ϲ

Skip to main content
  • Home
  • About
  • Faculty Experts
  • For The Media
  • ’Cuse Conversations Podcast
  • Topics
    • Alumni
    • Events
    • Faculty
    • Students
    • All Topics
  • Contact
  • Submit
Campus & Community
  • All News
  • Arts & Culture
  • Business & Economy
  • Campus & Community
  • Health & Society
  • Media, Law & Policy
  • STEM
  • Veterans
  • University Statements
  • ϲ Impact
  • |
  • The Peel
Sections
  • All News
  • Arts & Culture
  • Business & Economy
  • Campus & Community
  • Health & Society
  • Media, Law & Policy
  • STEM
  • Veterans
  • University Statements
  • ϲ Impact
  • |
  • The Peel
  • Home
  • About
  • Faculty Experts
  • For The Media
  • ’Cuse Conversations Podcast
  • Topics
    • Alumni
    • Events
    • Faculty
    • Students
    • All Topics
  • Contact
  • Submit
Campus & Community

What’s Happening in CNY: Your Fall Festival Guide

Monday, September 23, 2024, By Christine Grabowski
Share
Community
A vibrant autumn scene showing a road leading through a dense forest with trees filled with brilliant red, orange, and yellow leaves.

At a crossroads – Adirondacks, NY (Photo by on Instagram)

Fall in Central New York (CNY) is full of fun and delightful opportunities. Whether you’re eager to witness the , wish to partake in a festival or enjoy a fun fall activity, we’ve crafted an extensive guide to ensure your fall experiences with friends and family are unforgettable!

Festivals and Events


LaFayette Apple Festive Sign with an apple in the middleAddress:
Rowland Road, Lafayette, New York 13084
When: Oct. 12-13, Saturday, 9 a.m.-6 p.m., and Sunday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., with an apple pancake breakfast starting at 7 a.m. both days
Admission Fee: $6 per person; 12 and under are free. Parking is also free.
Details: The Apple Festival is a fun weekend for the whole family. The high quality of the exhibitors, uniqueness of products offered and diversity make it a hit for all ages!
(Photo courtesy of their )


Address: 7900 Green Lakes Road, Fayetteville, New York 13066
When: Saturday, Oct. 19
Admission Fee: Free but the CNY Food Bank will be collecting donations
Details: Get in the Halloween spirit by driving through the Pinewoods campground to see all the fun and spooky decorated campsites! This is a drive-thru only event.


Decorative wooden entrance sign to Rosamond Gifford Zoo at Burnet Park, adorned with colorful animal illustrations including an elephant, bat, pumpkin, lion, and others.Address:
 Rosamond Gifford Zoo, 1 Conservation Place, ϲ, New York 13204
When: Oct. 12-13, 19-20 and 26-27
Admission Fee: $7-9 depending on when and where you purchase your ticket. Note: Admission to the zoo is not included in the ticket price. You will be required to purchase a ticket to the zoo unless you are a member upon arrival.
Details: This is a “kooky-not-spooky” daytime Halloween celebration. The zoo transforms into a hauntingly fun destination for the whole family with trick-or-treat stations, creepy crawly animal encounters, keeper chats, games, activities, photo opportunities and a costume parade. Wear costumes and bring treat bags for this fall-favorite event!
(Photo courtesy of their )


Address: 3232 Rippleton Rd., State Route 13 South, Cazenovia, New York 13035
When:
Through Oct. 20
Admission Fee: $6-10 per person (plus fees); depending on what day of the week you visit
Details: Experience the quintessential fall season at Critz Farms—the perfect place to bring the family and soak in everything fall has to offer. They have pumpkin and apple picking, a tasting room, fresh sweet apple cider, farm animals, a gift shop with fall decor, playgrounds and of course their famous corn maze! Additionally, on the weekends, they also have food available in the café, wagon rides, live music, cider-making demonstrations and a cow train ride for children.  There is truly something for everyone.


:
7265 Buckley Rd., North ϲ, New York 13212
Scarecrow decoration wearing overalls standing next to a growth chart with sunflowers and a 'Chuck Hafners' sign, portraying a festive, fall-themed display.When:
Sept. 28 through Oct. 20
Admission Fee: Free activities are available; on the weekends, some activities include a fee; for more information
ٱٲ:Every day, there are free activities, including a corn pit, giant games, a straw maze, a petting zoo, a ghoulish hole-in-one, a tepee, bowling and a ghost rider speedway. Each weekend has a different theme and includes the following activities: pumpkin decorating, face painting and temporary tattoos, tie-dye, sand art, zombie paintball attack, carnival games and unlimited bounce zone. The weather won’t spoil the fun—Chuck Hafner’s is proud to host the only undercover festival in CNY, so rain or shine.
(Photo courtesy of their )


Address: 3275 Cold Springs Rd., Baldwinsville New York 13027
When: Through Oct. 27
Admission Fee: Some areas have free admission, while the fun zone is $10
Details: Abbott Farms Fall Fest includes fun for the whole family with free admission to apple picking, the market and Abbott’s Ark. The fun zone includes over 11 activities, a corn maze, wagon rides, pony rides and face painting.


Two lamas, one brown and one black and white, standing by a wooden fence on a sunny day.:
1850 Rt. 91, Fabius, New York 13063
When: Through Oct. 27
Admission Fee: $14 per person, with seniors/veterans (with I.D.) $12
Details: Harvest your memories at Springside Farm! Admission includes access to fun fall activities like a barrel train, pedal cars, a jump pad, zip lines, a petting zoo, a playground with tunnels and slides, a basketball wagon, a baseball challenge, corn bins, a nature trail, toddler play area, a sound garden, duck races, food court, sweet shop, gift shop, pumpkin patch and gem mining!
(Photo courtesy of their )

Dare to Be Scared


Address: 6092 Route 31, Cicero, New York 13039
Hours: Open Friday and Saturday nights from Oct. 4-26, 7-10 p.m.
Admission Fee: Tickets range from $15-30/per person depending on what you participate in
Details: The CMC Haunted House is a longstanding tradition in Cicero and was named by Scarycuse.com as the Bronze Medal Winner in 2019 and Best Boo for Your Buck in 2018. This year’s house has been amped up with many scares and new audio and visual features.


A person in skeleton makeup and a cowboy hat, wearing a "Rockin' Rodeos" t-shirt, standing with arms outstretched in an amusement park setting.Address:
 1 Lepage Place, ϲ, New York 13206
Hours: Open every weekend in October, Friday and Saturday nights, 7 p.m.-midnight, and Sunday, 7-11 p.m.
Admission Fee:$30/Dz
Details: A haunted experience like no other. Between the state-of-the-art set design and talented actors, you’re sure to see why USA Today included Fright Nights in their list of The Best 20 Haunted Attractions in the Northeast!
(Photo courtesy of their )


Address: 7192 Oswego Rd., Liverpool, New York 13090
Hours: Open 7:30-11 p.m. Friday and Saturday nights from Oct. 4-26
Admission Fee: $20 for adults and $14 for children age 13 and under
Details: Dare to uncover the secrets of Erie Hollows, a town lost to time and terror. This October, brave souls are summoned to Exit 38 for a heart-pounding journey through over half a mile of twisted trails and unspeakable horrors.

Family Fun Places to Visit


A dog standing in front of an elaborately structured pumpkin tower featuring multiple varieties of pumpkins and gourds, set against a backdrop of blue sky and clouds.Address: 2901 Rose Hill Rd., Marietta, New York 13110
Hours: Open daily through Oct. 31, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.
Admission Fee: $4-$6 depending on the day you visit
Details: A simple, fun and authentic family-run farm experience offering wagon rides, a u-pick pumpkin field, a corn maze, a hay fort, a crazy maze, an animal barn, skeeball, corn hole, sand pile, bakery and retail shop.
(Photo courtesy of their )


Address:
 3735 W. Seneca Turnpike, ϲ, New York 13215
Hours: Open daily until the end of October, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
Admission Fee:
ٱٲ:A fun family-owned pumpkin patch that has much more to offer including a corn maze, hayride, farm animals and tasty treats to try.


A bustling evening scene at an outdoor festival with people browsing colorful food stalls and a firework exploding in the sky.Address: Long Branch Park, Liverpool, New York 13209
Hours: Open Thursdays through Sundays in October, 5-9 p.m.
Admission Fee:$25/󾱳
Details: It’s a not-so-scary stroll along a half-mile freshly paved path at Long Branch Park in Liverpool, as you see festive Halloween-themed displays in the wooded trail. Each section includes large wooden structures, LED light displays and more to help them come to life. Every night food trucks will be on hand in the park to grab a treat or dinner!
(Photo courtesy of their )


Address: 7621 Lakeport Rd., Chittenango, New York 13037
Hours: Every Friday and Saturday in October from 6-10 p.m.
Admission Fee: 2 and under are free, Seniors and children ages 3-12: $16.99 and Adults: $19.99
Details: Looking for a spooky yet family fun experience? Check out the Flash Light Safari. Catch the animals at night when they are most active. The lights in the park are dimmed to make it a special experience. Don’t forget your flashlights!

U-Pick Apple Orchards

  • (ɾԲ)
  • ()
  • (Mexico)
  • (ڲٳٱ)
  • (ѱ澱)
  • (Lafayette)
  • (Oswego)
  • (ܲ)
  • (ڲٳٱ)
  • (±ǰ)
  • (Cicero)
Apple tree laden with ripe red apples, set against a backdrop of colorful autumn foliage under a cloudy sky.

Fall in CNY means there are plenty of places for apple picking. (Photo by Jeremy Brinn)

  • Author

Christine Grabowski

  • Recent
  • Falk College Sport Analytics Students Win Multiple National Competitions
    Friday, May 16, 2025, By Cathleen O'Hare
  • Physics Professor Honored for Efforts to Improve Learning, Retention
    Friday, May 16, 2025, By Sean Grogan
  • Historian Offers Insight on Papal Transition and Legacy
    Friday, May 16, 2025, By Keith Kobland
  • Live Like Liam Foundation Establishes Endowed Scholarship for InclusiveU
    Tuesday, May 13, 2025, By Cecelia Dain
  • ECS Team Takes First Place in American Society of Civil Engineers Competition
    Tuesday, May 13, 2025, By Kwami Maranga

More In Campus & Community

Falk College Sport Analytics Students Win Multiple National Competitions

“I think the Rolls-Royce of Falk College, undoubtedly, is the analytics program,” said David Falk, benefactor of the Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics, to a room of senior sport analytics students and their families during their capstone poster…

Auxiliary Services Announces Vending Services Transition

Auxiliary Services has announced a new service approach for campus vending services. In the initial phase of the transition, which began May 12, Servomation, a Central New York-based vending services company, assumed operation of all existing campus vending equipment. Snacks…

Live Like Liam Foundation Establishes Endowed Scholarship for InclusiveU

ϲ has received a $100,000 endowed scholarship from the Live Like Liam Foundation in support of the School of Education’s InclusiveU program. This meaningful gift will expand access to the University’s flagship program for students with intellectual and developmental…

Dara Drake ’23 Named the University’s First Knight-Hennessy Scholar

Alumna Dara Drake ’23 has been named as a 2025 Knight-Hennessy Scholar, the first from ϲ. Knight-Hennessy Scholars is a multidisciplinary, multicultural graduate scholarship program at Stanford University. Each Knight-Hennessy scholar receives up to three years of financial support…

Years of Growth Fueled Women’s Club Ice Hockey Team to Success

The trajectory of the ϲ women’s club ice hockey team is what Hollywood makes movies about. “When I joined [in Fall 2021] there were only six other people on the team,” says Amanda Wheeler, a senior at SUNY College…

Subscribe to SU Today

If you need help with your subscription, contact sunews@syr.edu.

Connect With Us

For the Media

Find an Expert
© 2025 ϲ. All Rights Reserved.