This Weekend: Fall Fun at the Harvest Festival!
Posted in Programs and Events on September 26 2014, by Lansing Moore
Kick off fall with NYBG this weekend at the Harvest Festival! Two days of music and activities will fill the Garden grounds to benefit the Edible Academy. Come enjoy games on Daffodil Hill, and work up an appetite for our array of specialty samplers and vendors of food, beer, and wine while our exciting lineup of Americana bands fills the air with music. For those who want the full VIP experience, special tickets are available for a live cooking demonstration by Mario Batali and his co-host from ABC’s The Chew, Carla Hall! Those who purchase tickets to Sunday’s Family Garden Picnic may even access a booksigning with Carla Hall or an exclusive reception hosted by Mario Batali—all to support NYBG’s children’s education hub, the Edible Academy.
Your All-Garden Pass grants you access to the Harvest Festival, as well as the recently opened Haunted Pumpkin Garden. Let your kids get into the Halloween spirit with a wide variety of activities in the Everett Children’s Adventure Garden—including Creepy Critters of Halloween, an entertaining and educational experience featuring live reptiles. The next two days offer many ways to enjoy fall at NYBG, during this warm and sunny weekend. Click through to check out the full schedule for the Harvest Festival, The Haunted Pumpkin Garden, our special tours, and more!
Saturday, September 27
Bird Walk – 11 a.m.
Meet at the Reflecting Pool at the Leon Levy Visitor Center
The diverse habitats of the Botanical Garden offer visitors a chance to see dozens of species of birds throughout the year. Bring your binoculars and walk the Garden grounds with an expert to learn about bird-friendly habitats, migrating species, and birds that make a permanent home at the Garden.
Harvest Festival – 11 a.m.–5 p.m.
At Daffodil Hill
Bring the whole family to celebrate the harvest. Participate in wine and beer talks and sample treats from our partners. Craft beer will be available also for sample and purchase. Activities include Pollinator Pals explorations and Edible Academy Tours in the Family Garden, a display of Garden tractors and equipment, and live music. Festival Ticket required.
Live Music
At the base of Daffodil Hill
Critically acclaimed Americana bands such as Spuyten Duyvil, Miss Tess and the Talkbacks, and the Minivans take the stage for a weekend of lively music on Daffodil Hill. Enjoy a relaxing listen, or get into the spirit with square dancing from 11 a.m. to 11:45 p.m.!
11 a.m.–11:45 a.m., Square Dance Lessons
12 p.m.–1:15 p.m., M Shanghai
1:30-2:45 p.m., Miles to Dayton
3–4:15 p.m., Miss Tess and the Talkbacks
4:15–5 p.m., DJ Music
Beer & Wine Talks
Next to Clay Pavilions
Experts on wine and beer making, food pairings, and culinary skills invite you to join the conversation during presentations of their crafts.
11 a.m. Regal Vegan, Ella Nemcova
12 p.m. Casa Larga Vineyard
2 p.m. Chef William Creations
3 p.m. Brotherhood Winery
Harvest Market
At Clay Pavilions
The bounty of the harvest provides samplings from our many partner purveyors, brewers, and vintners. Picnic foods snacks and beverages, like beer, wine will be available for purchase from Steven STARR Events. Savory and sweet food trucks will round out the offerings and surely tempt more palettes!
Wine and Beer Samplers:
- Adirondack Winery
- Brotherhood Winery
- City Winery
- Artisan Wines Sonoma
- La Cantina Wines & Liquors
- Casa Larga Winery
- Sheldrake Point Winery
- Crabbie’s Ginger Beer
- Jonas Bronck’s Beer Company with The Bronx Beer Hall
- Manhattan Beer Distributors
- Fox Run Vineyards
Food Samplers:
- Chef William Creations
- Regal Vegan, Inc.
- Sullivan Street Bakery
- Tea-rrific! Ice Cream
- Mike’s Deli
- Lola Granola Bar
- Hurd Orchards
Food Vendors:
- STARR Food and Beer Stand
- Bronx Baking Co.
- Red Jacket Orchard
- Bronx Beer Hall
Food Trucks:
- Eddie’s Pizza
- Yankee Doodle Dandy’s
- Van Leeuwen Ice Cream
Display of Tractors and Garden Equipment
Along Crabapple Path
Get to see up close the tractors, mowers, and other machinery that the Garden uses to move mountains of dirt, plant trees, and create the landscape that you see before you.
Other Activities:
- Games: Lawn Darts, Ladder Toss, Bean Bag Toss, Putting Greens
- Haunted Pumpkin Garden Photo Ops
- Cooking Demonstrations for Families at 2 & 4 p.m.
In the Family Garden at the Whole Foods Market Family Garden Kitchen- Edible Academy Tours, 2, 3, 4, & 5 p.m.
In the Family Garden
Creepy Creatures of Halloween – 12 & 2 p.m.
Part of The Haunted Pumpkin Garden
At the Clay Family Picnic Pavilions
Some of the animals that make us scream are actually the coolest animals around. Meet some new critters from our big backyard and beyond during this live presentation and discover the unique adaptations that help them survive in their habitats.
A selection of featured creatures (may vary each weekend) includes:
- Native NYBG reptiles (such as our snapping turtles!)
- Dwarf Caiman
- Large Albino Python or Boa Constrictor
- Tegu Lizards
- Small snakes
- Sulcatta Tortoise
- Panther Chameleon
About the presenting organization:
New York Wild! was created to give urban NYC residents more opportunities to experience nature up close. Erik Zeidler, founder of New York Wild!, has a lifelong passion for wildlife and nature, especially reptiles. This is an interest he has been pursuing since he was four years old while growing up in the Bronx, a seemingly unlikely setting for a naturalist. His company brings opportunities to the youth of New York City so that they too can be involved with wildlife. His programs have a profound impact and have changed the way many people feel about snakes and other misunderstood animals.
Garden Highlights Tour – 12:30 p.m.
Meet at the Reflecting Pool at the Leon Levy Visitor Center
Sights and scents flourish across the 250 acres of the Botanical Garden. Join a Garden Guide for a walking tour featuring highlights of the gardens and plant collections
Azalea Garden Tour – 2:30 p.m.
Meet at the Reflecting Pool at the Leon Levy Visitor Center
Join us for a guided tour of the 11-acre site that offers an encyclopedic collection of the world’s azaleas planted along a broad hillside punctuated by rock outcrops and shaded by mature native trees.
Rock Garden Tour – 4 p.m.
Meet at the Reflecting Pool at the Leon Levy Visitor Center
The Rock Garden is a 2.5-acre oasis complete with a pond and waterfall and featuring alpine plants from six continents. Join an expertly trained Garden Guide for a walking tour to see and learn more about these jewel-like plants.
Sunday, September 28
Harvest Festival – 11 a.m.–5 p.m.
At Daffodil Hill
Bring the whole family to celebrate the harvest. Participate in wine and beer talks and sample treats from our partners. Craft beer will be available also for sample and purchase. Activities include Pollinator Pals explorations and Edible Academy Tours in the Family Garden, a display of Garden tractors and equipment, and live music. Festival Ticket required.
Live Music
At the base of Daffodil Hill
Critically acclaimed Americana bands such as Spuyten Duyvil, Miss Tess and the Talkbacks, and the Minivans take the stage for a weekend of lively music on Daffodil Hill. Enjoy a relaxing listen, or get into the spirit with square dancing from 11 a.m. to 11:45 p.m.!
11 a.m.–11:45 a.m., Square Dance Lessons
12 p.m.–1:15 p.m. The Minivans
1:30-2:45 p.m. Roosevelt Dime
3–4:15 p.m. Spuyten Duyvil
4:15–5 p.m. DJ Music
Beer & Wine Talks
Next to Clay Pavilions
Experts on wine and beer making, food pairings, and culinary skills invite you to join the conversation during presentations of their crafts.
11 a.m. Chef William Creations
12 p.m. Jonas Bronck’s Beer, Ken Hettinger
3 p.m. Sheldrake Point Winery, Tyler Tauck
Harvest Market
At Clay Pavilions
The bounty of the harvest provides samplings from our many partner purveyors, brewers, and vintners. Picnic foods snacks and beverages, like beer, wine will be available for purchase from Steven STARR Events. Savory and sweet food trucks will round out the offerings and surely tempt more palettes!
Wine and Beer Samplers:
- Adirondack Winery
- Brotherhood Winery
- City Winery
- Artisan Wines Sonoma
- La Cantina Wines & Liquors
- Casa Larga Winery
- Sheldrake Point Winery
- Crabbie’s Ginger Beer
- Jonas Bronck’s Beer Company with The Bronx Beer Hall
- Manhattan Beer Distributors
- Fox Run Vineyards
Food Samplers:
- Chef William Creations
- Regal Vegan, Inc.
- Sullivan Street Bakery
- Tea-rrific! Ice Cream
- Mike’s Deli
- Lola Granola Bar
- Hurd Orchards
Food Vendors:
- STARR Food and Beer Stand
- Bronx Baking Co.
- Red Jacket Orchard
- Bronx Beer Hall
Food Trucks:
- Eddie’s Pizza
- Yankee Doodle Dandy’s
- Crif Dogs
- Van Leeuwen Ice Cream
Display of Tractors and Garden Equipment
Along Crabapple Path
Get to see up close the tractors, mowers, and other machinery that the Garden uses to move mountains of dirt, plant trees, and create the landscape that you see before you.
Other Activities:
- Games: Lawn Darts, Ladder Toss, Bean Bag Toss, Putting Greens
- Haunted Pumpkin Garden Photo Ops
- Cooking Demonstrations for Families at 2 & 4 p.m.
In the Family Garden at the Whole Foods Market Family Garden Kitchen- Edible Academy Tours, 2, 3, 4, & 5 p.m.
In the Family Garden
Creepy Creatures of Halloween – 12 & 2 p.m.
Part of The Haunted Pumpkin Garden
At the Clay Family Picnic Pavilions
Some of the animals that make us scream are actually the coolest animals around. Meet some new critters from our big backyard and beyond during this live presentation and discover the unique adaptations that help them survive in their habitats.
A selection of featured creatures (may vary each weekend) includes:
- Native NYBG reptiles (such as our snapping turtles!)
- Dwarf Caiman
- Large Albino Python or Boa Constrictor
- Tegu Lizards
- Small snakes
- Sulcatta Tortoise
- Panther Chameleon
About the presenting organization:
New York Wild! was created to give urban NYC residents more opportunities to experience nature up close. Erik Zeidler, founder of New York Wild!, has a lifelong passion for wildlife and nature, especially reptiles. This is an interest he has been pursuing since he was four years old while growing up in the Bronx, a seemingly unlikely setting for a naturalist. His company brings opportunities to the youth of New York City so that they too can be involved with wildlife. His programs have a profound impact and have changed the way many people feel about snakes and other misunderstood animals.
Conservatory Tour – 12:30 p.m.
Meet at the entrance to the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory
Explore the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory, an acre of plants under glass, with one of the Garden’s Guides. Take an ecotour around the world through 11 distinct habitats, including two types of rain forest, deserts of the Americas and of Africa, and aquatic and carnivorous plant displays.
Cooking Demonstration with Mario Batali and Carla Hall–2 p.m.
In the Conservatory Tent
Enjoy a cooking demonstration by Chef Mario Batali and his co-host from ABC’s The Chew, Carla Hall. Special Ticket required. Seating is limited; advance purchase highly recommended.
Rose Garden Tour – 2:30 p.m.
Meet at the Peggy Rockefeller Rose Garden.
Immerse yourself in the fragrance, color, and beauty of the award-winning Peggy Rockefeller Rose Garden on a tour with a Garden Tour Guide. Learn the differences between Heritage and Modern roses and between floribundas and hybrid teas as well as facts about rose history, cultivation, and folklore.
Ongoing Children’s Programs
Family Adventures: The Haunted Pumpkin Garden – 10 a.m.–5:30 p.m.
In the Everett Children’s Adventure Garden
The Haunted Pumpkin Garden returns to its roots with a massive display of pumpkins and gourds from North America, ranging from the unusual to the gargantuan. Thousands of specimens will create a unique and fascinating backdrop to the slate of Halloween activities in the Everett Children’s Adventure Garden. Every day kids can play inside the Pumpkin House, put on a scary show at the Pumpkin Puppet Theater, look for wiggly worms under a rotting log, and plant a pumpkin seed to take home, while each weekend offers parades and even more treats.
- Put on your own performance in the Pumpkin Puppet Theater
- Play inside the Pumpkin House
- Watch a pumpkin seed sprout
- Go on a scavenger hunt
- Join a Halloween Parade at 1 or 3 p.m. (on weekends, and including October 13 and 31)
Dig, Plant, Grow: Pollinator Palls: Bees and Butterflies
In the Ruth Rea Howell Family Garden
The Family Garden is buzzing in late summer! Join us to learn about important pollinators: our honeybees and the monarch butterflies passing us by on their way to Mexico.
Mario Batali’s Kitchen Gardens – 2–6 p.m.
Ruth Rea Howell Family Garden
Kids can explore with Mario’s Menu Mystery game, featuring favorite vegetables and herbs from nine of his restaurants’ kitchens, including Otto and Del Posto.
Cooking Demonstrations – 2 & 4 p.m.
At the Whole Foods Market® Family Garden Kitchen
From late spring into early fall, learn to cook up flavorful new recipes using garden-fresh ingredients, twice a day on Wednesdays and weekends in the Ruth Rea Howell Family Garden.
Sponsored by Whole Foods Market and Viking
