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"If you are looking forward to starting off December in the holiday spirit, this week offers several opportunities to celebrate the season through the arts in Broome County.
December's First Friday Art Walk, from 6-9 p.m. Friday, will be holiday themed, and will take place on various streets in downtown Binghamton.
The First Friday Trolley will depart from Phelps Mansion Museum at 6 p.m. and 7 p.m., and will give riders a free tour of downtown Binghamton, stopping at sites such as Lost Dog Café, Roberson Museum and Science Center and the Bundy Museum of History and Art before returning to the Phelps Mansion Museum.
According to organizers, Father Christmas will be at Phelps Mansion from 5-7 p.m., and will be visiting businesses on State Street starting at 7:15 p.m. as a part of the First Friday event.
On Tuesday, Binghamton Mayor Jared Kraham joined the Broome County Arts Council to announce the theme of December's First Friday. Kraham referenced the tree lighting in downtown Binghamton the week before, and said Binghamton is just starting to enter a busy holiday season.
"This event is further proof that downtown Binghamton is vibrant — there is a lot to do," said Kraham "We really encourage everyone to get out and support their independent restaurants and local artists. Buy local, buy small. I couldn't think of a better way to celebrate the holiday season."
Sunday, Dec. 3: The Nutcracker
The Broome County Forum Theatre, located at 236 Washington St. in downtown Binghamton, will feature a variety of Christmas and holiday-themed shows this December.
Rafael Grigorian Ballet Theatre will present a performance of "The Nutcracker" at 2 p.m. Dec. 3.
Wednesday-Thursday, Dec. 6-7: Cirque Dreams Holidaze
Cirque Dreams will perform "Holidaze," a family-oriented holiday show at 7:30 p.m. on both nights at The Forum.
According to a description on the Forum's website, the show will feature "a world-renowned cast of performers accompanied by an ensemble of aerial circus acts, sleight-of-hand jugglers, fun-loving skippers, breath-catching acrobatics, and much more."
Looking ahead: Winter Wonderland
The Binghamton Philharmonic Orchestra will perform their "Winter Wonderland" show at 3 p.m. Dec. 16.
Audiences can purchase their tickets on Ticketmaster.com, or avoid fees by purchasing tickets at the Mirabito Box Office at Visions Veterans Memorial Arena. For more information about the performances and prices, readers can visit the theater's website. https://broomearenaforum.com/forum/ "
"Climbing fans will be overjoyed to hear a new California-based climbing gym has plans to open a location in Broome County, about two miles from Binghamton University.
Last year, residents told the Press & Sun-Bulletin one of their hopes for the reimagined Oakdale Commons was a climbing gym. The dream for such a facility in Broome County may come to be a reality by the end of 2024.
The Pad Climbing, founded by wife-husband team Kristin and Yishai Horowitz, has two locations across two states, with plans for a third in Santa Barbara, California.
In late 2024, the couple plans to open their first East Coast location in the Binghamton area, although the exact location has not been publicly announced.
How did The Pad start?
Yishai Horowitz, along with other founders, started The Pad in a San Luis Obispo self storage unit due to a lack of well-organized, accessible climbing gyms in the area. Kristin Horowitz was brought on early to help run the organization, and the pair have run The Pad as partners ever since.
The Pad was immediately successful, and in 2005, the group was kicked out due to new management and the success of the operation. At this point, The Pad became the country's first nonprofit climbing gym and opened a new location in 2006.
The Horowitz couple were married in 2011, and following multiple expansions and experiments, The Pad became a for-profit organization in order to take on loans and investors. This led to three locations, one in Las Vegas, and another one in Santa Maria, which closed during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Kristin Horowitz said The Pad's team and tight-knit relationships formed with local communities and leaders will allow the group to open across the country and still represent what they stand for, while offering a great space for local climbers.
"We went from gyms that me and Yishai operated with friends part time to a huge operation with 30 employees at each location, management issues, learning how to hire, learning how to train and making so many mistakes along the way," said Kristin Horowitz. "Thanks to the acquisition of the Vegas gym, we brought in some amazing people that are part of our headquarters now, and we are confident we will be able to remote manage because of that gym."
What to expect at The Pad climbing gym
In a blog post on their website, The Pad owners said the gym will include about 14,000 square feet of climbing, with on-site parking.
The building, which will mirror the setup at other Pad locations, is 42 feet high at the apex, and will include 5,000 square feet of bouldering, 8,000 square feet of rope climbing, a designated training area with moon board, campus board and a full weight room along with a kids area and lounge. The Pad gyms are open 24/7.
How The Pad owners picked Binghamton
Kristin Horowitz's parents went to high school in the Triple Cities area, where many family members still live. Horowitz, who traveled with her parents to the area for high school reunions and vacations, said she thought the area was perfect for a climbing gym.
The project progressed slowly for a while, and Horowitz said initial research into the right building for the gym was lackluster. However, following the death of Horowitz's father, which came after the death of her mother, things fell into place very quickly.
Just weeks after her father's death, Horowitz received interest from local investors, and a call stating their real estate agent had found the perfect building. After Yishai Horowitz toured the area and the building, the two decided it was time to move forward in Broome County.
Horowitz said support from family, local interest in a climbing gym, local investors, and a building just right for the project all came together to make the Binghamton area the perfect location for their next gym. After posting the idea on Reddit, Horowitz said the support they received was second to none.
"It feels like the type of love from when we first started the little non-profit gyms," said Horowitz. "I shouldn't be surprised because Binghamton has always been that for me — Binghamton is a community. It is starting to feel like the entire community wants to pull together to make it work, so it has never been easier for us which is amazing."
How one upstate city got Norfolk Southern to fund railroad repairs: spectrumlocalnews.com/nys/binghamton/news/2023/12/14/how-one-upstate-city-got-norfolk-southern-to-fund-railroad-repairs
Last edited by ckhthankgod; 12-15-2023 at 10:49 AM..
"A committee of the Greater Binghamton Chamber of Commerce is working to uplift minority-owned businesses in the Binghamton area.
The Greater Binghamton Chamber’s Minority/Women/Veteran’s Business Enterprise (MWVBE) Committee, known as the Arrows Committee, is co-chaired by Amira Davis, co-owner of D5 Consulting, and Yohance Bailey, co-owner of Blackfern Media.
Here's how the Arrows Committee is making its mark in Broome County.
What is the Arrows Committee?
The committee was founded in September 2022 with a focus on helping and elevating minority-owned, women-owned and veteran-owned businesses in the Binghamton area.
The committee hosts free one-hour events every other month, some of which feature presentations by guest speakers. Previous speakers have included Ebony Hattoh, Associate Director of Equity and Justice at Binghamton University. Hattoh informed attendees on how to become certified as a minority-owned business.
Speakers have also included members of major banks such as Visions or M&T, as well as leaders from local economic groups.
Davis said that although one person or business may not have what another one needs, bringing many businesses and individuals together can lead to finding the right resources. Bailey said that even in busy months, members find time to attend meetings and help each other, which is important for community building and mutual support.
How the Arrows Committee is helping small businesses
Davis said that her company, which focuses on professional workplace training, benefitted from working alongside the Chamber, and that other businesses could be helped in the same way.
"I found the Chamber a very good conduit for us to be able to connect with other businesses, and I really feel a need to give back," said Davis. "I think it is important for businesses that are minority-owned, women-owned and veteran-owned to have a seat at the table, because I think a lot of times we don't have that voice."
Events are open to any business or individuals looking to start a business, regardless of Chamber membership. Bailey urged interested parties to attend meetings, saying it is a welcoming and open space and worth the time.
"If you're looking to gain success for yourself, you have to be willing to give when you receive," said Bailey. "Paying it forward is a part of that. With all the blessings and support I have received from the community, I feel like it is part of my purpose to give back."
Through partnership with the Chamber, Bailey had the opportunity to work on State Senator Lea Webb's economic panel.
"I would not have gotten the opportunity if I was not here and a part of this community," said Bailey. "I want business owners to know that sometimes there is a forest behind the trees. Sometimes you have to put yourself out there."
Davis said that when she started her business, she was not aware of any state or federal programs to help minority-business owners. Instead, she found multiple scammers offering to help with minority-owned business certification for exorbitant fees.
"If someone is looking to become a certified minority-owned business, veteran-owned business or women-owned business we can point them in the direction of who they can talk to to get the services that they need and what the benefits are," said Davis. "It took me two and a half years to become a certified minority-owned business, and I did it all by myself."
The Arrows Committee, according to Davis, can help up and coming businesses by offering free resources that would normally take time and effort to find individually.
What's next for the Arrows Committee
At the December meeting, the committee announced that in partnership with the Chamber, it received funding to provide digital readiness courses to its members in 2024.
According to a recent press release from the Chamber, the Arrows Committee plans to continue to host various speakers, offer new networking opportunities and host a MWVBE Expo and Conference in 2024.
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