ITHACA, N.Y.—Ithaca’s foremost celebration of summer (or of the college students departing) is back this week, as the 2023 Ithaca Festival debuts in its traditional fashion: with a parade through the heart of downtown featuring dozens of local performers, groups, organizations and, hopefully, nice weather.
That parade will begin at 6 p.m., following along North Cayuga Street from the Lincoln Street intersection and then turning east up Buffalo Street.
The parade will be followed by a performance by The Comb Down at the Bernie Milton Pavilion on the Commons from 7:30 p.m. until 9 p.m. That performance is the first of the week, followed by a stream of concerts on the Commons, at DeWitt Park and at the Cayuga Street Circle during Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
There will also be a silent disco held from 10 p.m. to midnight at the Bernie Milton Pavilion, both Friday and Saturday nights (DJ line-up available here).
The rest of the performance schedule is as follows:
Bernie Milton Pavilion
Thursday
7:30-9:00 The Comb Down
Friday
12-1:15 Chickewire Parachute
1:45-2:45 Scratched Vinyl
3:15-4:15 DJ Proper Philth
4:45-5:45 The Illium Works
6:15-7:15 Metasequoia
7:45-9:00 Gunpoets
10:00-Midnight Silent Disco
Saturday
12-1:15 Strange Heavy
1:45-2:45 Alan Rose and The Restless Elements
3:15-4:15 Freight
4:45-6:00 Front and Main
6:15-7:15 Noon Fifteen
7:45-9:00 Maddy Walsh and The Blind Spots
10:00-Midnight Silent Disco
Sunday
12-1:15 Papamuse
1:45-2:45 Rodyna
3:15-4:15 Ariel Arbisser
4:45-6:00 ¡Viva Mayhem!
6:30-7:45 SingTrece and Stone Cold Miracle
Cayuga Street Circle
Saturday
1:15-1:45 TBD
2:00-3:00 Wanah Dance with Alicia Free & Friends
3:30-4:30 Ithaca Ballet
4:45:-5:45 Hilby
Sunday
12:12:30 Pop up Community Square Dance
12:45-1:30 June w/Chandani Belly Dance Troupe
1:45-2:45 Doolin O’ Dey
3:15-4:30 Mirage Belly Dancers
Dewitt Park Stage
Friday
12:00-1:00p Lisa Ann Wright
1:30-2:30 Zinolgy
3:00:4:00 Li’l Anne and Hot Cayenne
4:30-5:15 Taksim
Saturday
12:00-1:00 TBD
1:30-2:15 Zajal and the Sugarplum Fairy
2:45-3:45 Danza Romani
4:15-5:00 Hula Hut
5:30-6:30 One Heart Community Drumming
Sunday
12:15-1:15 Opus Ithaca Chamber Ensembles
1:45-2:45 Ithaca Concert Band
3:15-4:30 Mark Rust
4:45-5:30 Ithaca Community Sing
As for the regular festival, it will proceed as usual starting on Friday and ending Sunday. A block of West State Street adjacent to the Commons will be closed to accommodate exhibits, food vendors and attractions, as well as the portion of Cayuga Street between East Court Street and East Green Street.
The winner of this year’s design contest to represent “Planet Ithaca” was Carson Williams.
