Good morning, Ithaca.

The 34th annual GrassRoots Festival took place in Trumansburg over a four-day weekend, as thousands gathered to enjoy music and dance despite smoke from Canadian wildfires and heavy rains, with headliners including Rhiannon Giddens and Taj Mahal and local officials and volunteers ensuring safe operations.

Photographer Harry Littell presents Factory Stories, a book pairing worker portraits and memories from the former Morse Chain factory with new images as the site enters redevelopment.

The book launch will take place on Thursday, August 6 from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. at FOUND in Ithaca.

State funding of over $2 million will help the YMCA of Ithaca and Tompkins County build a new Early Learning Center and Universal Pre-K space, announced by Sen. Lea Webb on Tuesday.

The funds come from New York’s Child Care Capital Construction Funding Program.

On July 17, three newly elected members (economist Blalock, childcare center director Garner and psychologist Tripp) were sworn in to a three-year term on the school board, giving reformers a power shift.

The board will soon review the district’s budget and procedures after heated meetings that challenged past leadership.

Ed Baum ’81 and his wife, Holly Wallace, committed the largest one-time gift to the ILR School as they establish the Baum and Wallace Family High Road Endowment, which will fund stipends, subsidized housing and engaged-learning programs with High Road New York City.

Two Cornell-led teams were selected to receive nearly $1.2 million from the DOE Genesis Mission for nine-month Phase I projects (with awards of $550,000 and $636,000) using AI to predict turbulent flows and electronic properties.

They will advance energy safety and speed material discovery in Ithaca and beyond.

The U.S. House passed the Kay Hagan Tick Reauthorization Act on July 21 to extend funding through 2030 for tick-borne disease response in Upstate New York, according to Rep. Josh Riley.

It directs support to local agencies and regional centers handling the illness.

Cornell faculty and students are teaming with the city to review park maintenance, funding, and governance in Ithaca through Cornell’s $4 million annual commitment.

They are surveying park spaces + gathering community feedback to propose a more sustainable plan.

Ithaca's water and sewer replacement project on three blocks of East Buffalo Street, which started in March, has been delayed by rocky conditions and is now set to continue through fall — detour routes remain in place.

The Rocksteady Explosion 20-Year Reunion Show

Time not specified — Liquid State Brewing Company — Benefit concert — Celebrate the ska scene with The Rocksteady Explosion's 20-year reunion and more local acts.

Brassquatch! The Fall Creek Brass Band Musical

7:30-9 p.m. — Hangar Theatre — Tickets $12-$34 — Experience a family-friendly musical adventure blending brass, gospel, and pop as young heroes navigate identity and belonging.