Fall in Western New York is magical, with its cool temperatures and spectacular fall foliage. The harvest season brings delicious crops like grapes, pumpkins, apples and more. It's a traditional time for harvest festivals such as Oktoberfest.
The Rochester area has a plethora of food-related events planned for September and October. Here's a promising selection.
Finger Lakes Wine Train
Step aboard a train with a fleet of restored mid-century passenger cars for a 90-minute round trip where fall foliage meets the flavors of the Finger Lakes. During the relaxed, scenic journey, enjoy a charcuterie box alongside a four-wine tasting flight featuring selections from Boundary Breaks, Lakewood Vineyards, Anthony Road Wine Company and Three Brothers Winery. The Finger Lakes Wine Train
departs from 210 West Williams St. in Waterloo Friday through Sunday. Tickets range from $65 to $99 per person. Find more information at flxrailexperience.com.
Hop Harvest Festival
Genesee Country Village & Museum will hold a Hop Harvest Festival: Bines & Vines from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 5. Join costumed interpreters in the hop yard and stop in historic kitchens to smell 19th-century food recipes cooking with ale and yeast. Enjoy live music, German dancing, food and beverage samples from local breweries and wineries. Advance tickets are $24 for adults; $21 for ages 13 to 17 and 62+; $18 for ages 4 to 12 and free for children 3 and under. Prices at the door are slightly higher. gcv.org.
Webster Garlic Fest
The Webster Garlic Fest will be held Sept. 12 and 13 at the Webster Rec Center, 1350 Chiyoda Dr. It will feature garlic growers, craft vendors and food trucks. Single-day tickets, $5, are sold in advance or at the door. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. The event will benefit Blue Star Mothers ROC NY8; Gold Star Mothers Rochester; and Wreaths Across America. webstergarlicfest.com.
Purple Foot Festival
Casa Larga Vineyards, 2287 Turk Hill Road, Perinton, will host its 30th Annual Purple Foot Festival from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sept. 13. Enjoy grape stomping, vineyard wagon rides, winery tours, live music, food trucks and wine and spirits tastings. Bills fans can catch the game on a large-format TV. Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 at the door. Family members 20 and under are complimentary with a paid adult ticket.
Festival of Food
Foodlink's signature fundraising event, the Festival of Food, returns to the Rochester Public Market from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Sept. 14. Taste food and drink samples from dozens of local restaurants, wineries, breweries, bakeries and caterers and vote for your favorite. The event also features live music. Tickets are $85 for general admission and $115 for VIP. All proceeds support Foodlink's mission of ending hunger and building healthier communities.
Oktoberfest at Rohrbach's
Oktoberfest takes over Rohrbach Brewing Company's Buffalo Road Beer Garden on Sept. 17. Raise a Rohrbach Oktoberfest, play yard games and put your stein-holding skills to the test. The event runs from 5 to 9 p.m. at 3859 Buffalo Road in Ogden; Marianna Gonzales, an accordion player and yodeler, will perform from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Both the Ogden and Rochester locations will have German-inspired food and drink specials all week long.
Oktoberfest at the Public Market
The Rochester Public Market's fourth Oktoberfest will be held from 5 to 9 p.m. Sept. 18. The family-family celebration is a shout-out to the German autumn tradition of food, beer, live music, cultural performances, games and more. Find more information at cityofrochester.gov.
Fine Tastings
Fine Tastings for Al Sigl Community will be held from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Sept. 24 at Monroe Golf Club, 155 Golf Ave. in Pittsford. Now in its 22nd year, the event features signature dishes and drinks from restaurants, wineries, distilleries and breweries. New this year, Threads and Tonic will provide craft mocktails and non-alcoholic spirits. Proceeds benefit over 55,000 children and adults with special needs. Tickets are $120 at alsigl.org.
C.U.R.E's 50th Anniversary Golden Gala
C.U.R.E. Childhood Cancer Association will celebrate 50 years at a 50th Anniversary Golden Gala beginning at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 25 at Arbor Midtown,183 E. Main St. downtown. Enjoy grazing stations provided by the American Culinary Federation, open bar, entertainment by Uptown Groove, auctions and inspiring stories. The event will help C.U.R.E. can provide emotional, educational, social, and financial support to local families. Tickets, $175 to $190, may be purchased at curekidscancer.com.
Fairport Oktoberfest
Fairport Oktoberfest will be held Sept. 24 to 26 at the Fairport Junction Festival Site, Liftbridge Lane East, Fairport. It runs 4 to 11 p.m. Thursday; noon to 11 p.m. Friday; and 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday (beer sales begin at noon). It features German cuisine, beer and a mix of traditional German music and rock bands. Admission is $10 each evening ($8 in advance online); $5 from noon to 4 p.m. Friday; and free until 4 p.m. Saturday. Find more information and purchase tickets atfairportpartnership.org.
Harvest Moon Festival
Celebrate Asian culture at APAPA Rochester’s Harvest Moon Festival from noon to 6 p.m. Sept. 26 at Meridian Centre Park, 2025 Winton Road South in Brighton. Enjoy cultural performances, traditional and contemporary music and dance, children's activities and storytelling. A marketplace will feature food vendors, artisan vendors, community organizations and local businesses. Admission is free but registration is required.
Fall Fest
Three Brothers Wineries, 623 Lerch Road in Geneva, will host its Fall Fest from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sept. 27. Live music will be presented on two stages from 1 to 5 p.m. Shop local vendors from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Future Farmers of America will be on hand with farm animals. The event is free to attend. Find a full rundown at 3brotherswinery.com.
Naples Grape Festival
The annual Naples Grape Festival will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sept. 26 and 27, rain or shine, in the village. The two-day festival includes live music, artistic vendors, food offerings, a beverage garden and a grape pie contest. For more details, visit naplesgrapefest.org.
Food truck rodeo
The Rochester Public Market will host its last food truck rodeo of the season on Sept. 30, with live music from Mr. Heartache. It will be held from 5 to 9 p.m. at the Rochester Public Market, 280 N. Union St. Find more information at cityofrochester.gov.
Hilton Apple Festival
The annual Hilton Apple Festival will be held 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 3 and 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Oct. 4 on Henry Street in Hilton. The two-day-long festival includes live music, apple treats, kids activities, an apple pie contest, vendors, photo contest, raffles and more. There is no charge for admission, entertainment or parking. hiltonapplefest.org.
Apple Tasting Tour
Wayne County will celebrate its 29th annual Apple Tasting Tour in October. Download its app or check its website for a self-guided tour to orchards, cideries and farm markets. Its Signature Tasting Weekend from Oct. 9 to 12 offers apple-themed tastings at each stop. Find more information at appletastingtour.com.
Oktoberfest
The third annual Oktoberfest celebration at the Lake House on Canandaigua, 770 S. Main St. in Canandaigua, will be held 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 25. The event will include beer, live music, food, lawn games and other German-inspired activities. Each ticket includes a commemorative Oktoberfest mug. For tickets, visit https://bit.ly/TLH_oktoberfest.
To submit an event for consideration for future stories, email Tracy Schuhmacher at TracyS@Gannett.com during the month prior to your event.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: 17 food and drink events in the Rochester area this fall. See the list | Exclusive
