October is a wondrous month here in the Finger Lakes Region: the air turns crisp, leaves are in their full-colored glory, and local produce and flavors progress to fall favorites. And if you love these changing flavors, you’ll love attending the 30th Annual Great Downtown Ithaca Apple Harvest Festival, held on October 4-6, 2013! Just 20 minutes from Trumansburg, this is a favorite event for Inn at Gothic eves guests!
This isn’t just a small-town fair. Okay, so it was when it began in 1982. But since the humble first days when it was simply a harvest farmer’s market, the event has grown with the help of Cornell University and downtown businesses. Thirty years later, more than 30,000 people attend the three-day festival!
And, oh, the goodness of apple season here in Upstate New York is something that you won’t want to miss! More than 100 food vendors will offer everything from raw apples, to baked goods, kettle corn, donuts, beverages, and more. Local cideries, wineries, and breweries will also be in attendance with seasonal flavors. And everyone knows that apples aren’t the only thing in season during October… and you may find some pumpkin-based goods to try as well!
It wouldn’t be a fall festival without area artists with their handmade goods. More than 50 artisans offer jewelry, pottery, body care, home decor, clothing, and a wide variety of specialty gift options for your perusal and purchase. Ithaca’s Laughing Goat Fiber Farm will also be in attendance with a few of their best producers ready to say hello (or should we say “baa”).
To commemorate the spooky nature of the month, Haunted History Tours will be offered during the festival. Guides point out interesting sites. At each stop, local actors and storytellers explain the site’s spooky past and present during this one-hour walk around Ithaca. You’d think that Ithaca is a rather quiet little town, but we have our share of murder, mystery, and mayhem in our past that remains to this day!
And as they say on television: but wait, there’s more! Live entertainment, rides, games, and prizes will keep you amused for hours. Two stages and the traditional street-performer site at where State and Cayuga Streets meet play host to more than 25 performances and interactive activities (dancing, anyone?). Even the State Theater joins in, offering a show each day!
Some would argue that October in the Finger Lakes is not to be missed. And we would agree! Rooms will go quickly here at the Inn during this ever-popular visiting season. Make your fall getaway reservations today, and welcome to the Finger Lakes during the most gorgeous season of the year!
