Old Greeny Fringe Fest is coming to the waterfront!

If you’ve ever walked the waterfront trail and thought, “This would be the perfect place for something delightfully weird to happen,” you’re in luck. Old Greeny Fringe Fest (OGFF) is a week-long celebration of the weird, wacky, and whimsical—rooted in the legend of Old Greeny, the Cayuga Lake cryptid—and it’s built to pop up in both traditional and non-traditional spaces along Ithaca’s waterfront trail.

Even better: Uncle Marty’s will be participating and hosting an event during the fest, since we’re right in the mix with the waterfront-trail energy this festival is designed around. (More on that below.)

What is Old Greeny Fringe Fest?

OGFF is a fringe festival—meaning you can expect a creative, community-driven mix of performances, art, installations, storytelling, and interactive happenings… often in unexpected places. The festival’s mission also puts real emphasis on sustainability, accessibility, and local culture, and it’s a proud member of USAFF (the United States Association of Fringe Festivals).

And yes: it’s all tied to the lake monster legend. Lean in.

When it’s happening

Festival dates: April 27 – May 3, 2026.

Here’s the week-at-a-glance:

• Mon, Apr 27: family-friendly outdoor movie night (listed as at the Ithaca Farmers Market)

• Tue, Apr 28: Waterfront Parade + community events

• Apr 28 – May 2: the main run of performances

• Sun, May 3: award ceremony + finale carnival

How to experience OGFF (the fun part)

One of the best things about OGFF is how walkable/bikeable it’s designed to be: events cluster around the waterfront-trail corridor so you can bounce between shows, art, and activities without a big logistical headache. (US Association of Fringe Festivals)

A few helpful notes:

• Outdoor shows are free to the public (donations may be collected).

• Indoor shows may be ticketed, with ticket prices capped at $30/person.

• Venues range from intimate (10 people) up to around 100 seats, and some spaces are intentionally non-traditional.

Uncle Marty’s + OGFF: what we’re doing

Because OGFF is activating spaces along the waterfront trail—and because Uncle Marty’s is participating as part of that trail-side community—we’re excited to host an OGFF event and be one of the places you can drop in during the week. We’ll share the exact event details (date/time + what we’re hosting) as the festival schedule is finalized—so keep an eye on our updates.

Want to volunteer?

OGFF is actively recruiting volunteers, and the perks are honestly great:

• Volunteer apps are accepted until April 19, 2026

• Orientation happens on Zoom on April 23 or 24, 2026

• Volunteers get $5 tickets to shows (regardless of ticket price)

• Volunteers check in at the Old Greeny Hub at The Cherry Arts

One last thing: the trail is part of the magic

The Cayuga Waterfront Trail is a big reason OGFF works so well as a “roam and discover” festival—it’s a multi-use, non-motorized connector across the waterfront, and it’s designed to be accessible too. So whether you come for the parade, the movie night, a handful of shows, or just to see what strange little art thing is happening around the next bend… we’ll see you out there. And if you spot Old Greeny? Please, respectfully, tell everyone.

Bonus: we can help artists + venues get ready

If you’re performing, producing, or hosting an OGFF event, Uncle Marty’s can take a bunch of the “last-mile” stress off your plate:

• Discounts to participating artists on printing services

• Fast, in-house printing (and large-format posters/banners up to 36" wide)

• Specialty print products (signage, flyers, rack cards, event materials, etc.)

• Practical support for file setup and making things print correctly (proofing, formatting, and more)

Helpful Links:

https://www.usaff.org/ogff.html

https://oldgreenyfringefest.com/