Community Calendar

Join FOCUS for a hybrid public forum exploring how Central New York is building and reshaping its workforce system, and what it means for residents, employers, and the broader civic community. Across the region, training programs, workforce development systems, and employers are working to respond to changing skill demands and evolving economic conditions. This conversation brings together ERIE21, CenterState CEO, and the Manufacturers Association (MACNY) to examine how these systems interact in practice; where alignment is happening, where gaps remain, and what it takes to translate training into sustainable opportunity. The discussion will focus on how workforce pipelines are formed and supported across education and industry, how employers communicate and adapt to talent needs, and how regional partnerships are shaping access to careers in a changing economy. Importantly, the forum will also highlight how residents can play an active civic role in this system, not only by preparing for opportunities, but by engaging with the policies, partnerships, and decisions that shape workforce development across Central New York. After opening remarks from our panel, the conversation moves to a moderated Q&A, giving attendees the opportunity to ask questions and discover ways to engage with local priorities and initiatives. This is a welcoming, respectful space for community members to learn, engage, and explore ways to be actively involved in shaping the civic life of Central New York.

Dr. Graham Russell Hodges, George Dorland Langdon, Jr. Professor of History and African Studies at Colgate University, will explore the choices that Patriot and Loyalist Black Americans made during the American Revolution. A sizable number of Black Americans sided with the British forces, with thousands ultimately choosing exile for a mixed freedom in the British empire. At least five thousand Blacks served in the American army, showing honor and courage in key battles. The lecture will discuss why Black Americans made their choices and the eventual outcome of such major alliances. Hodges is the author of over ten books including the forthcoming biography: Henry Highland Garnet: A Passion for the Freedom-Idea (Yale University Press, 2027). Admission is free.

Join art historian Elisabeth Genter Montevecchio for a free 45-minute tour highlighting Lorenzo’s amazing fine art collection including works by Sanford Gifford, Edward Moran, Jasper Cropsey, Dwight Williams, and 17th century Dutch Masters. Admission to the program is free. Reservations are required as space is limited. Call 315-655-3200, ext. 106 or email: jacqueline.roshia@parks.ny.gov

The “Tunnels and Towers” experience takes visitors beyond the radical beliefs and practices of the Community and into the basement to discover the storage rooms, vaults, mechanical rooms, kitchens, and laundry facilities that supported the Community’s unique lifestyle. Visitors will also ascend the towers of the Mansion House to gaze out on the nearly 250 acres of gardens, grounds, and trails! You are not going to want to miss these limited small-group tours!

While not required, we recommend this tour for people with some familiarity with the history of the Mansion House--take a self guided tour or one of our guided or specialty tours to enhance your experience!

Event Details:

-The cost for this tour is $30 general admission, $25 for members and students.

-Space is limited to 20 people, reserve your spot early!

-Parking is available in the rear of the Mansion House.

-This tour will include walking, stairs, and entering dark and sometimes tight spaces, so be sure to wear comfortable clothes and close-toed shoes!

The Fine Print:

*Not all areas of this tour are ADA accessible.

*Suggested for those ages 16 and over.

*Refunds will not be given if less than 48 hours from the event.

*The Oneida Community Mansion House occasionally uses photographs and videos of event participants in promotional materials. By virtue of your attendance, you agree to usage of your likeness in such materials.

Join FOCUS for a hybrid public forum examining the intersection of food insecurity, health care, and community advocacy, and how these systems work together to shape community health and well-being in Central New York. Panelists will share perspectives from the Food Bank of Central New York and the health care sector, offering insight into the role of food access in overall health, the work of the Food Bank to support individuals and families across the region, and the ways policy, systems, and advocacy influence both food security and health outcomes. The discussion will highlight how civic engagement pathways, such as advocacy, community involvement, and public participation, support solutions that strengthen access to food and health-related resources. After opening remarks from our panel, the conversation moves into a moderated Q&A, giving attendees the opportunity to ask questions, reflect on the connections between food access and health care, and explore how residents can engage at the civic level through advocacy, volunteering, and support of community initiatives. This forum offers a welcoming, respectful space for community members to learn, engage, and explore meaningful pathways to strengthen the civic life of Central New York.

Since relocating to the Lorenzo grounds in 1997, the Rippleton Schoolhouse has served as a place to “live history.” Hundreds of Central New York pupils attend classes in our restored one-room schoolhouse each year. Since 2002, the Friends of Lorenzo have hosted this annual event welcoming “kids of all ages” to participate in period games, meet the schoolmarm, enjoy refreshments, horse-drawn wagon rides, fall crafts, and more! Admission to the event is free.

Wade Catts, President of South River Heritage Consulting in Delaware, adjunct professor of history at Rowan University, and co-director of the award-winning Red Bank Battlefield Archaeology Project, will offer his personal insights and experiences from a variety of Revolutionary War military sites. Using examples from battlefields throughout the Middle Atlantic and Northeast, he will look at what the field of archaeology brings to the investigation, interpretation, and preservation of these places. He will discuss new research and how it informs our current understanding of 18th-century warfare and reflect on the role of material culture and landscape in the public’s renewed interest in our Revolutionary War as we commemorate America’s semiquincentennial. Catts is a Registered Professional Archaeologist (RPA), with 45 years of experience as an historical archaeologist specializing in history, archaeology, and historic preservation. Admission is free.

The Lorenzo Driving Competition invites you to meet the miniature horses wearing costumes, and Jason the Fjord horse disguised as a pumpkin! Tour Lorenzo’s rarely seen carriage storage, coloring pages for the kids, light refreshments, and more. The NYS Draft Horse club will be onsite offering wagon rides! Admission is free.

FOCUS Greater Syracuse, Inc. invites the community to the 2026 Wisdom Keeper Celebration! Join FOCUS in honoring this year’s Wisdom Keepers, Tim Fox and Evelyn C. Ingram, as we celebrate their remarkable leadership and contributions to Central New York!

The 2026 Wisdom Keeper will be held at the Rosamond Gifford Zoo, an exciting setting for this beloved celebration! Wisdom Keeper is a lively, welcoming celebration where leaders, professionals, and community members from all walks of life come together to connect, converse, and be inspired!

Guests will enjoy a relaxed atmosphere with hors d’oeuvres, a cash bar, and plenty of opportunities to meet new people and reconnect with familiar faces! The highlight of the evening will be honoring our 2026 Wisdom Keeper Honorees, extraordinary individuals whose leadership, care, and vision continue to shape Central New York’s future.

Reserve Your Tickets Today!

Dr. David Gellman, the 2026-27 A. Lindsay O’Connor Chair of American Institutions in the History Department at Colgate University, will discuss that as America’s 250th gives way to the 2027 bicentennial of the final abolition of slavery in New York, the moment is ideal to contemplate the relationship between independence and emancipation in the Empire State. John Jay, diplomat, US Supreme Court Chief Justice, governor, slaveholder, and antislavery society president, provides a powerful prism for making sense of an uneven but profound transformation. The relationship between Caesar, Clarinda, Zilpah, and members of the Jay family who enslaved and later freed them entwines with the ways that this influential political family navigated the fulfillment of their antislavery beliefs. The talk thus merges public and private lives to contemplate the limits and the potential of the American Revolution. Gellman is the author of Liberty’s Chain: Slavery, Abolition, and the Jay Family of New York, winner of the Herbert H. Lehman Prize.