Autumn time means Harvest season, and with that comes the end of music festival season in the Northeast. Starting at Noon on Saturday, October 25, the Hudson Valley town of Palenville will host the 29th annual NY Harvest Fest Cannabis Cup at The Griffin House, featuring live music, Cannabis Cup, art gallery and much more.

Right in the shadow of the majestic Catskill Mountains, The Griffin House stands out as a spectacular and memorable venue for NY Harvest Fest Cannabis Cup, having a rustic charm with outdoor spaces, a private lawn, beer garden with fire pit, panoramic mountain and waterfall views, enhancing the festival atmosphere beyond just the displays and stages. The Griffin House offers a unique, immersive ambiance, where atmosphere, artistry, and the outdoors combine in an extraordinary setting for a celebration of cannabis culture.
The Cannabis Cup will feature hash, edibles and flower contests, all attendees to Harvest Fest get to be judge at the longest running cannabis competition in America, starting naturally at 4:20pm. Additionally, more than 20 gifted artists, vendors and legacy participants will be on hand, offering premium cannabis products and one-of-a-kind handmade art. Additionally, a focus on plant medicine will be the focus of this year’s Harvest Fest.

Founder of NY Harvest Festival and Freedom Fair, Rob Robinson, offered insight on the shift from a three-day event to a single day for the 29th installment: “After a lifetime of service to the cannabis community and decades spent fighting for law reforms, I’ve learned that change is the one constant — and that sometimes, change is the very thing that keeps a legacy alive. The world we fought so hard for is here: the plant is legal, widely used, and even embraced by the same governments that once opposed it.”
Reflecting on the community that has support Harvest Fest and Cannabis Cup for three decades, Robinson shared at the festival and cup “Deserve a legacy worth carrying forward, and my hope is that all of you — who have shown unwavering commitment to the Damn Sam family, Harvest Fest, and the Cannabis Cup in countless ways — will continue to stand with us as this event transforms. Without the amazing, diverse community of attendees we’ve had over the years, the Harvest Festival & Freedom Fair would never have become what it is today. You are as much a part of this legacy as the music, the competitions, and the cause.”
Tickets are structured so that the full day pass includes both the Cannabis Cup and after-party, with a separate after-party ticket option for those skipping daytime sessions. More info below.

The gallery at this year’s Harvest Fest highlights an impressive lineup of artists, including Mike Dubois – a celebrated Woodstock native and longtime artist for the Grateful Dead – as well as the inspired works of Mikio Kennedy, Laura Leigh, and Jim Schutt.
The 2025 Harvest Fest includes a Halloween Costume Ball with a “Cup for Best Costume.” This contest is part of the after-party and features the only East Coast performance of Skeleton Crewe, featuring members of Dead & Company (Jay Lane), Wolf Bros (Barry Sless), and Dark Star Orchestra (Rob Barraco), along with Stephen Inglis (Grammy-nominated Hawaiian slack key guitarist) and Pete Sears (Jefferson Starship, Moonalice, Steve Kimock).

Special for Harvest Fest, Skeleton Crewe will offer two sets of high-level artistry during an intimate evening of original compositions, Grateful Dead interpretations, and dynamic improvisations spanning genres from traditional Hawaiian to psychedelic Americana. “This collaboration represents a unique moment in time where three distinct musical paths converge,” notes Barraco. “We’re creating something entirely new while honoring the traditions we each bring to the table.”
Woodstock’s Shady Groove and Hudson Valley favorite Ramona Lane will also perform, with additional performers to be announced.

An offshoot of the Misty Mountain Ramblers, Shady Groove is a genre-blending band from Woodstock, delivering a dynamic mix of rock, blues, funk, and Americana. Drawing from a wide range of influences, the band fuses styles and incorporates improvisation to create a unique sound that keeps audiences dancing, because it’s all about the groove.

Shady Groove features a lineup of seasoned musicians: Jamie Flynn guitar, Tom Bowler bass, Peter Dougan guitar, Mike DuBois drums, Kenny Schneidman keyboards. Collectively, the members have performed and collaborated with a wide array of artists and bands across New York City and the Hudson Valley.
Ramona Lane, a rock quartet of suave flannel-clad showmen hail from New York on an auditory rhythm rollercoaster of punk. Drawing influence from The White Stripes, Third Eye Blind, and Say Anything, as well as hip hop, alternative, and blues, the group has perfected their signature sound at O+ Festival in Kingston and Rosendale Street Festival, appeared on WDST Radio Woodstock as well as numerous venues throughout the Hudson Valley.

Early beginnings of college jam sessions gradually turned into practice sessions as singer-songwriter Jordan Pacht and classmate Eric Sorensen joined forces in their college chorus and guitar ensemble music program. The band realized its potential when aspiring drummer Carl Fagerstrom joined the group followed shortly after by the addition of Kyle Carlson on lead guitar and keys.
With the four forces of funk fully united, the group grew more substantial and connected over time. Ramona Lane’s first independently produced full-length album Overnight was released in August 2024.
A few ticket locations in the Hudson Valley offer No Fees for cash purchases: Happy Life Productions (Woodstock), Shakedown Street (Oneonta), Budd’s Dispensary (Catskill), Kaaterskill Liquors (Tannersville) and Circle W Market (Palenville).
Harvest Festival Cannabis Cup will start from 12 p.m. and run until 12 a.m., where advance tickets are priced at $40 and $55 at the door. Advanced after party tickets are priced at $25 and $35 at the door.
For tickets, please visit damnsam.com
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