Love this time of year when you get to wake up to the fresh, crisp air of the Fall Season and enjoy the tastes and smells of pumpkin spice everywhere? We do too; and since we like to travel and find great foods, we also tend to find ourselves stumbling upon some fall fun without even realizing it was happening. Fun- filled Fall festivals are one of the many exciting activities to enjoy in September and October with your family and friends and we are going to save you the “I wish I knew that was happening!” and list them here so you can get them on your calendar!

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7 Best Fall Festivals to Visit in Albany & Saratoga NY Area

There’s so much to do and see at local farms, churches, schools, farmer’s markets, and other locations holding some of the best Fall Festivals around in your area. Check out this list of Fall Festivals for Albany/Saratoga Areas in New York:

• 24th Annual Clifton Park Farm Fest:  FREE Admission to most attractions. Location: Participating Farms, Clifton Park NY Area. Come out and join in the Celebration of Farming Event with numerous free and small fee activities to explore with the family. There will be hayrides, apple picking, farm tours, demos, horse rides, live animals, festive music, delicious country food and more.
• Capital Region Apple Festival & Wine Festival at the Altamont Fairgrounds: Admission costs $8, and children under 15 are free when accompanied by an adult. Saturday activities 10am – 6pm and Sunday activities 10am – 5pm. Plenty of free parking available. No pets allowed. This event features loads of variety from wine tasting to car shows, live entertainment each day, and tons of kids activities such as bounce houses or slides, haunted house, pony rides and petting zoo, clowns, jugglers, stilt walkers, face painting, pumpkin painting, and a whole lot more. Visit their site to check out all the fun things planned for this great family-friendly event!
• 44th Annual Adirondack Balloon Festival in Glens Falls & Queensbury, NY: Free Events each day with a few minor fees for some. Check their site for more details on exact times and locations for the kick-off event, various live bands and special music, car show, block party, walkathon, kids activities, craft fair, bounce houses and more. A site to behold when those balloons launch in the air for kick off – you won’t want to miss it!
• The 35th Annual LarkFEST 2016 in Albany, NY: Free Event. This grand event packed with excitement takes place along 8 city blocks in the Lark Street Neighborhood with multiple vendors and sponsors providing a variety of entertainment, music, food, and other goods to enjoy. Contact 518.434.3861 for more information about LarkFest 2016.
• 11th Annual Upper Union Street Harvest Fest & Art Show: along a 4 block strip of Union Street starting from Garner to Palmer Avenues in Schenectady, NY. Free Event. Come out and celebrate Fall with the family! Lots of merchants will be set up with booths out on the street along with specialty vendors selling everything from apples to salsa. It's a great way to get outdoors in the fresh air, pick up some unique items, taste the flavors of NY, and have quality time with the family! (More details to be announced soon on their site or Facebook page.)

• Trick or Treat Street at Guilderland High School. Open to the public for children of all ages. A safe, family-friendly event full of fun-filled activities for kids. Guilderland, NY

Harry Potter Event at Schenectady County Public Library in the Whitney Corner Book Store and multiple library rooms.  Attention all Muggles! Step into the wizarding world of Harry Potter Open House and take your nearest port key to Flourish and Blotts (AKA Whitney Corner Book Store) during these magical hours of one to four. Receive a special token that can be transformed into a free book when you come dressed as your favorite Potter character! Pre-register your 8-16 yr olds at Flourish and Blotts (AKA the Whitney Corner Book Store) for Herbology class with Professor Spore as space is limited.  Visit the Whitney Corner bookstore to sign up or email professorspore@gmail.com. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone movie showing at 1pm in McChesney Room in the main library. The usual wizarding refreshments will be served along with potential surprise guest appearances, so bring your camera! Schenectady, NY

We love celebrating fall in this neck of the woods! Be sure to check out as many as you can and let us know which was your favorite!

When you return from your excursions, be sure to try one of our delicious Fall recipes like:

Pumpkin Truffles 

Pumpkin Pound Cake