The Hudson River Valley Ramble is a celebration of nature and culture that started in 1999 as a single weekend event and is now held over three consecutive weekends in September. Nature lovers and outdoor enthusiasts can hike, bike and paddle through what the National Park Service once called "the landscape that defined America." More than 200 events are offered in communities from Troy to Tarrytown. Tour a museum (reduced rates during the Ramble), take in a festival, hunt for mushrooms or go on a sunset poetry hike. Event organizers use creativity and a passion for adventure to lure you into a love of the Hudson.
Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area
Capitol Building, Room 254
Albany, NY 12224
518-473-3835
hudsonrivervalleyramble.com
Selected by Festivals International as the "greatest event on Earth for Oct. 31" and listed in the travel tome "100 Things to Do Before You Die," the Greenwich Village Halloween Parade is a frightfully fantastic New York fall tradition. From humble beginnings in 1973, it has grown to be the largest grass-roots event in the country, with 2 million participants and 1 million television viewers every Oct. 31. Every year a different theme is featured. All you need is a costume to join the musicians, dancers and puppets parading through the streets of the Village.
Village Halloween Parade
Sixth Avenue to 22nd Street
New York, NY
halloween-nyc.com
Up, up and away -- it's the oldest and largest balloon festival on the East Coast, held every September in Queensbury since 1972. Festivities include fireworks, vendors, music, food, a photo contest and even a block party in downtown Glens Falls. All events are free of charge. Attendees are encouraged to get up close and personal with the pilots, helping them inflate, chase and deflate their balloons.
Adirondack Balloon Festival
Floyd Bennett Memorial Airport
Queensbury, NY 12804
adirondackballoonfest.org
The three-day Apple Harvest Festival, held in early October each year since 1982, attracts more than 30,000 people to downtown Ithaca. It's a celebration of all things apple, accompanied by music, craftspeople, street entertainment and amusement rides.
Apple Harvest Festival
The Commons Pedestrian Mall
Ithaca, NY 14850
607-277-8679
downtownithaca.com
What began as an intimate gathering of 100 or so garlic aficionados in 1989 has grown to a weekend celebration that attracts between 30,000 and 50,000 to Saugerties at the end of September. Musicians, renowned chefs, lecturers and hundreds of artisans and craftspeople help draw the connection among health, harvest and happiness. In 2010, ticket prices were $10 at the gate.
Hudson Valley Garlic Festival
Pavilion Street
Saugerties, NY 12477
845-246-3090
hudsonvalleygarlic.com
