With sunny days and temperatures still in the 70s, Syracuse is enjoying its last days of summer. Soon, the air will turn crisp, leaves will begin changing colors and a string of local events will kick off this year’s fall season. Heading outdoors is a great way to soak up this colorful time of year and enjoy it before cold weather forces us to stay indoors. All you need is your camera and a bunch of friends to spend a fun afternoon with.

Sept. 16, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Apples in the fall bring to mind images of plucking a ripe and juicy, red, delicious apple from a low hanging branch. But for students who can’t make it off campus to go apple picking, those crunchy fall favorites are coming to you at Syracuse University’s first Apple Festival, hosted by the Department of Recreation Services.

The first Apple Festival on Sept. 16, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., will be on the Quad to celebrate the season.

‘Every summer, Syracuse has a Strawberry Festival that a lot of students really enjoy,’ said Joseph Lore, director of recreation services. ‘We wanted to have a similar event with all of the students back in the fall.’

Amid music and the sweet smell of apple desserts to be sold by local vendors, the festival will boast a farmers’ market, games, inflatables, information booths for student groups and a two-mile run or walk open to students and faculty.

‘It’s going to be a low key event and just a nice opportunity for students to get together during the day,’ Lore said. ‘It’s something for everyone.’

Oct. 14, 15, 21 and 22, 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Step back in time on the Onondaga Historical Association’s 11th Ghost Walk, themed’The Feminine Side of Fayetteville.’

Guided by the association’s volunteers, a group of 10 to 15 participants will journey through theVillage of Fayetteville in Manlius. Tours start every 15 minutes, said Lynne Pascale, director of development at the association. Reservations made before Oct. 12 are$8 for association members and $10 for nonmembers. After Oct. 12, the prices go up to $10 for members and $12 for nonmembers. 

Participants will stop by five different locations. Costumed actors will tell tales associated with their characters, the most famous being Matilda Jocelyn Gage. The one-time Fayetteville resident was a key figure in the women’s suffrage and social justice movement in the 19th century, working alongside Susan B. Anthony and Katie Stanton.

While the name may denote a haunted tour, Pascale said this Ghost Walk takes a more informative approach.

‘You get to learn about the village and get interesting details of its local history,’ Pascale said. 

Sept. 17, 18, 24 and 25, 10:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

For the thrill seeker, white-water rafting may be the perfect activity for a weekend getaway. Every September, the SU’s Recreation Services sets up this outdoor trip to give students the chance to glide down the river rapids in Watertown, N.Y.

 ‘We’re always thinking about what activities students can participate in that will get them outdoors and see locations off campus,’ said Scott Catucci, assistant director of outdoor education within the department.

The department provides eight trips throughout September, taking almost 80 students per trip on free round-trip bus shuttles that leave SU at 10:30 a.m. and return around 6:30 p.m. The department provides rafting and safety equipment.

For all SU and State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry undergraduate students, the trips cost $35. All other SU/ESF ID cardholders, including faculty and staff, pay $70.

After a day of rafting, students can feast on barbecue chicken and vegetarian dishes.

Sept. 16, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

With autumn weather rolling in, there’s no better time to enjoy fresh-picked fruit and vegetables than right after the fall harvest.

Stock your fridge at the University Community Harvest Farmers’ Market on Sept. 16. The market, partnered with the Recreation Services’ Apple Festival, will be located on the Quad from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The market will sell locally grown produce and homemade crafts. There will also be an education session about healthy eating and self-sustainable practices.

The market has been a campus tradition since 2007 and is the second of this year’s series. If you miss this week’s farmers’ market, the last fall market will be held Sept. 30 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Waverly Avenue parking lot of the Schine Student Center.

Sept. 16-18

Who can deny a good batch of pasta? Explore a taste of Italy and its culture at Syracuse’s Festa Italiana this Friday through Sunday. The festival, initiated in 1998, is located in front of the City Hall at Washington and Montgomery streets.

Enjoy the variety of musical performances from musicians such as Atlas, Jimmy Cavallo and Stroke. Take your chance with Lady Luck in Italian Bingo. 

Tap into your inner child — get your face painted and participate in the arts and crafts.

But no festival is complete without good food. There will be various vendors with Italian dishes, including gelatos, chicken parmesan sandwiches and espressos, said Marie Felice, treasurer of the La Fiesta Italiana Board of Directors.

 

She said the well-rounded events and foods will appeal to all ages.

 

‘We have three days of good food, good entertainment, and let’s hope for good weather,’ Felice said.

 

Sept. 16, 10 p.m. to 1 a.m.

Barbeque dinners and live concerts might belong to summer, but Dinosaur Bar-B-Que in Armory Square is hosting the Funky Blu Roots on Sept. 16 as one of the first performances of its fall lineup.

Hailing from Pompano Beach, Fla., blues-rock quartet The Funky Blu Roots are touring in support of its most recent full-length album ‘Owasco Highball.’ Released in May, the album features two-time Grammy winner drummer David Olson as a guest. The band’s live set balances original songs mixed with covers by artists including Santana, Bob Marley, Jimi Hendrix and the Allman Brothers Band.

The show will be from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. at Dinosaur Bar-B-Que on 246 West Willow St. Other upcoming shows on the restaurant’s roster include The Dinosaurs on Sunday, Sept. 17, and Florida singer-songwriter Mark Macri on Monday, Sept. 19.

Published on September 12, 2011 at 12:00 pm