5 Community Events Happening in New Paltz This August (2026) |
From the Ulster County Fair to Mohonk's Garden Holiday — your month is packed |
August in New Paltz hits different. The days are still long, the Shawangunks glow gold in the late-summer light, and the calendar fills up fast. Here are five confirmed events worth clearing your schedule for — each one a reason to get out and make the most of what's left of summer.
Ulster County Fair — August 4–9
The Ulster County Fair is a week-old tradition that takes over the Ulster County Fairgrounds, drawing tens of thousands from across the Hudson Valley. Expect livestock shows, 4-H baking competitions, demolition derbies, live music acts on the main stage, midway rides, and endless fried food. It's the kind of event where farmers and festival-goers rub shoulders, and it's been a New Paltz staple since 1842.
When: August 4–9, 2026
2. Family of New Paltz 50th Anniversary Celebration — August 13
The Family of New Paltz turns 50 this year, and the community organization is marking the milestone with a celebration on August 13. Founded in 1976 to build bridges across the town's neighborhoods, Family of New Paltz has spent half a century supporting local youth programs, community cleanups, and cultural gatherings. The anniversary event is a chance to honor those five decades — and the people who made them happen.
When: August 13, 2026 3. Seafood & Wine Festival — August 15–16
Robibero Family Winery hosts its annual Seafood & Wine Festival over two August Saturdays, pairing fresh seafood — lobster, shrimp, oysters, clam chowder — with a rotating selection of the winery's estate wines. Live music fills the vineyard terrace, and a sunset cruise on the Hudson is often bundled with tickets. It's the closest thing to a New England clambake you'll find in the Shawangunks. When: August 15–16, 2026 4. Hudson Valley Wine Dinner — August 22Mohonk Mountain House hosts a multi-course wine dinner on August 22, featuring curated pairings from Hudson Valley vineyards. This year's lineup spotlights Neverstill Wines and other regional producers, with each course designed to highlight a different wine's character. Dinner takes place in the historic dining room — wood-paneled, gas-lit, and exactly the kind of setting where a wine dinner was meant to happen. When: August 22, 2026 5. Garden Holiday — August 30–September 4Mohonk Mountain House's annual Garden Holiday celebration opens August 30 and runs through Labor Day weekend. The resort's formal gardens — designed over more than a century by the Smiley family — reach peak bloom, guided by the head gardener through daily tours. Visitors can expect horticultural demonstrations, garden-to-table cooking, and a series of outdoor concerts among the flower beds. When: August 30–September 4, 2026
Plan Your August
Five weekends, five distinct New Paltz experiences — from the midway lights of the County Fair to the quiet elegance of a Mohonk wine dinner. Bookmark these dates and bring a friend; August only happens once. |
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The Robibero seafood festival sounds great but two Saturdays in a row? Or is it one event that runs across both days? Would be nice if the details were a bit clearer before people drive out there.
mike_shawangunkI think it runs across both days as one event, not two separate ones. I went a couple years back and it was a weekend thing. That said, calling ahead before making the drive is probably smart either way.
Been going to the Ulster County Fair since I was a kid dragging my parents to the midway rides. The demolition derby is still the best part, nothing else like it all year. Glad it's still going strong.