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ITHACA FESTIVAL INC
ITHACA, NY · EIN 161293590 · Form 990EZ · FY2023 · NTEE A400 · Arts, Culture & Humanities · Small ($100K-$1M) · ithacafestival.org
revenue
$155K
expenses
$171K
net assets
$-37K
employees
—
mission · from form 990

ANNUAL ARTS & CRAFTS FESTIVAL

profile · synthesized from sources

Annual arts and crafts festival held in Ithaca, NY, celebrating community creativity through live music, local artisans, food vendors, and family-friendly activities. The event features a parade, craft fair with over 150 vendors, interactive art workshops, and performances across multiple stages. Founded in 1977, it is organized by a nonprofit that relies on donations, sponsorships, and merchandise sales to sustain the free, public celebration.

named programs · 5 · from sources

What they call their work

Craft Fair
Three-day event showcasing over 150 local and regional artisans selling handmade ceramics, textiles, jewelry, and other crafts
Family Fun Zone Workshops
Interactive art activities and live demonstrations in Dewitt Park, including glassblowing and puppetry for children and families
Festival Button Program
Symbolic ticket and fundraising initiative where attendees purchase artist-designed buttons that support the festival and enter a raffle
Ithaca Festival Parade
Annual parade marking the start of the festival, featuring themed participants and local performers, followed by live music at Bernie Milton Pavilion
Live Music & Performances
Multi-stage music and performance schedule featuring local and regional artists across genres, held throughout the festival footprint
activities · 8 groups

What they do

  • Community Festival & Event Production 3 activities
    • Coordinate volunteer engagement through Button Brigade
      Organizes volunteer opportunities during the festival parade through the Button Brigade program, engaging community members in event operations.
    • Operate craft fair and artisan vendor marketplace
      Hosts a craft fair during the festival featuring over 150 vendors selling handmade ceramics, textiles, prints, jewelry, woodwork, and other unique creations, providing a platform for local and regional artists and makers.
    • Organize and host annual Ithaca Festival
      Produces a four-day community festival featuring live music performances, a parade, artisan and food vendor markets, interactive art activities, and family-friendly programming. The event draws approximately 45,000 attendees annually and takes place in downtown Ithaca locations including DeWitt Park and The Commons.
  • Community Event Fundraising 1 activity
    • Administer festival raffle for button holders
      Runs an annual raffle for festival button holders, offering a prize basket valued at over $600, with registration required by May 31 to qualify.
  • Free Outdoor Music Concerts 1 activity
    • Coordinate live music and performance programming
      Organizes and presents live music and performance events throughout the festival, including scheduled acts at multiple venues such as Bernie Milton Pavilion and Cayuga Street Circle, and an after-party at Liquid State Brewing Company.
  • Community Art Education Workshops 1 activity
    • Facilitate interactive art and family workshops
      Hosts hands-on art workshops and live demonstrations for children and families in DeWitt Park during the festival weekend, led by local artists and supported through dedicated activity tents.
  • Annual Cultural Parade Organization 1 activity
    • Manage festival parade logistics and operations
      Plans and executes the annual Ithaca Festival parade, including staging, signage, traffic control, and volunteer coordination. The parade is held on May 28th and serves as the festival kickoff.
  • Nonprofit Retail and Merchandise Sales 1 activity
    • Produce and distribute festival buttons and merchandise
      Designs, produces, and sells official festival buttons and merchandise, including annual buttons featuring artwork by local artists. Buttons serve as access tokens and support event funding through sales.
  • Event and Production Volunteer Coordination 1 activity
    • Provide event production and site operations
      Manages festival site logistics including stage construction, equipment loading, waste and recycling collection, public announcements, and volunteer crossing guards for safety. Also includes setup and teardown of tables, chairs, and other infrastructure in Dewitt Park.
  • Uncategorized 1 activity
    • Manage food vendor participation
      Coordinates and organizes food vendors to provide diverse cuisines to festival attendees, enhancing the event experience through culinary offerings.
financials · form 990EZ · fy2023
revenue
Total revenue$155K
Contributions & grants$15K10%
Program service revenue$140K90%
Investment income——
Other revenue—
expenses
Total expenses$171K
Program expenses—
Admin / overhead—
Fundraising—
Salaries & benefits$46K
Grants paid out—
balance sheet
Total assets$23K
Cash—
Investments—
Liabilities—
Net assets$-37K
4 years on record · 2020–2023 · YoY revenue +35.3%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2023

Who runs it

paid leadership · 1
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
SELENA HODOM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 20 $30K
board members · 6
  • ANNE MUSCATELLO — BOARD MEMBER
  • ELIZABETH KUJAWA — BOARD MEMBER
  • HALLIE CHASE — BOARD MEMBER
  • JOANNE KINGSLEY — BOARD MEMBER
  • LESLIE VINCENT — BOARD MEMBER
  • REBECCAS DUBLOCK — BOARD MEMBER
relationships · 29

Who they work with

  • 15 Steps Partner — Donor of items for the 2026 Ithaca Festival Raffle Basket
  • Alphabet Soup Partner — Donor of items for the 2026 Ithaca Festival Raffle Basket
  • Autumn Leaves Books Partner — Donor of items for the 2026 Ithaca Festival Raffle Basket
  • Bank Coffee Partner — Donor of items for the 2026 Ithaca Festival Raffle Basket
  • Beginnings Partner — Stage sponsor for the 2026 Ithaca Festival.
  • Centralis Health Funder — Generous sponsor of the Ithaca Festival parade.
  • Centralus Health Partner — Parade sponsor for the 2026 Ithaca Festival.
  • Downtown Ithaca Alliance Partner — Collaborates with the Downtown Ithaca Alliance to use their guide and map for the festival area.
  • Feeding America Network — Member of national food bank network
  • Food Vendors Partner — Local food vendors participating in the Ithaca Festival to provide cuisine to attendees.
  • Fresh Marche Partner — Donor of items for the 2026 Ithaca Festival Raffle Basket
  • Gerry Monaghan Partner — Artist conducting a workshop during the festival.
  • GreenStar Food Co+op Partner — Donor of items for the 2026 Ithaca Festival Raffle Basket
  • Home Green Home Partner — Donor of items for the 2026 Ithaca Festival Raffle Basket
  • Ithaca Made Partner — Donor of items for the 2026 Ithaca Festival Raffle Basket
  • Leonora Petronzio Partner — Local artist who designed the 2026 Ithaca Festival button
  • Lily Silly Puppets Partner — Performing puppetry workshop in the Family Fun Zone.
  • Liquid State Brewing Company Partner — Hosted the Downtown Disco after party in partnership with Ithaca Festival, with proceeds supporting festival programming.
  • Miles Parker Partner — Featured artist conducting live glassblowing demonstrations at the festival.
  • Mockingbird Paperie Partner — Donor of items for the 2026 Ithaca Festival Raffle Basket
  • Moosewood Partner — Donor of items for the 2026 Ithaca Festival Raffle Basket
  • Rasa Spa Partner — Donor of items for the 2026 Ithaca Festival Raffle Basket
  • Sciencenter Partner — Donor of items for the 2026 Ithaca Festival Raffle Basket
  • The Artisan Cove Partner — Donor of items for the 2026 Ithaca Festival Raffle Basket
  • The Brain Shoppe Partner — Donor of items for the 2026 Ithaca Festival Raffle Basket
  • The Comb Down Partner — Local band performing at Bernie Milton Pavilion immediately following the parade.
  • Tompkins Bank Partner — Family Fun Zone sponsor for the 2026 Ithaca Festival.
  • Wegmans Funder — Generous sponsor of the Ithaca Festival parade.
  • Wegmans Partner — Parade and Family Fun Zone sponsor for the 2026 Ithaca Festival.
strategies · 5

How they approach the work

Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.

  • Accessible, Pedestrian-First Festival Design
    methodology: accessible_pedestrian-first_design
    By hosting the festival in a physically accessible, pedestrian-only environment, the organization ensures broader inclusivity, because removing traffic and mobility barriers enables participation by people of all ages and abilities.
  • Artist Support via Direct Market Access
    methodology: artist-support-through-vendor-access
    By organizing a craft fair that provides local artists with direct public sales opportunities, the festival increases artist income and visibility, because market access is a critical barrier to sustainability for independent creators.
  • Community-Engaged Arts Model
    methodology: community-engaged_arts
    By centering community involvement in artistic expression and festival design, the organization fosters inclusive participation and strengthens local identity, because shared creative ownership increases engagement and belonging.
  • Family-Engaged Programming for Inclusivity
    methodology: family-engaged_programming
    By offering family-friendly programming in dedicated spaces, the festival increases attendance and engagement across generations, because creating child-inclusive environments removes barriers to caregiver participation.
  • Symbolic Participation Funding Model
    methodology: symbolic-ticket_donation_model
    By using symbolic ticket donations (festival buttons) instead of mandatory entry fees, the festival maintains free and open access while generating financial support, because low-barrier giving increases community-wide participation and contribution.