needs.”
Johnson Dunn also credited Belasco for building a healthy culture at New York Kitchen.
“(Alyssa) has done a lot to make sure that our team is having fun — if
we’re not happy, that comes through in the customer experience,” said Johnson Dunn. “She has done a great job making sure we really love what we do and who we do it with, and for that I’m super thankful because you don’t find that at all companies.”
Director of food & beverage education programs Lora Downie spent almost a decade at Foodlink before coming to New York Kitchen, to which Belasco credits Downie’s deep understanding of community culinary education. Tasting room manager Chris Schmitt was previously tasting room manager at Heron Hill Winery on Keuka Lake, and would come into New York Kitchen to taste on his days off.
“When you think about who you want around the table, you want diversity,” said Belasco. “You don’t want people who look and think and sound like you, and the team here truly brings that.”
One of New York Kitchen’s most impactful programs is the Junior Chef Initiative, which connects students ages 12-18 from Monroe,
Ontario, Yates and Wayne Counties to food and their communities through hands-on experiences.
“These are historically underserved youth, some of whom have never left the city or town where they grew up,” Belasco said. “We bring them here and they work in our garden and in the kitchen — they do things we take for granted, like visit a lake, and they say, ‘when can we come back and do it again?’”
Last year, the Junior Chef Initiative enrolled 540 students, and recent fundraising efforts made it possible to fund the program yearround, due to student demand.
“With all of these programs, we’re really just trying to communicate that the food and beverage industry needs us,” said Belasco, “and we need it, more than ever.”
New York Kitchen’s annual Garden Party fundraiser will take place on Tuesday, August 12. For a full list of experiences, visit their website. nykitchen.com
New York Kitchen executive director Alyssa Belasco. PHOTO PROVIDED
The Dish
WHET YOUR PALATE
Max of Eastman Place on Gibbs Street has rebranded to Max Bar & Bistro — complete with an expanded bar, a dining room makeover and extended hours to include lunch Tuesday through Friday (a little bird also said the bar will be open late after Rcohester Philharmonic Orchestra shows). The change comes just before Max
FOOD AND BEV NEWS, GOSSIP, AND GATHERINGS CURATED BY LEAH STACY
Previously just a mobile coffee cart, Mercury Coffee has opened its brick and mortar tonight at 681 South Avenue (replacing Coffee Connection), and is open every day but Monday. Pro tip: there’s a nice big patio.
FOR THE LOCAVORES
Guglielmo Sauce and Rochester
Cocktail Revival joined forces to create Sauce’d, a ‘just-add-vodka’ rosa sauce that suggests cocktail pasta pairings rather than wine. Grab a jar at Parkleigh on Goodman Street, Wildflour on Winton Road, Red Bird Market in Fairport and Twelve Corners Apothecary in Brighton.
And not a local product, per se, but Joe Bean Roasters has transitioned all retail coffee bag packaging to fully recyclable materials. In keeping with their B Corp certification, this sustainable initiative aims to reduce waste and foster a circular economy within the coffee industry. The company has also launched a Recyclable Bag Program, providing customers with a convenient way to ensure proper disposal of used bags.
FOOD FÊTES
Radio Social will host a Divas of Drag Brunch on Sunday, July 20 during Pride Weekend; tickets include a brunch buffet, performances and meet-and-greet, with drinks a la carte. The monthly Food Truck Rodeo will take place 5 to 9 p.m. on Wed., July 30 at the Public Market, featuring live music from Cool Club & the Lipker Sisters. If weeknights don’t work, there’s also Food Truck Fridays in Washington Square, which runs 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. weekly through August 22 (with the exception of July 4) and features a rotating lineup of 11 food trucks, lawn games and live music curated by Local Sound Collaborative.
BY S.J. AUSTIN & J. REYNOLDS
Dr. Evil’s “Austin Powers” sidekick
MMA league
Currency name that translates to “weight”
bark 71. *** Word to describe a toddler, or a serving of blueberries
73. Playground plank 77. Upcycled, maybe
Nickname that removes -jah
Earthy prefix
Suffix with ranch 82. TLC or Nirvana, e.g.
Narc’s org. 86. Bother continually
More recent 90. *** Wedding role often filled by a child
93. *** Childhood promise sealed with a hook 95. Altar promise
Actor/director Howard
Barbecue specialty
1950s prez
100. One way to sit by 101. Mr. Miyagi, to Daniel-san 103. Sad Keanu or Grumpy Cat 104. Robbed
106. Mediterranean island country between Sicily and Libya
108. Longest continental mountain range in the world
110. Eastern multi-tiered temple 114. Take responsibility
117. Portuguese instrument popularized in Hawaiian music
119. Titular girl’s name in a Steely Dan hit
120. Titular boy’s name in a Johnny Cash hit
121. *** What’s left after removing a hanger
123. Scenic New York region - and what each starred entry points to 126. French filmdom
127. Turns down, as lights
128. Ill-fitting
129. Muse of lyric poetry
130. List on an airport screen
131. Abbr. below 0 on some phones 132. Actress Thompson of “Selma” 133. Barber’s razor sharpener
1. Set one’s sights
2. Frequent-_____ miles
3. Soup serving utensil 4. As well as 5. “Stay in touch!”
6. Array on a Thanksgiving dessert table
7. SNL alum Gasteyer
8. Campus tuition overseer
9. Collectible print, in brief
10. Shakespearean play that popularized the euphemism “making the beast with two backs”
