Hooray for summer! The weather is beautiful, the kids are home from school and there are a million exciting things to see and do here in Dutchess County.
Located in the heart of New York's Hudson Valley, Dutchess is known for its world-class cuisine, fascinating historic sites, vibrant arts and culture scene, burgeoning craft beverage industry and family-friendly attractions, as well as acres upon acres of farmland and vineyards and miles upon miles of hiking and biking trails that offer stunning views of the Hudson River and the surrounding highlands.
Whether you visit for a weekend, a week or the whole summer, you will find new adventures waiting around every corner. Getting here is easy — by car, train or plane — but once you’re here, it’s oh-so-hard to leave.
Here is a list of the Top 10 Dutchess County events in July (the toughest part was narrowing the list to 10). Be sure to keep that camera handy, and feel free to share your photos here.
July 1–31, 2026, at multiple locations
This free scavenger hunt offers a chance to win the grand prize of $2,026 in cash, along with other amazing prizes and rewards! Here’s how it works: Visit participating establishments and attractions throughout the Hudson Valley between July 1 and 31 — including quite a few here in Dutchess County — and earn points as you go. The teams with the most points will have a chance to win the grand prize. There will be other drawings for those collecting fewer points, as well as other awards, including “Best Selfie,” “Best Team Spirit” and “Best Team Name.” It’s a fun way to visit some of the Hudson Valley’s many wonderful landmarks, restaurants, shops and businesses. Click here to get started!
Ongoing at the Omega Institute for Holistic Studies, Rhinebeck
Relax and recharge in the peaceful tranquility of Omega’s scenic 250-acre campus. The best part about an Omega retreat is that you call the shots — do as little or as much as you like. Enjoy simple, comfortable accommodations and delicious farm-to-table meals made with local, sustainable ingredients. Yoga, tai chi and meditation classes help you to exercise your body and mind. Take a canoe or a kayak out on Omega’s 80-acre Long Pond Lake, select a book from the more than 7,000 volumes on holistic living at Ram Dass Library, explore the garden and woodland trails, or hit the court for some pickleball, tennis or basketball. In the evening, enjoy some musical entertainment, settle in for a movie or gather by a bonfire. Click here to book a Rest & Rejuvenation Retreat. Omega will also be hosting Family Week July 26–31, 2026, a week where you and your family can leave behind the daily hustle and immerse yourselves in quality time together — filled with laughter, new friendships, and memorable experiences. Family Week features its own unique and carefully curated activities and workshops. Click here to learn more.
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Friday, July 3, 2026, 6 p.m., at Bannerman Castle, Pollepel Island, Beacon
Enjoy a movie night at Bannerman Castle that's 250 years in the making! On the eve of America's 250th birthday, enjoy a screening of the film "1776," which incorporates brilliant music with dialogue taken straight from the real letters and memoirs of the Founding Fathers in recounting the tense days leading up to the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. The film stars Blythe Danner, Ken Howard, Howard DaSilva and William Daniels. You'll step aboard the Estuary Steward tour boat and enjoy a scenic, refreshing ride from the Beacon dock to Pollepel Island in the Hudson River, home of Bannerman Castle, which was built in the early 1900s by Francis Bannerman as a place to store military surplus items. It's the perfect way to spend an enjoyable summer evening. Click here to make reservations.
Related: Check out our guide to July Fourth Fireworks and Celebrations
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Saturday and Sunday, July 11 and 12, 2026, 11 a.m.–5 p.m., at Dassai Blue Sake Brewery, Hyde Park
Tanabata, also known as the Star Festival, is a wonderful Japanese tradition celebrated each year on the seventh day of the seventh month. According to legend, two celestial lovers — Vega (known as Orihime) and Altair (known as Hikoboshi) — are separated by the Milky Way but are able to meet once a year on this special day. Dassai Blue, the state-of-the-art sake brewery from the prestigious Japanese sake brand Dassai, invites you to celebrate this festival with them. Enjoy music and activities, as well as an outdoor market with local artists, various food pop-ups, tuna-cutting, fresh sashimi available for purchase, and, of course, Dassai Blue sake! Click here to learn more about sake tastings at the brewery.
• New York Stage and Film Summer Season (July 10–Aug. 2, 2026, at Marist University, Poughkeepsie: New York Stage and Film has been an incubator for emerging and established artists and their work since 1985, and this summer’s annual festival on Marist University’s scenic riverfront campus features three weeks full of imaginative and insightful plays and musicals. Experience the next musical by Tony Award-winning director Bill Rauch at New York Stage and Film’s Summer Season at Marist University. Rauch, who won the 2026 Tony for Best Direction of a Musical for “Cats: The Jellicle Ball,” presents a reimagining of “Whistle Down the Wind,” the musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber featuring music by Webber and lyrics by legendary rock n’ roll songwriter Jim Steinman, who is famous for writing massive hits for Meat Loaf and Bonnie Tyler. Every performance of “Whistle Down the Wind” (July 31, Aug. 1, Aug. 2) will be fully bilingual in American Sign Language and spoken English. To see the complete season schedule and to purchase tickets, click here. Tickets are selling quickly, so don't wait!
• Powerhouse Theater (late June through July, 2026, at multiple locations at Vassar College, Poughkeepsie): Powerhouse Theater at Vassar College has been an invaluable resource for emerging artists and their groundbreaking works decades. In fact, the 2016 Tony Award winners for Best Play and Best Musical — Stephen Karam’s "The Humans" and Lin Manuel Miranda’s "Hamilton," — both trace their roots to Powerhouse. This upcoming summer season is sure to feature another superb lineup of imaginative and insightful plays, workshops and works-in-progress. Perhaps one of this year's productions will be the next big smash! This 40th anniversary season continues with great performances throughout July, including "A Simple Herstory" (July 24 and 26), the acclaimed genre-blurring performance project exploring the more than 100 women who have run for President of the United States. Returning for a rare third residency at Powerhouse, the newest installment of the raucously funny and thought-provoking serialized podcast examines Margaret Chase Smith and the volatile political climate surrounding mid-20th century Republican Party politics. Click here to see the 40th anniversary season schedule and to purchase tickets.
• SummerScape and Spiegeltent (June 25–Aug. 16, 2026, at the Fisher Center, Bard College, Annandale-on-Hudson): The action continues into July at Bard’s annual SummerScape! There are many highlights on this year’s festival schedule. Enjoy performances of “Suddenly Last Summer” (select dates through July 19), a thrilling new opera based on Tennessee Williams’ play by the same name; and of Richard Strauss' opera "The Egyptian Helen" (select dates, July 24–Aug. 2). The Spiegeltent, meanwhile, keeps the party hopping all summer long with live music performances, drinks and dancing. In the Spiegeltent, catch performances in the “Bluegrass on Hudson” series, as well as shows by Justin Vivian Bond ("music to lose your gay virginity by"), drag storyteller BenDeLaCreme, comedian and writer Jacqueline Novak, Hudson Valley-based singer-songwriter Al Olender, comedian Chanel Ali, and Spiegeltent favorite Martha Redbone, among many others. Click here to see the full lineup of SummerScape and Spiegeltent events and to purchase tickets.
Saturday, July 18, 2026, 4–10 p.m., at the Sound Garden at Barton Orchards, Poughquag
This is not your average Pride show! This show brings together New York’s top vocalists to perform songs you love in ways you’ve never heard before! You’ll see electrifying dancers, world-class drag performers, a powerhouse live band, and high-octane vocalists delivering show-stopping performances. Full bar, specialty cocktails, and concessions will be available for purchase throughout the night. Plus, enjoy a foam party, the Hey Girl-Hay Ride, local vendors, and more, along with the Amateur Drag Contest. Click here for details and ticket information.
Saturday and Sunday, July 18 and 19, 9 a.m.–6 p.m., at Fishkill Farms, Hopewell Junction
Celebrate one of summer's sweetest traditions at Fishkill Farms' Blueberry Bash — a berry-filled weekend of food, music, and family fun. Enjoy live music from talented local performers, treat yourself to blueberry-inspired specials from the Outdoor Food Stand, and pick up a freshly baked blueberry pie from the Farm Store to take home. The Treasury Cider Bar will be serving a special blueberry cocktail alongside signature hard cider flights, cheese boards, and other favorites. There's something for everyone, including food vendors, hands-on pottery workshops, and adoptable dogs from local rescue organizations looking for their forever homes. Of course, no trip to Fishkill Farms would be complete without venturing into the fields and orchards to pick your own fruit — their blueberries are certified organic, plump and delicious. Click here to make the required pick-your-own reservations.
Sunday, July 19, 2026 11:30 a.m., at The Millbrook School, Millbrook
This annual event showcases the farm-to-table cuisine and sustainable farming practices for which Dutchess County has become famous. Enjoy a delicious feast prepared by local chefs using locally sourced ingredients and featuring all your favorite Hudson Valley flavors. Click here to reserve tickets.
Plus, The Millbrook School is home to the Trevor-Lovejoy Zoo, a charming AZA-accredited zoo — the only one in the nation run by a high school — which features more than 160 exotic and indigenous animals, including several endangered species. Members of the school’s student body care for all the animals, and the zoo is open every day by reservation.
Related: Sign-up for the CIA Chef Finder Food Lovers Trail, a digital passport that helps you find Culinary Institute of America chefs who create world-class cuisine in the heart of New York’s Hudson Valley.
July 23–26, 2026, at the Riga Meadow Equestrian Center, Coole Park Farm, Amenia
Head to the rolling hills and bucolic countryside of Eastern Dutchess and celebrate the deeply rooted equestrian traditions of the Hudson Valley at the Millbrook Horse Trials. Enjoy four days of dressage, cross-country and show jumping competitions, as well as a country fair with vendors, food trucks, and family-friendly activities. The Millbrook Horse Trials is an important event on the national calendar and will feature roughly 400 competitors of all levels, from Olympic riders to local amateurs. Previous competitors have included Michael Plumb, the most decorated U.S. Olympic rider and the only equestrian to be inducted to the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame; and Olympic medalists Phillip Dutton, Leslie Law, and Karen O’Conner. Spectator admission and parking are free! Click here to see the full schedule of events.
Friday, July 31, 2026, 7:30 p.m., at Stissing Center for Arts & Culture, Pine Plains
Kazemde George returns to Stissing Center, this time in the intimate setting of The Grace Note, the Stissing Center's cozy downstairs venue. The Brooklyn-based jazz saxophonist, composer, and educator plays a full spectrum of musical styles blossoming from the African Diaspora, including Afro-Cuban, Afro-Caribbean, Afro-Brazilian, and African American traditions. George released his debut album, "I Insist," in October 2021. His second album, "Ocean Passage," was released earlier in 2026. His performances combine rich improvisation, rhythmic vitality, and soulful expression, creating an unforgettable experience for jazz lovers and new audiences alike. Click here to purchase tickets.
Now through Oct. 31 at Staatsburgh State Historic Site, Staatsburg
Here’s a fun activity for adults and kids alike. Explore the expansive grounds surrounding the Mills Mansion at Staatsburgh State Historic Site, complete 10 specific tasks and win a free ice cream cone from Stewart’s Shops! It’s a great way to learn more about this opulent Gilded Age estate on the banks of the Hudson as you enjoy the natural beauty and breathtaking views of the river and the Catskill Mountains. You’ll need a camera phone to complete the scavenger hunt. Click here to download the instructions and get started. The knowledgeable staff at Staatsburgh does a terrific job with its themed tours of the 79-room mansion, which is still decorated with the family’s original furniture and artwork. Among the most popular tours are the “Tales of the Titanic” tour — Ogden and Ruth Mills had tickets for the Titanic’s return voyage, which, of course, never happened — and the “Gilded Age Scandals” tour — Ogden and Ruth were upstanding citizens, but some of their Gilded Age friends and neighbors certainly were not! Click here to schedule a tour.
