A County Fair, a Food Truck Festival, a Bluegrass Festival, a Heritage Fair – it’s all happening now or coming up soon in the Adirondacks! Brush up on events and quick news tidbits below.
Summer Events Are Rocking & Rolling
Here’s what’s going on:
- Franklin County Fair: through August 15
- Plattsburgh Bluegrass Festival: August 12 – 15
- Franklin County Fair Demolition Derby: August 13
- Adirondack Riverfront Arts Festival: August 13
- Food Truck Friday in Brant Lake: August 13 (and other dates)
- Raquette Lake’s Busiest Day: August 14
- Long Lake Town-wide Garage Sale: August 14
- Heritage Fair in Lake Placid: August 14
- Cheese Jam at Nettle Meadow Farm: August 14
- Long Lake Annual Black Bear Championship Pistol Match: August 14 & 15
- Gore Mountain Master Craft Series: August 15 (and other dates)
- Franklin County Fair Tractor Pull: August 15
- Adirondack Folk Music Festival: August 15
Browse the full events calendar for more >>
Quick ADK News on a Well-Traveled Butterfly & Invasive Species

A Paul Smith’s Butterfly Made It to Mexico
A tagged Monarch butterfly from Paul Smith’s College Visitors Interpretive Center (VIC) was discovered in El Rosario, Mexico, 3,000 miles from Paul Smith’s Butterfly House; the small creatures are fitted with a sticker and an individual number to track their journey south. Impressive!
You can check out the Butterfly House yourself, which is open for free to visitors daily from 9am to 5pm through September 6, and on weekends after that.
Attention Pool Owners: Keep An Eye Out for This Bug
The DEC is encouraging swimming pool owners to participate in their annual Asian Longhorned Beetle Swimming Pool Survey. During late summer, these invasive insects emerge as adults and leave their host tree – and are often seen in pools or filters. Even if you don’t have a swimming pool you can help take photos of, and report, the beetle. Read more and see photos here.
Aquatic Invasive Species Numbers Down, Despite More Boats
In related news, there was a reported 25% increase in 2020 in boats and boaters, according to boat launch stewards, compared to the previous three years – but, there were fewer invasive species discovered on these boats!
The most common invasive species found on boats was Eurasian watermilfoil; the most common invasive animal species was Zebra mussels. Inspection stations will be open through Columbus Day Weekend.
Discover a new Adirondack attraction and plan for an adventure >>
Sources:
- Adirondack Almanack: A tagged Monarch Butterfly from Paul Smith’s found in Mexico
- North Country Public Radio: Report: Boat numbers up, invasive species down in the Adirondacks for 2020