The weather may be cooling down but fall festival season is heating up. Now is the time to gather, enjoy an array of cuisine and celebrate everything from heritage to harvest. Take a look at a sampling of upcoming fall festivals and put a weekend in Syracuse on your itinerary.

Syracuse Irish Festival

Sept. 8-9
Location: Clinton Square
You don't have to be Irish to experience the Syracuse Irish Festival. All things Irish will take over Clinton Square this weekend as bands fill Downtown with live music and vendors keep the Guinness flowing. This family-friendly event boasts a variety of Irish food, craft vendors and Irish step-dance performances. Don't miss out on this entertaining celebration. 

 

Golden Harvest Festival

Sept. 9-10
Location: Beaver Lake Nature Center
This old-fashioned, country fair-style event has something for everyone. Hands-on nature activities, horse-drawn hayrides, free canoeing, fresh doughnuts, live animal demonstrations, unique games, great shopping with local artists and crafters, and an eclectic mix of live music and entertainment round out the weekend. Audience participation has long been a mainstay of the program as visitors serve as both contestants and judges in the signature Living Scarecrow and Wild Critter Call contests. 

 

Festa Italiana

Sept. 15-17
Location: Outside of City Hall, Downtown Syracuse

One of the area's top food festivals, Festa Italiana, returns from September 16th - 18th, 2022. Fill up on food from Avicolli's Italian Restaurant, desserts from Biscotti Cafe, or a variety of other vendors, and check out the entertainment schedule to catch one of the area acts performing on the main or second stage. 

 

Autumn Equinox Festival

Sept. 16 
Location: Long Branch Park, Liverpool
Celebrate the autumn equinox and Pagan Pride Day with drumming, dancing and music. People of all religions are welcome to this fun festival and admission is just a non-perishable food item donation for the Food Bank of Central New York. Shop around an array of vendors for everything from crystals and hand-forged jewelry to furniture and art prints. Get your tarot cards read or speak to

 

Ballpark Brewfest

Sept. 16
Location: NBT Bank Stadium, Home of the Syracuse Mets

Head out to the Ballpark — not for a game, but rather some brews! Sample over 80 unique craft beers from an array of breweries. Check out the "Keeping it Local" Corner and try some of the best brews and ciders from the 315 area code. Breweries such as Bull Finch Brewing, Eastwood, Meier's Creek, Underground Beer Lab and more will be in attendance! Get your tickets for the Ballpark Brewfest today!

 

TAP into the MOST

Sept. 29, 6 - 9 pm
Location: The Museum of Science & Technology (M.O.S.T.), Downtown Syracuse

Join your friends at the museum's famed tasting event, featuring dozens of the best regional beers, wines, ciders and spirits as well as some of the Syracuse area's fave foods. Mix and mingle at The M.O.S.T., while enjoying an exclusive selection of the finest beverage and food pairings, with all proceeds supporting local educational programs and ongoing exhibit preservation efforts.

a psychic medium. This unique festival is a great way to celebrate the autumn equinox. 

 

Westcott Street Cultural Fair

October 1, 12:00 pm - 6:30 pm
Location: Westcott Street

Come down to Syracuse’s vibrant Westcott neighborhood for, the Westcott Street Cultural Fair, a one-day festival full of community celebration. Vendors and booths will line Westcott Street and various stages will feature everything from live music to belly dancing performances. Pick up a local good, enjoy a great array of food or watch the festival kick-off with a festive parade down Westcott Street. 

 

Lafayette Apple Festival

October 7-8
Location: 5330 Rowland Road, Lafayette
Join in on this celebration of all things apple. Apple cider, apple fritters, apple pie, apple dumplings and apple donuts are a few of the many apple-centric foods and drinks available at the Lafayette Apple Festival. Rides, crafts, a food court and pie baking contests are staples of this festival.

 

Enchanted Beaver Lake 

October 19-22
Location: Beaver Lake Nature Center
More than 500 specially carved jack-o-lanterns of different shapes and sizes, plus 500 glowing luminaria light the way along two winding wooded trails. Face painting, fortune telling, magic shows and storytelling add to the enchantment of the night. Enchanted Beaver Lake is the perfect October celebration and a must-see during pumpkin season.

 

More Fall Fun