Events this week — what's on, where, and how to get in.

#SYRFoodTrucks Monster Bash — F-Shed at the CNY Regional Market, Friday, Oct. 30, 5 to 11 PM. $35 online or at the door. 21+, no re-entry.

The Syracuse Food Truck Association's season finale: 13 food trucks, hourly costume contests and door prizes, Cosmic Bingo at 6 and 7, and a haunted house DJ set 8 to 11, with more than $5,000 in cash and prizes. Costume contest proceeds go to B&R Bunkhouse. Details

Thursday, October 29

Women+ on the Edge of Democracy — Archbold Theatre at Syracuse Stage, 820 E. Genesee St., doors 6 PM, readings 7. Free. New 10-minute plays on democracy by Sarah Ruhl, Heidi Schreck and others, ahead of Election Day. Reserve a spot

Friday, October 30

Halloween Bash — Meier's Creek Brewing Company Inner Harbor, 720 Van Rensselaer St., 6 to 9:30 PM. Free. SU men's basketball meet and greet at 6, a costume contest and the Josh Taylor Project. Details

Crunch vs. Hamilton, Halloween Spooktacular — Upstate Medical University Arena, 7 PM. Costumes encouraged; kids trick-or-treat on the ice after. Details

Fright Nights, final two nights — 1 LePage Pl., Friday and Saturday, 7 PM to midnight. $45 at the door, less in advance. Haunted houses. Tickets

Saturday, October 31

"Westcott World," final day — Petit Branch Library, 105 Victoria Pl., 9 AM to 5 PM. William Rollins Hall Jr.'s Syracuse photos, each paired with a cartoon and a literary quote. Details

WNA Halloween Dog Parade — Petit Branch Library, 105 Victoria Pl., 11 AM to noon. The 5th annual half-mile parade, led by New Orleans-style brass band Second Line Syracuse, with cider and doughnuts after. Details

Halloween Celebration with David's Refuge — Hal Welsh East Area Family YMCA, 200 Towne Dr., Fayetteville, 11 AM to 1 PM. Free. Trick-or-treating, bouncy houses and games. Details

SU football vs. No. 19 SMU — JMA Wireless Dome, noon, on ESPN2. 'Cuse on the Quad trick-or-treating, a kids costume parade and a $30 concession deal (four hot dogs, four drinks, two popcorns). Details

EEK = MC² Halloween Weekend, part two — The MOST, 500 S. Franklin St., Saturday and Sunday. Free with admission. Halloween science crafts and games; costumes encouraged. Details

Sunday, November 1

Día de los Muertos Brunch — Talking Cursive Brewing Co., 301 Erie Blvd. W., 10 AM to 2 PM. À la carte; reservations required. The 3rd annual, with a community ofrenda: bring a photo or token of a loved one or pet. Details

Wednesday, October 28

Harmonic Dirt and Friends — The Whiskey Coop, 120 Walton St., 6 PM. Free. Weekly "curated Hootenanny" of Americana, folk, bluegrass and roots. Details

Thursday, October 29

Noon Fifteen + Rising Ghosts — Funk 'n Waffles, 307-313 S. Clinton St., 8 PM. 18+. Ithaca "prog soul" rockers, with Syracuse alt band Rising Ghosts. Tickets

Friday, October 30

Funk 'n Waffles Fall Fest — Funk 'n Waffles, 6:30 PM (doors 6). 18+. Sophistafunk, New Planets, The Basement Chronicles, Wavy Awakening, and Quince and The New Paris. Tickets

Saturday, October 31

Root Shock — Middle Ages Music Hall, 120 Wilkinson St., 8 PM (doors 7). All ages (under 18 with a guardian). Reggae, funk, soul, rock and psych; costumes encouraged. Tickets

Sunday, November 1

Shawn Halloran — 1911 Tasting Room at Beak & Skiff, 2708 Lords Hill Rd., LaFayette, 2 to 4 PM. Free. Cider flights and Tavern food. Details

Monday, November 2

Monday Dead Night with Ship of Phools — Funk 'n Waffles, 7:30 PM. 18+. Binghamton Grateful Dead tribute. Tickets

Tuesday, November 3

SU Wind Ensemble and Concert Band — Setnor Auditorium, Crouse College, Syracuse University, 8 PM. Free. Details

Toronzo Cannon, The 443 Social Club, 443 Burnet Ave., Wednesday, Nov. 4, 7 PM. Chicago blues guitarist and singer. Details

Rock & Roll Rebels with Come Out CNY, Everson Museum of Art, Thursday, Nov. 5, 6 to 9 PM. $25 in advance, $30 at the door. Tickets

CNY Veterans Parade and Expo, Center of Progress Building, NYS Fairgrounds, Saturday, Nov. 7, expo 9 AM to 2 PM, parade at noon. Free. Details

SU football vs. Clemson, Saturday, Nov. 7, noon, at home. Schedule

Hell's Kitchen, Alicia Keys' musical, opens at the Landmark Theatre Tuesday, Nov. 10, 7:30 PM. Details

One food or drink spot a week — what's new, what's worth the trip, and what to order.

From Scratch, 76 Albany St., Cazenovia — Sunday brunch

Caroline Horvatits and Anna Brummeler launched From Scratch in December 2023 and run it out of Loka Leaf Tea Lounge on Albany Street. Both are self-taught in the kitchen and make everything in-house. They ask their farmers what they feed their animals and how they're raised before buying from them, because they want to support local farmers working for "the health of the earth, animals, and people," Horvatits told the Cazenovia Republican. The menu lists the local farms behind the food.

Last Sunday we walked into their dining room, which feels like an antique shop, and ordered one of everything on the October menu: the From Scratch Breakfast Sandwich ($15) on homemade focaccia, the Autumn Omelette ($15) with roasted winter squash and herb goat cheese, Pumpkin Spice Pancakes ($16), the Chili & Corn Waffle ($18) with pasture-raised beef chili and a fried egg, and the Sweet Shroom Grilled Cheese ($14). The grilled cheese knocked our socks off: local mushrooms, caramelized onions, New York cheddar and fig jam on sourdough.

From the counter, we added stuffed dates and an apple cider donut fritter, made to order and served hot.

We enjoyed everything, and we're headed back for the Supper Club this Friday.

The menu changes every month. There's no brunch this Sunday, Nov. 1 (they're off for Halloween weekend), and it's back Nov. 8 with the November menu.

Brunch is Sundays, 9 AM to 2 PM, no reservations. The Supper Club runs Friday nights ($75 a person, reserve by email). This Friday's is sold out. November dates are now available, but they book up quick. Details

Background from the Cazenovia Republican.

A deeper look at one person, place, or project in Syracuse.

Tell us about someone in Syracuse worth knowing: the owner who knows every regular by name, the coach who's been at it for decades, the neighbor who keeps the block going. Hit reply with a name and a sentence on why.

Construction and development around the city, in plain English.

If you live in an older Syracuse house, the pipe that brings water in from the street may be lead. Central Current cites a 2026 Rockefeller Institute study that found nearly 77% of the city's service lines have lead in them.

On Monday, Oct. 26, the Common Council unanimously approved replacing 1,700 lead service lines across the city, at a cost not to exceed $25 million, The Daily Orange reported. Councilors also approved up to $12 million for the city's Water Main Replacement Project.

By our count of the city's lead pipe map, about 2,300 lead lines have been replaced since the start of 2024: 158 that year, 828 in 2025 and 1,337 so far this year. About 16,700 are still listed as lead or galvanized pipe that has to go, and another 11,500 haven't been identified yet.

Mayor Sharon Owens says the city has to move faster. "It's not fast enough. We have to pick up the pace," she said Monday, Oct. 26, at the Lead Big Table, a gathering of city leaders and advocates at the INSPYRE Innovation Hub, per CNY Central.

Two changes are coming, she told Central Current. The city is changing its procurement process so it can hire more than one contractor, and code enforcement officers will check pipes in homes for lead during routine inspections (they won't test faucets).

What it means for you: search your address on that map to see whether your line has been replaced, is scheduled or isn't scheduled yet.

Coverage from The Daily Orange, CNY Central and Central Current.

One neighborhood at a time — what's there, what's changing.

Hanover Square, the triangle where Warren, Water and East Genesee streets meet, is where Syracuse first did business. According to the Downtown Committee's walking tour, the village well stood here, and so did the city's first commercial district.

After a fire destroyed 21 buildings on the square in 1834, the Phoenix Buildings went up on East Water Street, thought to be named for the mythical bird that rose from the ashes. They're among the oldest buildings downtown, and their big upper windows started out as doorways for hauling goods up from canal boats.

A Freedom Trail marker at the square's west end recalls January 1861, when armed men broke up an antislavery meeting led by Samuel J. May and Susan B. Anthony and burned stuffed figures of the two in the square.

Today Hanover Square is a small city park, open dawn to dusk and ringed by 17 landmark buildings, from the Gridley Building's clock tower to the Art Deco State Tower. Every Thursday in August, Hanover Thursdays fills it with free concerts and an art vendor village, and the series says it draws more than 5,000 people a year.

Where to go in and around Hanover Square:

History from the Downtown Committee of Syracuse's walking tour, the Syracuse Freedom Trail marker, the City of Syracuse and 315 Thursdays.

Local sports — what just happened and what's next.

Orange football beat North Carolina 31-30 in overtime for its first conference win in 399 days. Next: Saturday, Oct. 31, noon vs. No. 19 SMU at the Dome (ESPN2). Schedule

The Crunch split last weekend, losing 3-2 in overtime to Rochester and winning 7-2 at Lehigh Valley. Next home game: Friday, Oct. 30, 7 PM vs. Hamilton. Schedule

SU basketball opens at the Dome: men vs. New Haven Monday, Nov. 2, 7 PM; women vs. Sacred Heart Tuesday, Nov. 3, 6 PM. Schedules

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— Salt City Club Team