Communities organize food festivals to celebrate their local specialties, inviting visitors from near and far to come enjoy the carefully crafted recipes that define their favorite cuisine. You'll love exploring the variety of delicious dishes they have to offer!
To help you make the most of your stay, we’ve put together a list of our favorite festivals in the Hudson Valley Catskills region, where you’ll find everything from farm-fresh blueberry pie to savory garlic ice cream, all within an hour’s drive.
Top Ten Hudson Valley Catskills Food Festivals
Rip Van Winkle Wine Brew and Beverage Festival
May 13 Catskill, N.Y.
A festival that’s fun for all, featuring a wide variety of wineries, breweries, distilleries and craft beverages, along with a large selection of craft and food vendors. Enjoy Live music throughout the day. This event is set on the beautiful banks of the Hudson River and the Catskill Creek which make for a great backdrop. Held rain or shine.
The Catskills Greek Festival
July 6-9 Callicoon Center, N.Y.
Everyone is welcome! 4 days of fun for the entire family! Enjoy traditional Greek food and experience the music and lively Greek dancing. Games and rides for the children. Raffles, prizes and much more! A spectacular fireworks display will light up the sky on Sat.
The Blueberry Festival
Aug. 12 Ellenville, N.Y.
The nearby town of Ellenville pays tribute to their berry-picking history each year with the Shawangunk Mountain Wild Blueberry Festival which features performances by local musicians, handcrafted gifts, cultural events, entertainment, and of course- all things blueberries! A blueberry pancake breakfast and a blueberry pie competition are among the highlights of this festival, located just south of the Catskill Mountains.
The Bagel Festival
Aug. 13 Monticello, N.Y.
Abandon your low carb/Paleo diet for the weekend and indulge in some bready goodness, just this once. Visitors can enjoy an all-day street fair complete with vendors, lots of food, rides, games, and live music, a the Bagel Festival Parade, a Best Bagels contest, and even a Bagel Triathalon where you’ll roll, stack, and toss bagels instead of eating them.
Hudson Valley Rib Fest
Aug. 18 - 20 New Paltz, N.Y.
THE place to be for lovers of finger-licking good food in the Northeast. This three-day event is actually two events in one – a food festival and a sanctioned Barbeque Contest where winners can advance to the national finals in Kansas City! Includes Kansas City Barbeque Society Contest, food vendors, live entertainment, cooking demonstrations and children’s country games.
Hudson Valley Wine & Food Fest
Sept. 10-11 Rhinebeck, N.Y.
The Hudson Valley Wine & Food Fest is a celebration of the bounty of New York. The event features hundreds of wines from all over the state, NY distilled spirits, craft beers and gourmet specialty foods from all over the country. Learn more about wine with our educational seminars and brush up on your culinary skills with cooking demonstrations from regional celebrity chefs throughout the weekend.
Jennie Bell Pie Festival
Sept. 16 Kerhonkson, N.Y.
While pie is at the heart of the festivities, with home-baked pies for sale all weekend (until they run out), a visit to the two-day extravaganza will also include hayrides, craft and food vendors, a talent show (with cash prizes), the farm’s petting zoo, amusement rides and games and live music with a local band on Saturday.
Taste of New Paltz
Sept. 17 New Paltz, N.Y
The Hudson Valley’s renowned wine, cuisine and agricultural bounty are on display with Taste of New Paltz, the flavorful annual opportunity to sample some of the best mouth-watering fare from the region’s finest restaurants, caterers, farm markets, brew masters, and wineries, all in a single day.
Hudson Valley Garlic Festival
Sept. 30 – Oct 1 Saugerties, NY
Celebrating all things garlic, A visit to the Garlic Marketplace, with tons of gourmet garlic, this fantastic festival features garlic-enhanced foods. There’s everything from garlic sausage, pulled pork, and garlic soup to garlic green beans, and garlic ice cream! Visitors also enjoy constant entertainment, cooking demonstrations, an Arts and Crafts area featuring over 80 vendors, and more!
Rosendale International Pickle Festival
November 19 Rosendale, N.Y.
The Rosendale International Pickle celebrates the town’s quirky spirit and beautiful landscape with an amazing celebration of pickles, gherkins and cornichons. The kooky extravaganza features pickle exhibitors from around the region, pickle dishes designed by renowned chefs, live musical performances from local acts and pickle-inspired clothing and jewelry. It's a pickle-lover's paradise!
Planning to visit one or more of these exciting Hudson Valley Catskills food festivals? The Hudson Valley Resort & Spa is at the center of them all, so give us a call today and we'll help make the most of your stay!
