HARVEST FEST 2026: RECORD CROWDS, A THOUSAND STORIES & ONE UNEXPECTED NIGHT IN THE CATSKILLS!

Seven hours, a 500 mg rosin drink, a $3,000 dab rig, a band with its own dancing army, and a nighttime walk through bear country. What could possibly go wrong?

Welcome to OG Strain’s experience at the 30th Annual NY Harvest Fest, where the cannabis was flowing, the music was rocking, the community was showing out, and my brain cells were apparently taking the day off!

I haven’t attended all 30 festivals. OG Strain is still relatively new to the Harvest Fest scene, and this was only my third or fourth time attending. But I can tell you this with confidence: I’ve never seen a Harvest Fest this packed! From the vendors to the festivalgoers, the entire place was buzzing with energy. Everywhere I turned, people were smiling, laughing, catching up with old friends, and making new ones. The vibes were overwhelmingly positive, and that alone made the trip worthwhile.

But the people were only part of the story. New York’s cannabis scene is bringing some serious heat these days, and this festival was a showcase of just how far the quality has come. The flower, cold-cure rosin, hash, edibles, and everything in between were impressive. If anyone still thinks New York isn’t producing some outstanding cannabis, they need to get out from under that rock and come see what’s happening!

MUSIC, MOUNTAIN AIR, AND A RING OF FIRE

The weather couldn’t have cooperated much better. Daytime felt like a classic Indian summer, with sunshine warming the festival grounds. Once the sun disappeared behind the Catskills, however, that mountain chill arrived in a hurry.

Thankfully, fire pits were scattered throughout the grounds. The one near Higher Beings powered by Hudson Valley Green was especially memorable. It looked like a ring of fire burning on top of a pile of ice!

I was so lifted that I spent several minutes staring at the thing, trying to figure out why the ice wasn’t melting. Eventually, curiosity won, and I picked one up. It was glass made to look like ice, and yes, it was warm to the touch.

Apparently, I needed a science lesson along with my cannabis experience!

The music was another highlight, particularly Skeleton Crewe. I spent some time near a group of their particularly enthusiastic fans, and it was obvious this band has a following of its own. People were dancing, enjoying themselves, and clearly there for the music as much as anything else. That’s what I love about an event like this: cannabis brings people together, but the experience has something for everybody.

A 500 MG DRINK AND A VERY EXPENSIVE DAB RIG

My day got off to an interesting start. After the walk from the parking area, I was thirsty enough to make some questionable hydration decisions. I picked up a rosin-infused drink advertised at 500 mg and proceeded to chug the whole thing.

Let’s just say I wasn’t easing into the afternoon!

I don’t remember the company’s name offhand, but the drink tasted great, and I was feeling mighty comfortable not long afterward. Consider that a reminder from OG Strain: read the label, understand the serving size, and don’t treat a high-dose infused drink like a bottle of ordinary water. Edibles and infused beverages can take time to kick in, and taking more before you feel the effects can lead to an unexpectedly intense experience.

Soon after arriving, I also got to take a dab with Kev from Higher Beings using his custom Higher Beings dab rig, reportedly worth around $3,000.

That’s right. Three thousand dollars!

It was a beautiful piece, and it delivered a seriously satisfying hit. But with my luck, I could already picture myself dropping it, watching it shatter, and having to sell every jar in my collection to pay for it. So Kev held the rig while I concentrated on the important part: enjoying the dab!

OLD FRIENDS, NEW FACES, AND A COMMUNITY TOO BIG FOR ONE ARTICLE

One of the best parts of Harvest Fest was running into so many familiar faces. Honestly, trying to name everybody is a challenge. There were so many conversations, handshakes, hugs, and unexpected encounters that I’m bound to leave somebody out. If I do, forgive me. I’m better with faces than names, and after a day like this, my remaining brain cells were probably holding a staff meeting about whether to quit.

I was thrilled to run into Tony Toothpicks, who came up behind me with a big hug. He loves the song I created for Canna Mafia, especially the bars where I mention him by name. Seeing somebody genuinely enjoy something you’ve created is a great feeling.

I also caught up with my little bro, the Half Baked Homie, who’s been building his own cannabis strain-review channel and getting better all the time. He was out there reviewing three different strains on camera. I later watched one of his videos and realized he’d been trying to get me involved in a collaboration reviewing a strain called Dopamine. That’s one I wanted to try, too! Unfortunately, I was busy filming my own footage and missed the moment. We still got to hang out, enjoy some gummies, and puff together, so we’ll have to make that collaboration happen another time.

Another meaningful encounter was with Jon Dow, brother of Christopher Dow. I heard there was a tribute to Christopher happening onstage and hurried over with my camera, but I arrived too late to capture it. I did find Jon, though, and we spent a good amount of time hanging out near the stage.

Sometimes the moments you don’t capture on camera end up being the ones you appreciate most.

THE CANNABIS CUP: THREE STRAINS AND ONE SURPRISE

With so many entries in the Cannabis Cup, I only managed to try three strains. One of them turned out to be the winning entry, although I can’t confidently recall its exact name. I remember it as a fruity, chocolatey strain with a lavender-like character, but I won’t pretend to remember details I didn’t verify.

I also tried Blue Cheese from Higher Beings and a Blueberry Muffin strain that I believe came from No Mountain Higher, although I didn’t confirm the producer.

Speaking of No Mountain Higher, I stopped by their booth after the crew invited me over. Billy hooked me up with some homemade hash, and they had plenty of attractive flower and interesting products on display. I enjoyed spending time with Billy, Andy, and the rest of the crew.

Right next door, Central Oddities had the kind of booth that makes you stop walking and start asking questions. We’re talking unusual specimens, reptiles, skulls, and all sorts of bizarre curiosities, including a human skull reportedly dating back to seventeenth-century England.

If you like your shopping experience with a little horror-movie energy, that booth was right up your alley!

I also encountered the MILF brand, saw familiar cannabis personality Sammy Sativa, and spent time with Smuggles 518, who stopped by to shake my hand. Melissa Dopp, attending her first Harvest Fest, told me she was impressed with the turnout and had come for the rosin, music, and company. Sounds like she understood the assignment!

And I can’t forget Stickman Body Care, a Harvest Fest regular who always shows up in character with an impressive table and products. This year, Stickman took second place in the edible competition with his chicken-tasting tincture. I let him put some on my tongue, and I couldn’t believe how much it tasted like breaded fried chicken.

Fried chicken flavor in a tincture? My taste buds needed a minute to process that one. It was wild, and it delivered noticeable effects, too!

Later in the evening, I spotted a glassblower working right at his table, making pipes and bongs in front of the crowd. I didn’t catch his name, but that footage will be in my upcoming highlight video.

THE PEOPLE WHO MADE IT SPECIAL

I was happy to connect with Sarah, Kevin, and the whole Higher Beings crew, along with Collaboration Nation, Marley, Jay, Ivan from Central Oddities, and so many others. I also briefly caught festival organizer Rob Robinson, long enough to shake his hand and give him a hug before he was off running the show again.

Rob was busy doing what organizers do: approximately seventeen jobs at once while somehow keeping the whole operation moving. I only got about 30 seconds with him, but I did capture him throwing joints into the crowd during the Cannabis Cup. I’ll have that footage in my upcoming video.

A huge thank-you goes to Rob Robinson, the festival team, and everyone who helped bring this 30th anniversary together. Events of this size take a tremendous amount of work behind the scenes, and the turnout was a testament to the effort that goes into making Harvest Fest happen year after year.

I caught up briefly with Danni Burns from Hudson Valley Green, too. Unfortunately, he had to leave before we could spend much time together. I’ll be looking to catch up with him soon, because I always appreciate what he brings to New York’s cannabis scene.

I picked up some flower from Hudson Valley Green through Higher Beings powered by Hudson Valley Green, along with cold-cure rosin from Higher Beings. The flower and rosin were different products, and I’m looking forward to enjoying them more. Higher Beings also sweetened my purchase with some edibles at half price. That’s the sort of math even a stoner can appreciate!

Finally, Justin Appler from The Basement Chronicles showed up later in the evening, and I got to chill with him before heading out. Those last conversations were a great way to wrap up the festival.

SEVEN HOURS THAT FELT LIKE TWO — UNTIL MY HIP HAD SOMETHING TO SAY

Time flew. I spent roughly seven hours at the festival, but it felt like maybe two. The only thing keeping track of time better than my phone was my hip, which had apparently appointed itself the official event timer.

I’d been on my feet for hours, and my legs were reminding me that I’m not exactly built like a twenty-year-old marathon runner anymore.

Still, I might have stayed longer if not for the journey back to the car.

Remember that parking situation? My car was a long walk away, down the road and across a field toward the woods. By the time I headed back, it was dark, my phone was dead, and I was alone in the Catskills thinking about bears.

And not the cute bears from children’s books, either. Actual bears.

With all the talk about increased bear activity in New York, my imagination was working overtime. Add some cannabis to the equation, a painful hip, and my own concerns about being disabled and moving more slowly, and suddenly every shadow looked like it might have four paws.

I made it to the car without incident, but my phone needed about 45 minutes of charging before I had enough battery to navigate home. Then came the roughly ninety-minute drive, a stop at Wendy’s because the munchies had filed a formal complaint, and finally, home.

I had some food, settled in, and got the rest my body desperately needed.

I slept hard. So hard, in fact, that I slept through the morning and missed church. I still planned to attend the evening Mass because, despite all the joking, my gratitude for the day was very real.

WHY I’M ALREADY LOOKING FORWARD TO NEXT YEAR

The 30th Annual NY Harvest Fest was more than a crowded festival with great products and live music. It was a reminder of what makes this community special.

It was the friends who greeted me with hugs. The people who invited me to their booths. The vendors proud to show off their work. The bands bringing people together through music. The strangers who became familiar faces. And the organizers who worked behind the scenes to create a place where so many people could spend a day enjoying themselves.

I know I haven’t mentioned everybody by name, and for that, I sincerely apologize. There were simply too many people and too many great moments to fit them all into one article. If we crossed paths, shared a laugh, took a dab, or had a conversation, thank you for being part of my day.

To Rob Robinson, Skeleton Crewe, the vendors, the performers, the volunteers, my friends, and every festivalgoer who helped make this anniversary memorable: thank you.

And to anyone who missed this year’s event, take it from me: put next year’s Harvest Fest on your calendar. If you love cannabis, music, community, and meeting people who share your interests, this is an experience worth having.

I’m already looking forward to the next one.

In the meantime, I’ve got nearly three hours of footage to edit for the annual highlight video on Strain’s Strain Reviews (Talk Cannabis). Don’t worry, I’m not making you sit through three hours of me talking! I’ll do my best to turn it into something entertaining, so subscribe and hit that notification bell to catch it when it drops.

After all, the best way to relive a great day is to share it with the people who made it special.

I left Harvest Fest with sore legs, a tired hip, a dead phone, a full stomach, and a heart full of gratitude.

God blessed me with another day surrounded by good people, good music, and a community I’m proud to be part of.

And that, my friends, is a Harvest Fest worth remembering.

OG Strain out. Stay elevated, stay grateful, and I’ll see y’all next year!

— OG Strain
Host of Strain’s Strain Reviews (Talk Cannabis)
Author for The Plug’s Pages Magazine

https://youtube.com/@ogstraintheoriginalog?si=EVvov4bM7f6zuRBn