Join Friends of Stewart Park and Wharton Studio Museum for our 9th annual Party for the Park fundraiser! 

We’re celebrating our current Roaring 20s by bringing the party back to the Roaring 1920s when silent movies were all the cat’s meow, jazz was playing in secret clubs downtown, and Ithacans were gathering in their new public lakeside park. 

Come as you are, or if you’d like, wear a sparkly headband, flapper dress, or Great Gatsby inspired suit! We just want you there! 

This year’s party will include live jazz, an incredible raffle, and local wine, beer and cider. Van Nobel Farm will cater a full farm-to-table meal including appetizer and dessert.

Thank you to this year’s Collaborating Sponsors

Event Sponsors

Edger Enterprises, Fingerlakes Wealth Management, Jyl's Photo Booth, and
KJ O'Connor from Parkitects, Inc.

Cooperative Sponsors
Bero Architecture, and Chiuten/Trowbridge Landscape Architects, Sciarabba Engineering, and Taitem Engineering

Unfortunately, we need to cancel WATERMUSIC 2024. Please join us for Watermusic again in 2025.

The new Stewart Park Splash Pad’s first full day will be the 4th of July! Come play! In honor of the Grand Opening, there will also be free carousel rides all day, sponsored by Friends of Stewart Park!

Thank you to Parkitects and Edger Enterprises for all their hard work on the Splash Pad and the new Playground Bathroom!

Funding for the Stewart Park Splash Pad project comes in part through an Environmental Protection Fund grant (EPF #210131) administered by the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation; NY State support through Assemblymember Anna Kelles; Tompkins County Tourism Program; the City of Ithaca, and private donations.

Join FSP Saturday, May 4, from 10AM-noon for I Love My Park Day!

We'll prepare the park for summer by cleaning up garden beds, planting new landscaping, raking the playground, mulching, trimming lakeside vegetation and more. Dress for the weather and bring your gloves, rakes, clippers and other gardening tools.

Meet by the Garage Doors of the DPW/ Wharton Building.

Registration with Parks and Trails New York for I Love My Park Day is not required but it greatly appreciated. Registering as a participant helps PTNY with tracking for grants and services.

This is a past event. For current events, please visit stewartpark.org/events

Friends of Stewart Park and Cayuga Bird Club invite you to join Meena Haribal for a guided spring bird walk in Stewart Park!

Dress for the weather, bring your binoculars, and meet at the Cascadilla Boathouse at 8:30 am.

Rain Date Sunday May 5.

About Meena Haribal: She has been an avid naturalist for over 50 years! She has special interests in birds, butterflies, dragonflies/damselflies, and plants. Now retired, Meena was a chemical ecologist by profession, studying interactions and behaviors of organisms mediated by chemistry. Her interest in birds began in India where she was a very active member of the Bombay Natural History Society. She has written two books on insects and is also an avid photographer, nature sound recorder and world traveler. 

This is a past event. For current events, please visit stewartpark.org/events

Join FSP and Brandon Hoak, the Native Plant Specialist and Outreach Communicator for the Tompkins Pollinator Pathway, for a virtual Pollinator Pathway presentation Wed, April 17 at 7pm.

Brandon will introduce attendees to the Tompkins Pollinator Pathway Project, which aims to connect local gardens, parks, trails and landscapes to improve habitat corridors for pollinators in the county.

About Brandon Hoak: Brandon is the native plant specialist and outreach communicator for the Tompkins Pollinator Pathway, through Cornell’s School of Public & Ecosystem Health. TPP is a local organization focused on connecting local gardens to improve and maximize habitat corridors for pollinators. Brandon is the founder of Busy Bee Ecological Designs, an endeavor dedicated to providing native gardening and sustainable landscape design to individuals.

This is a past event. For current events, please visit stewartpark.org/events

Saturday, April 13 is the Second Annual Daffodil Dash 5K and 1-mile run/walk where participants will be delighted at the sight of almost 90,000 blooming daffodils planted along the Cayuga Inlet by the Ithaca Garden Club’s Daff-A-Dazzle community-wide project team. The trail of daffodils, coupled with the springtime blooms found in the Bulb Labyrinth Memorial Garden inside the Ithaca Children’s Garden, will mean individuals of all ages and stages will be able run, walk, roll or stroll through the only local race where it’s okay to stop… and smell the flowers.

Learn More and Register

This is a past event. For current events, please visit stewartpark.org/events

Join Friends of Stewart Park Saturday, April 6, from 10 am to noon for a morning of spring cleaning at the annual Stewart Park Waterfront Cleanup!

Dress for the weather, wear boots, and bring gloves, garbage bags, litter grabbers or anything else that will help. Together we'll practice good stewardship of our park and Cayuga Lake’s waterfront. If the weather is terrible, we will postpone the cleanup to Sunday April 7, same time.

Meet at the Picnic “Large” Pavilion.

Thank you to our event partner Zero Waste Ithaca for help in this cleanup.

Like and share this event on Facebook.

Are you on FSP and Cayuga Waterfront Trail volunteer list? Be the first to hear about volunteer opportunities by signing up for the list at friendsofstewartpark.org/volunteer

This is a past event. For current events, please visit stewartpark.org/events

Friends of Stewart Park invites you to a free guided bird walk with Meena Haribal

Meet at Stewart Park, in the northeast parking lot--as soon as you enter the park, take your first immediate right at the stop sign. You will be facing the lake as soon as you make the right turn, and this parking lot is only about 100 yds from the entrance.

Bring a pair of binoculars if you can--there will be a scope and a few pairs of binoculars to share. 

This walk will be on level terrain the entire time, no hills. We'll start along the lake shore and should see a variety of ducks, geese, mergansers, loons and gulls. Then we'll head into the woods in the adjacent Renwick Sanctuary--looking for forest birds such as wrens, nuthatches, titmouse and many other species. Possibly great horned owls roosting, but no guarantees! Dress in layers for the weather, including hat and gloves. The lake shore can be windy! 

About Meena Haribal: She has been an avid naturalist for over 50 years! She has special interests in birds, butterflies, dragonflies/damselflies, and plants. Now retired, Meena was a chemical ecologist by profession, studying interactions and behaviors of organisms mediated by chemistry. Her interest in birds began in India where she was a very active member of the Bombay Natural History Society. She has written two books on insects and is also an avid photographer, nature sound recorder and world traveler. 

This is a past event. For current events, please visit stewartpark.org/events

Experience stellar nature images by accomplished local photographers, presented on the big-screen, accompanied by live string music.

This unique multimedia fundraiser combines photographs and live music, highlights the striking landscape and inhabitants of Stewart Park and the Cayuga Waterfront Trail, while celebrating local photographers and musicians inspired by our natural world.

All proceeds benefit a Pollinator Garden and Area Enhancements for Stewart Park’s New Splash Pad.

Featuring local artists:
Musicians: Tenzin Chopak & Emmett Scott, Dave Davies, Brian Earle, Benny Bleu, and the Falling Waters Trio (Hope Grietzer, Tom Hodgson & Rick Manning).

Featured photographers: Dede Hatch, Tenzin Chopak, Rachel Hogancamp, Julian Euell, Frank Muller and Dan Segal.

Community Artists: Kris Altucher, Manuel Amzallag, Muhammad Arif, Tommy Beers, Linda Byard, Paul Dawson, Linda Edsall, Coleen Foley, Sonia Jirka, Tracey Lynn Myers, Bob Riter, Tonya VanCamp and organizations providing photos: Finger Lakes Land Trust, Wharton Studio Museum & Friends of Stewart Park.

READ PROGRAM DETAILS HERE

Advanced tickets available at tax-deductible donation levels of $15, $20, and $25 plus fees.
Tickets at the Door available at tax-deductible donation levels of $20, $25, and $30 plus fees.

This is a past event. For current events, please visit stewartpark.org/events

Join us for the ribbon cutting of “Ithaca’s Waterway to the World”, a new interpretive sign created by Friends of Stewart Park and made possible by the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor.

This event will be followed by a tour of historic Stewart Park hosted by Friends of Stewart Park, Wharton Studio Museum & Historic Ithaca. The tour will focus on the park's history and its current revitalization.

This is a past event. For current events, please visit stewartpark.org/events

Join Friends of Stewart Park and Wharton Studio Museum for our 8th annual Party for the Park fundraiser! 

We’re celebrating a groundbreaking year for Stewart Park with its being added to the National Historic Register and the literal imminent groundbreaking for the Splash Pad and seasonal restroom, plus upcoming Picnic Pavilion Addition. The addition paves the way for the Wharton Studio & Cafe’.

There will be music, food by Chef Jack Cesari & Company, dessert and local beverages. Remarks, awards and a raffle round out the night.

If you cannot join us, please consider making a gift towards the event.

Thank you to this year’s Party for the Park Sponsors:

 Bero Architecture
Bousquet Holstein PLLC
City Harbor
Coughlin and Gerhart LLP
Fingerlakes Wealth Management
Iron Design
La Tourelle Hotel and Spa
Parkitects
The Plantsmen Nursery
Play By Design
Visions Federal Credit Union

This is a past event. For current events, please visit stewartpark.org/events

WATERMUSIC HAS MOVED TO ITS RAINDATE OF SUNDAY, AUGUST 13 5:30-7:30 PM

On the Cayuga Waterfront Trail and Cayuga Inlet between Inlet Island,
the Ithaca Farmers Market and Dragon Boat Docks in Cass Park

WaterMusic & Dancing on the Trail is an annual quirky and fun celebration of music and dance performed at various locations on the Cayuga Inlet and along the Cayuga Waterfront Trail for the enjoyment of paddlers and trail users. Join us for an evening of surprises along Ithaca’s lovely Waterfront Trail between Lookout Point (Boatyard Grill), the Ithaca Farmers Market and the Dragon Boat docks.  

RENT A PADDLECRAFT FROM PADDLE-N-MORE FOR THE EVENT! USE CODE FRIENDSOFSTEWART23 TO SAVE 20%

THIS YEAR’S PERFORMERS:

1. Fly By Night (Old Time) at Dragon Boat Dock

2. Nikolai Ruskin (Violin) at Inlet Overlook

3. Triphammer Arts Dancers at Cass Bird Garden 

4. London McDaniel (Jazz) at Rowing Finish Line

5. Djug Django (Swing) at Lookout Point

6. Six Mile Craic (Irish) at Crew Cove Overlook

7. Sow’s Ear at Farmers Market Trailhead 

Please note that there is a wedding at the market on the 12th so the Pier will not be a WaterMusic Stage.

8. WaterGrass (Bluegrass) on Floating Stage

This program is made possible in part with funds from the Statewide Community Regrants program from the New York State Council on the Arts, with the support of the office of the Governor and NYS Legislature, and from Tompkins County; administered by the Community Arts Partnership of Tompkins County.   

This is a past event. For current events, please visit stewartpark.org/events

Join Cayuga Bird Club’s Lisa Wood for a guided spring bird walk in Stewart Park!

Bird walks are happening the 3rd Saturday of the month in April, May and June. Dress for the weather, bring your binoculars, and meet at the Cascadilla Boathouse at 9:00 am.

This is a past event. For current events, please visit stewartpark.org/events

Pop over to Stewart Park for an hour or two Tuesday, June 13 between 4:00 pm and 6:30 pm for a Weekday Work Party! We'll be trimming back invasive vegetation by the lake, working the garden beds along the waterfront trail. Together we'll improve views of the lake and beautify the park for summer!

Wear boots and gloves if you can and bring hand trimming tools (we have some as well). Meet at the DPW garage door of the Wharton Building.

*rain date June 14

(Location details: as you drive between the two large buildings, the Wharton Building is on your left and the DPW garage is on the far side facing the playground)

This is a past event. For current events, please visit stewartpark.org/events

Join Cayuga Bird Club’s Marc Devokaitis for a guided spring bird walk in Stewart Park!

Bird walks are happening the 3rd Saturday of the month in April, May and June. Dress for the weather, bring your binoculars, and meet at the Cascadilla Boathouse at 9:00 am.

This is a past event. For current events, please visit stewartpark.org/events

Join FSP Saturday, May 6, from 10AM-noon for I Love My Park Day!

We'll prepare the park for summer by cleaning up garden beds, planting new landscaping, raking the playground, mulching, trimming lakeside vegetation and more. Dress for the weather and bring your gloves, rakes, clippers and other gardening tools. Meet at the Information Kiosk by the playground. This is an all ages event!

This event is sponsored in part by Parks and Trails New York. If you plan to participate, please register on their website! It helps organizations like PTNY and FSP receive grants and funding for projects like this!

Registration is not required, but appreciated!

This is a past event. For current events, please visit stewartpark.org/events

Saturday, April 22 and is the inaugural Daffodil Dash 5K and 1-mile run/walk where participants will be delighted at the sight of almost 90,000 blooming daffodils planted along the Cayuga Inlet by the Ithaca Garden Club’s Daff-A-Dazzle community-wide project team. The trail of daffodils, coupled with the springtime blooms found in the Bulb Labyrinth Memorial Garden inside the Ithaca Children’s Garden, will mean individuals of all ages and stages will be able run, walk, roll or stroll through the only local race where it’s okay to stop… and smell the flowers.

Learn more and register

This is a past event. For current events, please visit stewartpark.org/events

Join Cayuga Bird Club ‘s Suan Yong and Ken Haas for a guided spring bird walk in Stewart Park.

Bird Walks are happening the 3rd Saturday of the month in April, May and June. Dress for the weather, bring your binoculars, and meet at the Cascadilla Boathouse at 9:00 am.

This is a past event. For current events, please visit stewartpark.org/events

Join Friends of Stewart Park Saturday, April 8, from 10 am to noon for a morning of spring cleaning at the annual Stewart Park spring waterfront cleanup!

Dress for the weather, wear boots, and bring gloves, garbage bags, litter grabbers or anything else that will help. Together we'll practice good stewardship of our park and Cayuga Lake’s waterfront.

Meet at the Picnic “Large” Pavilion.

Thank you to our event partner Zero Waste Ithaca for help in this cleanup.

Are you on FSP and Cayuga Waterfront Trail volunteer list? Be the first to hear about volunteer opportunities by signing up for the list at friendsofstewartpark.org/volunteer

This is a past event. For current events, please visit stewartpark.org/events

Did you know the Cayuga Waterfront Trail is now a certified Pollinator Pathway?

Join Friends of Stewart Park and Mary Ellen Lemay in a virtual presentation to learn about how planting natives, avoiding pesticides, and reducing lawn has the potential to create healthy, connected habitats for pollinators and wildlife as they move across the landscape.  

Mary Ellen Lemay is an expert in Environmental Management and a founding team member of Pollinator Pathway Northeast. She’ll explain how the Pollinator Pathway has all the ingredients to help landowners restore biodiversity with simple action steps.

Like and Share the event on Facebook.

This is a past event. For current events, please visit stewartpark.org/events

Join Friends of Stewart Park and Wharton Studio Museum in making noise about the final stage of Stewart Park Revitalization at the 7th annual Party for the Park! Celebrate the end of a lovely summer in the Park with a restored Cascadilla Boathouse exterior, accessible bathrooms in the Wharton Studio Museum, and enhanced landscaping; and to look ahead to a new Splash Pad and seasonal restroom, and the Wharton Studio Park Center Complex. 6pm-8:30pm

This year’s party will include Small Plate Fare featuring Mama Said Hand Pies, and local Wine, Beer, Soda and Seltzer. Live music presented by London McDaniel and Friends!

Thanks to this year’s Party for the Park Sponsors

This is a past event. For current events, please visit stewartpark.org/events

AUGUST 26: SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME

Tompkins Chamber and Serendipity Catering host Movies in the Park once again this year, showing five FREE movies on Friday nights at Stewart park from the last Friday night in July through August.

We welcome families and kids of all ages, so grab your blankets or chairs, and join in the fun!

Event sponsors include: Presenting Sponsor- Guthrie Ithaca; Gold Sponsors- Chemung Canal Trust Company and Maguire Automotive; Silver Sponsors- Yelverton Insurance, Cinemapolis, Hotel Ithaca, and CSP Management.

In the event of inclement weather, Movies in the Park will take place at Cinemapolis that same evening with the movie starting promptly at 7:30 pm. A rain call will be made by 12 pm the day of. MORE INFO >

This is a past event. For current events, please visit stewartpark.org/events

AUGUST 19: IN THE HEIGHTS

Tompkins Chamber and Serendipity Catering host Movies in the Park once again this year, showing five FREE movies on Friday nights at Stewart park from the last Friday night in July through August.

We welcome families and kids of all ages, so grab your blankets or chairs, and join in the fun!

Event sponsors include: Presenting Sponsor- Guthrie Ithaca; Gold Sponsors- Chemung Canal Trust Company and Maguire Automotive; Silver Sponsors- Yelverton Insurance, Cinemapolis, Hotel Ithaca, and CSP Management.

In the event of inclement weather, Movies in the Park will take place at Cinemapolis that same evening with the movie starting promptly at 7:30 pm. A rain call will be made by 12 pm the day of. MORE INFO >

This is a past event. For current events, please visit stewartpark.org/events

AUGUST 12: Encanto

Tompkins Chamber and Serendipity Catering host Movies in the Park once again this year, showing five FREE movies on Friday nights at Stewart park from the last Friday night in July through August.

We welcome families and kids of all ages, so grab your blankets or chairs, and join in the fun!

Event sponsors include: Presenting Sponsor- Guthrie Ithaca; Gold Sponsors- Chemung Canal Trust Company and Maguire Automotive; Silver Sponsors- Yelverton Insurance, Cinemapolis, Hotel Ithaca, and CSP Management.

In the event of inclement weather, Movies in the Park will take place at Cinemapolis that same evening with the movie starting promptly at 7:30 pm. A rain call will be made by 12 pm the day of. MORE INFO >

This is a past event. For current events, please visit stewartpark.org/events

AUGUST 5: Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings

Tompkins Chamber and Serendipity Catering host Movies in the Park once again this year, showing five FREE movies on Friday nights at Stewart park from the last Friday night in July through August.

We welcome families and kids of all ages, so grab your blankets or chairs, and join in the fun!

Event sponsors include: Presenting Sponsor- Guthrie Ithaca; Gold Sponsors- Chemung Canal Trust Company and Maguire Automotive; Silver Sponsors- Yelverton Insurance, Cinemapolis, Hotel Ithaca, and CSP Management.

In the event of inclement weather, Movies in the Park will take place at Cinemapolis that same evening with the movie starting promptly at 7:30 pm. A rain call will be made by 12 pm the day of. MORE INFO >

This is a past event. For current events, please visit stewartpark.org/events

WaterMusic & Dancing on the Trail features music and dance performances for paddlers, pedestrians and bicyclists along the Cayuga Waterfront Trail (see map below). Performing artists include: Richie Stearns, John Hoffman, Randi Beckmann & Jason Zorn (Old Time Band); Dave Davies, Harry Aceto, Tom Hodgson & Rick Manning (Swing & String Music); The Jeanne Goddard Dancers (Modern Dance & Improv); Jasperoo - John & Mary Beth Bunge (Old Time String Music); London MacDaniel (Swing Guitar); Cindy Stevens, Sera Smolens & Tom Mank (Dance & Music); Steven Stull (Pop Up Floating Opera); Stan Stewart (Solo Guitar Improv); John Simon & Friends (Folk Rock); Michael Ludgate & Friends (Contradance Band) and CSMA Recorder Ensemble. Join us to celebrate summer, music, dance, paddling, biking and walking on Ithaca’s beautiful waterfront.

RAINDATE: Monday, August 1st @ 5 - 7 pm.

WaterMusic 2022 is supported with funds provided by the Tompkins County Tourism Program and hosted by Triphammer Arts Inc. and Friends of Stewart Park. Triphammer Arts’ Season Sponsor is the Tompkins Trust Company.

Tompkins Chamber and Serendipity Catering host Movies in the Park once again this year, showing five FREE movies on Friday nights at Stewart park from the last Friday night in July through August.

We welcome families and kids of all ages, so grab your blankets or chairs, and join in the fun!

Event sponsors include: Presenting Sponsor- Guthrie Ithaca; Gold Sponsors- Chemung Canal Trust Company and Maguire Automotive; Silver Sponsors- Yelverton Insurance, Cinemapolis, Hotel Ithaca, and CSP Management.

In the event of inclement weather, Movies in the Park will take place at Cinemapolis that same evening with the movie starting promptly at 7:30 pm. A rain call will be made by 12 pm the day of. MORE INFO >

This is a past event. For current events, please visit stewartpark.org/events

John Bunge and Briel Felton present two free performances of their new work “The Sermon on the Mount” on Wenesday, July 20, at 5:30 and 7:00, in Stewart Park, near the Lagoon.

This 7-song cycle for soprano, baritone, and instrumental trio is based on the Biblical text from the perspective of two people in the crowd with their own story. Opera singers Amber Ward (Ithaca College) and Robert Flora (Tri-Cities Opera) will be featured with instrumentalists Miranda Lape, trombone and Nic Mathisen, double bass (both from Ithaca College). Free and open to the public.