Seminary Hill Orchard and Cidery Hosts Its Second Gathering of Regional Producers for a Day of Tastings, Live Music, and Special Menus
Callicoon, N.Y. (February 23, 2026) Seminary Hill Orchard and Cidery will host its second annual Catskills Cider Fest on Saturday, May 9, 2026, bringing New York State cider producers to its hillside orchard overlooking the Delaware River. The event returns after last year’s debut event drew cider makers and enthusiasts from across the region to the cidery, the world’s first to follow Passive building standards.
“New York is the country’s leading hard cider producer,” Governor Kathy Hochul wrote in her State of the State report in January 2026, “boasting more active cideries than any other state.” By bringing several established producers to pour in one place, Seminary Hill invites enthusiasts and novices alike to visit the Sullivan Catskills this spring, not to visit one producer, but to experience the best the region has to offer.
“We’ve always grown apples in Callicoon,” said Doug Doetsch, co-owner of Seminary Hill, who descends from five generations of farmers in the town, “but over the past decade, the region has become a serious cider country. Catskills Cider Fest is our way of bringing the community together in one place so people can experience the range of approaches that make up New York cider.”
The lineup of participating cideries will be released shortly. Last year’s event, in May 2025, included Brooklyn Cider House, Hudson North Cider Co., Indian Ladder Farms Cidery & Brewery, Little Apple Cidery, Nine Pin Hard Cider, Orchard Hill Tap House, Pennings Farm Cidery & Orchard, and Treasury Cidery.
The event will run from 1–5 PM on Saturday, May 9, 2026. Tickets are available on Resy for $20 per person. A menu of snacks and lunch items will be available outdoors (surcharge) during the event. The Tasting Room will serve two special prix-fixe dinner menus for $65 ($85 with cider pairings), with two seatings at 5:30 PM and 7:30 PM. Reservations are also available on Resy.
Accommodation is available at The Boarding House, Seminary Hill’s Michelin-Key hotel. Cider Fest guests who book two nights will get 15% off their stay. Seminary Hill has also partnered with The North Branch Inn, which will offer Cider Fest guests 10% off stays.
For more information or to plan a media visit, contact Nick Papa at [email protected] or (917) 679-2053.
About Seminary Hill
For owners Doug Doetsch and Susan Manning, Seminary Hill in Callicoon, N.Y., is a homecoming. Doetsch is descended from a Callicoon family, and the couple wanted to give back to the region. The result is a working cidery, the world’s first using Passive building standards, with a 12-acre orchard, full-service restaurant, and Michelin-Key boutique hotel. Visitors can immerse themselves in weekly tours and tastings where they’ll discover cider made from blends of over 60 apples and pear varieties grown on the property. Seminary Hill cider is available online with nationwide shipping and at select restaurants, bars, and wine, beer, and liquor stores in New York State. For more information, visit https://www.seminaryhill.co/.
