Binghamton
Around Binghamton
Photo: Quintin Soloviev · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Metro area · New York · 243k people
Binghamton
Locals say Triple Cities · “Parlor City”, “Carousel Capital of the World”
A carousel of charm
Binghamton University green
Welcome to the Triple Cities – where the river bends and the carousels spin. You'll find a friendly community with a love for spiedies, local sports, and the great outdoors. Whether you're here for school, work, or just passing through, there's always a trail to walk or a game to catch.
Clubs for Binghamton
No clubs for Binghamton yet.
The room
One room for everyone around Binghamton. It never closes; when it's busy it splits into tables. Once you're in, you stay until you leave.
Ask the neighbours
AllA good plumber, the best tacos, a lost cat: nobody has asked yet. Be the first.
Coming up
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Marketplace
Things for sale, free and wanted, and rooms for rent, from people around Binghamton. Sign in to sell something.
Things to do
- Binghamton University Large public university with a scenic nature preserve and events.
- Recreation Park Home to a historic carousel and a popular summer spot.
- Ross Park Zoo One of the oldest zoos in the U.S., family-friendly.
- Chenango Valley State Park Hiking, camping, and a kettle lake.
- Roberson Museum and Science Center Local history and science exhibits in a mansion.
- Mirabito Stadium Home of the Binghamton Rumble Ponies baseball team.
- Outdoors Bike or walk the Vestal Rail Trail
- Outdoors Kayak on the Susquehanna
- With kids Binghamton Zoo at Ross Park
- With kids Roberson Museum and Science Center
- Evenings Downtown Binghamton bars
- Evenings Live music at the Forum Theatre
- Locals love Spiedie stands
- Locals love Carousel parks
Through the year
- Spiedie Fest and Balloon Rally August Annual festival with hot air balloons, spiedie cook-offs, and live music.
- BC Open July Professional golf tournament at En-Joie Golf Course in Endicott.
- Broome County Fair Summer Agricultural fair with rides, livestock shows, and local food.
- First Friday Monthly Monthly downtown art walk with gallery openings and live music.
- Carousel Day Summer Celebration of the historic carousels with free rides and family activities.
Four distinct seasons with cold, snowy winters and warm, humid summers. The best times to be out are late spring and early fall. Best: Late spring and early fall are ideal – mild temps and low humidity.
Talk like a local
- “Triple Cities”
- The local term for the Binghamton metro area, referencing the three main cities.
- “Bing”
- Short for Binghamton.
- “Spiedie”
- The signature marinated meat sandwich, also used as a verb (to spiedie).
Getaways
Local flavour
Teams
- Binghamton Bearcats NCAA Division I
- Binghamton Rumble Ponies Eastern League (Double-A)
- Binghamton Black Bears Federal Prospects Hockey League
Eat and drink
- Spiedie sandwich Marinated meat (often chicken, pork, or lamb) served on a roll; a local invention.
- Chicken spiedie The most popular variant, typically served with a special sauce.
- Spiedie sauce A tangy marinade/dressing used on spiedies, often a blend of oil, vinegar, and herbs.
Where people go
- Historic carousels Binghamton is known as the Carousel Capital of the World, with several antique carousels in parks.
- Riverfront parks Parks along the Susquehanna River, such as Otsiningo Park, offer trails and green space.
- Binghamton University campus A major public research university, known for its modern architecture and nature preserve.
- Downtown Binghamton Historic buildings, local eateries, and a lively arts scene.
Heritage and traditions
Binghamton is proud of its 'Triple Cities' identity, its historic carousels, and its legacy of invention – from IBM's early days to the spiedie sandwich.
This time of year in Binghamton
- Leaf peeping Fall Autumn colors along the Vestal Rail Trail and the Susquehanna River.
- Oktoberfest Fall German food and music at local breweries.
Say it like a local: “The Valley” — The Triple Cities area (Binghamton, Johnson City, Endicott).
Festivals
- Binghamton Greek Festival June Greek food, music, and dancing at the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church.
- Binghamton Ukrainian Festival September Ukrainian food, crafts, and music celebrating the community's heritage.
- Binghamton Polish Festival August Polish sausages, pierogi, and polka music at St. Stanislaus Kostka Church.
- Binghamton Italian Festival August Italian sausage, pasta, and live music on Court Street.
- Binghamton Jazz Festival June Jazz performances across downtown venues.
- Binghamton Folk Festival November Folk musicians gather for a weekend of acoustic sets.
Landmarks with a story
- Phelps Mansion A Victorian-era mansion offering tours and a glimpse into Binghamton's past.
- Bundy Museum of History and Art A historic home with exhibits on local history and art.
- St. Stanislaus Kostka Church A beautiful church serving the Polish community since 1895.
- Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church A center of Greek heritage with stunning iconography.
- Temple Concord A historic synagogue that has served the Jewish community for over a century.
- Endicott Johnson Company Buildings Remnants of the shoe manufacturing empire that once defined the area.
Food traditions
- Spiedie sandwich Marinated meat skewered and grilled, served on a roll – a Binghamton invention.
- Pierogi making Eastern European communities, especially Polish and Ukrainian, make pierogi for church fundraisers.
- Kielbasa and sauerkraut Polish sausage served at festivals, often with sauerkraut and mustard.
- Italian sausage and peppers Grilled sausage with peppers and onions, a staple at Italian festivals.
- Greek gyros and baklava Authentic Greek dishes served at the annual Greek Festival.
Music and arts
- Tri-Cities Opera Professional opera company performing in Binghamton since 1949.
- Binghamton Philharmonic Regional symphony orchestra performing classical and pops concerts.
- Binghamton Jazz Festival Annual jazz event featuring local and national artists.
- Binghamton Folk Festival A weekend of folk music and workshops.
A little history
- 1800s Binghamton founded as a village, named after William Bingham, and grew with the Erie Canal and railroads.
- 1900s Endicott Johnson shoe company becomes one of the world's largest shoe manufacturers, employing thousands.
- 1911 IBM (then CTR) opens a plant in Endicott, starting a long computing legacy.
- 1920s Edwin Link invents the Link Trainer flight simulator in Binghamton, a precursor to modern flight simulators.
- 1950s-60s Rod Serling creates The Twilight Zone, drawing on his Binghamton upbringing for its eerie small-town stories.
- Game day Tailgating at Rumble Ponies games
- Game day Friday night high school football
- Outdoors Swim at Chenango Valley State Park beach
- Outdoors Sled at Recreation Park in winter
- With kids Discovery Center of the Southern Tier
- With kids Kopernik Observatory & Science Center
Locals speak with a neutral upstate New York accent, but you'll hear local names like 'the Valley' for the Triple Cities and 'spiedie' for the sandwich. Some older residents might say 'pop' for soda.
Only here
- Six historic carousels, all free to ride, earning Binghamton the title 'Carousel Capital of the World'.
- The spiedie sandwich was invented here in the 1920s.
- The Link Trainer, an early flight simulator, was invented in Binghamton.
- The region is known as the 'Triple Cities' – a nickname that locals embrace.
New here? A few tips
- Pronounce 'Binghamton' as 'BING-ham-ton' with a hard 'g'.
- Try a spiedie sandwich early – it's the local specialty.
- The carousels are free to ride – take advantage.
- Winters are snowy – invest in a good coat.
- The area is called the 'Triple Cities' – locals refer to Binghamton, Johnson City, and Endicott collectively.
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Binghamton, NY. Areas from the US Census Bureau and Statistics Canada; places from GeoNames. Local flavour was written with a model and may have mistakes. Team names identify teams; no endorsement.