The Rhiner Festival takes place in September on Ithaca's West End Waterfront, known historically as "the Rhine." The one-day festival commemorates the sordid history of the Rhine, and the festival theme varies from year to year. Festival highlights include a whodunit mystery, where you have to solve the murder with a cast dressed in costume, and you can also take a free lighthouse cruise on the MV Columbia. You can also view a scale model of the Rhine at the Alternatives Federal Credit Union and play games set up along the midway. The event is free to the public.
The Great Syracuse Oktoberfest takes place at the end of September and runs from Friday through Sunday. On Friday and Saturday, the Oktoberfest runs from 12:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m., and it runs from 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Sunday. The event features live music from German and Bavarian bands and German foods and beverages. All events occur under a large tent near the Regional Market in downtown Syracuse. The German-American Society of Central New York is the host of the Great Syracuse Oktoberfest.
The Syracuse International Film Festival occurs in downtown Syracuse and lasts for nine days, attracting filmmakers and actors from around the country and the world. The annual festival, which was first held in 2008, showcases independent, new and international films and videos. Anyone can submit a film for consideration, but you must pay the entrance fee. Besides films, the event also hosts presentations by filmmakers, producers and actors. According to the SyrFilmFest website, the event attracts 40 filmmakers from 22 different countries, and it screens over 100 films each year.
The City of Auburn hosts the Founders Day Festival, which occurs on a Saturday in mid-June. The festival celebrates Auburn's history as the birthplace, according to the City of Auburn website, of talking movies. The event features a parade, fundraisers and live presentations, including storytelling and a puppeteer. You can also listen to live music from area bands and watch documentary films or dances by area performers. This event takes place in downtown Auburn.
