In The Finger Lakes, Summer is The Time For Festivals

by Rick, June 12th, 2013

The Finger Lakes region of Central New York State is well known for its scenic parks, serene lakes and breathtaking waterfalls. There’s another reason to mark this destination on your calendar as the place to be: festivals. During the summer months the area comes alive with people coming to enjoy great music, art, food,

local beverages and fun. It is easy to choose a Skaneateles hotel or Skaneateles lodging as a starting point for your musical adventure. Community festivals are a great way to get out and spend the day meeting people from the area and checking out local culture and cuisine.

Keuka Arts Festival, Penn Yan, NY

The celebration of fine art is at the heart of the Keuka Arts Festival. It was originally held at Keuka College, but has since been revived and is now held at the beautiful Keuka Lake Outlet Trail. Dozens of artists have booths where they display and sell their amazing handmade creations. Locally made wines are also heavily featured, as this area is known for its popular wine trail. This event is held in June.

Finger Lakes Wine Festival, Watkins Glen, NY

A festival that was created to celebrate the exquisite wines and delectable cheese is one that cannot be missed. The Finger Lakes is wine country and this festival is a great way to enjoy sampling the best wines that the state has to offer. In addition to an amazing variety of wine, there is also a wide array of fine culinary delights. Come with an empty stomach, because you will surely want to drink and taste as much as you can. A toga contest to crown the festival King and Queen kicks off all the fun. Several live bands provide musical entertainment for listening or dancing. Festival goers also have the opportunity to take free cooking classes from regional chefs. NASCAR lovers can take a ride in a real Watkins Glen International race car. Please note that this festival is adults only. This event is held in July.

Finger Lakes Grassroots Festival, Trumansburg, NY

The Grassroots Festival is one of the most popular events of the summer. Each year the festival features local, regional and international bands and musical acts that perform in a wide range of musical styles from “Answer the Muse” to “Rusted Root”. The festival got its start as a fundraiser by local bands in Ithaca, NY. Over the years it has grown and expanded into a family-friendly festival of music, food and progressive values. A portion of monies brought in by ticket sales goes to a long list of local community charities and organizations that do good things. Festival organizers also make sure that just about every scrap of trash is recycled when possible. Grassroots is a place to kick back and enjoy several days of contemporary roots music in a friendly, free-spirited environment. This event is held in July and is within easy driving distance of fingerlakes lodging accommodations.

Finger Lakes Riesling Festival, Canandaigua, NY

Finger Lakes wine country produces some of the best Rieslings in the world. The Wine Garden is where lovers of fine wine can indulge in sampling the latest vintage varieties. Several seminars are held for anyone interested in delving deeper into learning about wine. For people that lean more towards beer, head on over to the New York State Craft Beer Tent. That’s where you’ll find some of the best up and coming locally brewed beers. In addition to the great beverages, enjoy lots of food, live music, cooking demonstrations and an arts & crafts fair. There are also fun activities for kids. This event is held in August.

Fingerlakes Luxury Rentals has several Finger Lakes vacation rentals located throughout the region to put you close to your favorite festival destination. Contact us today for availability and to learn more about all that the summer holds around the Finger Lakes region.