Spotlight

We took an airplane over Cortland County for the Cortland Airfest.   The Cortland County Airfest at Gen. Levi Chase Field draws hundreds of people to see planes up close from small charter planes to a Black Hawk helicopter courtesy of the US Army's 10th Mountain Division in Watertown, NY. You can also take an airplane or helicopter ride. We took to the skies in one of these airplanes for some of…

Seedstock Music Festival is celebrating its tenth year! We were curious about the work that goes into building its custom stage.   Check out the timelapse! Share your Cortland County adventures with us for a chance to be featured! Tag @experiencecortland and tag #experiencecortland.

2 weeks, 360 hours, 40 actors, 10 technicians, 1 show...   Since 1972, Cortland Repertory Theatre has produced high-quality theatre in Cortland County. For two weeks, we took an inside peek at the hard work that goes into producing just one of these shows. Produced by: Max H Productions - https://www.maxhproductions.net/. Check out the rest of the summer season & see special ticket…

  How a community transformed a historic church into a multi-faceted performing arts venue better known as the Center for the Arts of Homer.   On any given day, walking into the historic old church building in Homer, New York you’ll hear violins, a rock band, and dancing feet. You find a crowd of people enjoying the art gallery or you watch a crew setting up for the next concert.…

Main Street Farms has been around for eight years, but they are still seen as beginning farmers. The USDA recognizes a beginning farmer as someone who has been in business less than 10 consecutive years. While Main Street Farms is still technically in its infancy as a farm, they have established a great presence and focus on building community through food. It is through their CSA (Community…

By Gabrielle DiDomenico Project Coordinator, Seven Valleys Health Coalition   It's that time of year when we celebrate the return of the sun and warmer temperatures--but that isn't the only reason to get excited by the arrival of spring and the coming of summer. Our local farmers' market season is upon us and that calls for a celebration in and of itself. How about three cheers for fresh…

  Here are five reasons not to miss the new exhibitions reveal at the CNY Living History Center.   The Flying Ace   Levi Chase was an American fighter pilot and double flying ace during World War II. This exhibition, curated and built by his grandson, Bill Chase, will share some incredible stories related to the 512 combat missions that Chase flew during three different wars.  …

“Watch for Low-Flying Dragons” is just one of the signs you’ll encounter at Dragonfyre Distillery. Nestled in the rolling hills between Marathon and Willet, Dragonfyre Distillery is a family owned distillery by Vince and Donna Pedini. Dragonfyre takes great pride in using local grains for the whiskeys and moonshine. The rye and barley come from Willet Hop & Grain, just down…

Frosted Bakery is a delicious must stop for locals and non-locals alike. Serving up delectable baked goods, Frosted is family owned and run by third generated bakers (who remembers Lou’s Donut Shop?). Frosted Bakery has grown from a home kitchen to their shop in Historic Downtown Cortland. Check out Experience Cortland's latest video as we learn more. HUNGRY FOR is a series giving an…

You know Coffee Mania for…well.. the coffee! But do you know about their baked goods? From creative cupcakes to the scones (the scones!) and the delicious focaccia bread, we visited to learn more! We sat down with Bakery Manager Kate Smith and learned more about the bakery from her favorite thing to make, where she gets her inspiration from and more! See our latest Experience Cortland video…

Nestled in the Historic Village of Homer is the Three Lil' Birds Cakery. Owner and founder Debby Starinsky grew up with a family of bakers and uses inspiration from her art background to create eloquent and elaborate cakes. The name for her cakery was inspired by her three children. From cakes, french macaroons, loaves of bread, eclairs, and baked (never fried!) donuts, Three Lil' Birds is a…

Cortland's Italian-style bakery, East Side Bakery has been creating fresh, homemade, decadent treats for nearly 15 years. Owners Christine and Tim Armstrong started the bakery and have grown it into a local favorite on Cortland's east side. From traditional Italian loaves of bread, cannoli's, cakes, and cupcakes, East Side also makes pizza, and the classic favorite half-moon cookie. Check out our…

Recently Experience Cortland learned a new snow skill: snowboarding. Greek Peak Mountain Resort has partnered with Snow Operating and completely revitalized the learning experience. Snow Operating uses the terrain to help you learn to ski or snowboard. It’s called terrain-based learning. Different styles of terrain teach you how to ski or snowboard naturally. The traverse track carves out…

Did you know that it take on average 70 gallons of maple sap to get 1 gallon of maple sugar?   How does it work?   The excess water is boiled from the sap. It usually takes about 10 gallons of sap to make one quart of syrup. Most maple syrup is made using reverse osmosis. There is an average amount of 2% sugar content in the sap. The reverse osmosis system is considered the brains of the…

Experience Cortland talks with CNY Living History Center Executive Director Luke Biondi about one of the more interesting artifacts on display.   The incredible story of four men's journey from Argentina to Upstate New York is remarkably true. When they finally reached Cortland, New York in May 1960, thousands lined the streets to applaud an adventure that had gripped the imagination of the…

Looking for outdoor winter fun that is away from the ski slopes? For the families that love the winter months, there are plenty of enjoyable activities in the Finger Lakes that will get the whole family excited for snow.   Tubing Slide down the mountain in a tube   Tubing can be great winter fun for all ages. Greek Peak Mountain Resort Adventure Center makes tubing even easier with…

Cold brews, chairs that hang from the ceiling, deconstructed coffee, lattes out of an avocado…yes, the hipster coffee bars have swept the nation and even Cortland, New York. With its industrial aesthetic, BRU 64 took inspiration from the west coast trends, a few coffee conventions and brought the best ideas to Main Street Cortland. Spoiler Alert: they don’t serve you deconstructed…

There’s a “bomb cyclone” in the forecast and if you are already not a huge fan of winter this doesn’t help. But before you retreat to your couch and re-watch that Netflix series (again) try staying warm and avoid cabin fever with these winter activities.     Get cozy at BRU 64. Whether you fancy a coffee or one of their many rotating beers, you can admire the…

Snowshoeing is a great and inexpensive way to get outside during the winter months. Whether you seek trails that are off the beaten track or are looking for family fun between snow covered trees, there are plenty of snowshoeing options in Cortland County. Here are some tips to help get you started on your great snowshoeing adventure this winter. Easy to learn. The expression, “If you can…

Wintertime in the Finger Lakes is relatively quiet, but visitors to Cortland County will find mountains of winter activities to enjoy. Whether you seek family friendly fun or search for a rush of outdoor adrenaline you can find it all here. Visitors will find four family friendly ski areas all within a 30-mile range of each other in Cortland County. Here are some ski tips to help you get the most…