A harvest weekend in the North Fork Valley

Choose a weekend, then give it room.

A harvest-season visit can bring together several sides of the North Fork Valley: its wineries, working farms, markets, and creative community. Choose one main reason to come, then leave space around it. A market morning and a wine afternoon make a satisfying day without filling every hour.

For a festival weekend in 2026, look at September 24–27. Mountain Harvest Festival’s official schedule begins with Thursday evening activities, followed by wine and cider tastings, music, art, and gatherings through Sunday. The organizer links below are the place to check individual times and venues before setting your plans.

Friday: settle into Paonia.

Arrive with time to get your bearings and enjoy the town before the busiest part of the weekend. During Mountain Harvest Festival, Friday’s schedule includes an art walk on Grand Avenue and evening music. Pick the part that interests you, find something to eat, and let the evening unfold.

If you are visiting on a different weekend, check current local listings rather than expecting the festival program. A simple evening in town leaves you ready for a full day in wine country.

Saturday: a market morning or a farm visit.

Hotchkiss Saturday Market gathers growers and makers outside the Creamery Arts Center. VOGA lists the seasonal market on Saturdays from 10 am to 1 pm, May through October, weather permitting. It is a good place to begin with local produce and handmade goods; confirm the day’s hours before heading over.

On September 26, VOGA’s Mountain Harvest Festival farm tours are another option. The September newsletter lists visits from 10 am to 2 pm at participating farms around Hotchkiss and Paonia. Follow the festival’s farm-tour information for locations and any changes. Choose a few stops with time between them, especially if you also want to visit wineries.

Make space for a wine day.

Keep your winery plans manageable. Check opening hours and appointment needs, allow travel time between stops, and arrange the driving before tasting. If Saturday is already full of farm visits or festival activities, give the wineries their own part of Sunday instead.

A guided wine tour can help bring that part of the weekend together. Tell us your dates, group size, and which events you hope to attend so we can discuss a suitable wine-tour plan. Event admission, meals, and event transportation are separate arrangements unless specifically confirmed.

October has its own reasons to visit.

The calendar continues after the festival. On October 6, the Produce Variety Tasting runs from 5 to 7 pm at Arbol Farmers Market in Paonia Town Park. It is an opportunity to try different fruits and vegetables with CSU’s Rogers Mesa research station.

Thistle Whistle’s October 11 Harvest Dinner begins with a farm visit at 4 pm, a pepper tasting at 5 pm, and dinner at 6 pm. Use the organizer’s RSVP form to check availability and arrangements. VOGA’s Farmers Social at Big B’s follows on October 14, with another gathering November 11.

Browse our Events view for the next dates and organizer links. The listings include artwork from the event organizers; the photographs in this article show the surrounding region.