With the mercury rising and COVID cases falling, many of us are biting our nails at the thought of all the food and drink events planned for spring, when we'll be able to sink our teeth into something more substantive, be it mac and cheese or bloody marys. This year promises to be a blockbuster one for events of all types, but the Venn diagram overlap of hungry/thirsty foodies looking for a taste of novelty (not to mention just the opportunity to be out and about!) and food and beverage businesses looking to reconnect with customers suggests 2022 might turn out to be Year of the Foodie in the Hudson Valley.
There are lots of mammoth food and drink events planned for summer—Hudson Valley Ribfest, Adirondack Wine & Food Festival, and Hudson Valley Wine and Food Fest to name a few—but we thought we'd highlight festivals and events this spring so you can work up your appetite for the big summer bacchanals.
MARCH 19: Misto Pop-up at Vosburgh Brewing
Misto is the culinary moveable feast of Nadia and Wilson Costa, a Germantown couple with decades of experience in the restaurant industry. When COVID hit, they reinvented themselves as a catering and pop-up outfit. On Saturday, March 19, they'll be serving food at Vosburgh Brewing in Elizaville from 12-4pm. Misto is Portuguese for "mixed," and the food highlights the combination of Nadia's Ukrainian heritage and Wilson's Brazilian roots.
MARCH 24: Spring into Gin at City Winery
City Winery in Montgomery offers an evening of gin and food pairings, including the following cocktails: French 75, Prohibition style Negroni, Traditional Tom Collins, and Lavender Bees Knees. Full a la carte food menu available. Tickets are $55.APRIL 2: Pig Roast at Twin Star Orchards
Twin Star Orchards in New Paltz, home of Brooklyn Cider House, reopens for the season in April with a pig roast. There'll be slow-roasted pork platters ($17) as well as roast pork sandwiches ($14), both accompanied by house made coleslaw and sweet Hawaiian buns and a free cider tasting for those 21+. The pig roast will be from 1pm to 5pm with two ticketed sessions: 1-3pm and 3-5pm. Lucas Perez will be performing live music from 1pm-4pm.APRIL 14: A Taste of Rose at Nostrano Vineyards
Think pink! Why wait for summer rose season when spring is here? At this event in the barn at Nostrano Vineyards in Milton, Benmarl Winery, Fjord Vineyards, Quartz Rock Vineyards, and Nostrano will all be pouring their rose. There'll also be jazz and vittles. Garden party attire is encouraged. Tickets are $50.
APRIL 16: Bloody Mary Festival at the Senate Garage
For the serious brunchophile in you, a celebration of vodka and tomato juice in all its many varieties. On April 16, head to Uptown Kingston to try and a range of BMs from restaurants across the region, including Phoenicia Diner, The Eggs Nest, The Farmer's Touch, The Woodstock Pub, and Tinker Street Tavern among many others at the Bloody Mary Festival. There are two sessions: 11:30am-pm and 2-4pm. Tickets are $49.50.
MAY 21-22: TAP New York Craft Beer & Food Festival
Voted as one of the best beer festivals in the country by USA Today, TAP NY returns for its 23rd year with a new home at Bethel Woods. Over a hundred breweries from across the state will be pouring samples of 200 beers. To keep attendees fed, there's an all-you-can-eat food court, in addition to food offerings available for purchase as well. Because it's Bethel Woods, there will be top-notch music as well, with the Wallflowers and Almost Queen performing on Saturday and Almost Queen and Black Dog performing on Sunday. General admission tickets are $90 on Saturday and $85 on Sunday.