100+ Things To Do In Syracuse This Week

Hello, Syracuse

Mid-September in CNY means the apples are ready and everyone suddenly has a strongly held opinion about a football they watched over the weekend. This week is one of the busiest weeks we have put together all year, so we trimmed the fat and kept the newsletter tight to try and fit it all. Let's get into it.

Trying to figure out where to go apple picking? We just published a full guide to every apple orchard around Syracuse.

Looking for trivia nights this week? We published a full guide to every trivia spot in Syracuse.

Ioli Pizza is now open on Westcott Street

Ioli Pizza opened the Wednesday after Labor Day at 543 Westcott Street, in the old Dorian's spot. Hours are Wednesday through Saturday, 5 to 9, to start. Looking at reviews early diners say that the dough is light and soft but still has texture and great flavor. Sauces and toppings are thoughtful and perfect.

Pressed Caffe is coming to Solvay

A new coffee shop called Pressed Caffe is coming to Solvay with a rough opening date of a month from now. The owners say the whole thing is built around community, and they want it to be the kind of place where you slow down, get a good cup of coffee, and actually talk to someone.

Varsity Pizza is leaving the Dellas family after 100 years

The Dellas family has run Varsity Pizza on South Crouse Avenue since it opened in 1926, and on December 1 they are handing it over to Brian and Renee Bruno, the owners of Brian's Landing in Jamesville.

The city is deciding whether the Westcott Theater keeps its permit

More than a dozen people packed City Hall on Wednesday for a public hearing on whether the Westcott Theater should hold onto its special-use permit. Zoning Administrator Jake Dishaw is recommending revocation, and City Auditor Alexander Marion told CNY Central the venue has had enough chances to fix things. Owner Dan Mastronardi says he wants to work with the city to stay open.

Syracuse police are down to about 350 officers

The Syracuse Police Department has fallen to roughly 350 sworn officers, the lowest level in modern history, with 54 retirements against 32 new hires over the past year and a half. The shortage has already forced the department to cut specialized units and shifts. The city is trying hiring bonuses and dropping the residency requirement.

Syracuse football gave one away against Cal

The Orange led most of Saturday at the Dome and still lost 21-18 to California for their first defeat of 2026.

New York is mailing out energy rebate checks

The state is sending one-time POWER checks (Protecting Our Wallets Energy Rebate) worth $100 to $200 to about 8.2 million New Yorkers between now and December. Joint filers under $150,000 get $200, joint filers between $150,000 and $300,000 get $150, and individual filers under $150,000 get $100.

Upstate opened a $5 million pediatric behavioral health center

Upstate Medical University opened the Kimberly and John Mezzalingua Pediatric Behavioral After Hours Center on Wednesday, funded by a $5 million gift from the Mezzalinguas. The center is for families working through emotional or mental health issues with their kids, teens, and young adults. It offers walk-in evaluations, medication management, and short-term follow-up care for ages 5 to 18.

Burlington opens in Cicero this Friday

The new Burlington in Cicero holds its grand opening Friday, September 18. The store is off East Circle Drive at the Market Place Shopping Center.

A NYC-style deli is coming to Manlius

Sammy's NYC Grill is moving into the former Salt City Bread space off Cazenovia Road, in the plaza near Walgreens. Owner Sammy Khubani grew up in the deli business in New York City and has run a Sammy's off South Main Street in North Syracuse for about a year.

102 E Genesee St, Skaneateles

$12,995,000 | 4 bd | 6 ba | 7,081 sqft

Yes, this one is insane, and we know it. The architecture and the location were too good to leave out, and come on, who does not enjoy a good Zillow stalk on a property that is nowhere near your budget?

The house sits on a private acre in the Village of Skaneateles with 207 feet of lakefront and some of the best views on the water, which is a combination that basically never comes up, and you can still walk to every shop and restaurant in the Village.

TechBack is changing how electronics recycling works around here. It is free, zero-landfill, and built around data security, because protecting your information should not be a luxury. TechBack is Onondaga County's first NYS DEC Registered Electronics Recycler. Anyone can drop off accepted electronics for free four days a week at the Syracuse facility. There are easy-access bins, help unloading, and a dedicated lobby where you hand data-containing devices directly to their team to safely recycle.

They also work with CNY businesses of every size on enterprise-grade ITAD services at no charge. That gives companies big and small access to secure, documented asset disposition, which has traditionally been expensive, hundreds of miles away, or just flat out of reach. If you have an old laptop, drawer full of phones, bin of mystery cords, an entire office closet you have been avoiding? They can help.