The Carrot Festival is being held in person and everyone is invited! The 43rd annual Carrot Festival features a full day of family offerings including children's activities, vendors and crafters, farm-fresh produce, a community service area, and of course fabulous food and carrot cake.

Representatives from various organizations will be on hand providing plenty of fun for kids of all ages. Highlights include activities from miSci and plenty of “friends” to pet from Reptile Adventure. The “touch-a-truck” area, which started in 2018, gives children and adults the opportunity to see, touch and explore various types of vehicles. An ambulance, a bus, a fire truck, the News 10 ABC Storm Tracker, and an airplane will be on hand for all to enjoy. The Schenectady County Sheriff’s Department will provide safe child ID cards.

For those who enjoy shopping, vendors and crafters will be on hand selling items from candles to kitchen supplies to pet supplies to jewelry and lots more.  In addition, as has been the case since the very first Carrot Festival 43 years ago, farm-fresh produce (loose and packed in beautiful bags) and mums from The Carrot Barn will be for sale at the Rose and Paul Westheimer produce tent. 

A community service area will highlight a number of community-based agencies serving capital region residents.  The partnership with CDTA will also continue, giving festival-goers the opportunity to “Stuff the Bus” with much-needed supplies for five community organizations.  The Animal Protective Foundation, SiCM, YWCA Women’s Shelter, The RED Bookshelf, and the Department of Veteran’s Affairs are this year’s beneficiaries, and their lists can be found on the Carrot Festival website.

The stars of the Carrot Festival are always the carrot cake and the food, and this year will be no different!  To help keep the atmosphere safe and comfortable for everyone, all food is being prepared “to go” so that there will be less handling.  Attendees are welcome to bring their food home, or enjoy it on the grounds. 

Organizers are encouraging masks to be worn while outdoors, and requiring masks to be worn while indoors.  In addition, a drive-thru will be available for those who are not quite comfortable being in large crowds.  The drive thru will give people the opportunity to purchase carrot cake and produce bags, and drop off their “Stuff the CDTA Bus” donations.  It is important to note that all of this will also be available directly on the grounds.  Activities throughout the grounds will be spread out, keeping the atmosphere as safe as possible for all who attend.  There will be no live entertainment; instead, local radio station B95.5 will be on hand providing music.

For more information, please contact the synagogue office at 518-393-9211.  Additional details can be found at https://www.agudatachim.com/community-engagement/carrot-festival/.