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LaFayette Apple Festival
Located about 20 minutes outside of Syracuse, the town of LaFayette is surrounded by forestry, making it a prime location to appreciate central New York’s transition into autumn. The region has long been known for its great bounty of apples during the fall months.

A two-day event, the LaFayette Apple Festival attracts around 30,000 visitors yearly. Featuring over 400 vendors this year, the festival boasts carnival rides, craft stations, live music, pony rides, a petting zoo, farm stands and, of course, a wide array of apple products.

A classic of the festival, Cider Mill allows visitors to press their own non-alcoholic cider — a favorite among children. The Apple Sample Station gives people the chance to taste a vast range of different apples, while also learning which types are best for cooking, salads or just on their own. Kountry Kitchen and Donuts N’ Dumplins both offer all kinds of baked goods, like apple pie, turnovers, ice cream and cider donuts.

The LaFayette Apple Festival will be open on Oct. 8 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and on Oct. 9 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with an apple pancake breakfast beginning at 7 a.m. on both days.

Abbott Farms Fall Festival Days
Abbott Farms thrives year round, harvesting asparagus, blueberries, pumpkins, strawberries, rhubarb, eggs and apples. Located in Baldwinsville, the farm is a rural oasis just outside of Syracuse.

Most food options at the festival are locally sourced. The bakery at Abbott Farms makes pies, “kitchen sink” fudge and ice cream on site. The Home Cookin’ Grill offers locally raised maple-shredded BBQ beef, hot dogs from Hofmann Sausage Company, as well as apple fritters, cider donuts and caramel apples, all created with produce from the farm.

The farm’s Fall Festival Days hosts wagon rides, an apple slingshot and a corn maze, along with day-to-day attractions like the farm store, cider pressing and visiting animals. The farm also offers apple picking of Sansa, Zestar, Paula Red, Ginger Gold, Jonamac and Gala apples.

Abbott Farms Fall Festival Days is a recurring event, running every weekend through Oct. 30th. The farm is open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sundays.

Annual CNY Great Pumpkin Festival
Every year in Washington Square Park in Oswego, the Annual CNY Great Pumpkin Festival brings the region together to celebrate one of the most important parts of their culture: pumpkins.

The pumpkin weighing competition has become one of the main features of the festival. The largest-ever pumpkin appeared in 1996 and weighed in at over 1000 pounds — and ever since, farmers and growers have been trying to top that number and win the competition’s $2000 prize.

The event will also host live entertainment, rides, games and craft and food vendors. Throughout the day, visitors can participate in pumpkin carving lessons, listen to ghost stories and build their own scarecrow.

The Annual CNY Great Pumpkin Festival will be held on Saturday, Oct. 1 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Registration for the pumpkin competition starts at 9 a.m., with the weighing beginning at 10 a.m.

Annual Downtown Ithaca Apple Harvest Festival
About an hour’s drive outside of Syracuse, the Annual Downtown Ithaca Apple Harvest Festival will kick off the beginning of New York Cider Week.

The festival revolves around the food options — in addition to a variety of food trucks and a cider trail, over 100 vendors will offer fresh produce and seasonal items. Festival favorites include cider donuts, kettle corn and an array of apple baked goods.

Throughout the three-day event, the streets of Ithaca will be filled with rides, games and live performances. Over 50 artisan and craft vendors will offer ceramic pieces, jewelry, home decorations, sculptures and clothing.

The Annual Downtown Ithaca Apple Harvest Festival will take place from Friday, September 30 to Sunday, October 2, running from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on all three days.

The Great Cortland Pumpkinfest
Located about 40 minutes away, Cortland is best known for its apples, with a variety of apples being named after the town. But for a weekend every year, the area bands together to celebrate the shift into autumn, and produce, at the Great Cortland Pumpkinfest.

The festival hosts a variety of musicians from the region, including Skaneateles country musician Jon Rogalia and Cortland native James VanDeuson II. The event, with pumpkins in every corner, will also feature pony rides, pumpkin decorating and craft and food vendors.

The Great Cortland Pumpkinfest will occur on Oct. 1 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Oct. 2 from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Published on September 19, 2022 at 10:58 pm