e055 - The 315NY Weekly
Your weekly fix of news, events, and eats from around the 315.
Hi reader,
Happy Friday, 315. The big one this week: the Syracuse Orchestra performs the complete Star Wars: A New Hope live to film at the Oncenter, with conductor Sean O'Loughlin leading John Williams' score in real time. There are two shows on Saturday (1:30pm and 7:30pm), and if you've ever wanted to hear the opening crawl played by a full orchestra in the room with you, this is the one. Also at the Landmark this week, & Juliet (from the Emmy-winning writer of Schitt's Creek) runs Saturday and Sunday, and John Legend brings An Evening of Songs and Stories on Tuesday night.
Earth Day and Arbor Day both land this week, and the 315 is going all in. Utica Zoo throws a Party for the Planet on Saturday with crafts, clean-ups, silent auctions, and donation drives. Rome has both The GreatEST American Clean-Up on Saturday morning (followed by bluegrass at Copper City Brewing) and an Earth Month Plogging event at Saranac Brewery on Thursday. The North Country's Community Clean-Up Day meets at Ives Park in Potsdam on Saturday. And at Beaver Lake in Baldwinsville, you can celebrate Arbor Day on Friday with a guided walk through the Arboretum to learn about native trees.
The music and arts calendar is stacked beyond the headliners. Bruce in the USA, the definitive Springsteen tribute, plays the Oncenter on Wednesday. Humane CNY's Boogie Down Disco Night celebrates their 60th anniversary at the Syracuse Marriott with the PopShow Band on Friday. Upstate Medical University's Music As Healing students perform Spring in Harmony at the Community Folk Art Center. The 14th Annual North Country Folk Fest brings free live music, dancing, vendors, and food to St. Lawrence University all day Friday. And the Cayuga Lake Wine Trail kicks off its 32nd annual Wine & Herb Weekend, with herb-infused dishes paired with wine at 10 stops plus a potted herb to take home from each one.
Some quieter picks worth your time: Indie Bookstore Day at Lit Actually in Baldwinsville on Saturday. Intro to Woodburning at The Gallery in Waddington. Alcohol Inks on Ceramic Light Switch Tiles at Salmon River Fine Arts Center in Pulaski. A film screening at SUNY Oswego of Navigators of the Shadow Ring, a locally made cliffhanger adventure modeled after 1930s serials. And at Willard Memorial Chapel in Auburn, historian Elaine Peters gives a lecture on the role trees play in shaping communities. This week's Foodie Corner heads to East Genesee Street in Auburn for At Long Last, a brunch destination that's become one of the Finger Lakes' most talked-about tables. More on that below.
Local Events
Syracuse Area
FRIDAY, APRIL 24
Humane CNY's Boogie Down Disco Night 🥳 7 - 10pm
Celebrate HumaneCNY's 60th Anniversary in the Grand Ballroom at the Syracuse Marriott Downtown. An evening of food, drinks, raffles, and disco dancing with music from the iconic PopShow Band. Disco-themed outfit encouraged but not required.
FRIDAY, APRIL 24
Spring in Harmony Concert 🎶🎻 6:30 - 9pm
Upstate Medical University's Music As Healing medical students present their spring concert. Join us at the Community Folk Art Center for an evening of instrumental and vocal performances celebrating community and healing.
SATURDAY, APRIL 25
Indie Bookstore Day 📚 11am - 7pm
The 13th annual Independent Bookstore Day celebrates local indie booksellers nationwide with exclusive books, literary items, contests, and cupcakes. Come to Lit Actually in Baldwinsville to join the fun.
SATURDAY, APRIL 25
Oneida Lake Arts & Heritage Center Re-Opening 🎨 6 - 9pm
Join us for a vibrant evening of culture and community as the Oneida Lake Arts and Heritage Center officially celebrates its reopening at St. David's Episcopal Church. This special event marks a new chapter for the local arts scene, blending visual artistry with a captivating live performance.
SATURDAY, APRIL 25
The Syracuse Orchestra presents Star Wars: A New Hope In Concert 🎻 1:30pm & 7:30pm
The Syracuse Orchestra presents Star Wars: A New Hope in Concert, featuring a screening of the complete film with composer John Williams' iconic score performed live. Led by conductor Sean O'Loughlin at the Oncenter Crouse Hinds Theater.
SATURDAY, APRIL 25 - SUNDAY, APRIL 26
& Juliet 🎭 Sat 2pm & 7:30pm, Sun 1pm & 6:30pm
Created by the Emmy-winning writer from Schitt's Creek, this hilarious new musical flips the script on the greatest love story ever told. What would happen next if Juliet didn't end it all over Romeo? Get whisked away on a fabulous journey as she ditches her famous ending for a fresh beginning and a second chance at life and love. Catch the show at Syracuse's Landmark Theatre.
SUNDAY, APRIL 26
Marissa Mulder sings "I'll Follow the Sun: The Songs of Lennon and McCartney" 🎶 4 - 6:30pm
Come enjoy this music performance at CNY Jazz Central in Syracuse.
SUNDAY, APRIL 26
The Salt City Jazztet Concert 🎷 2 - 3:15pm
The Salt City Jazztet performs at a concert celebrating Jazz Appreciation Month. Join us at the Liverpool Public Library.
TUESDAY, APRIL 28
John Legend: An Evening of Songs and Stories 🎶 8pm
Legend's live show at Landmark Theatre in Syracuse will feature intimate renditions of his greatest hits and fan favorites, woven together with stories from his life and career.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 29
Bruce in the USA 🎶🎸 7:30pm
Come to the Oncenter for this live show. Led by Matt Ryan, Bruce In The USA has been hailed by audiences and critics alike for its meticulous musicianship and authentic stage presence, capturing the essence of Springsteen's iconic sound and the energy of the E Street Band.
Oswego County
FRIDAY, APRIL 24
BFA Exhibition 🎨 2 - 6pm
Stop by Tyler Art Gallery at SUNY Oswego to see the first BFA exhibition of the spring semester. This semi-annual event marks a pivotal moment as students transition from emerging artists to professional creatives.
FRIDAY, APRIL 24
Arbor Day Walk 🌳 2 - 3pm
Help us celebrate Arbor Day and all the amazing trees that grow at Beaver Lake. Take a guided walk in the Arboretum to learn about native trees.
FRIDAY, APRIL 24
Not So Silent Auction 💰 6 - 9pm
The Oswego County Historical Society's largest annual fundraiser for the Richardson-Bates House Museum. Participate in a silent table auction with donated antiques, collectibles, gift certificates, and more. Many artifacts and artworks are from Oswego history.
FRIDAY, APRIL 24 - SUNDAY, APRIL 26
A Bad Year for Tomatoes 🎭 7:30pm
Come enjoy this local theatre production at Oswego Players.
SATURDAY, APRIL 25
Alcohol Inks on Ceramic Light Switch Tiles 🎨 10am - 12pm
Transform an ordinary ceramic light switch cover into a functional piece of art using vibrant alcohol inks at the Salmon River Fine Arts Center in Pulaski.
SATURDAY, APRIL 25
A 4-chapter cliffhanger adventure film by SUNY Oswego Cinema & Screen Studies Professor Jacob Dodd, modeled after the 1930s and 40s Republic Pictures' theatrical serials. Catch the screening at Marano Campus Center.
SATURDAY, APRIL 25
Designer Bag Bingo 👜 3 - 7pm
Join us at the White Pines Commons in Phoenix for an afternoon of fun, fashion, and philanthropy. Win coveted designer handbags while supporting a great cause.
SUNDAY, APRIL 26
Sicilian Sunday Lunch 🍕 1pm
Join us at Colloca Estate Winery in Fair Haven for an Authentic Sicilian Sunday Lunch, inspired by generations of family tradition and unforgettable feasts in the heart of Sicily.
TUESDAY, APRIL 28
Trivia Night 🤓 6 - 8pm
Test your music knowledge at Old City Hall Brewery in Oswego.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 29
Painting with Bonnie: Blue Flax Flowers in the Woods 🎨 6 - 9pm
Create your own oil painting at The Art Scene in Fulton.
THURSDAY, APRIL 30
Spring Job Fair 👥 1 - 4pm
Explore opportunities at this job fair at the Oswego YMCA.
Mohawk Valley Region
FRIDAY, APRIL 24
Lids, Links & Drinks 🎨🍺 6 - 8pm
The ultimate custom experience at Copper City Brewing in Rome. Create your own hat or belt bag, get linked with a custom, clasp-less bracelet, and pair it all with your favorite Copper City Brew.
SATURDAY, APRIL 25
Mansion House Spring Clean Up 🧹 10am - 12pm
It takes a community to keep the gardens and grounds of the Oneida Community Mansion House looking beautiful. Help celebrate spring by raking, picking up trash and brush, maintaining the paths, and more. All are welcome.
SATURDAY, APRIL 25
Party for the Planet 🌎 10am - 3pm
Utica Zoo hosts Party for the Planet. Join us for crafts, clean-up opportunities, silent auctions, donation drives, and more.
SATURDAY, APRIL 25
1958 Gala 💃 6 - 10pm
Join us for the third annual 1958 Gala at the Adirondack Bank Center in Utica. Guests will engage directly with the scientists behind MMRI's groundbreaking research and learn about discoveries happening right here in the Mohawk Valley.
SATURDAY, APRIL 25
Taka-Con 🎮 10am - 7pm
The Anime Club's annual convention at MVCC showcases vendors, artists, lectures, games and contests on various aspects of pop culture, including anime, gaming, comics, and cosplay.
SATURDAY, APRIL 25
The GreatEST American Clean-Up! 🧹 9am
Work together, in groups or as individuals, and pick up litter as part of this annual Great American Clean-Up. Join us at Rome City Hall.
SATURDAY, APRIL 25
Last Minute Bluegrass Band 🎶 3 - 5pm
Join us at Copper City after The GreatEST American Clean-Up for an afternoon of foot-stomping music with The Last Minute Bluegrass Band.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 29
Medicinal Plants of the Mohawk Valley 🌱 6pm
During this gathering at the Utica Public Library, we'll discuss several wild medicinal and food plants that grow in the Mohawk Valley, including native, naturalized, and invasive species.
THURSDAY, APRIL 30
Earth Month Plogging Event 🌎🧹 5pm
Join us at Saranac Brewery in Utica. What's plogging? A mashup of jogging (or walking) and picking up litter, born in Sweden, now sweeping the globe. It's good for your body, your mind, and your city.
North Country
FRIDAY, APRIL 24
Salsa Dance Lesson 💃 6 - 7:30pm
Spice up your evening with some fun Latin rhythms that make you want to move. No dance experience or partner needed. Join us at Canton Yoga Loft.
FRIDAY, APRIL 24
Blood Drive 🩸 10:30am - 4pm
Come donate blood at Potsdam Presbyterian Church.
FRIDAY, APRIL 24
North Country Folk Fest 🎶🎉 3 - 11:30pm
The 14th Annual North Country Folk Fest at the Old Java Quad, St. Lawrence University. A free, family-friendly event with live music, dancing, vendors, and food.
SATURDAY, APRIL 25
Trivia Night! 🤓 2 - 6pm
Show off your smarts and your stars & stripes spirit. Join PAL of Massena for a fun-filled Trivia Night Fundraiser celebrating America's 250th birthday.
SATURDAY, APRIL 25
Intro to Woodburning 🎨 10am - 12pm
Shane Healey teaches the tools and tricks of the trade at The Gallery in Waddington. Materials provided. Great for beginners or as a refresher course.
SATURDAY, APRIL 25
Community Clean-Up Day 🧹 9am - 1pm
Meet at Ives Park in Potsdam. Volunteers will be assigned cleanup areas. Light refreshments provided. Bring gloves and tools if available. Groups, sports teams, and organizations encouraged to join.
SATURDAY, APRIL 25
Spring Celebration Day 🌸🎶 9:30am
Massena Public Library hosts a Spring Celebration Day with a plant sale, bake sale, book sale, and live music.
SUNDAY, APRIL 26
Folk, Bluegrass, Americana Concert 🎻 2pm
A free concert of modern folk, bluegrass and Americana music at the Waddington Cultural Center, formerly St. Paul's Church.
MONDAY, APRIL 27
Cinema 10: Sirat 🎥 7:15pm
Released to nearly universal acclaim, Sirat is an emotional powerhouse. Come check it out at the Roxy Theater in Potsdam.
Finger Lakes Region
FRIDAY, APRIL 24 - SUNDAY, APRIL 26
Wine and Herb Weekend 🍷🌱 10am - 5pm
The Cayuga Lake Wine Trail's 32nd annual Wine & Herb Weekend. Travel to 10 participating wineries and enjoy herb-infused dishes paired with wines, plus collect a potted herb or veggie plant at each stop to kickstart your own garden.
SATURDAY, APRIL 25
Finger Lakes Reptile & Exotics Spring Expo 🐍 10am - 4pm
Come to the Fingerlakes Mall in Auburn for reptiles, amphibians, arachnids, supplies, artwork, and more.
SATURDAY, APRIL 25
Birthday Bash Drag Show 💃 9 - 11pm
Ivanna Michaels and Ginger 'GiGi' Diamond bring you their Birthday Bash Drag Show at Auburn Public Theater. With performances by Ivanna, Ginger, Glory Hellelur Serell, Veronica Grace, and Sassy Ann Grace.
SATURDAY, APRIL 25
Creative Explorers Family Day: Spring Poetry ✍️🌸 10am - 5pm
Join the Cayuga Museum & Schweinfurth Art Center for Creative Explorers Family Free Day. Families will explore the museum and art center through special scavenger hunts to earn a prize.
SATURDAY, APRIL 25
Cars & Coffee ft. The Mustang GTD 🚗 9:30 - 11:30am
A special Cars & Coffee showcasing one of the most talked-about performance cars in the world, the Ford GTD, now on display at Friendly Ford for a limited time. Stop in, grab a coffee, and experience it up close.
SUNDAY, APRIL 26
Jess Novak 🎶 11am
Enjoy some live music at Bluewater Grill in Skaneateles.
SUNDAY, APRIL 26
Ron Hurne 🎶 1 - 4pm
Ron Hurne will be performing at the Lunkenheimer Craft Brewing taproom in Weedsport.
SUNDAY, APRIL 26
It Takes Trees to Make a Village 🌳 2pm
Join us at Willard Memorial Chapel in Auburn to hear the role that trees play in creating a better place to live, with Historian Elaine Peters.
MONDAY, APRIL 27
Smith Cabaret Series: Catmospheric 🎶 8 - 10pm
Native to Rochester, Catmospheric blends folk-rock with ambient synths on her electro-acoustic harp. Folktronica-soaked tunes that meander through originals, ambient soundscapes, and classic covers. Catch the show at the Smith Opera House in Geneva.
Foodie Corner
At Long Last - Auburn
At Long Last sits at 3193 East Genesee Street, right on the border between Auburn and Skaneateles, in a space with vaulted cathedral ceilings and an impressively long single bench that runs the entire length of the main wall. It opened to the kind of buzz that usually fades after a few months. This one didn't. The place is routinely packed, takes call-ahead reservations, and consistently delivers shorter wait times than quoted. That combination of honesty, hospitality, and execution is why people keep driving back.
The menu is built around all-day brunch, and it leans into creativity without losing sight of what a good breakfast should taste like. The Lemon Blueberry French Toast and the Strawberry Crunch Cakes (strawberry sauce, crunchy topping, fresh strawberries, whipped cream) are the dishes that show up most in photos. The Chicken & Waffles come with a cornflake crust, a Belgian waffle, sriracha-maple drizzle, and house-made bacon jam. The Corned Beef Hash is house-made, served with poached eggs and toasted marble rye. And the Steak & Eggs (flat iron, any style, home fries, toast) is the kind of straightforward plate that tells you the kitchen can cook. Mimosa flights come in flavors like Strawberry Cheesecake, Cotton Candy, Lemon Blueberry, and Pomegranate.
Beyond brunch, At Long Last now serves dinner Thursday and Friday nights. The lunch menu runs sandwiches and salads, including a Fried Green Tomato BLT, a Roasted Turkey Club, and a Hot Honey Chicken sandwich. The gluten-free options are taken seriously: GF pancakes, French toast, toast, bagels, and English muffins are all available, and the staff is knowledgeable about celiac-safe preparation. Reviewers on Find Me Gluten Free confirm they use separate pots and pans for celiac orders.
The dining room is open, bright, and trendy without trying too hard. A few booths in the back, a large bar area with TVs, and outdoor seating surrounded by flowers when the weather allows. Service gets called out consistently in reviews: friendly, fast, and genuinely attentive even when the restaurant is slammed. One food blogger gave it a flat 10 out of 10. The Yelp health score is 99 out of 100. Open seven days a week.
Address: 3193 E Genesee St, Auburn, NY 13021
Phone: (315) 282-7561
Hours: Open 7 days a week | Dinner Thu & Fri
Price Range: $$ ($6.50 - $17.50 brunch)
Cuisine: Modern American, brunch, breakfast all day
Ordering: Dine-in, takeout, delivery (DoorDash, Toast)
Highlights: Lemon Blueberry French Toast, Strawberry Crunch Cakes, Chicken & Waffles with bacon jam, Corned Beef Hash, mimosa flights, GF options
Ratings: Yelp Health Score 99/100 | 62 reviews on Yelp | 6,167 likes on Facebook
Website: atlonglastny.com
Thank you for reading, sharing,
and being part of this.
Jono Chowdhury
Founder, 315NY