For some it’s the most wonderful time of the year — fall festival season in Upstate New York.
Autumnal activities are back in a big way for 2021 after the coronavirus pandemic canceled most of them last year. Though some of your favorites may still be waiting to reappear in 2022, there is plenty to do in every region of the state as the fall foliage begins to arrive and the leaf peeping season kicks into full gear.
We’ve put together a monster list of harvest festivals, wine tastings, food events, and arts and craft markets. As the fall season rolls on, we will keep this list updated. Send us a note at features@nyup.com if you’d like to add a fall event to this list.
SEPTEMBER
Sundays from now-Oct. 6
Harvest Festival at Bethel Woods, Bethel, More info
Friday nights from Sept. 3-Oct. 29
Friday nights at Tim’s, Tim’s Pumpkin Patch, Marietta, More info
Weekends from Sept. 11-Oct. 31
The Pumpkin Fiesta at Becker Farms, Gasport, More info
Abbott Farms Fall Fest, Baldwinsville, More info
Pumpkin Chuckin,’ Varick Winery, Romulus, More info
Sept. 9-12
Adirondack Nationals, Lake George, More info
Niagara County Peach Festival, Lewiston, More info
Sept. 9-Oct. 17
Fall Foliage Eco-Cruise on Cayuga Lake, Ithaca, More info
Sept. 10
Watkins Glen Grand Prix Festival, Watkins Glen, More info
Zoo Brew, Seneca Park Zoo, More info
Sept. 10-11
Syracuse Irish Festival Clinton Square, Syracuse, More info
Red, White & Blues Festival, Fredonia, More info
LUMA Projection Arts Festival, Binghamton, More info
Sept. 10-12
Tugboat Roundup, Waterford, More info
VetteFest, Glens Falls, More info
Sept. 11
Tomatofest, downtown Auburn, More info
Albany Riverfront Jazz Festival, Albany, More info
Music is Art Festival, Buffalo, More info
Dan Rion Memorial Antique Engine Jamboree & Powerfest, East Meredith, More info
People enter the annual Golden Harvest Festival at the Beaver Lake Nature Center in Baldwinsville, NY. syracuse.com
Sept. 11-12
Hudson Valley Wine & Food Fest, Rhinebeck, More info
M&T Bank Clothesline Festival, Rochester, More info
Golden Harvest Festival, Baldwinsville, More info
Colden Festival, Colden, More info
Macedon Center Community Lumberjack Festival, Macedon, More info
Cheese Tour, various locations in Washington County, More info
Fall Harvest Craft Fair Shaker Heritage Society, Albany, More info
Great Chocolate Wrecktoberfest, Hamilton, More info
Colorscape Chenango Arts Festival, Norwich, More info
Sept. 12
Woofstock, Oswego, More info
Blues on the Bridge, Binghamton, More info
Purple Foot Festival at Casa Larga Vineyards, Fairport, More info
Fair Haven Oktoberfest at Colloca Estate Winery, Fair Haven, More info
Sept. 14-15
Lake George Jazz Festival Shepard Park, Lake George, More info
Sept. 14-25
Rochester Fringe Festival, Rochester, More info
Sept. 15-19
Catskill Mountain Thunder Motorcycle Rally, East Durham, More info
Norman Dann of Peterboro wears a hat adorned with hops during 13th annual Madison County Hop Fest held in Oneida. He is one of the founders of the event. John Berry | syracuse.comJohn Berry
Sept. 17-18
Madison County Hop Fest, Oneida, More info
Sept. 17-19
Ellicottville’s Rock ‘n Roll Weekend, Ellicottville, More info
La Festa Italiana, Syracuse, More info
The Great American Irish Festival, Frankfort, More info
Jordan Fall Festival, Jordan, More info
Weekends only, from Sept. 18 - Oct. 11
Fall Fun at Moore Family Farm, Groton, More info
Weekends only, from Sept. 18 - Oct. 24
Critz Farms Fall Harvest Celebration, Cazenovia, More info
Celebration of Autumn at Farmer’s Museum, Cooperstown, More info
File photo of Celebrity chef Duff Goldman cutting into the world's largest cheesecake, unveiled at the Lowville Cream Cheese Festival in Lowville, NY.
Sept. 18
Onondaga County Farm Fest, More info
Taste of Baldwinsville, Baldwinsville, More info
Ionia Fall Festival Ionia, Ionia, More info
Cream Cheese Festival, Lowville, More info
Endicott Applefest, Endicott, More info
Sept. 18-19
Cuba Garlic Festival, Cuba, More info
Niagara Celtic Heritage Festival & Highland Games, Lockport, More info
Sharon Springs Harvest Festival, Sharon Springs, More info
Orchard Park Festival of the Arts, Orchard Park, More info
Syracuse Fall Gun Show, NY State Fairgrounds near Syracuse, More info
Inlet Fall Festival, Inlet, More info
Purple Painted Lady Art Festival, Palmyra, More info
Sept. 23-26
Adirondack Balloon Festival, Queensbury, More info
Sept. 24-26
Festival of Grapes, Silver Creek, More info
Clayton Jazz Festival, Clayton, More info
Sept. 25
17th Cauliflower Festival, Margaretville, More info
Honeywell Sportsmen’s Days Carpenter’s Brook Fish Hatchery, Elbridge, More info
Sodus Harvest Fest Main Street, Sodus, More info
Saratoga Giant Pumpkinfest, Saratoga Springs, More info
Apple Fest, Speculator, More info
Delhi Harvest Festival, Delhi, More info
New York State Yoga Festival, Letchworth State Park, Castile, More info
Sept. 25-26
Naples Grape Festival, Naples, More info
Knickerbocker Mansion Harvest Festival, Schaghticoke, More info
Great Adirondack Moose Festival, Indian Lake, More info
Lewiston Harvest & Hops Festival, Lewiston, More info
AppleUmpkin Festival, Wyoming, More info
Feast of St. Cosmos and St. Damian, Utica, More info
Adirondack Wool & Arts Festival, Greenwich, More info
Cazenovia Art Trail, Cazenovia, More info
The Open Hand Theater marches in the opening parade during the Westcott Street Cultural Fair, Syracuse, NY, Sunday September 17, 2017. Scott Schild | sschild@syracuse.com SYRSYR
Sept. 26
Hội Chợ Tết Trung Thu/Mid-Autumn Moon Festival, Syracuse, More info
Westcott Street Cultural Fair, Syracuse, More info
Lake Luzerne Halloween Pugs & Pumpkins Party, Lake Luzerne, More info
Sept. 26-Oct. 25
Fall for All at Ross Park Zoo, Binghamton, More info
Sept. 29-Oct. 3
Woodstock Film Festival, Woodstock, More info
Vibrant red and yellow leaves greet drivers along Route 14A in the Ontario County town of Hall, N.Y., Oct. 24, 2019. Lauren Long | llong@syracuse.comLauren Long | llong@syracuse.com
OCTOBER
Every Saturday and Sunday in October
Brick or treat, Legoland New York Resort, Goshen, More info
Oct. 1-31
Wayne County Apple Tasting Tour, Wayne County, More info
Taste and Treat, Niagara Wine Trail wineries, More info
Oct. 1-3
Apple Harvest Festival, Ithaca, More info
Locktoberfest, Lockport, More info
Oswego County Fall Festival, Sandy Creek, More info
Oct. 2
Fall Fest and Alumni Weekend Herkimer College, Herkimer, More info
Locktoberfest, Phoenix, More info
Oktoberfest at Thousand Islands Winery, Alexandria Bay, More info
Woodsmen’s Festival, East Meredith, More info
Heritage, Harvest, & Horse Festival, Ticonderoga, More info
OctoBEARfest, Long Lake, More info
Pumpkin Palooza Central Park, Lyons, More info
Oct. 2-3
Hudson Valley Garlic Festival, Saugerties, More info
CNY Pumpkin Festival, Oswego, More info
Fall Festival & Agricultural Fair, Mumford, More info
Oct. 2-31
Fright Fest, Great Escape, More info
Oct. 3-4
Harvest Festival at Hunt Country Vineyards, Branchport, More info
Oct. 7-17
ImageOut: The Rochester LGBT Film Festival, Rochester, More info
Oct. 8-10
Lake George Oktoberfest & Fall Festival, Lake George, More info
Spiediefest, Binghamton, More info
Oct. 9
Maple Ski Ridge Fall Festival, Schenectady, More info
Autumn Festival at Wellesley Island State Park, Wellesley Island, More info
Workers at the Saint Joseph's booth serve up fresh apple fritters during the LaFayette Apple Festival, LaFayette, NY, Saturday October 6, 2018. Scott Schild | sschild@syracuse.com
Oct. 9-10
LaFayette Apple Festival, LaFayette, More info
Ellicottville Fall Festival, Ellicottville, More info
Bristol Mountain Fall Festival, Canandaigua, More info
Slopeside Shopping Village at Gore Mountain, North Creek, More info
Taste of the Catskills, Delhi, More info
Oct. 9-10, 16-17
Peek’n Peak Fall Festival Peek’n Peak Resort, Clymer, More info
Oct. 10
Fall Craft Fair at Mabee Farm, Schenectady, More info
Oct. 14-17
Adirondack Film Festival, Glens Falls, More info
Oct. 15-31
Peace, Love, and Pumpkins, Bethel Woods More info
Oct. 16
Punkin Chunkin, Frink Park, Clayton, More info
Oct. 16-17
NYS Sheep & Wool Family Festival, Rhinebeck, More info
Oct. 16, 17, 23, 24, 28
Medina Railroad Fall Foliage Train Ride, Medina, More info
Oct. 22, 23, 29, 30
Little Theater on The Farm Haunted Barn, Fort Edward, More info
Oct. 23
Witchingtonville 2021, Washingtonville, More info
Johnstown Harvest Festival & Costume Parade, Johnstown, More info
Oct. 23
Oktoberfest, Chatham, More info
Oct. 29-30
Finger Lakes Beer Festival, Watkins Glen, More info
Oct. 30-31
Head Of The Fish Regatta, Fish Creek Marina, Saratoga Springs, More info
A vibrant display of red, orange and yellow leaves is starting to blanket the hillsides in Ontario County town of Naples Oct. 1, 2020. Lauren Long | llong@syracuse.com
NOVEMBER
Nov. 5-6
Adirondack Stampede Rodeo, Glens Falls, More info
Nov. 6-7
Great New York State Model Train Fair, near Syracuse, More info
Nov. 4-11
Glimmerglass Film Days, Cooperstown, More info
The International Building is pictured at the 2014 New York State Fair. The brand-new International Taste Festival will debut at the NYS Fair's Expo Center in November 2021.Stephen D. Cannerelli | scannerelli@syracuse.com
Nov. 12-14
International Taste Festival at NY State Fairgrounds, Syracuse, More info
Nov. 13
Holiday Valley’s Fall Beer & Wine Festival, Ellicottville, More info
Nov. 27
World’s Largest Disco Buffalo Convention Center, Buffalo, More info
Syracuse Wine and Chocolate Fest at NY State Fairgrounds, near Syracuse, More info
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