e058 - The 315NY Weekly
Your weekly fix of news, events, and eats from around the 315.
Hi reader,
Happy Friday, 315. The music slate this week is a category-jumper. Alter Bridge plays the Landmark Friday night, full hard rock catalog. Wheatus (yes, the "Teenage Dirtbag" Wheatus) plays Song & Dance the same night. Boston indie-rock veterans The Sheila Divine play Middle Ages. And on Saturday, the Syracuse Orchestra puts on Dancing Queen: The Music of ABBA, where you get to sing along while a full orchestra rocks out behind you. Down in Utica, Get The Led Out brings Led Zeppelin to The Stanley on Thursday. ThunderBeard, the #1 ZZ Top tribute, plays 1812 on the River on Friday. And on Sunday, Tom Petty fans get Petty Thieves CNY at Shep's Brewing in Auburn. Six tributes, one weekend.
Battle of the Wings is back at Syracuse's Inner Harbor for its 7th year, two days of sampling and craft beer Friday and Saturday, capped with fireworks Saturday night. RetroGameCon takes over the Oncenter Convention Center on Saturday for vintage video games, vendors, tournaments, and free play. Hip-hop superstar Waka Flocka Flame brings high-octane energy to the Westcott on Thursday. And in the Finger Lakes, Friendly Ford of Geneva is doing a "Drive for Your Community" event where every test drive triggers a $60 donation to the White Springs Fire Department.
The North Country has a great mix of weird and wonderful. Drink Beer. Save Turtles. (yes, that's the actual event name) brings Zoo New York and Garland City Beer Works together for turtle-inspired craft beers, turtle meet-and-greets, and conservation fundraising in Watertown. State Street Market runs its Spring Record Rampage on Saturday, all day, vinyl vendors only. And on Sunday, the Explorers Flea Market in Norfolk pulls together one of the most unusual vendor lineups in the region.
The quieter picks are some of the most interesting this week. Mulberry Mania at the Oneida County History Center on Saturday tells the story of the 1830s silk speculation bubble that almost reshaped Oneida County farming. The Folkus Project presents Garnet Rogers at May Memorial UU in Syracuse on Friday, a long-respected songwriter described by the Boston Globe as "one of the major talents of our time." The Chef's Whim in Utica runs a Spring Tasting Menu on Sunday evening. And on Sunday afternoon in Massena, Fahrenheit Bar & Grill hosts a Plant & Sip event teaching the basics of houseplant repotting. This week's Foodie Corner heads to Devereux Street in Utica for Happy Feet Caribbean Cuisine, where owner Donald is serving some of the best jerk chicken and curry goat north of New York City. More on that below.
Local Events
Syracuse Area
FRIDAY, MAY 15
Alter Bridge 🎶 7 - 11pm
Back in 2004, four lifelong musicians got together down in Florida. Even though they had traveled separate paths, similar lessons learned, wisdom earned, and dues paid united these gentlemen as Alter Bridge. Come enjoy the music at Syracuse's Landmark Theatre.
FRIDAY, MAY 15
The Folkus Project presents Garnet Rogers 🎶 8pm
Garnet Rogers has established himself as one of the major talents of our time. Hailed by the Boston Globe as a "charismatic performer and singer," Garnet is a man with a powerful physical presence and a voice to match. Catch the show at May Memorial UU in Syracuse.
FRIDAY, MAY 15 - SATURDAY, MAY 16
Battle of the Wings 🍗🍺 Fri 4-10pm, Sat 12-10pm
Wing enthusiasts won't want to miss the 7th Annual Battle of the Wings at Syracuse's Inner Harbor. Sample a variety of flavorful creations, sip on craft beers, and cap off the night with a fireworks display over the harbor.
FRIDAY, MAY 15
Wheatus 🎶🎸 6pm
Catch this concert at Song & Dance in Syracuse.
FRIDAY, MAY 15
The Sheila Divine 🎶 8pm
Come to Middle Ages in Syracuse to see Boston's indie-rock powerhouse. Masters of soaring vocals, lush guitars, and emotionally charged performances that linger long after the last note. Every song is an experience, blending intensity, melody, and raw passion into a sound uniquely theirs.
SATURDAY, MAY 16
RetroGameCon 🎮 10am
Located in Expo Hall B at The Oncenter Convention Center, RetroGameCon features all the activities you love about the fall show: video game and artist/craft vendors, special guests, free play video games, panel presentations, tournaments, and more.
SATURDAY, MAY 16
Dancing Queen: The Music of ABBA 💃 7:30pm
You can be The Dancing Queen and sing along to your ABBA favorites as The Syracuse Orchestra rocks out with vocalists in The Music of ABBA.
SUNDAY, MAY 17
R&B Brunch 🎶🫘 11am
Join us for a laid-back Sunday experience at Middle Ages in Syracuse, blending great food and drinks with 90s R&B throwback vibes.
THURSDAY, MAY 21
Waka Flocka Flame 🎶 8pm
Hip-Hop superstar Waka Flocka Flame brings his high-octane energy and iconic hits to the Westcott Theater in Syracuse.
Oswego County
FRIDAY, MAY 15
Assemblyman Barclay's Annual Blood Drive 🩸 11am - 4pm
Donate blood and help save a life at McCrobie Civic Building.
FRIDAY, MAY 15
Haunted Oswego Tours 👻 8:30pm
Hear the stories that have flourished by word of mouth, some for hundreds of years to the present day. You'll hear of the specters that haunt the streets, tunnels, homes, and businesses of Oswego.
FRIDAY, MAY 15
Sound Bath 🧗🎶 5:30pm
Show yourself some love and attend this month's sound bath at North Coast Yoga in Oswego.
SATURDAY, MAY 16
Belgian Waffle Breakfast Buffet 🥨 7:30 - 11am
Join us at Mt. Pleasant Grange #349 for the monthly, made-to-order, Belgian Waffle Breakfast Buffet. All you can eat.
SATURDAY, MAY 16
3rd Annual Cornhole Tournament 🎯 12 - 4pm
Bags fly at noon. Come join the fun at Lakeview Lanes in Fulton.
SATURDAY, MAY 16
Demo Derbies 🚗💥 5:30pm
After an uncertain forecast with scattered showers cancelling opening night, the long wait for racing is over. Fulton Speedway is set to roar back to life on Saturday.
SATURDAY, MAY 16
Oswego Garden Club Plant Sale 🌱 9am - 12pm
The Oswego Garden Club is pleased to announce they will again hold a plant sale and fundraiser to continue their mission of beautification, conservation, and stimulating love of gardening. Come meet other gardeners and find plants at great prices at Richardson-Bates Museum in Oswego.
SUNDAY, MAY 17
Vendor Alley 🛒️ 11am - 3pm
Drop by Lakeview Lanes Vendor Alley for local shopping and support for small businesses in our community. Free to attend.
TUESDAY, MAY 19
Trivia Night 🤓 6 - 8pm
It's game time, Fulton. Gather your crew and head to LorBird this Tuesday for the weekly Trivia Night. Challenging questions, cold drinks, and amazing food waiting for you.
THURSDAY, MAY 21
Vegetable Gardening for Beginners 🥕🦊 5 - 6:30pm
Come to Faith United Church in Oswego to tour the community garden and learn how it all got started. Soil preparation, weed management, tools needed, seeding and transplanting, raised beds and container gardening, and pest control.
Mohawk Valley Region
FRIDAY, MAY 15
Friday Salon at The Portal 👥 3 - 7:30pm
We're opening The Portal for a new kind of Friday afternoon gathering. Something simple, intentional, and a little different from the usual ways we move through the end of the week. Inspired by traditional salons, spaces where people came together around conversation, music, and shared experience. Friday Salon is a modern, relaxed version of that idea.
FRIDAY, MAY 15 - SATURDAY, MAY 16
Annual Rummage Sale 🛒️ Fri 10am-2pm, Sat 9am-12pm
Come hunt for new treasures at St. John's Lutheran Church in Rome. All proceeds benefit local organizations.
SATURDAY, MAY 16
2nd Annual Beer Pong Tournament 🍺 3pm
Think you've got what it takes? Grab your partner and get ready for an afternoon of competition, drinks, and fun at King Pin Lanes.
SATURDAY, MAY 16
Vinyl Night III 💿 6 - 9pm
Bring your favorite vinyl to Copper City Brewing, where Mr. 315 Music will give you a thumbs up if your music is worthy.
SATURDAY, MAY 16
Mulberry Mania 📜 2pm
"Mulberry mania" was a wild speculative bubble in the 1830s driven by the dream of establishing a multi-million-dollar silk industry in the United States. In Oneida County (Sauquoit, Whitestown, and New Hartford) farmers hoped to grow silk as a moral alternative to cotton produced by enslaved people. Alecia Pendasulo shares the fascinating story of this ambitious, short-lived initiative. Come learn more at the Oneida County History Center.
SUNDAY, MAY 17
Step into an intimate evening of flavor, creativity, and seasonal inspiration with The Chef's Whim in Utica. A curated multi-course tasting designed around the freshness and vibrancy of spring. Bright flavors, thoughtful plating, and a menu crafted with intention, each dish telling its own story of the season.
SUNDAY, MAY 17
Tiger Sunday Session 🎶 2 - 4pm
Come out to Copper City Brewing for another round of songs that go perfectly with a great craft beer.
SUNDAY, MAY 17
Pop-Up Vendor Fair 🛒️ 10am - 3pm
Come check out local vendors at the Rome Art and Community Center.
WEDNESDAY, MAY 20
Small Business Bingo with The Rome Twigs 🎲 7 - 9pm
Join us for a night of bingo at Copper City Brewing.
THURSDAY, MAY 21
Get The Led Out 🎸🎶 8pm
Get The Led Out is a group of professional musicians passionate about their love of the music of Led Zeppelin. It's been their mission to bring the studio recordings of The Mighty Zep to life on the big concert stage. Catch the show at The Stanley Theatre in Utica.
North Country
FRIDAY, MAY 15
Thunderbeard: #1 Tribute to ZZ Top 🎸🎶 7 - 10pm
Grit, groove, and pure Texas rock 'n roll. ThunderBeard brings the look, sound, and swagger of ZZ Top to life, from the fuzzy guitars to the legendary beards. Come enjoy the hits at 1812 on the River in Watertown.
SATURDAY, MAY 16
Boozy Music Bingo 🎲🍺 4pm
Come hang out for a casual evening of music bingo. Free to play, and a great way to unwind with friends. Join us at Dark Island Spirits in Alexandria Bay.
SATURDAY, MAY 16
State Street Market's Spring Record Rampage 💿 10am - 4pm
Stop, collaborate, and listen, because the vinyl vendors are back with another edition of the Spring Record Rampage. Come out to Watertown to hunt for new treasures.
SATURDAY, MAY 16
Drink Beer. Save Turtles. 🍺🐢 2 - 7pm
Zoo New York at Thompson Park teams up with Garland City Beer Works to host a night of turtle conservation fundraising. Come by to enjoy turtle-inspired craft beers, turtle meet-and-greets, raffles, and more.
SATURDAY, MAY 16
Small Town Dreamers 🎶🎸 7 - 11pm
Come to VFW Post 2936 in Ogdensburg to enjoy some great music and cold drinks after eating a delicious fish fry.
SUNDAY, MAY 17
Plant & Sip Event 🌱🍺 1 - 3pm
A first of its kind. If you love houseplants and want to learn how to transplant yours into soil that nourishes and supports your plant's growth, you don't want to miss this class. Join us at Fahrenheit Bar & Grill in Massena.
SUNDAY, MAY 17
Sometimes you just want to sit down with a cup of coffee and get to know your fellow queers. We'll be hanging out at Jernabi in Potsdam for some low-key social time. If you join us for a chat, your drink is on us.
SUNDAY, MAY 17
Explorers Flea Market 🛒️ 11am - 5pm
Come to Norfolk to explore one of the most unique flea markets in the North Country. The Explorer's Flea Market brings together an amazing mix of vendors and experiences all in one place. You never know what treasures you might find.
MONDAY, MAY 18
Evening Knit and Crochet Circle 🧶 6:30pm
Potsdam Public Library's Evening Knit and Crochet Circle welcomes new and experienced knitters and crocheters. Supplies will occasionally be supplied alongside free seasonal patterns, but you're encouraged to bring your own works in progress. Assistance available to beginners who would like to join.
Finger Lakes Region
FRIDAY, MAY 15
Petty Thieves 🎶🎸 6:30pm
Petty Thieves CNY brings the music of Tom Petty and more to Shep's Brewing in Auburn.
SATURDAY, MAY 16
Downtown Auburn Flower Power Plant 🌹🌱 9am
Calling all green-thumb volunteers. Come to downtown Auburn to fill the street pots with beautiful flowers for the 2026 summer season.
SATURDAY, MAY 16
Drive for Your Community 🚗 10am
Friendly Ford of Geneva hosts a Drive For Your Community event to benefit the White Springs Fire Department. Stop by, take a test drive in a new Ford vehicle, and help give back. For every test drive taken, Ford donates $30 and Friendly Ford matches it. $60 per test drive goes to the department.
SUNDAY, MAY 17
Mark Nanni at the Bluewater 🎶 11am - 2pm
Nanni heads to Skanny for Sunday Funday Brunch. Bring your pals and enjoy live tunes at the Bluewater.
SUNDAY, MAY 17
Boutique Pop-Up Shop & Sip 🛒️ 1 - 5pm
Join us for a boutique pop-up Shop & Sip at Britches' Dance Bar in Auburn.
MONDAY, MAY 18
Jess Novak at Potters Farm to Fork 🎶 6pm
Come out to Port Byron to enjoy choice covers and soulful originals by Jess Novak.
WEDNESDAY, MAY 20
Books & Bites 📚 4 - 7pm
Join us in Weedsport for Books & Bites. On the third Wednesday of each month, May through September, food trucks will be at the library serving up quick and easy dinner options. Stop by, grab a bite, and support your local library.
WEDNESDAY, MAY 20
Music Bingo 🎶🎲 6pm
Another night of music bingo at the Weedsport taproom. Join us at Lunkenheimer Craft Brewing.
Foodie Section
Happy Feet Caribbean Cuisine - Utica
Happy Feet Caribbean Cuisine sits at 37 Devereux Street in downtown Utica, a few blocks off Genesee, tucked into a stretch you'd miss if you weren't looking. That's part of the charm. Reviewers consistently call it a hidden gem, and the people who find it tend to come back. The owner, Donald, runs the floor himself. He greets guests, makes recommendations, and the personal touch shows up in every review.
The menu is built around Jamaican classics done right. Jerk chicken is the headliner, tender and properly seasoned, served with rice and peas and a small side of cabbage that reviewers single out as worth ordering on its own. Curry goat (bone-in, big pieces, easy to remove) is the dish people drive across town for. Oxtail with gravy over rice and peas, pepper steak, curry chicken, and fried plantains round out the mains. Beef patties and pastries are available for quicker stops. And the menu mac and cheese is the kind of side that makes a meal feel complete.
Portions are generous. Most reviewers note they leave with leftovers, which makes the modest price point ($10-$25 average) feel even more honest. The dining room is small but clean and warm, with a homey feel that reflects the kitchen. The food comes out in takeout containers even when you're dining in, which sounds odd at first but means your leftovers are already packed when you're done. Jamaica Soda and Ting (the grapefruit soda) are on the menu to round things out properly.
The ratings tell the story. 4.6 stars on Google across 67+ reviews. 4.7 stars on Sirved. 5.0 on Facebook. 4.1 on Restaurantji across 68 ratings. Happy Feet is open Monday through Saturday, 11am to 8pm. Closed Sunday. Delivery is available through DoorDash. If you've been looking for authentic Caribbean food in the 315 and didn't know where to start, this is where to start.
Address: 37 Devereux St, Utica, NY 13501
Phone: (315) 733-0272
Hours: Mon-Sat 11am-8pm | Closed Sunday
Price Range: $10-$25 average
Cuisine: Caribbean, Jamaican
Ordering: Dine-in, takeout, delivery (DoorDash, Uber Eats)
Highlights: Jerk chicken, curry goat, oxtail with gravy, pepper steak, mac & cheese, fried plantains, Jamaica Soda
Owner: Donald
Ratings: 4.6/5 Google | 4.7/5 Sirved | 5.0/5 Facebook | 4.1/5 Restaurantji
Menu: link
Thank you for reading, sharing,
and being part of this.
Jono Chowdhury
Founder, 315NY