NEWSLETTER
Bid summer adieu and welcome autumn this September with exciting free and ticketed events across New York State. Celebrate the harvest, historic canals, and local food and wine. Soar above the Adirondacks and Hudson Valley in a hot air balloon, or immerse yourself in a historic Italian street festival in New York City. You can also groove at music festivals, honor local history, take an adaptive hike, or even tackle a triathlon. The excitement continues with America's top projection arts festival, incredible deals on Broadway tickets, and one of the Northeast's premier motorcycle gatherings!
Commemorate Underground Railroad Month (Multiple Regions)
🗓️When: Dates vary
📍Where: Locations vary
💲Cost: Prices vary
Credit: @crossedthedesertsbare on Instagram
Explore historic sites from Brooklyn to Buffalo and everywhere in between as you commemorate Underground Railroad Month, held every September, the month in which two of the most well-known freedom seekers and Underground Railroad operatives, Frederick Douglass and Harriet Tubman, escaped from slavery. September 25–29, you can join the Harriet Tubman Legacy Tour, a massive five-day guided retracing of the exact paths carved out by freedom seekers, that starts in Brooklyn and ends at the border in Niagara Falls. ($1,020, includes all site admissions, meals, and charter transportation). On September 26, Sojourner Truth: A New York State Hero Bus Trip, hosted by the Underground Railroad Education Center, dives deep into the Ulster County and upstate sites where Sojourner Truth lived, fought for her family's freedom, and preached. Albany to Kingston; bus tickets are $35 for UREC members, $40 for non-members until September 1, $50 for non-members after September 1, and $25 for Students (under 18 must be accompanied by an adult).
Celebrate New York State Grapes (Multiple Regions)
🗓️When: Dates vary
📍Where: Locations vary
💲Cost: Prices vary
Credit: @sophiescrumbs on Instagram
Get ready for a grape September in New York State!
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Immerse yourself in a celebration of grape-growing and harvesting while indulging in award-winning wines at the Westfield Grape and Wine Festival (September 18-19; free admission). Enjoy grape stomping, pie eating contests, live music and more in Downtown Westfield and Moore Park, and explore the fascinating world of grapes through exhibits and grape juice tastings at the Grape Discovery Center.
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The Naples Grape Festival (pictured; September 26-27), often recognized as "The Best Festival in the Finger Lakes,” is a deliciously fun time featuring everyone’s favorite World's Greatest Grape Pie Contest and the ever-popular Brahm Moore Beverage Garden and Music Tent to keep you rocking and smiling all weekend long! Free admission, parking is $5 per car.
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For a hands-on (and feet-on) harvest experience, Benmarl Winery’s Harvest Grape Stomping Festival on September 19 & 20 in Marlboro offers barefoot grape stomping in wooden barrels, live music, hayrides, and sweeping autumn views of the Hudson Valley! $35 for drinking tickets (includes a souvenir glass and 6 wine tastings); $20 for non-drinkers (16+); children 15 and under enter free.
Head Out to a Garlic Festival! (Multiple Regions)
🗓️When: Dates vary
📍Where: Locations vary
💲Cost: Prices vary
Credit: @thenikkiweston on Instagram
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Tiptoe through sunflower fields, go pumpkin picking, get lost in the corn maze, go on a garlic scavenger hunt, learn all about garlic on the musical hayride, and enjoy garlicky goodness at the vendor market at Waterdrinker North Fork’s 24th Annual Long Island Garlic Festival (September 12-13; Riverhead; $20).
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The Cuba Garlic Festival brings live music, cooking demos, garlic-inspired contests, pony rides, goat yoga, equestrian and K-9 demos, and more to Empire City Farms (September 19-20; Cuba; $8; children 10 and under admitted free).
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Want to try some garlic ice cream or spicy garlic peanut butter? Make your way to the Hudson Valley Garlic Festival for gourmet garlic-infused foods, live music, cooking demos and lectures, fine art and craft vendors, and a children’s activities tent (September 26-27; Saugerties; $10/adults, $8/seniors, free for children under 12).
Adirondack Independence Music Festival (Adirondacks)
🗓️When: September 4-6, 2026
📍Where: Lake George
💲Cost: Tickets starting at $220.05
Close out summer at Lake George’s biggest party of the year! Groove to the sounds of some of the most sought after acts on the festival circuit including moe., Dogs in a Pile, Deer Tick, The Floozies, and more as the Adirondack Independence Music Festival returns for its 11th anniversary to the Festival Commons at Charles R. Wood Park. Throughout the day enjoy performances on two side by side stages, plus a wide variety of beer, wine, food, and merchandise vendors.
Soar into Fun at a Hot Air Balloon Festival (Hudson Valley)
🗓️When: Dates vary
📍Where: LaGrangeville, Queensbury and Glens Falls
💲Cost: Prices vary
Credit: @vaniasworld on Instagram
Tymor Park in LaGrangeville is the setting for a full weekend of family-friendly fun and excitement as colorful hot air balloons take over the Hudson Valley skies during the 35th Hudson Valley Hot-Air Balloon Festival (September 4-6, 2026)! Join tethered rides, marvel at full hot-air balloon flights, find your zen with morning yoga, and enjoy nightly fireworks, live music, food trucks, and a beer and wine tent. You’re welcome to bring a picnic blanket or chairs to watch more than 120 balloons launch from the designated picnic area. ($26.95 evening admission, $13.95 morning admission, $39.95 all-weekend access pass, $175 VIP experience (must be 21+ for VIP), $30 tethered hot-air balloon flights. Admission tickets must be purchased online in advance; tethered rides are cash-only on-site.)
Soar into September at the Adirondack Balloon Festival (September 17-20, 2026)! The festival is one of the largest balloon events on the East Coast, drawing 100,000 people each year to witness amazing hot air balloon launches and flights in Queensbury and Glens Falls. Balloon flights occur just after sunrise and close to sunset, and do not fly throughout the day. Free admission and general parking.
Hop Harvest Festival: Bines & Vines (Finger Lakes)
🗓️When: September 5, 2026
📍Where: Mumford
💲Cost: Advance online tickets are available for $24 for adults, $21 for students (ages 13–17) and seniors (62+), and $18 for youth (ages 4–12), while door prices increase by $1 for adults, youth and seniors; museum members and children aged 3 and under receive free admission.
Photo courtesy of Genesee Country Village & Museum
Head over to the Genesee Country Village & Museum to trace the historical journey of hops and grapes from field to fermenter through hands-on harvesting alongside costumed interpreters. Tour one of the nation's only working 19th-century breweries, learn about the historical and medicinal uses of hops, and step into historic kitchens to sample period-accurate food recipes prepared with ale and yeast. This family-friendly celebration also features live music, German dancing, and beverage tastings from local craft breweries and wineries.
Steuben 250 History Concert and Fair (Finger Lakes)
🗓️When: September 5, 2026
📍Where: Bath
💲Cost: Free admission
You’re invited to commemorate the role of Steuben County in the history of America. This patriotic event at Pulteney Square in Bath honors the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence and commemorates the vital role Steuben County has played in our nation's story. The full-day celebration will feature music, history displays, Revolutionary and Civil War re-enactors, food trucks, and lots of fun!
2026 Albany Riverfront Jazz Festival (Capital-Saratoga)
🗓️When: September 5, 2026
📍Where: Albany
💲Cost: Free admission
For more than two decades, the Albany Riverfront Jazz Festival has featured a wealth of jazz greats, critically acclaimed up-and-coming artists, and local favorites performing at Jennings Landing in the Corning Preserve. This all-day concert features world-class music, great food, and beverages. The festival is perfect for all ages, and best of all, admission is free!
Lake George Triathlon Festival (Adirondacks)
🗓️When: September 5-6, 2026
📍Where: Lake George
💲Cost: $79 - $279
Are you up for a fun and competitive weekend? Swim, bike, and run at the Lake George Triathlon Festival, choosing from four different races: the beginner-friendly Open, Sprint, Olympic, and Long Course. It all kicks off on Saturday at Million Dollar Beach with the Long Course wave, a 1.2-mile swim, 56-mile bike, and 13.1-mile run, with other races running through Sunday. Watching athletes compete is completely free! Cheer from the sidelines or gather on the beach, at transition areas, and at the finish line. A VIP watching experience is available for $25 and you can join a special Saturday evening dinner cruise with the Lake George Steamboat Company for $80.
Adaptive Hike at Mohonk Preserve (Hudson Valley)
🗓️When: September 8, 2026
📍Where: Gardiner
💲Cost: Free admission, advanced registration required.
Credit: Michael Neil O’Donnell
Head out on an accessible outdoor adventure in the Shawangunk Ridge with an adaptive hike at Mohonk Preserve! SOAR Experiences, Mohonk Preserve and STARR Adventures Dealership are partnering to offer guided adaptive hikes for people with limited mobility in Action Trackchairs. There will be two sessions with the first hike scheduled 10 am to noon followed by a two-hour afternoon hike starting at 1:30pm. Please note there are equipment limitations and participants need to meet certain criteria; submitting the registration form does not guarantee registration. A rain date is set for September 9.
NYC Broadway Week (New York City)
🗓️When: September 8-20, 2026
📍Where: New York City
💲Cost: Various locations and prices. Tickets for this promotion go on sale August 18, 2026.
Credit: @lisaspoonertv on Instagram
From new takes on established classics to star-studded modern masterpieces, Broadway is the pinnacle of live theater. No visit to New York City is complete without experiencing the rousing entertainment available in midtown Manhattan’s theater district. During New York City Broadway Week, you can enjoy the best of Broadway with 2-for-1 tickets to participating shows. Choose from musical sensations, exquisitely staged dramas, critically acclaimed Tony Award winners, family-friendly productions, comedies, and celebrity spotlights. It’s a great time to experience world-class entertainment while saving big on the best of Broadway!
Adirondack Nationals Car Show (Adirondacks)
🗓️When: September 10-13, 2026
📍Where: Lake George
💲Cost: $20 per person for the entire weekend, kids under 12 are free. Attendees are asked not to bring their dogs to the festival as a safety measure.
Start your engines! This must-see show for car enthusiasts features over 1,500 cars, from classics to customs, shown off by their owners at the Fort William Henry Hotel. While you’re admiring the vehicles, equipment, parts, services, and accessories will be on sale. During the festival, watch all the different makes and models of cars drive their way through Lake George’s Canada Street. Even if you’re not into cars, there will be activities, food and artisan vendors, and music all day long!
LUMA Projection Arts Festival (Central New York)
🗓️When: September 11-12, 2026
📍Where: Binghamton
💲Cost: Free admission; a few features require tickets that you can buy online in advance.
Prepare to be amazed as LUMA transforms downtown Binghamton’s buildings into creative masterpieces with the use of powerful light projectors and 3D animation. As the projected light overpowers the city’s architecture, you’ll feel like you’re at a giant outdoor art gallery where the paintings tower over you six stories high! This year’s festival features The Peg Johnson Living Lights Project, a community-driven, high-tech powered local initiative built directly into the festival map, and Small Works Features, a showcase highlighting emerging international artists who display experimental, bold ideas in smaller urban corners and alleyways across downtown.
Teddy Roosevelt Weekend (Adirondacks)
🗓️When: September 11-13, 2026
📍Where: Newcomb
💲Cost: Free admission
Join the Town of Newcomb in celebrating the 125th anniversary of Theodore Roosevelt's remarkable journey from the town’s High Peaks wilderness to the White House after President William McKinley’s assassination in Buffalo. The free event features wagon rides, historical tours, and more, bringing the community together to honor Roosevelt's legacy and experience the beauty of Newcomb and the Adirondacks.
21st Annual Festival of Colors (Adirondacks)
🗓️When: September 12, 2026
📍Where: Wilmington
💲Cost: Free admission
Get ready for some great autumn family fun! Wilmington’s hometown festival features a variety of vendors, including food trucks, drink vendors, live music, artisans, and a cupcake contest. You’ll enjoy nostalgic fall activities with the whole family, including face painting, pumpkin painting, and more. Don your flannels and celebrate the start of fall!
Amsterdam’s Italiafest (Central New York)
🗓️When: September 12, 2026
📍Where: Amsterdam
💲Cost: Free admission
Get ready for the City of Amsterdam’s largest event of the year! Enjoy small-town charm and big time fun just 40 minutes outside Albany as this huge family-friendly street party transforms the historic Southside along Bridge Street into an exciting showcase of culture, community, and non-stop fun. You’ll experience incredible live music across multiple stages, the enticing aromas of authentic Italian cuisine, a bocce tournament, and the cheers from the crowd-favorite spaghetti-eating contest. The festival also features thrilling amusement park rides, carnival games, and a massive marketplace packed with unique local vendors.
PearlPalooza (Capital-Saratoga)
🗓️When: September 12, 2026
📍Where: Albany
💲Cost: Free admission; $8 cashless event parking available in specific parking garages.
Downtown Albany's biggest all-day free music festival is back! Jam to live music from acclaimed local and international performers, find your zen at Yogapalooza, and grab a bite to eat from local vendors at this family-friendly festival just steps away from some of the city’s finest dining, retail, and entertainment venues.
Fort Klock’s 53rd Annual Craft Fair (Central New York)
🗓️When: September 12-13, 2026
📍Where: Johnsville
💲Cost: Free admission
Be part of a beloved tradition as talented artisans and crafters from across New York and beyond transform the historic grounds of Fort Klock Historic Restoration into a vibrant, open-air marketplace filled with one-of-a-kind handmade treasures! You’ll discover an incredible variety of unique creations, perfect for gifts, home décor, or treating yourself, amid the beautiful 50-acre setting of the 1750 fortified homestead, a National Historic Landmark. There will be plenty of delicious food to enjoy, with The Corner Office food truck serving mouthwatering favorites, with every purchase from the food truck and on-site food items directly supporting Fort Klock Historic Restoration.
Hudson Valley Wine & Food Fest (Hudson Valley)
🗓️When: September 12-13, 2026
📍Where: Rhinebeck
💲Cost: Various prices, beginning at $32 for the Sunday tasting (advance online sale) tastings, and $10 for designated drivers (advanced online sale).
Credit: Hudson Valley Wine & Food Fest
Indulge in a wine lover’s ideal weekend in the Hudson Valley when hundreds of wineries, cideries, distilleries, and breweries (along with some of the region’s best restaurants) come together at the Dutchess County Fairgrounds. This annual event features hundreds of New York wines, more than 100 gourmet specialty foods, lifestyle vendors, food samples, and live entertainment. You’ll also enjoy cooking demos and seminars, and have the chance to meet and speak to winemakers from some of the state’s best wineries.
15th Annual Rochester Fringe Festival (Finger Lakes)
🗓️When: September 15-26, 2026
📍Where: Rochester
💲Cost: Free and ticketed events; Kids Day pumpkin painting activity requires a $7 fee per pumpkin to cover materials.
Credit: @rochesterfringe on Instagram
Since its inaugural year in 2012, the Rochester Fringe Festival has become one of the fastest-growing and most-attended fringe festivals in the U.S., and the largest multi-arts festival in New York State. The 12-day, no-holds-barred festival features more than 715 performances across more than 45 venues. Enjoy pumpkin painting, chalk art, and Disco Kids at the annual free Kids Day on September 26 and comedy headliner Pete Davidson at Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre for one night only on September 25.
Catskill Mountain Thunder (Catskills)
🗓️When: September 15-20, 2026
📍Where: East Durham
💲Cost: Prices vary; call (518) 634-2541 for more information and ticket options.
Start revving your engines for one of the best motorcycle festivals in the Northeast! Featuring scenic motorcycle rides and games, bike-build offs, motocross stunts, spaghetti wrestling, and even fire breathing– Catskill Mountain Thunder is a guaranteed good time. From shopping the huge vendor expo to enjoying live entertainment with headliners Cody Parks & The Dirty South, Tim Montana, and Moonshine Bandits, this gathering truly offers something for everyone!
100th Annual Feast of San Gennaro (New York City)
🗓️When: September 17-27, 2026
📍Where: New York City
💲Cost: Free admission
Credit: @emilymccahthy on Instagram
Get ready for the feast of all feasts with this iconic and historic street festival, dating back a century and spanning 11 blocks of Manhattan’s Little Italy! At the Feast of San Gennaro, you’ll enjoy delicious food from some of the city's best Italian restaurants, free concerts, the world-famous cannoli-eating competition, and vibrant parades, including the Grand Procession featuring marching bands, floats, and the statue of San Gennaro.
42nd Annual Jazz at the Lake (Adirondacks)
🗓️When: September 18-20, 2026
📍Where: Lake George
💲Cost: Free admission
The Lake George Arts Project invites you to celebrate 42 years of one of the Northeast's premier events, Jazz at the Lake. It all kicks off Friday night with Confluence featuring Jody Redhage Ferber, followed by local Jazz Around Town performances. Throughout the weekend, you’ll enjoy performances by talented jazz musicians from around the Capital-Saratoga region and the world, including Jerome Jennings with ill Philosophy, Manuel Valera New Cuban Express, Shayna Steele, Kneebody, the Paul Winter Consort, Ekep Nkwelle, and Miguel Zenon Quartet. They will be joined by annual staples such as Coffee and Jazz. So, bring a lawn chair or blanket and enjoy the spectacular jazz music at Shepard Park!
The Great Jack O'Lantern Blaze (Hudson Valley)
🗓️When: September 18-November 8, 2026
📍Where: Croton-on-Hudson
💲Cost: Timed entry tickets start at $24 (prices vary between $24–$52 depending on the date and time slot selected). Children 2 and under enter free, no ticket required. Free entry for Historic Hudson Valley members.
Credit: @sahquart on Instagram
Halloween lovers are getting ready for the Hudson Valley’s most electrifying fall event – the Great Jack O’Lantern Blaze! Taking place at Van Cortlandt Manor, visitors will walk the immersive pumpkin trail on the grounds of the 18th-century estate and be amazed by thousands of hand-carved jack o'lanterns. Complete with an all-original soundtrack, synchronized lighting, and special effects, it's a spectacle you must see to believe! Trick or treat yourself to exclusive souvenirs and local finds in the gift shop.
Korea Festival 2026 (Hudson Valley)
🗓️When: September 19, 2026
📍Where: New Paltz
💲Cost: Various prices from $9.55 - $71.68.
Celebrate apple picking season with a Korean twist at Twin Star Orchards. Explore a lively market featuring over 30 local producers of Korean street food, beverages, fashion, art, and skincare, feast on woodfire pizza, burgers, barbecue and Korean-inspired specials, and enjoy live music all day during this celebration of Korean culture and community. Billed as a “modern version of Chuseok,” a major South Korean harvest festival, you can also frolic in the orchard and pick your own apples. Plus, don’t miss keynote speaker Chef Esther Choi and authors Jimin Han, Caroline Choe, Patricia Park and Hyeseung Song!
Niagara Falls Blues Festival (Greater Niagara)
🗓️When: September 19, 2026
📍Where: Niagara Falls
💲Cost: Free admission
Groove to the blues on Old Falls Street in Niagara Falls as the Niagara Falls Blues Festival returns for its 17th edition. This year’s lineup features regional favorites and national blues acts, including Coco Montoya, the Mud Morganfield Band, Rockin Jake, Cleveland's Backstreet Blues Band, The Coupe De'Villes, and Buckwheat Zydeco, Jr. In addition to the music, the fest will feature a variety of local food and drink vendors, all just steps away from the mighty Niagara Falls!
Latin Food Fest 2026 (New York City)
🗓️When: September 12-13, 2026
📍Where: Manhattan
💲Cost: Kids 12 & under free (with a paying parent or guardian); $15 Single Day Pass (covers full-day entry to all five zones and stages); $25 Both Days Pass (full weekend access).
Take an extraordinary culinary adventure through the delicious flavors of Latin America as you kick off Hispanic Heritage Month in New York City! Latin Food Fest 2026, the country's first Latin food and culture festival, comes home to uptown Manhattan for a weekend packed with bold flavors, electrifying rhythms, and unforgettable experiences. Featuring over 70 food vendors, two music stages, and immersive experiences like the World Chancla Throwing Championship and the Abuela-Approved Food Battle, the festival offers a unique celebration for food lovers, music, dance, and art enthusiasts, and culture aficionados.
25th Niagara Celtic Heritage Festival & Highland Games (Greater Niagara)
🗓️When: September 19-20, 2026
📍Where: Lockport
💲Cost: Children 12 & under free admission; prices for adults (13+) range from $20-$37. Cash only at the gate; online ticket purchases include a chance to win a prize at the door. $2 off tickets for seniors, military (active duty and veterans), and students (middle, high school, and college).
You’re invited to celebrate the rich traditions of Irish, Scottish, and Welsh cultures at the Niagara County Fairgrounds! Witness thrilling Highland Games featuring ancient strongman competitions like the caber toss and stone throw, and enjoy live music, dance performances, artisan vendors, and delicious Celtic cuisine. With its family-friendly atmosphere and immersive cultural experiences, this is a must-do for anyone looking to celebrate Celtic heritage, or simply enjoy a fun and active weekend.
Oswego Porchfest (Thousand Islands-Seaway)
🗓️When: September 20, 2026
📍Where: Oswego
💲Cost: Free admission
The front porches and lawns of more than 50 Oswego homes in the city’s historic West-side neighborhood of Franklin/West and Montcalm Parks is the setting for performances from more than 60 musical artists! You’ll also enjoy mouth-watering food from a variety of food trucks at this tuneful family-friendly celebration, which has grown from just 11 porches and 17 artists since its inaugural year in 2015.
Adirondack Harvest Festival (Adirondacks)
🗓️When: September 19, 2026
📍Where: Westport
💲Cost: Free admission
Credit: @adirondackharvest on Instagram
As the leaves change color and the air carries a hint of apple cider, the Adirondacks celebrate the bountiful arrival of harvest season at the Essex County Fairgrounds. Discover a farmers’ market, food trucks, hands-on activities, local craft beer, live music, hiking along Champlain area trails, farm animals, horse-drawn wagon rides, a hula hoop performance and contest, a straw bale toss contest, stilt walking, presentations by 4-H groups, and more at the Essex County Fairgrounds. This year’s festival theme is "Bees & Honey," focusing on pollinators and beekeeping.
Annual Salmon River Hatchery Open House (Thousand Islands-Seaway)
🗓️When: September 26, 2026
📍Where: Altmar
💲Cost: Free admission
Have your mind blown as you witness the fish ladder that assists in salmon migration and spawning! The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation invites you to take a guided tour of the Salmon River Fish Hatchery, where you’ll get behind-the-scenes access to the facility's inner-workings. The popular fish ladder will also be on display, offering the opportunity to view salmon as they migrate. Also, children can learn to cast a fishing rod, tie flies, participate in a laser shooting range, observe the aquatic life of Beaverdam Brook, and find out about rare and threatened fish species in New York State. In addition to the scheduled program events, several conservation organizations, fishing and hunting clubs, and outdoor recreation groups will be on hand with displays and activities to provide information about their role in the Salmon River Corridor and the Lake Ontario ecosystem.
Out on the Farm (Hudson Valley)
🗓️When: September 26, 2026
📍Where: Highland
💲Cost: $15 advance online sale, $20 at the door; children 14 and under receive free admission.
Gather with your family, friends, and pets for a Queer Fall Festival celebrating the best of autumn in the Hudson Valley! Enjoy a community-focused afternoon of family-friendly activities, food trucks, live music, a farm market, and cider bar drinks at Bad Seed Hard Cider. This event is appropriate for all ages, and leashed dogs are welcome. Pack a blanket and rock a picnic around the orchard pond during the afternoon, which features crafts and youth entertainment until 5 PM. As day turns to night, the festival transitions into a more adult-centric vibe featuring the "Bushels & Pecs" variety show at 7:00 PM, followed by an "Orchard Disco" dance party under the stars!
Fright Fest and Kids Boo Fest (Adirondacks)
🗓️When: Saturdays and Sundays, September 26 – October 25, 2026
📍Where: Queensbury
💲Cost: Park entry required, various ticket prices.
Great Escape’s annual Fright Fest will leave you terrified of the dark! By day, families can enjoy the kid-friendly Boo Fest, featuring festive activities and a trick-or-treat trail. But once the sun goes down, the scares begin as the park is taken over by terrifying creatures and haunted houses like Skull Manor, CarnEvil, and Hell Block VI. Brace yourself for bone-chilling monstertainment and live shows throughout the evening!
Greenport Maritime Festival (Long Island)
🗓️When: September 26-27, 2026
📍Where: Greenport
💲Cost: Free admission
Credit: @jelizh8r on Instagram
Ahoy! Celebrate Greenport’s rich maritime history as this free-admission festival fills the village with roving sea shanties, live music, children’s games, and craft and maritime demonstrations. Don't miss the classic visiting ships, kayak races, and the thrilling cardboard boat regatta, all while sampling local wine, beer, and delicious food. Be sure to check out Saturday morning's Maritime Parade, where all are welcome to dress up as mermaids, pirates, and sea creatures!
Cape Vincent Oktoberfest (Thousand Islands-Seaway)
🗓️When: September 26, 2026
📍Where: Cape Vincent
💲Cost: $25 advance sales; $20 military advance sale; $30 day of event; $25 military day of event; $5 general admission (no beer mug or beer samples); free admission 12 and under; $5 Kids Zone admission.
Credit: @abc_informnny on Instagram
Get a taste of Germany in Cape Vincent at the 18th annual Oktoberfest! You’ll enjoy an Autumn Farmers and Crafters Market, kids’ section, beer garden offering samples of authentic German beer, and tastings from a New York State winery. Revel in German music and dancing and dig into all your favorite Bavarian eats like pretzels, bratwurst, sauerkraut, braised red cabbage, German potato salad, and apple strudel. Admission to the Beer & Wine Garden comes with a commemorative Oktoberfest mug and free samples from vendors.
26th Annual Great Pumpkin Challenge 5K/10K and Kids Fun Run (Capital-Saratoga)
🗓️When: September 26, 2026
📍Where: Saratoga Springs
💲Cost: $30 through September 14; increases to $35 starting September 15. The Kids Fun Run is $10 per child. Registration ends September 23., with late in-person registration available on September 26.
Credit: Saratoga Bridges
Head to Saratoga Spa State Park for a great opportunity to get healthy while walking or running at a fun, family-friendly event celebrating the fall season. Be one of the first 1,200 participants and you’ll receive a moisture-wicking long-sleeve shirt with the event’s logo. The day will be filled with costume and pumpkin contests, prizes for overall winners and top runners in each age group, plus treats galore! It's a great way to support Saratoga Bridges' programs and services for people with intellectual or developmental disabilities and their families in Saratoga County.
Worldwide Day of Play: Bubble Party (Finger Lakes)
🗓️When: September 26, 2026
📍Where: Rochester
💲Cost: Museum admission starts at $25.
Credit: @cgoverts on Instagram
Celebrate Worldwide Day of Play at The Strong National Museum of Play with bubbles! Create your own bubble wand in the Play Lab (maker space) and then join an all-day bubble party in the outdoor Hasbro Game Park.
New York State Canine Expo (Central New York)
🗓️When: September 26-27, 2026
📍Where: Cobleskill
💲Cost: $22.58
Taking place at the Cobleskill Fairgrounds, the New York State Canine Expo features live demonstrations, competitions, workshops and keynote speaker sessions from canine behavior experts, and a chance to connect with top trainers, vendors, and fellow dog enthusiasts. There are also food vendors and a kiddie area with free rides all day.
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