These past five Sundays, the 27th Annual Harvest Festival has been firmly planted at the northwest corner of the historic Bethel Woods property entertaining families as they came and went, with this past Sunday being no different.

Starting on August 31st and recurring each Sunday until October 5th, this fall tradition aims to celebrate Sullivan Catskills’ bounty with artisan and farm vendors, live music, and family friendly activities.

Staring at 11 a.m. and ending at 4 p.m., each week brings a new theme to the table.

The festival kicked off August 31 with Opening Week, featuring local produce, artisan vendors, and performances by Ame The Band and TAE & The Neighborly.

On September 7, True Country brought rustic charm with cowboy hat decorating, a pie-eating contest, and line dancing instruction from April of Dancin’ & Dreamin’, along with music by the Cast Iron Cowboys. 

September 14 brought attention to Wellness, highlighting holistic practitioners and wellness vendors, with a soundtrack by Fishercat and Beach Tower. 

The September 21 theme, Consider Peace, paid tribute to the site’s historic roots with kite flying on the Historic Field, visits from equine rescue organizations, astrology and tarot readings, and performances by Tiny Blue Ghost and The Heartstrings Project. 

This most recent occurrence, on September 28, Farm to Table, featured a culinary experience with farm-fresh tastings and a live cooking demonstration by Executive Chef Joel Trocino, followed by a performance from Killer Film. 

The festival is planned to conclude this Sunday (October 5) with Oktoberfest, a lively finale featuring steinholding competitions, German-inspired food, a demo from Hudson Valley Reptiles, and music by the Damian Ecco Band.

This past Sunday saw the attendance of at least 86 vendors, including food and organizations such as Bethel Council of the Arts.

For your organic beauty and skin products, there was Lila Frodsen of By Lila. Another tent had custom-knit animals of different threads and species, while encouraging guests to inquire about special commissions.

The music roots of Bethel Woods remained strong as Killer Film provided an earful of original songs and fresh covers, such as Come Together by the Beatles.

While the themes may have been different, one thing has always remained the same since the festival’s 1999 inception: the support towards local farmers and small businesses. This message holds strong as the vendors chosen have been locally and carefully selected to ensure regionally sourced and high quality goods. All done in an effort towards supporting the sustainment of Catskills’ economy and creative culture.

Visitors were also encouraged to explore the Museum at Bethel Woods, offering an immersive look into the 1960s and the Woodstock era. For those traveling, the Bethel Woods Campground will be open daily with tent, RV, and glamping accommodations just steps away from the festival grounds.

This year’s event was made possible by the generous support of sponsors including Liberty Coke, Ellenville Regional Hospital, Johnstons Toyota, and Subaru.

The Bethel Woods Harvest Festival’s final day will be this Sunday starting at 11 a.m. and lasting until 4 p.m.