Held annually at Hotel Syracuse in the heart of the city, the Syracuse International Film Festival (syrfilmfest.com) brings together a collection of local, national and international filmmakers for a five-day celebration of their craft. The festival, which began in 2004 and is operated by the Syracuse Film Board, runs in mid-October and features anywhere from 70 to 90 films annually. Moviegoers have 10 different sites to choose from. The festival also features celebrity autograph sessions, question-and-answer periods with filmmakers and a screenwriting workshop.
A part of the community since 1994, the Syracuse Crunch (syracusecrunch.com) is the top minor-league franchise of the National Hockey League's Anaheim Ducks. The Crunch play in the American Hockey League, with the regular season running annually from October to April. The Crunch play their home games at the Oncenter War Memorial Arena, as they have since their inception. The team plays 40 home games per season, with most of those games held on Fridays and Saturdays. Tickets can be purchased at the arena box office or on the team's official website.
The Syracuse Opera (syracuseopera.com) is the only year-round professional company of its kind operating in upstate New York. The company began operations in 1974 with a four-production lineup that included Cinderella. The Syracuse Opera traditionally houses three different productions per year. Patrons may purchase single-show tickets or subscription packages, which allow them to watch all three operas in a given year. These packages range from $45 to $420. The company also accepts donations, with donors offered a number of benefits, which include invitations to special events throughout the year and an opportunity to see a dress or staging rehearsal.
The Syracuse University men's and women's basketball teams (suathletics.syr.edu), compete as part of the National Collegiate Athletic Association. Both teams play out of the Carrier Dome, with both seasons running simultaneously from November to March. Most of the home games for both teams take place on Saturdays. The Carrier Dome will also occasionally host NCAA tournament games, which are held at the end of each conference's season. These games are part of a 64-team single-elimination tournament, and are usually held in mid-March. Tickets for all basketball games can be purchased either online or at the Carrier Dome box office.
