The 2025 Adirondack Harvest Festival will be held on Saturday, September 20 from 12-5pm at the Essex County Fairgrounds! This year’s theme is “Seeds & Grains”. Our workshops and demonstrations will feature connections to the world of seeds and grains, but we welcome the entire spectrum of harvests from the Adirondacks throughout the festival.

Schedule

On the Bandstand

12:00-1:30 – Music by The Gaslight Tinkers

“African, Caribbean, Funk, Reggae, and Latin grooves meet traditional fiddle music. It’s the genre-bending future of the music of the past. The Gaslight Tinkers’ blend of global rhythms creates a joyously danceable sound around a core of traditional New England old time and celtic fiddle music, merging boundless positive energy with melody and song.”

1:30-1:45 – Kids’ Potato Sack Race – Everyone under 18 welcome!

1:45-3:15 – Music by Danny Lipsitz & the Brass Tacks

“Danny Lipsitz is one of the most sought-after bandleaders, musicians, and entertainers in New York City. Danny leads his swing, jump blues, klezmer, and early rock ‘n’ roll band, The Brass Tacks, in captivating, feel-good music for people from all walks of life.”

3:15-3:30 – Hula Hoop Contest – $50 value prize given to longest hula’ing adult and $25 value prize for longest hula’ing youth.

3:30-5:00 – Music by Ploughman’s Lunch

A “Dirty Folk Jam Band” of local farmers and friends. A self-described “Adirondack anything” band. Ploughman’s Lunch is an annual favorite at the Adirondack Harvest Festival and always inspires a little dancing in the crowd!

Hands-On Workshops

Listening in on a workshop is free of charge, but there is a cost to participate in the hands-on activity. Participation in hands-on workshops are first come, first served, and workshop hosts will collect payment when you arrive. These workshops are geared toward adults, but interested kids and teens are welcome to participate with adult supervision.

12:30-1:15 – Making Seed Paper. Kathy Linker, Master Gardener Volunteer. Everyone will learn the fundamentals of making seed paper, homemade paper embedded with seeds. All the needed materials will be provided. They will leave with a variety of seed paper to plant in their gardens or give away as gifts. $5.00 fee, limit 10 people.

1:30-2:15 – Grow Your Own Microgreens. Andy Sugar, Skyward Microgreens. Limit 20 people.

2:30-3:15 – Growing Wild Rice in Essex County. Herb Longware, Master Gardener Volunteer. $7.00 fee, limit 24 people.

3:30-4:15 – Milling Grain to Cooking It!. Chef Robert Dumas, Paul Smiths College. $10.00 fee, limit 15 people.

Young Farmers' Circle, Kids' Activities

All activities in the Young Farmers’ Circle are free of charge. Please remember that all kids need to be supervised by an adult in this area. Brought to you by Cornell Cooperative Extension’s Farm to School and 4-H programs!

These free activities will be ongoing throughout the day

Activities with a take-home product: Grain Milling, Seed Mosaics, Garden in a Glove, Seed Balls

Other activities: Seed sensory bins & play area, Seed match game, Giant mural, Story walk

All Day Activities & Entertainment

Demonstrations in Floral Hall including: Flax to Linen with Mary Heald, Akwesasne traditional basket making with Carrie Hill, seed cleaning and saving with Mike Davis, and more!

Pony rides with ADK Horsemanship by donation, $10 suggestion

Draft horse-drawn wagon rides by Lucky Clover Sleigh Rides, free

Farm animal petting zoo

Hula hoop performance and contest by Vestopia Hoops

Stilt walking by Pete and Amy Nelson

Caricatures by Joe Ferris, free, but tips welcome

Straw Bale Toss Contest (12-3:15 PM) free for all ages to enter! The participant with the longest toss in their age group wins a prize. Must be present for the award at 3:30 PM when it will be announced on the bandstand. The first-place winner of each age category will receive a gift certificate for any Adirondack Harvest member business at the Festival or at a later date. Ages 8 years old and under: $25 value, 9-15 years old: $10 value, and 16+ years old: $100 value.