NY CIDER FESTIVAL RETURNS TO ROCHESTER SEPT 13, 2025
- Community Submission
- 6 hours ago
- 3 min read
Rochester, N.Y. – Sixteen craft cideries across the Genesee Valley region of New York will come together for the second NY Cider Festival at Radio Social on Saturday, Sept. 13 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The hard cider tasting event will offer attendees the opportunity to interact with a variety of local hard cider makers (many of whom are multi-generational apple growers), taste and shop their ciders, and participate in guided cheese pairings with professional cheese monger Rachel Freier. In addition to tastings, the day will include live music, local food trucks, merchandise and more.
Produced from 100% New York apples and proudly displaying the NY Cider Mark—a trusted symbol of authenticity, excellence, and tradition—the ciders featured at the festival span a vast range of flavor profiles, from sweet to dry, fruit-forward, sour, floral, botanical to hoppy, and tannic to acidic. On-site cideries include Apple Barrel Orchards, B&E Ciderworks LLC, Blake's Hard Cider, Blue Barn Cidery, Blue Toad Hard Cider, Buried Barrel Hard Cider, Cider Creek Hard Cider, City Orchard, Donovan Estate Ciders, Embark Craft Ciderworks, Giving Tree Cidery, OSB Ciderworks, Schutt's Apple Mill, Star Cider, Three Falls Cider, and Tree Hugger Hard Cider LLC.
Among the participating cideries is Schutt’s Apple Mill, a fifth-generation family farm in Penfield that has been growing apples for over 130 years. Schutt’s produces more than 20 apple varieties for fresh sales and cider production. Their lineup at the festival will include Relic (a semi-sweet small batch cider with a crisp, tangy finish), Fried Cake (a spiced cider inspired by the mill’s signature cinnamon sugar fried cakes), and Berried in Apples (a sweet, berry-forward cider blending strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries). Schutt’s origins date back to 1918, when founder Paul Schutt began delivering custom-blended cider during Prohibition.
“NY Cider is back and it's here for Rochester!” said Scott Ramsey, Executive Director of the New York Cider Association. “Last year, so many people told us how excited they were to finally have a cider-focused festival in their city. We're thrilled to be showcasing even more cideries and building even more community this year in what has now become a very special annual tradition for NY Cider."
Ticket Offerings and Inclusions:
VIP early entry at 11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. ($40): Be the first to enjoy NY ciders and interact with cider makers, receive a 10% discount on NY Cider Merchandise at the event, receive a one-year free Enthusiast Membership to the NY Cider Association, a Commemorative VIP NY Cider Festival Rochester Lanyard, a NY Cider Souvenir Tasting Glass, and a NY Cider Custom Tote.
General admission 12:00 p.m. -3:00 p.m. ($30): Includes access to the cider makers and tastings, a NY Cider Souvenir Tasting Glass, and a NY Cider Custom Tote.
Cheese Pairing Add-On Sessions:
Guests can also discover how well cider pairs with food by adding on a guided hard cider and cheese pairing experience by the cider makers and local Cheese monger Rachel Freier, owner of the Cheese Club.
12:30 p.m. ($20): Tree Hugger Hard Cider featured session
2:00 p.m. ($20): Donovan Estate Orchards Cider featured session
To purchase tickets and to find out more information, visit www.newyorkcider.org. This event is produced by the New York Cider Association and is made possible with the support of the Genesee River Valley Market Authority. Must be 21 to attend and ID required for all parties attending. A designated driver ticket is available for $5.
Comments