Fun Fall Festivals in the New York Metro Area

Mosey down to the Queens County Farm Museum www.queensfarm.org/events.html for the 27th Annual Queens County fair on Saturday and Sunday, September 19-20. Since the last working farm within New York City limits, Klein Farm in Queens, closed and is awaiting sub-division, the Queens Country Farm Museum is our last chance to show the kids how food travels from farm to market. Treat the entire family to a day filled with hayrides, old-timey crafts and traditional music. There's a maize maize for the young-uns' and so much more. The fun continues throughout October with the October 4th Apple Festival and Pumpkin picking from October 3 to 31st.

Some like it hot. The Brooklyn Botanic Garden www.bbg.org/vis2/calendar/index.php presents its annual Chile Pepper festival including hot beats from Mexico and New Orleans and foods from Asia to the New World. This year a Chili Chocolate Cabana features chili laced chocolate, for hot chocolate that's just a little hotter.

Soothe your burned palates with some Oyster. Oyster Bay's Oyster Festival www.theoysterfestival.org/ on October 17 and 18th hits the spot. This beloved annual event features a boat race with the Swedish Match 40's, the same boats used to prepare for the America's Cup and on the World Match Tour. Pirate treasure hunts keep the children busy looking for hidden booty while mom and dad spend a relaxing day celebrating the maritime heritage of Long Island's North Shore. Long Island Railroad www.mta.info/lirr/getaways/LongIsland/OysterFestival.htm offers a special package with discounted rail tickets, a voucher for 3 Oysters on the Half shell and admission to the slide for the children.

If you like your celebrations to be somewhat less food focused, try these terrific Renaissance Festivals. The famous Sterling Forest Festival in Tuxedo New York www.renfair.com/NY/ is already in progress and will continue though September 20th. Lots of jousting, theater performances and heraldry for all the world.

If thou lack yon horseless carriage, New York City's Renaissance Fair (October 4th )www.whidc.org/home.html appropriately situated on Fort Tryon's grounds surrounding the Cloisters www.metmuseum.org/cloisters/ pleaseth lord and lady alike. This fair doth deal gently with the light of purse. Admission is gratis, and the woods on both sides of the Hudson will be ablaze with Fall color. Don't miss the heather garden while you are there. Schedule a return visit to see tapestries collected from Europe's finest churches and monasteries.