The 11 Weirdest And Wackiest Festivals In All Of New York You Can’t Miss This Year
By Lea Monroe
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Published January 04, 2018
Giving us something to do all throughout the year, New York’s festivals will have you visiting small towns you’ve never been to before, where you’re guaranteed to make memories that you’ll never forget about. Keeping you busy during every season in 2018, you’ll want to have your calendar out while you’re reading this post!
1. New York Faerie Festival - Ouaquaga
Calling all magical creatures! We have the perfect festival for you. This year the New York Faerie Festival will take place on the weekend of June 29th through July 1st, drawing in visitors with hearts full of magic from all over the state. Just a half-hour east of Binghamton, visitors will find enchanting gardens, forests and even a Labyrinth to walk through, local craft and food vendors, live music and performances and even jousting tournaments. Those who visit the festival can expect to see everyone in extravagant costumes and makeup that will bring out your inner faerie or elf in you. To find out more information about this festival,
click here.
2. UFO Festival & Parade - Pine Bush
What may be our weirdest festival of all, the small town of Pine Bush hosts a UFO Festival and Parade each year that you won't want to miss out on in 2018. The official date for this year's festival has yet to be announced, but you can usually plan on visiting the festival sometime in mid to late May. Taking over Main Street, the town becomes decorated in aliens and all things UFO. The festival features activities for visitors of all ages, with plenty of food vendors, games, live music, UFO merchandise and so much more. And the best part? There's even a UFO-themed diner in town where you can also grab a bite to eat! To find out more information about this festival,
click here.
3. Pickle Festival - Rosendale
A food item-themed festival may not seem so out of the ordinary, but once you find out about the events that make up the Rosendale Pickle Festival... your head will turn! A unique festival to check out in the Hudson Valley, Rosendale's Pickle Festival has been happening in town for over 20 years. Usually taking place sometime in November, the festival features roughly a hundred different vendors and features some interesting contests. To find out more information about this festival,
click here.
4. Funky Ice Fest - Lake George
A newer festival that you may not be as familiar with, the Adirondack Pub & Brewery is hosting the Funky Ice Fest yet again this January. The third annual festival, here you'll find that funky fun and rainbow clown wigs are highly encouraged. The festival likes to keep their exact ice sculptures a surprise, but in the past you've been able to find ice pianos that you can play on, ice sculptures that you can take shots out of, ice beer bong tables and other unique things you've never seen made out of ice before! Taking place this year on the second and third weekends of January, they also will have a heated area to keep you nice and warm. To find out more information about this festival,
click here.
5. Oz-Stravaganza - Chittenango
Taking place right in L. Frank Baum's hometown,
Chittenango is the host of the best Wizard of Oz-themed festival that you'll ever experience. Walk along Chittenango's yellow brick sidewalks and watch as the festival's parade rolls through town, made up of locals dressed in character and other head-turning attractions. This year the festival will take place on the first weekend in June, where there will be costume contests, rides, games, food, live music, fireworks and more! To find out more information about this festival,
click here.
6. French Festival - Cape Vincent
Giving us a New Year's Day gift, the French Festival in Cape Vincent has announced that this year the festivities will take place on July 14th and 15th! The festival is one that feels far from strange to our locals, but if you happened to stumble through the town of Cape Vincent during this weekend you might be a bit confused. Celebrating the area's French heritage, 2018 marks the 50th year that we've been putting on this festival! Featuring French pastries that are to die for, crafts, vendors, live music, petting zoos fireworks and so much more, there's something for everyone to do here. To find out more information about this festival,
click here.
7. Ice Harvest Festival - East Meredith
Right out in Central New York, the Hanford Mills Museum in East Meredith hosts their annual Ice Harvest Festival. The quirky festival takes you out onto Mill Pond, where visitors can help out with actually harvesting ice, experience horse-drawn sleigh rides, ice fishing, ice carving and bonfires. The perfect winter festival to enjoy if you're looking to be hands-on, this year the festival will be taking place on February 3rd from 10AM to 3PM! To find out more information about this festival,
click here.
8. Fringe Festival - Rochester
A festival that offers a little bit of everything, Rochester's Fringe Festival started back in 2012 and has been a success ever since! Usually spanning over the course of about a week and a half, the multi-arts festival takes place right in Downtown Rochester and can never be fully understood until you experience it all for yourself. This year the festival will take place from September 12th through the 22nd. To find out more information about this festival,
click here.
9. Punkin' Chunkin' Festival - Clayton
Another reason to head out towards the Thousand islands, Clayton's annual Punkin' Chunkin' Festival is a sight to be seen. While the sight may be one that's a bit unordinary, this year will be the town's 7th annual festival where locals come to compete and see how far they can get their pumpkin to catapult! Launching these orange orbs out into the St. Lawrence River, visitors who come to participate and watch will also get to enjoy local BBQ that will keep you from going hungry. To find out more information about this festival,
click here.
10. World's Largest Disco - Buffalo
A festival that's put on every year in Buffalo the Saturday after Thanksgiving, this unique party is known as being the World's Largest Disco! Creating the largest dance floor in all of New York State, funky residents from all around Western New York come together for a good cause and to recreate the magical 70's that we all love and miss. To find out more information about this festival,
click here.
11. Great Adirondack Moose Festival - Indian Lake
It's true! An entire moose-themed festival makes it way up to the Adirondacks each year in the small town of Indian Lake. Happening on the fourth weekend of every September, the festival is one that's great for the entire family to check out and has all sorts of moose-themed activities for everyone to enjoy. To find out more information about this festival,
click here.
Looking for other ways to have fun around the Empire State? Then take a look at These 15 Awesome Things That You Can Do In New York For $10 Or Less!
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