Adirondack Wine and Food Festival

Adirondack Wine and Food Festival is one of the wine festivals that anchors the New York calendar, drawing both local visitors and international wine travellers each year. It is held at Charles R. Wood Park Festival Commons in 17 Elizabeth Little Blvd, in the heart of one of USA's most distinctive wine areas. It has been running since 2017, with a long unbroken local tradition behind it. 120+ wineries, breweries, distilleries, food vendors. 6,000+ attendees. Generates $3.6M for Lake George region. Benefits Big Brothers Big Sisters. Wine festivals across Europe typically combine producer tastings with food pairings, live music, and a strong sense of place. Visitors can expect access to wines from a range of producers in the appellation, alongside food stalls offering regional specialities, masterclasses or vineyard walks for those who want to learn more, and an opportunity to buy directly from producers at cellar prices. Many events run across multiple days or weekends, allowing visitors to sample different parts of the programme according to interest, and combine well with the area's wider tourism offer. The event is organised by Adirondack Wine and Food Festival (organization), which sets the tone and direction of the programme each year. New York's wine country centres on two distinct zones. The Finger Lakes in upstate New York is the country's premier Riesling region, with deep glacial lakes (Seneca, Cayuga, Keuka, Canandaigua) moderating temperatures and producing wines of remarkable purity and ageing potential. Cabernet Franc has emerged as the regional red speciality. Producers like Hermann J. Wiemer, Dr. Konstantin Frank, Ravines, Bloomer Creek and Forge Cellars lead the regional quality. The North Fork of Long Island, on the eastern tip of the island east of New York City, is a maritime-influenced zone producing Bordeaux varieties (Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc) and increasingly serious Chardonnay. Producers like Channing Daughters, Bedell, Macari and Wölffer Estate lead Long Island's quality movement. The 2026 edition is scheduled for June 27-28, 2026. Cost details are best confirmed directly with the organiser ahead of travel. Full programme, ticketing and updated information are published on the official site at adkwinefest.com. Visitors are advised to check directly with the organiser for the latest schedule, as festival programmes are sometimes updated close to the event date. The Finger Lakes is reached most easily via Rochester (ROC) or Syracuse (SYR) airports, with Geneva, Hammondsport and Watkins Glen the main wine-tourism bases. Long Island's North Fork is 90 minutes east of New York City, easily accessible by car or via the Long Island Rail Road. The Hudson Valley, between New York City and Albany, is a third smaller wine zone within a 2-hour drive of Manhattan. Beyond wine, the Finger Lakes pairs with extensive hiking (Watkins Glen State Park's gorge trails are particularly spectacular), boating on the lakes, and the cool-climate cheese and craft-beer culture of the region.