This is an annual apple festival (this year was year #21), without apples! No apples anywhere! And,…read morenot in any recipes...no apple cider, apple turnovers, apple dumplings, or apple pie. There were hot dogs, coffee from the local Pierce Bros. (pretty good), and Kettle Corn, but NO apples! What a shock! There were also, as promised in the title, local artisans selling reasonably-priced local honey in bars of soap and lotion, stained glass, goat's milk soap, and Emu oil soap (ick!), pottery, clothing, angora scarves (with the Angora Bunny right there in a big cage!), as well as kids activities. This was like a country fair, and really cute in the town green, but we were slightly disappointed because we wanted some apples or something delicious with apples. So, we went home and drank our apple cider. Sometimes what you want is what you have! ;)

Go to the fair! One…read morereason is that they have candy apples. Candy apples taste so good. Another reason is you can also go on rides. You can go on the rollercoaster. The fair is in Amherst. You can go in the spring. Little kids can get lost. Make sure to stay with your mom and dad!

Fun to walk around. Local products of all kinds. Animal competitions and food. Some wine tasting in…read morepast years. A nice way to spend the last summer days before everybody goes back to yearly drudge.

Great local fair with fun demo derby!! Great vendors and food. Worth bringing the kids too…read more Admission is a bit expensive but everyone has to make their money! Worth the trip for sure!!

I don't see the date of this balloon event posted anywhere, other than another poster that says to…read morearrive on the 1st day = Friday night...? I really want to go to this festival too.

The evening glow was really underwhelming. There were only five balloons. The park was so crowded…read moreyou could hardly move. The food vendors seemed overwhelmed. My son waited over one hour for a Philly cheesesteak. The fireworks were awesome. The logistic support for the parking and shuttle system were handled really well. Been there, saw the balloons. Don't need to go back.

I've been attending the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival every year since 2001, and I drive eleven hours…read moreeach way to do it. Barefoot. In the snow. Uphill both ways. Just kidding. :) But I probably would if I had to. It used to take place the fourth weekend of July, but this year it was the first weekend of August. Probably best to watch the website for next and subsequent years' dates. Falcon Ridge is a three-day-long festival of contemporary folk music. I qualify it as "contemporary" to distinguish it from traditional folk, which you can find there to some degree, as well, but the roster centers mostly on singer-songwriters who perform their own work or develop new ways of presenting older tunes, along with string-driven bands. Cajun, bluegrass, and occasionally even polka are represented, as well. In addition to the main stage, there's a family stage with entertainment for the little ones, a dance tent featuring contra and other kinds of dancing until 2am, and a workshop stage for a more intimate experience. Tickets at the gate are around $40-50 for one day or $130-160 for the weekend, but they're much cheaper online ahead of time. The festival offers camping for the weekend across a huge expanse of farmland. RV and tent camping are both welcome, and the camping area is much more comfortable than at some other music festivals I've been to. There's plenty of room for groups to spread out, though the area nearest to the stages and the flattest ground get filled up pretty early. There's no modern plumbing or electrical hookups (it is just a farm), but the site crew volunteers build a fairly decent set of showers that operate by hose. Hike your way "up the hill" and you can find all-night stages set up in the campground itself for nighttime concerts organized independently from (but still permitted by) the festival itself. Though the scheduled stages in the main festival area run from roughly 10am to 2am (or to 6:30pm on the last day), it's possible to find music playing somewhere or another for a solid and unbroken 72 hours. Sometimes you have to remind yourself to sleep. I've been volunteering since 2004 and have met some awesome, amazing people by doing so. I look forward to seeing them year after year. When I head out from Ohio to get there, people ask me, "You're going alone?" and I have to say, "Only until I get there!" Volunteering gets you free admission and two meals a day. Different crews come with different demands on your time, but they'll all leave you plenty of time to enjoy the festival. The food and craft area has inexplicably shrunk in the past few years, but all my favorite food stands are still there where they've always been. There are food options for everyone from vegans to carnivores and everywhere in between. Absolutely obligatory (unless you're avoiding sugar, wheat, or chocolate, I suppose) are the chippers from Taste Budd's: chocolate chip cookie bars with the taste of a cookie and the density of a firm brownie. There's one vegan option, while dairy/egg eaters have a selection of a few varieties. There are two quibbles I have with the festival, which are shared by most festival regulars I know. One is not the festival's fault, but it's something to be aware of if you come. Although cellular phone service works mostly ok there, data service is nil, not just at the festival itself but in the entire town and surrounding area. I couldn't check into Falcon Ridge on the Yelp app because by the time I drove out far enough to get the signal I needed, Yelp told me I was too far away from the festival to check in. So although phone calls can go through, most people found text messages to be slow as muck, and most smartphone apps were useless. Not a tragedy if you're prepared for it. It might be questionable why you'd want to come out and be rustic for the weekend yet spend the whole time on your phone. The other quibble most definitely is the festival's responsibility, and that is performer booking. Now... I don't have any problem with the specific performers who do play regularly. I love and appreciate them. But aside from the Emerging Artists Showcase, the new blood is just veeeeeeery slow to trickle in. To be clear, I'm not talking about this year. This year was the 25th anniversary, and artists who'd been regular go-to acts in the past decade or so were plentiful, and that was to be expected. But the stagnant performer list has been the norm for some time. It is my understanding (though I could be wrong) that booking is currently done by one person. I think that it's the kind of task that could be better taken on by a full committee who can all contribute their varying tastes and battle it out to keep the performer list diverse and interesting for festival-goers from 10 to 100. But in case you couldn't tell, I'll still be going back for music each year regardless of who's playing.

This was a pretty amazing festival. Lots of good music. Everyone is extremely friendly. They had…read morevery unusual food. They had about 3 tents with bands always playing. Plus there are people playing music with small crowds all over the area. Lots of people camp here. Bring low chairs and/or a tarp and a flashlight. Book hotels B&B early or camp. Great services for kids. We had a great time over the three days.

Local love at this fantastic annual arts and crafts festival!!…read more The Avon Arts Association creates and runs a perfect festival, set in the upper parking area (between two separate [but connected] lots) in between the small businesses in Old Avon Village. It is very easy to ambulate (and thus wheelchair accessible, which is hard to find in local festivals and farmers markets)!! The festival is very well advertised, with huge stand-up signs along the roads near the main streets of Avon and colorful flags and balloons bordering the entrance to the lots. You are led the way in!! You are able to see a number of local artists and their showcase works. From woodwork to jewelry to hand-dyed tie-dye to photography to paintings, you will see a little of everything here. I was really impressed by the number of vendors here!! I saw the talent and passion with each vendor as I passed through. It is really fun to see the excitement vendors have when they show their work. I was able to interact with the vendors, too, and chatted with a few about their items. Each vendor--including the shop owners at the antique shop that is in the center of the festival--was incredibly kind and, again, very passionate. I purchased a beautiful and unique ring at Two Birds Jewelers (opening a storefront in Ashford soon) and gorgeous tie-dye scarf and t-shirt from Deena's DDJ Designs ("tie-dyed clothing with a heart and a twist"). I spoke with the jeweler who crafted my ring and learned about the stone and setting; then I later chatted with Deena who made my tie-dyed pieces and who told me how to care for my funky one-of-a-kind wardrobe items. I really enjoyed strolling through, seeing local artists and their talents. There really is nothing like seeing local artists showcase their work and their passion. The only problem with this festival is the parking. There are small and windy roads in this village's parking, so it can be tricky to navigate to find a space in the limited number of spaces it has. You may want to go early--though you may want to anyway to miss the crowds and see the items showcased by each vendor more closely before anyone else--to grab a close parking spot. When I went mid-morning, I lucked out by grabbing a space down a flight of stairs from the center of the festival. I saw others though parking in the lower lots behind the larger complex and walking uphill to the tents. Overall, I very much like the smooth and accessible space this festival is set in, so it is worth the walk. There were a considerable number of people there when I went, but the festival is perfectly spread out so foot-traffic is not an issue. If you are not able to make one day, do not worry--this festival is open two days. Even if arts and crafts are not your thing, definitely stop by. You will see the local talent and may get a free sample of ice cream!! Why not support local every chance you can?

Loved the festival !! Last night was a lot of fun. I went to the festival with a friend who had…read moreinvited me. Christine Ohlman ( The Beehive Queen ) and Rebel Montez were the headliners. Loved it !! Can't wait for next year !!

'Twas a fun and fantabulous time. With the rain looming, the crowds piled into the streets early,…read moreprobably at its peak at 7pm. There was plenty of seating - if you also include the benches and fountain - and great vendors to choose from. I appreciated the diversity, and it was great to be reminded - by smell and taste! - of the variety Glastonbury has to offer. For $7, the ribs at J. Gilbert's was a solid choice. They practically fell off the bone, and the sauce was complementary without being overwhelming. Some other items were a little pricey for the portions, though. There were only two beers to choose from - Sam Summer and Ten Penny - and a few more wines. I'm kind of surprised they charged $1 for the ID band. They don't even do that in NYC! A quintessential local event. It was very fun and tasty. Great people watching, as well.

What- there isn't a review of this?!?!?! No way…read more Ok. Here's one: THIS FESTIVAL ROCKS. I import out of towners for it. Not the usual mega mall of vendors, it's a locals only scene. Very authentic. Not the largest spread of food, but all A-ok, and not corndogs. The music? World class. The crowd? Super groovy, family friendly but not oppressively so. The "no alcohol" policy? Uh- not heavily enforced b/c there are NO DRUNKS! We get there for the hot air balloon show Sat, & always stay through the last gasp on Sunday. DO NOT MISS the dance tent in back: always a band you are glad to discover back there. Bring a cooler, and an umbrella and sunscreen and GET A PARKING PASS EARLY! (even tho there's a free shuttle to parking as of this year.)

Amazing festival that is wonderful for families and al ages. Has always proven to provide a…read morewonderful mix of up and coming acts with legends in the industry and a wide array of New Orleans based acts. The hot air balloons add a unique and beautiful backdrop to the festivities too and make for wonderful sunrise and sunset photos!

Septemberfest has gone through a few tweaks since we moved here 30 years ago. It used to be…read moresprawled through the big parking lot in front of Iron Horse Boulevard, with music, vendor booths, a big craft tent, and lots of food booths. Then the festival disappeared for a while, and a few years ago it reappeared in a different version on the grounds of the Simsbury Meadows Performing Arts Center. A lot of the features are the same, or at least similar. They still offer lots of musical entertainment (we heard a pretty good Creedence cover band tonight), there are still a lot of vendor booths at the Business Expo, for local businesses and banks, the town library, private schools, political parties, and civic groups. They still have a lot of food options from local restaurants and stores (Old Well Tavern, Attilio's, Benny's, Kane's Market, TCBY, Comfort Zone Food Truck, Ben & Jerry's, Simsbury Volunteer FD, Little India, Millwright's, and Pasticceria Italia) that are reasonably priced. I has a nice combination plate from Little India for $7 with Chicken Tikka Masala, Vegetable Curry, rice and a vegetable samosa. The only negative thing we experienced were the dozens of bees that swarmed around our table and the trash cans. Since the new location spills out across the Performing Arts Center grounds, it provides room for more attractions. There are two small performing stages with kid friendly acts like magicians, puppeteers and jugglers, plus taekwondo and mountain bike exhibitions, a petting zoo, a stilt walking clown. There was a tethered hot air balloon ride, and over 20 inflatable bounce attractions and a kiddie railroad that snakes through the grounds. The old tent with the craft fair is gone, and this year was the first time I ever remember there being an admission charge. It was a modest $5 for adults (kids are free), and the admission wrist-band gets you in for all three days.

Should be renamed BounceFest. There was no hot air ballon ride, no train ride, and two uninspiring…read morefood trucks. That said, there were infinite bouncers. All in all, well suited for families with small kiddos but beyond that, the seasonal section at Costco is more engaging.

What a disappointment. While it has been many years since we attended the Hudson Valley Garlic…read moreFestival in Saugerties, NY, we expected something similar with lots of garlic vendors offering many different varieties of garlic and various foods, both expected and unexpected, infused with garlic, e.g., fudge, ice cream, drinks, etc. Instead, we saw only a few (9 or 10?) vendors concentrating on garlic, and the only one who had something unique, chocolate cherry garlic fudge, was already sold out on the first day of the festival. Even the food truck vendors had nothing unique. I guess it's time for us to check out the Hudson Valley again.

After attending the Hudson Valley Garlic Fest a few times, I expected everything garlic. It took us…read morea half hour just to find a few vendors that even had garlic. Very disappointing! We didn't even stay or buy anything. Too over crowded and definitely lacking in garlic vendors and garlic food vendors. Just another crowded craft fair! Hudson Valley garlic festival is the real deal. They have garlic everything (see my review) This one is an imposter.