Get ready for a month of celebration in New York State! Commemorate Women’s History Month by exploring the state’s rich history of the Women’s Rights Movement. Join the revelry of St. Patrick’s Day at parades and festivals spanning from New York City to Buffalo. Indulge in mouth-watering maple products at a cherished Empire State tradition, welcome spring at a flower show, and enjoy festivals that spotlight chocolate, pickles, boats, and more! Photo courtesy of Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens.
Commemorate Women’s History Month (Multiple Regions)
🗓️When: Multiple Dates
📍Where: Statewide
Credit: @cindyharrisart on Instagram
New York State has deep roots to the Women’s Rights Movement, with Seneca Falls being the birthplace of Women’s Suffrage. Explore this rich history and celebrate the achievements of women at the National Women’s Hall of Fame, Susan B. Anthony Museum and House, Women’s Rights National Historic Park, and other sites. On Long Island, join Connetquot River State Park Preserve and Nissequogue River State Park for special programs on women in space and the healing heroes of the American Revolution. Hunter Mountain is hosting an unforgettable Women’s Weekend (March 14-15, 2026), bringing women together for empowering experiences on the mountain.
🗓️When: Multiple Dates
📍Where: Statewide
Credit: Joe Buglewicz/NYC & Co.
Irish eyes will be smiling across New York State as St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated with a bevy of parades and festivals. On March 14, Rochester kicks off the fun with the five-mile Runnin’ of the Green race along the Genesee River before their big parade. On March 17, the oldest and largest St. Patrick’s Day parade in the world takes over Fifth Avenue for New York City’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Rockland County, home to the second largest St. Patrick’s Day Parade in New York State, will celebrate Irish heritage with food, fun and festivities on March 22. There are also parades taking place in Albany, Buffalo, Syracuse, Montgomery, Montauk, Mahopac, Mamaroneck. Watertown goes all out with its weekend-long North Country Goes Green Irish Festival, complete with parade, pageant, beard contest, Shamrock Run, and more!
🗓️When: March 6-8, 2026
📍Where: Buffalo, NY
Credit: @aliciakwietniewskiphoto on Instagram
Prepare for orchids, orchids, and more orchids at the Buffalo & Erie County Botanical Gardens. Witness blooms of all colors, shapes and sizes on full display at the Orchid Exhibit by day or at night when they’re bathed in the glow of hundreds of magical lights at Orchids After Dark. Then check out the Niagara Frontier Orchid Society’s Orchid Show featuring award-winning orchids, special displays and showcases alongside vendors and orchid experts. Cost: $19 adults, $17 seniors 62+ and students 13+, $9.50 children 3-12, free admission for children 2 and under and botanical garden members, but must have a ticket.
🗓️When: March 7-8, 2026
📍Where: Manhattan, NY
Image courtesy of Salon du Chocolat NYC
Satisfy your sweet tooth and celebrate all things cacao at New York City’s iconic chocolate show, happening at Midtown’s Center 415 on Fifth Avenue. See your favorite stars on the Culinary Theater stage, go on a global tasting tour trying chocolate from Ecuador to Switzerland, and witness a fashion showcase honoring America’s 250th birthday featuring wearable gowns made of chocolate. With wine and spirits pairings, plus a Kids Zone with bean-to-bar learning experiences, the event offers a sweet escape for all ages. Cost: Tickets begin at $39 for adults and $29 for children between 6 – 12 years and free for children 5 years and under.
🗓️When: March 14-15
📍Where: Ellicottville, NY
Experience New Orleans vibes in Ellicottville as this storybook ski town celebrates one of their most iconic events – Mardi Gras weekend! There will be plenty of live entertainment and fun activities for all, including snow sculptures, and colorful parade all happening alongside the Winter Carnival at Holiday Valley, featuring cookouts, face painting, costume parades, live music, snow sculptures, an outdoor bar made of snow, and much more!
🗓️When: March 14-15, 2026
📍Where: Syracuse, NY
Rev up your weekend plans at New York’s largest motorsports exposition and trade show. Held at the New York State Fairgrounds, the expo will be filled with race cars from all divisions, racetracks on both dirt and asphalt families, and many sanctioning bodies to meet and greet everyone. You’ll enjoy speedway displays, meet safety equipment suppliers, and be able to check out racing apparel, lettering and embroidery, novelty items, and much more! Ticket prices: Adults: $15; Two-Day Pass: $25; Kids (Ages 6-12): $5; free admission for children ages 5 and under.
🗓️When: March 15, 2026
📍Where: Victor, NY
Celebrate and discover the Seneca ways of winter through traditional Native American activities at the Ganondagan State Historic Site. Learn about the Haudenosaunee winter game snowsnake (or gawasa in Seneca), watch a dog sled demo, take part in a social dance workshop, and gather round the fire pit for a lesson in maple syruping. Plus, you’ll get to enjoy complimentary admission to the Seneca Art & Culture Center. Cost: Admission is free with a suggested donation of $10/family, $5/individual.
🗓️When: March 15, 2026
📍Where: Poughkeepsie, NY
Dill-icious things are coming to the Hudson Valley! Classic dill, tangy sour, hot and spicy—pickle lovers will find all their favorites and more at the MJN Convention Center for the first-ever Famous Pickle Festival. It’s the ultimate celebration of all things pickles featuring juice and brine tastings, pickle makers and specialty vendors, fried pickles and other popular treats, live music, games and more. Cost: Tickets start at $10, free admission for kids 12 and under.
🗓️When: March 19-22, 2026
📍Where: Lake Placid, NY
Hot off the heels of the 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milano-Cortina, the world’s fastest cross-country skiers will descend on Lake Placid for one final battle at Mt Van Hoevenberg. With Olympic-caliber trails, a high-energy stadium atmosphere, and fans packed along every turn and climb, this finale promises to be a pulse-pounding celebration of elite competition and winter sports at its best. Ticket prices vary.
🗓️When: March 20-21, 2026
📍Where: Clayton, NY
Get the total entertainment experience during Howl at the Moon – the Dueling Pianos Show! The excitement gets started as soon as the band hits the stage, rocking an outstanding dueling pianos show featuring dance hits, party anthems, country, and oldies. You request it and they play it! In conjunction with the event, host 1000 Islands Harbor Hotel will have discounted room rates, and proceeds from Howl at the Moon will go to the Clayton Fireworks. Tickets start at $55.20; please contact the hotel directly for room reservations at (315) 686-1100.
🗓️When: March 21-22 and March 28-29, 2026
📍Where: Statewide
Take part in a beloved Empire State tradition as maple farms open their sugarhouses and welcome you to experience the world of pure New York maple syrup, from tapping the trees to enjoying it on a piping hot stack of pancakes. Enjoy guided tours, wagon rides, and an all you can eat breakfast buffet at Critz Farms Brewing & Cider Company in Cazenovia. Pancake, maple donuts, and maple whipped ice coffee is on the menu at Kettle Ridge Farm in the Finger Lakes, where you can dine in the barn or rent a private igloo and enjoy pours of KettleJuice, a maple grapefruit IPA made in collaboration with Noble Shepherd Craft Brewery.
Meet friendly chickens and highland cows as you go on tours and tastings at Sweet Dreams Maple Farm in Corfu; an all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast and horse drawn wagon rides are on tap at Shaver Hill Maple Farm in Harpersfield, and Packard Valley Farms in Macedon offers a pack day of fun with guided sap house tours, free samples, horse drawn wagon rides, a petting zoo and pony rides. Find more participating maple producers all across the state.
🗓️When: March 26-29, 2026
📍Where: Queensbury, NY
CREDIT: NORMANDIN MARKETING
All aboard! Get a head start on summer and shop top boat brands at the Great Upstate Boat Show, the largest boat sales event between New York City and Montreal. Explore the more than 175 boats on display and speak with some of the leading boat dealers in the region to find the vessel of your dreams, from pontoon boats and ski boats to trailers and boat lifts. Whether you’re looking to trade in your current boat or are a first-time boat buyer, this is the place to be! Cost: Tickets are $15, free admission for kids 12 and under.
🗓️When: March 27-29, 2026
📍Where: Troy, NY
CREDIT: @MOMOTHEGARDENHOE ON INSTAGRAM
Spring is in the air, and the Capital Region Flower and Garden Expo is one of the first signs of the season. Enjoy amazing floral creations and stunning garden displays, attend seminars and demonstrations, and browse over 200 flower, garden, and outdoor living themed retail exhibits at Hudson Valley Community College in Troy. The marketplace is a must-visit for fresh cut flowers, succulents, bulbs, houseplants, airplants, seeds, tropicals, and all your gardening needs, plus apparel, pottery, handmade crafts, and jewelry. The event also features an indoor farmer’s market, New York State wine, cider, and spirit tastings, and food trucks! Cost: Tickets start at $15, children under 10 are free with paid adult.
🗓️When: Dates TBA
📍Where: Manhattan, NY
Credit: @qiu001 on Instagram
Celebrate spring in New York City with thousands of plants, flowers, and trees at the annual Macy’s Flower Show in Herald Square! A larger-than-life garden with whimsical floral arrangements and multi-sensory displays celebrate the season of renewal, transforming the main floor, balcony, and windows of the world-famous Macy’s flagship store. Cost: Admission is free.
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