Your Guide To Fall Festivals Across The Hudson Valley

With the calendar flipping to September, it's time to look at fun fall events

Fall festival season is about to be in full swing across the Hudson Valley, and there's a weekend event happening in nearly every county through October.

From wine and food tastings to pickle-eating contests, the region's fall lineup covers a lot of ground.

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Here are the 2026 dates for each of the listed Hudson Valley and Catskills events:

September 2026

Hudson Valley Hot-Air Balloon Festival

• September 4-6, 2026 | Tymor Park, Lagrangeville
• Full flights, illuminated night glows, fireworks and food trucks.

Hudson Valley Wine & Music Festival

• September 5, 2026 | People's Waterfront Park, Newburgh
• National recording artists, jazz bands and regional wine tasting.

GR8 Hudson Valley Hard Rock Festival

• September 5, 2026 | Heritage Financial Park, Wappingers Falls
• A full day of alternative, punk and rock bands.

Germania of Poughkeepsie's Oktoberfest

• September 11-13, 2026 | Germania of Poughkeepsie, Poughkeepsie
• Three days of traditional German fun featuring live German bands, bratwurst, strudel, Bienenstich, kids' games, Bavarian dancers and German beer.

Hudson Valley Wine and Food Festival

• September 12-13, 2026 | Dutchess County Fairgrounds, Rhinebeck
• Wine, brewery and distillery tastings, cooking demonstrations, winemaking seminars and other educational opportunities.

Sunflower Festival at Thunderbird Farms

• September 12-13, 2026 | Thunderbird Farms, Goshen
• Walking trails through sunflower fields, cider donuts and an evening "boo bar."

BBQ and Brews Festival

• September 19-20, 2026 | Barton Orchards, Poughquag
• Local barbecue pitmasters serving pulled pork, brisket, ribs and more alongside Hudson Valley beers and Barton's craft cider.

Mountaintop Oktoberfest

• September 25-27, 2026 | Mohonk Mountain House, New Paltz
• German food, beer and polka music.

Fall Crafts at Lyndhurst

• September 25-27, 2026 | Lyndhurst Mansion, Tarrytown
• More than 200 makers, food trucks and artisans showcasing handmade crafts.

Hudson Valley Garlic Festival

• September 26-27, 2026 | Cantine Memorial Complex, Saugerties
• A celebration of local garlic growers, food alley treats and handmade crafts.

Nyack Neighborhood Music & Arts Festival

• September 26, 2026 | Village of Nyack Memorial Park, Nyack
• Live Americana and roots rock music.

October 2026

Country Living Fair

• October 2-4, 2026 | Dutchess County Fairgrounds, Rhinebeck
• More than 200 artisans, antique dealers and makers, plus workshops and live bluegrass, Americana and folk music.

Carnifall 2026

• October 1-4, 2026 | Brexel-Schlathaus Park, Wappinger
• A four-day autumn carnival featuring amusement rides and local food vendors.

HudsonFEST 2026

• October 3, 2026 | The Ellis, Newburgh
• A free, all-ages outdoor community event featuring live music and local vendors.

Fall Community Day

• October 3, 2026 | Columbia-Greene Community College, Hudson
• Fresh cider, crafts and family activities.

Hudson Valley Apple Festival

• October 3-4, 2026 | Barton Orchards, Poughquag
• Apple picking, pig races, magic shows, a petting zoo, live music, local beer and more.

Town of Wawayanda Annual Fall Festival

• October 3, 2026 | Shannen Park, Slate Hill
• Classic community craft vendors and autumn treats.

Colors in the Catskills

• October 3-4, October 10-11 and October 17-18, 2026 | Hunter Mountain Resort, Hunter
• Hunter Mountain's fall celebration features live entertainment, food and scenic mountain experiences across multiple October weekends.

Great Jack O'Lantern Blaze

• Fall 2026 | Van Cortlandt Manor, Croton-on-Hudson
• One of the Hudson Valley's biggest fall attractions, featuring thousands of hand-carved pumpkins illuminated after dark. The Blaze has become a major regional Halloween tradition and regularly appears on national "best of fall" lists.

Phoenix Festival

• Fall 2026 | Clover Stadium, Pomona
• A live performance arts festival featuring theater, dance and music throughout the day. The Rockland County event has been billed as one of the fastest-growing live performance arts festivals in the lower Hudson Valley.

Handcrafted Oktoberfest at Rhinebeck

• October 10-11, 2026 | Dutchess County Fairgrounds, Rhinebeck
• Handmade clothing, jewelry, furniture, kitchenware and other crafts, along with traditional Oktoberfest food, craft beer, live music, horse-drawn carriage rides and pumpkin carving.

Harvest Festival Weekend

• October 10-12, 2026 | Barton Orchards, Poughquag
• Apple and pumpkin picking, hard cider, hayrides, live music, lawn games, craft beers and hard ciders.

New York State Sheep & Wool Festival

• October 17-18, 2026 | Dutchess County Fairgrounds, Rhinebeck
• Hundreds of fiber artisans, handmade products, competitions, sheep, fall food and beverages.

Beacon Sloop Club Pumpkin Festival

• October 18, 2026 | Pete & Toshi Seeger Riverfront Park, Beacon
• Pumpkin carving, pies, pumpkin beers and ciders, plus free sails aboard the Woody Guthrie, weather permitting. The event is free.

Planning Ahead

Most of these festivals run rain or shine, though some outdoor vendors and activities scale back in bad weather. Ticket prices vary widely, from free town festivals to paid weekend passes for the larger wine and food events.