There is nothing quite like autumn in New York’s Hudson Valley, and a visit to Dutchess County this October promises to make your heart sing!
See the fall foliage in all its colorful beauty as the Hudson Highlands blaze forth in unparalleled magnificence.
Feel the crisp, refreshing breeze and hear the soft rustling of fallen leaves as you hike along one of our many scenic trails.
Taste the goodness and purity of our local farmland in our world-renowned farm-to-table cuisine.
Smell the unmistakable aroma of fresh-baked pies and apple cider donuts as you venture into one of our orchards to pick your own apples.
Only a 90-minute train ride north out of New York City and less than four hours from Boston and Philadelphia, getting to Dutchess is easy-peasy. Once you arrive, there is so much to see and do. The foliage is the star of the show — click here to see weekly foliage reports — but Dutchess also features fascinating historic sites, a vibrant arts and culture scene and all the outdoor adventure the Hudson River has to offer.
I Love N.Y.’s Path Through History Weekend is set for Oct. 11–13 and features fun and informative events at historic landmarks throughout the state, including several right here in Dutchess. Stay tuned for details on all sorts of fun Halloween events and attractions for kids and adults alike.
Here is a list of 10 more can’t-miss events (okay, this one goes to 11) here in Dutchess County this October. Keep that camera handy! Feel free to share your pictures here and tag @DestinationDutchess on social media.
Happy travels!
Throughout October at multiple locations
• Barton Orchards, Poughquag: Head to Barton Orchards each weekend in October and enjoy a full day of fun for the whole family. There will be live music and entertainment, pig races, the fun park featuring the mega slide, the haunted house, the corn maze, hayrides, a petting zoo, the wooden ship playground, and a dog park. There will be apples and pumpkins for picking (call ahead for availability). Stop by the taproom for local craft beer and hard cider, and don't forget to grab your fresh cider donuts. Each weekend will have its own theme: there will be Country Music Weekend (Sept. 27–28), the Hudson Valley Apple Festival (Oct. 4–5), Harvest Festival Weekend (Oct. 11, 12 and 13); Boos & Brews (Oct. 18–19), and Tract-or-Treat Weekend (Oct. 25–26). Plus, don't miss "Time Warp: The Rocky Horror 50th Anniversary Live Experience" on Oct. 17 and 18.
• Fishkill Farms, Hopewell Junction: Fishkill Farms hosts its annual harvest festival featuring live music each weekend in October, as well as Columbus Day/Indigenous Peoples Day, Oct. 13. Sit back, relax and enjoy a wagon ride in the orchard or venture into the corn maze. Taste apple cider donuts and delicious food straight from the grill, wash it all down with some hard cider from the Treasury Cider Bar (Fun fact: They named it Treasury Cider in honor of the farm’s founder, Henry Morgenthau Jr., who, after a career in farming and conservation, served as the Secretary of the Treasury under President Franklin D. Roosevelt). Make sure to book an appointment to pick your own apples, pears, pumpkins and more!
• Kesicke Farm, Rhinebeck: Harvest festivals are scheduled every Saturday and Sunday through Oct. 26, as well as Columbus Day/Indigenous Peoples Day. Enjoy a stroll in the corn maze, wagon rides and hayrides. Feed and pet farm animals and enjoy delicious apple cider donuts. While you're there, pick up some of Kesicke Farm's own farm-raised, natural beef, pork, lamb, and chicken. You can also enjoy their farm-fresh eggs all year round.
• Kimlin Cider Mill, Poughkeepsie: The Cider Mill Friends host their 13th annual Old Fashioned Cider Tasting on Saturday, Oct. 4, at the historic mill. Taste authentic Kimlin Cider, which is only available at this event, as well as other local sweet and hard ciders. There will be lots of kid-friendly fun, including Pygora Goat petting by Clover Brooke Farm, children's crafts and a scavenger hunt. Take a behind-the-scenes Mill tour and enjoy a demonstration of cider pressing with an antique press, live music and more. The Mill, with its mid-19th century barn, was part of a larger farm originally owned and operated by the Kimlin family since the early 1850s. It had been such a popular local attraction for decades, but it closed in 1990. The property was sold to a developer whose plan was to demolish the mill and build something different in its place. However, The Cider Mill Friends of Open Space & Historic Preservation purchased the property in 2008 and saved the mill from the wrecking ball. Preservation and restoration efforts have been ongoing ever since.
• Poughkeepsie Farm Project: The Poughkeepsie Farm Project's second-annual Harvest Fest on Saturday, Oct. 25, at the Vassar Preserves will celebrate the connections between food, farm and community. Enjoy a family-friendly, music festival atmosphere with several live performances, food trucks, local beer and wine vendors, a maker market and more.
• Soukup Farms, Dover Plains: The 11th annual harvest festival will be held every Saturday (11–5 p.m.) and Sunday (11–4 p.m.) from Oct. 4–26, as well as on Columbus Day/Indigenous Peoples Day (11 a.m.–4 p.m.). Enjoy a scenic hayride out to the pick-your-own pumpkin patch and corn maze, as well as lots of fun family activities! Be sure to pick up some delicious Soukup Farms maple syrup and maple products.
• Stony Kill Farm, Wappingers Falls: Head to Stony Kill Farm on Oct. 4 and enjoy fall fun for visitors of all ages, including visits with farm animals, barn and livestock tours and craft vendors. There will be plenty to eat, including homemade soup.
Related: Pick-Your-Own Apples, Pumpkins and More at These Dutchess Farms
.jpg)
Oct. 1–5 and Oct. 8–12 at Keane Stud, Amenia
Get ready for two world-class equestrian show-jumping competitions held back-to-back, making Amenia the place to be for a two-week celebration of sport and culture! The Silo Ridge Masters Horse Show features five action-packed days (Oct. 1–5) of elite show-jumping, including the$125,000 Silo Ridge Masters CSI3 Grand Prix. The Highlands Cup Horse Show features five more thrilling days (Oct. 8–12) of elite competition, including the fan-favorite Major League Show Jumping team competition and the $340,000 Highlands Cup CSI5 Grand Prix. Along with the horse shows, you'll enjoy the Bridlemont Concours at Highlands, a world-class showcasing of more than 30 rare and iconic cars and motorcycles on Oct. 12, as well as thrilling live music and entertainment — Third Eye Blind with special guest Dinosaur Jr. will perform on Oct. 10, and LeAnn Rimes and Brothers Osborne will provide a night of unforgettable country music on Oct. 11. Click here for complete details.
.jpg)
Saturday, Oct. 4, 7:30 a.m. on the Poughkeepsie Waterfront
Presented by the Mid-Hudson Rowing Association and the Hudson River Rowing Association, the Poughkeepsie Regatta is a three-mile rowing race on the Hudson River that offers a glimpse into the proud history of rowing on the Hudson. Crews from New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut will compete in Junior, Collegiate, and Masters events. Races run between the Culinary Institute of America campus in Hyde Park and the Mid-Hudson Bridge in Poughkeepsie, following the same course as the one used for the historic Intercollegiate Rowing Association (IRA) Regatta from 1895 to 1949. In fact, the best-selling book "The Boys in the Boat" — and the George Clooney film based on that book — tells the story of the University of Washington rowing team that prepared for the 1936 Olympics in Berlin by competing in the Poughkeepsie Regatta, which was an Olympic qualifying event. That same team won the gold medal for the United States in Berlin in true rags-to-riches fashion. In those days, Poughkeepsie was known as the "Rowing Capital of the World," and thousands of spectators — Gilded Age dignitaries and Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt among them — lined the shores on both sides of the Hudson to see the action. These days, fans can watch the from places like Quiet Cove Park, Waryas Park, and Kaal Rock Park in Poughkeepsie. Of course, for the best view of all, walk out onto the The Walkway Over the Hudson, from which the starting line will be visible to the north and the finish line to the south.
Saturday, Oct. 4, 10 a.m.–5:30 p.m., at multiple locations
This self-guided tour highlights historic barns and working farms in Rhinebeck, Red Hook and Tivoli and includes some fun and educational activities along the way! If you like, pack a picnic, as there are sure to be some prime spots to sit and enjoy a relaxing lunch. A map of the participating locations will be provided, and guides will be stationed at each site to provide information and answer questions. Afterward, head to Heermance Farm in Tivoli for the barn reception from 3:30–5:30 p.m. featuring live music, locally produced, farm-fresh food and local beer and wine. To purchase tickets, click here.
Saturday, Oct. 4, 8 p.m., at the Bardavon 1869 Opera House, Poughkeepsie
Spend an evening with one of America’s pre-eminent humor writers at the historic Bardavon 1869 Opera House. A master of satire and a five-time Grammy Award nominee, Sedaris is beloved for his personal essays and short stories, including the New York Times bestsellers "Barrel Fever," "Holidays on Ice," "Naked," "Me Talk Pretty One Day," "Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim," "When You Are Engulfed in Flames," "Let’s Explore Diabetes with Owls," and "Calypso." Tickets are sure to sell quickly for his performance in Poughkeepsie. Click here to secure yours.
Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 4 and 5, 10 a.m., at the Dutchess County Fairgrounds, Rhinebeck
Now in its sixth year, this unique Octoberfest offers something for everyone, combining the best of Oktoberfest traditions with a handcrafted twist. Taste seasonal food delights, sip a pint in the beer garden and enjoy live music and themed performers. Stick around for ongoing demonstrations from woodworkers, fiber spinners, metal forgers and jewelers. Take a relaxing horse-drawn carriage ride around the fairgrounds, and catch the weigh-in of giant pumpkins! Click here for complete details and to purchase advance tickets at a discounted rate.
Saturday, Oct. 11, 7 p.m., at the Bardavon 1869 Opera House, Poughkeepsie
Eleanor Roosevelt fought passionately throughout her life for literacy, for the role of libraries in a democracy, and for the universal right to intellectual freedom. It is with this spirit that the Eleanor Roosevelt Banned Book Awards celebrate a group of authors whose voices have been banned, and the many people who are fighting censorship. Hilarie Burton Morgan, star of "One Tree Hill," will be the moderator of this year's awards ceremony — which will be held on the 141st anniversary of Eleanor Roosevelt's birth. Margaret Atwood, the author of more than 50 books of fiction, poetry, and critical essays, including "The Handmaid's Tale," will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award. Becky Calzada, the District Library Coordinator in Leander, Texas, and a co-founding member of Texas #FReadom Fighters, a grassroots group of librarians in support of intellectual freedom, will receive the Literary Freedom Award. Also being honored are Matthew A. Cherry and Vashti Harrison for "Hair Love;" Malinda Lo for "Last Night at the Telegraph Club;" Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson for "And Tango Makes Three;" Juno Dawson for "This Book is Gay;" and John Green for "Looking for Alaska." Purchase tickets here.
Related: Top 10 Places to View Fall Foliage in Dutchess County
Sunday, Oct. 12, 8:30 a.m., at the Dutchess County Fairgrounds, Rhinebeck
Admire the beautiful fall colors as you test your skill and endurance in either the half-marathon or five-kilometer race. It's a perfect warm-up for the famous New York City Marathon, which will be held three weeks later on Nov. 2. Run for the fun of it or take a shot at one of the course records. Either way, it's sure to be a fun time! Every participant in both races will receive an official race shirt and a finisher medal. Stick around for post-race food and fun. Click here to register.
• ClayWay Annual Studio Tour (Oct. 18 and 19, 10 a.m.–5 p.m., at multiple locations): Visit nine clay studios, including several here in Dutchess County, during this self-guided, two-day event and meet 25 ceramists working in a wide variety of styles and techniques. For details and a printable map of locations, click here.
• ArtEast Open Studio Tour (Oct. 18, 19, 25 and 26 at multiple locations): This annual event is a highlight of the fall art season in the Hudson Valley! More than 25 artists in eastern Dutchess once again open their studios for this free, self-guided driving tour through Wassaic, Millbrook, Wingdale, Poughquag, Hopewell Junction, LaGrangeville, Patterson, Pawling, and Holmes. There will be plenty to see, with artists of many disciplines opening their studios. It’s the perfect chance to meet and greet talented local artists and get a behind-the-scenes look at where they create their masterpieces. Click here for details.
Related: Connect with your creativity with Dutchess Tourism's Inspiration Finder Arts & Culture Trail
Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 18 and 19, at the Dutchess County Fairgrounds, Rhinebeck
A Dutchess autumn tradition continues with the annual Sheep and Wool Festival, two days filled with all things sheep and wool! There will be plenty of vendors and workshops devoted to all sorts of weaving, knitting and basket-making topics and techniques, as well as with kids’ activities. Don't miss the book signing, presented in partnership with Merritt Bookstore in Millbrook, and be sure to stick around for the sheep shows and the used equipment auction. Click here to learn more.
Oct. 9–14, New York City to Saratoga Springs
Enjoy autumn foliage, beautiful Hudson Valley scenery and fine dining at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park on this six-day bike ride that begins in Manhattan, makes stops in Brewster, Poughkeepsie, Hudson and Albany before finishing in Saratoga Springs and includes a trip across the Walkway Over the Hudson during peak foliage season. Most of this roughly 250-mile ride is on bike paths which are relatively flat and easy to navigate. This tour is customizable, meaning participants can select any combination of days and the cost of the tour is prorated. Click here for complete details, including a day-by-day itinerary.
