Nature Events
Nature Events
From glistening lakes to cascading waterfalls, soaring hills to sprawling countrysides, the Finger Lakes region revels in natural beauty. Throughout the year, that unique landscape is celebrated through guided hikes, leaf peeping, and glider rides through the rolling hills. A wide variety of outdoor festivals across the eleven lakes embrace the surrounding beauty by adding music, markets, and a menagerie of activities to the calendar.
Celebrations of the local flora and fauna begin in the spring with the Hornell Wildflower Festival and the National Lake Trout Derby on Seneca Lake. Festivities continue with Glider Rides at Harris Hill in the summer.
In the fall, no place comes alive quite like New York with bustling festivals, pumpkin picking, and fall foliage. Visitors and locals alike can enjoy navigating corn mazes, rummaging through antiques, and getting spooked at haunted happenings. Bristol Mountain Fall Festival, Cohocton Fall Foliage Festival, and Tanglewood Haunted Happenings are just a few of the activities to add to your calendar each autumn.
The beauty of the Finger Lakes natural landscape is just waiting for you to come celebrate and explore.
Bristol Mountain Fall Festival
Bristol Mountain, South Bristol
Second Sunday of October
Fall foliage, sky rides and lots of Scottish Highland competition make this a truly unique event for the whole family.
Cohocton Fall Foliage Festival
Cohocton
October 4-6, 2024
Cohocton’s annual Fall Foliage Festival is a family-friendly community event celebrating the magnificent surrounding hills and all of their colorful splendor. The event features arts and crafts, flea market, antiques and food vendors located on the Town and Village greens in Cohocton. While at the Wayland-Cohocton Elementary School parking lot on Park Ave, you’ll find a Tractor Pull, Antique Tractor Show, Fall Classic Antique & Vintage Snowmobile Show, and Fall Classic Car Show. There will also be a parade (Saturday at noon), live music in the gazebo, a petting zoo and free horse-drawn wagon rides Saturday and Sunday.
Elmira
Daily September thru October
Enjoy a professionally designed corn maze on this 100 year old family farm. You’ll also find fall fun for all ages, including a pumpkin patch, apples, cider, freshly made donuts, and a variety of harvest games.
Moravia
August 9-1, 2024
In August 2019, the Friends group brought back the ever-popular Fillmore Days and Bathtub Races, a beloved community event that had been suspended for about 20 years. An estimated 2,500 people attended, proving that good, clean fun never goes out of style.
Geneseo
Second weekend of October
The Genesee Valley Hunt Races is a great way for the entire family to spend the day in a beautiful outdoor setting just north of Geneseo, NY. The Hunt Races have been hosted here for over 120 years, and some of the finest steeplechase trainers on the eastern seaboard bring their horses here to compete for over $30,000 in prize money. Trainers, owners, and jockeys agree that the Genesee Valley Hunt Races are one of the most anticipated meets of the entire season.
But the Hunt Races isn’t just about horses—it’s about dogs and canine events, too. There are Terrier and wiener dog races, a jumping contest, agility courses, sled dog demos, and of course the Parade of the Genesee Valley Hunt foxhounds. Leashed dogs are more than welcome to attend the event, and some people say that dog-watching is just as much fun as watching the horses!
There’s lots for the kids to do (including stick horse races and pony rides), food and drink vendors, wine and craft beer tasting, shopping, music and more. It’s like an old-fashioned country fair with a race track instead of a midway, and there’s something for everyone to enjoy!
Elmira
April throthruugh September
One of the most spectacular ways to take in the beauty of the S. Finger Lakes is a glider ride at Harris Hill Soaring! A glider is a motorless plane that is towed in the air before being released to soar quietly among the clouds. Each rider is accompanied by a certified pilot, with rides lasting around 20 minutes.
Auburn
August 11, 2024
Join us as we renew Auburn’s annual tradition of fun, competition, and celebration. Hundreds of 2, 3, or 4 person teams begin with a runner (4 miles) who hands off to a biker (12.4 miles) who then hand off to their kayaker 2 canoeists, or paddle boarder (2.5 miles). Young or old, serious racers or beginners, compete for glory or the pursuit of fun and fitness.
Geneva
Memorial Day weekend
Seneca Lake is known as the Lake Trout capital of the world. The National Lake Trout Derby is one of the longest standing derby’s in the Finger Lakes. Over $30000 in prizes given out.
Red Creek
July 4-5 and July 11-12
Enjoy wine tasting and visiting with over 40 unique craft artisans, listen to our great musical entertainment as you stroll through our family farm museum, walk the 60′ Labyrinth and shop in the Ol’factory Farm gift shop.
Red, White, & Blue Balloon Festival
Letchworth State Park
Memorial Day weekend
The Letchworth Red, White & Blue Balloon is held annually on Memorial Day weekend. Approximately 20 balloons will splash the Letchworth gorge with color. All launches are wind and weather permitting. Flights take place from the Archery Field Overlook at the Castile entrance Friday, Saturday & Sunday nights at about 6PM, and Saturday & Sunday mornings at about 6AM. This is a non-commercial, event where pilots attend simply to enjoy the unique experience of flying amidst the beauty of the “Grand Canyon of the East”. The event is free to the public, although you must pay the entrance fee to the Park if you arrive during normal operating hours.
Schuyler County Farm Tour Weekend
Watkins Glen
September 28 – 29, 2024
An amazing opportunity to experience family fun down, several farms in the Watkins Glen area and throughout Schuyler County create special farm experiences for all to enjoy. Local farms prepare to welcome the public into behind-the-scenes tours of their agricultural operations. Apple picking, tastings, demonstrations, farm animal interactions, tours, and farm markets reflect authentic, informative, and entertaining family fun on a beautiful Finger Lakes Fall weekend. The farms offer the opportunity to have self-guided tours, enjoy cheese flights, greet alpacas, cow cuddling, and include a walking tour of a world-class maple research program located in the Finger Lakes.
Elmira
Mid-October
Family-friendly fall celebration at Tanglewood Nature Center & Museum with pumpkins, hayrides, face painting, rocket building, scary stories and more. No admission and many free kids activities. Free hiking trails.
Hornell
May 25, 2024
Hornell’s 10th Annual Wildflower Festival celebrates spring, artists, small businesses, and much more! The festival will be held on the grass area next to the Hornell Partners for Grown & Hornell Chamber Building at 40 Main Street. Come enjoy live music, arts, crafts & food vendors, as well as local businesses.
