From unforgettable performances and art exhibitions to history lectures and farm experiences, there are a lot of interesting and exciting events scheduled for March here in Dutchess County. In fact, this is a perfect time to visit!
Use this list of our Top 10 March Events to help plan your trip to the heart of New York's Hudson Valley, where there is fun for everyone year-round.
March is Women’s History Month; click here to read about the “Top 10 Women Who Influenced Dutchess County's History.”
Of course, March in the Hudson Valley is maple season, and several Dutchess producers have some fantastic events lined up for the New York State Maple Weekends (March 21–22 and 28–29). Click here for all the sweet details.
And be sure to check out our list of the Top 10 Ways to Celebrate St. Patrick's Day in Dutchess County as you plan your holiday festivities.
As always, keep that camera handy; feel free to share your photos here and tag @DestinationDutchess on social media.
Happy travels!
Feb. 20–March 1 at Adams Fairacre Farms in Poughkeepsie; Feb. 27–March 8 at Adams Fairacre Farms in Wappingers Falls
Adams' popular annual lawn and garden shows are back in both their Poughkeepsie and Wappingers Falls stores. Travel around the world without leaving your neighborhood, as each Adams store will feature unique displays showcasing a variety of landscapes, climates, and gardens from around the globe. You bring your creative ideas, and Adams will provide the inspiration and the materials to bring them to life. Plus, snap a picture in front of the Passport Station at each store’s Garden Show to be entered to win a special travel-themed gift basket.
March 2–15 at multiple locations
Restaurant Week is the perfect time to try a new restaurant or revisit one of your favorites. Enjoy brunch, lunch, or dinner at participating restaurants in Dutchess County. There are plenty of options to satisfy every appetite. The prix-fixe menu items will be priced at either $24.95, $29.95, $39.95, or $44.95.
Wednesday, March 4, 6 p.m., at the Black Box Theatre, Dutchess Community College, Poughkeepsie
Presented as a transitional event between Black History Month and Womenʼs History Month, this groundbreaking choreopoem by Ntozake Shange weaves poetry, music, and movement into a powerful theatrical experience. Through a series of 20 interrelated monologues, "For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/When the Rainbow Is Enuf" gives voice to Black women as they navigate love, loss, joy, trauma, resilience, and self-discovery.
Saturday, March 7, 12–3 p.m., at Branchwater Farms, Milan
Be sure to drink your vegetables! That's what the crew at Branchwater Farms had in mind when they created their "Badger Flame Beet Brandy" and added it to their already impressive collection of spirits, which includes several varieties of brandy, whiskey, gin and more. Branchwater's tasting room and farm store will reopen for the season on March 7, and they'll be hosting a special launch party for this new brandy as well. All are welcome to stop by to learn about the distillation process for this unique product. In case you were wondering, the Badger Flame Beet gets its name from its bright orange-and-yellow striped interior that looks like flames. It is known for its sweet, earthy flavor.
Related: Sip your way through the region with the Duchess Tourism Taste Finder, a mobile passport program that serves up perks at 14 craft beverage tasting rooms and tap houses on the trail.
Sunday, March 8, 3–5 p.m., at Arlington High School, LaGrangeville
Vocalist Alli Mauzey accompanies conductor André Raphel and the Hudson Valley Symphony Orchestra for this performance, which will feature showstopping hits from Broadway blockbusters like Chicago, Phantom of the Opera, Frozen, Wicked and more. Mauzey has carved out a distinguished career on Broadway, making her debut in the Tony Award-winning musical Hairspray. Among her favorite Broadway roles was that of Glinda the Good in Wicked. She also played Ernestina in the Tony Award-winning revival of Hello, Dolly! in which she starred opposite both Bette Midler and Bernadette Peters; she was a special guest performer opposite Kristin Chenoweth in her Broadway residency concert, Kristin Chenoweth: For the Girls; and she also played in the musical Cry Baby.
Saturday, March 14, 11 a.m.–12:30 p.m., at Clermont State Historic Site, Germantown
Bring your favorite doll to meet the real American girls who lived and worked at the Livingston Mansion at Clermont State Historic Site throughout history. Local seamstress and costume designer Adrienne Westmore has crafted 12 dolls to represent 12 real girls who once called Clermont home, including members of the Livingston family, the people who served them, and the indigenous people of the Hudson Valley. Kids and their grownups will tour the first floor of the mansion and meet all the dolls, then head up to the Visitor Center to make a doll-sized craft of their own to take home. Built in the 1730s, Clermont Mansion was home to seven generations of the powerful and wealthy Livingston family. The original home was burned down in October of 1777 by British soldiers because of the family’s deep Patriot ties, and Margaret Beekman Livingston worked hard to have the home rebuilt. Her oldest son, Chancellor Robert R. Livingston, was a member of the Continental Congress and helped draft the Declaration of Independence; he also had the honor of giving the Presidential Oath of Office to George Washington in 1789.
Sunday, March 15, 12–6 p.m., at the MJN Convention Center, Poughkeepsie
This inaugural event combines all the revelry of a St. Patrick's Day celebration with the tart and tangy flavors of pickles to create a briny good time. There will be plenty of pickles to sample, along with brine and pickle juice tastings and a great selection of beers and a full liquor lineup. Meet with pickle producers and specialty vendors. Enjoy burgers, wings, empanadas and more, plus great music on the MJN Center stage.
Friday, March 20, 6:30 a.m., at the Walkway Over the Hudson, Poughkeepsie
Enjoy breathtaking views of the Hudson River and the surrounding highlands as you welcome the new season at the World’s Longest Elevated Pedestrian Bridge. Every year on the vernal and autumnal equinoxes, the sun rises in line with the Walkway deck, making for spectacular photo opportunities from 212 feet above the river. The gates at either end of the Walkway will open early for this free event. Click here for details on the seasonally operated elevator to the Walkway from Upper Landing Park in Poughkeepsie. The 1.25-mile Walkway is a repurposed railroad bridge that opened in 1889. It originally formed part of the Maybrook Railroad Line of the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad. It was taken out of service in 1974 after being damaged by fire. It was reopened in 2009 as a pedestrian walkway and forms part of the Empire State Trail, a 750-mile trail used by thousands of hikers and bicyclists every year.
Related: Find your moments of peace with the Dutchess Tourism Zen Finder, a mobile passport program featuring some of the best hidden-gem trails, fresh air activities, and captivating views in a curated itinerary of outdoor highlights.
Thursday, March 26, 6 p.m., at Mill House Brewing, Poughkeepsie
Mill House Brewing in Poughkeepsie and Tenmile Distillery in Wassaic have teamed up to present this event, which features a multi-course dinner paired with five different Tenmile whiskies. Among the whiskies being offered will be several selections from Tenmile's Revolutionary Whisky series, a collection of whisky expressions crafted to commemorate important dates and events during the Revolutionary War. Tickets are sure to sell quickly for this event. All attendees will receive Tenmile-branded glassware to take home.
Saturday, March 28, 1–5 p.m., at Boutique Wines, Spirits & Ciders, Fishkill
This fun, free event will feature more than a dozen vendors sharing more than 50 interesting wines, including bubbly, rosé, white and red. Sample products from New York and around the U.S., as well as France, Italy, Spain, Portugal and more. This popular annual event is the perfect place to find new spring flavors (or rediscover old favorites).
