Summer is a fascinating time in downtown Ithaca. The flower and landscaping is in full bloom, softening the urban environment and adding color and dazzle to our public spaces. The new public art from the Art in the Heart of the City exhibit is installed and it is hard to walk anywhere downtown with having regular sightings of sculpture and public art. On two or three evenings a week, the Commons is alive with music, highlighted by our Thursday evening M&T Bank Concert series. Most days you will encounter a busker—an individual musician or magician plying their trade and injecting some spontaneous energy into district. With summer comes visitors and tourists and the DIA operates a concierge service out of its red kiosk parked in the middle of the Commons. More stores are open into the evenings— gift stores, bookstores, and of course food and beverage places. On most days there are four or five street vendors on the Commons, adding their own smells, flavors, and energy to the mall.
It’s a lovely place for a stroll, for a noontime or evening meal, for some recreational and experiential shopping. You will see people of all ages, all races and ethnicities, and from places around the globe. All are welcome; all add to the mosaic of community we call downtown.
This summer take a downtown stroll. Discover the gift shops, the incredible dining, and that special environment that awaits you here in downtown Ithaca.