September 25–27, 2026 · Downtown Ithaca
Welcome to your fall study break.
New to Ithaca or ready to rediscover Downtown? Apple Harvest Festival brings three days of food, local makers, live entertainment, fall traditions, and plenty of reasons to leave campus.
Your festival game plan
Build a day Downtown.
Come for an hour or stay all day. The full 2026 entertainment schedule is still being finalized, but the Apple Harvest essentials are already easy to plan around.
Start with something fall.
Find apples, cider, baked goods, festival food, and seasonal specials from farms and Downtown businesses.
Follow the sound.
Move between live stages and street performances as the 2026 schedule fills the Commons and surrounding streets.
Shop beyond campus.
Browse local makers, artists, growers, shops, and businesses you can return to throughout the year.
Make it a group mission.
Bring friends, use the festival map, and watch for the 2026 scavenger-hunt announcement before festival weekend.
Downtown challenge
Watch this space for the 2026 hunt.
Last year, students explored the Commons, found hidden letter placards, completed the festival phrase, and entered to win prizes. The 2026 challenge and prize lineup will be posted here once confirmed.
Find your way around
Put the festival in your pocket.
Open the interactive map for stages, vendors, food, restrooms, first aid, bike valet, parking garages, and TCAT stops. Check it again during festival weekend for the latest placements.
- Live stages
- Food and treats
- Vendors and makers
- Visitor essentials
Campus to the Commons
Leave the car behind.
Festival weekend service can change. Use TCAT’s live trip tools before leaving instead of relying on last year’s static route graphics.
From Cornell University
Plan from your residence hall or campus stop to Downtown Ithaca and confirm weekend service before boarding.
From Ithaca College
Check the current campus-to-Downtown trip and real-time service information before heading to the Commons.
From Tompkins Cortland
Use the live trip planner for current connections between campus, Dryden, and Downtown Ithaca.
Know before you go
A smoother way Downtown.
Walk from nearby campuses and neighborhoods, use Ithaca Bikeshare or Carshare, or bike in and check the live festival map for bike-valet information.
Use Green Street or Cayuga Street Garage, both a short walk from the Commons. The City currently lists garage parking at $2.25 per hour with a $12 daily maximum. Check current garage details ↗
City garages include elevator access. For TCAT ADA Paratransit information, call 607-273-1878.
Three days in Downtown Ithaca
See the whole Apple Harvest weekend.
Use the main festival page for confirmed hours, entertainment, vendors, volunteer opportunities, parking updates, and the latest announcements.
