October 2nd through the 17th is Cider Week New York. It’s sponsored by New York State twice a year in May and again in October as an opportunity to celebrate and promote New York’s booming cider industry and the States’ stellar breweries in an exciting way.

This year’s Fall Cider Week will feature thirty-seven of New York’s finest cider producers from across the State and Highland’s own award-winning Shrewd Fox Brewery is one of them.

In celebration The Shrewd Fox Brewery will be holding an Uktoberfest in their lovely Beer Garden at the Brewery from noon to 5pm on October 2nd. The day will feature tasting tents for their beer and ciders featuring hops, grains and malts from the brewery owners, Cindy and Bill Lenczuk native Ukraine, creating a unique taste profile only found here in the Town of Highland for exceptional pure, clean local beer and ciders.

You can jump start your Cider Week by sampling the Brewery’s amazing hard cider recipes featuring ciders made from only New York State apples from the beautiful Finger Lakes region that are non-GMO, gluten free and avoids using any chemicals, additives and preservatives commonly found in industrially produced beers and ciders.

The Brewery’s Uktoberfest Tasting Package which includes eight different samplings of their craft beers, hard ciders, and fine wines from the Bashakill Winery cost $20.00 and an ID card is required. There will be a food tent at the festival serving a very popular nouvelle cuisine spin on several traditional Ukrainian food specialties selected for their excellent pairing with the Brewery’s ciders and are available for separate purchase.

The River Ramblers Band will be on hand with classic soft rock music and then with your cider glass in hand you can sit back for some traditional music featuring Ukrainian musician Walt SIZZLE Nenko. There is plenty of comfortable covered seating in the Garden at the umbrella tables.

Both Bill and Cindy are big soccer fans and great supporters and sponsor an adult men’s and kids Ukrainian-American soccer team called Ukrainian Sitch that for many years operated a training camp in Glen Spey and now competes in the highest level of amateur soccer in New Jersey.

Some members of the team will bring a soccer target game to the UktoberFest for some fun. The Shrewd Fox Brewery is located at 552 State Route 55 in Eldred and for more information you can visit their website at shrewdfoxbrewery.com or their Facebook page.

The Town of Highland Lions Club is having their Krispy Kreme Donut Sale on Saturday, October 9th-the Columbus Day weekend. You can preorder in advance the premium filled donut varieties-lemon, crème, raspberry, and chocolate iced by calling Martha Worzel at (845) 557-6973 and your order must be in by Friday October 1st. The filled donuts cost $8.00 per half dozen.

During the donut sale on October 9th there will be the Krispy Kreme’s popular glazed donuts at $9.00 a dozen. The Krispy Kreme sale will be held in the Constable’s garage next to the Highland Town Hall on Proctor Road across from Pecks. All the sale proceeds fund the Lion’s ongoing scholarship and public service programs.

Ok it’s time for a good old top to bottom household cleaning so drink some extra strong coffee and get moving because Saturday, October 2nd from 8-Noon is Fall Clean Up-or as we all call it “Dump Day” in the Town of Highland. As you well know- Clean Up Day does not take place at the dump -the Transfer Station on Route 55. It is now located at the Highway Department at 719 Route 55 behind the Senior Citizens Center.

The flyer for the Clean Up has many more “no’s” than what you can actually dispose of. Small appliances and scrap metal can be brought to the Transfer Station for free-as usual. Big appliances like stoves freezers and refrigerators, computers, monitors, televisions, mattresses must also go to the Transfer Station, and as usual you will end up paying the regular fees.

At the Highway Department Clean-up Day location, they won’t accept tires, fuel tanks, oil drums, propane tanks, outside yard waste, household garbage, paint cans, petroleum products or pesticides or any other hazardous waste. If you are bringing drums or tanks, they must be empty and cut open or crushed.

Residents must pick up a Clean Up Day Pass from the Town Clerk’s Office during regular business hours and while there you can pick up the Clean Up event Flyer as well. On one Pass you have allowed one pickup truck per household. For more information go to the Town of Highland Facebook page or website.