FREE with Community Day Admission

Morning Light—Sunrise at Innisfree | 6am
Innisfree will open about one hour before sunrise, a special opportunity for photographers, painters, birders, and anyone else who would like to experience spectacular golden morning light gradually flooding the garden. Cameras, easels, friends, family, coffee and sunrise picnics welcome.

WISH TREE for Innisfree | 6am-5pm
Make a wish and make art. Pick up a paper tag at our visitor kiosk, write your wish on it, and gently tie the tag to twine wrapping the massive, outstretched limbs of our WISH TREE, a magnificent old white oak on the South Lawn between the Terraces and The Point. The wind then carries your wish off into the ether. WISH TREE is an ongoing interactive artwork that invites people around the world to write down their personal wishes for peace and tie them to a tree. It was launched 25 years ago by Yoko Ono.

Landscape Frames | 6am-5pm
In the true spirit of the Picturesque or Romanticism, we invite you to see beauty, to see the landscape as art by looking at it through a series of frames. Craftsman Aidan McGiff created three frames of local red oak that are installed in our picnic area. Look and see Innisfree transformed.

All-Ages Art Workshop: Create a Fall Forest on Paper | 10am-4pm
Local artists and art educators John McGiff and Elizabeth McGiff (along with local students) will help garden visitors of all ages stamp a fall forest in paint on paper using Indian woodblocks carved with incredible patterns of leaves and flowers. In addition to work to take home, participants can help Innisfree create forest murals to adorn our cider tasting at the end of the day.

Docent Tour | 10:30am
Join one of our knowledgeable volunteer docents for a 30-minute introductory tour of Innisfree.

Programs that require special registration but include Community Day garden admission:

Forest Bathing | 10:30am-noon
“By opening our senses, [forest bathing] bridges the gap between us and the natural world” (Time Magazine). This is exactly what Lester Collins envisioned Innisfree doing for garden visitors. Deceptively simple, forest bathing is the mindful experiencing of nature. It has been shown to reduce stress and boost the immune system, cardiovascular strength, and cognitive functioning. Certified forest therapy guide Nancy Kopans will lead a gentle, healing walk through Innisfree. Participants should wear comfortable walking shoes and dress for the weather. Register here

Qigong for Gardeners | 2pm-3pm (Group size is limited. If your admission is free, this program is free, but you still need to sign up.)
Serious gardeners know to take care of their tools. But what about the most important gardening tool of all, your body? Join us for an hour of easy and effective “joint oiling” exercises from Qigong led by local exercise/movement therapist Cris Caivano. Qigong may sound exotic, but it is a practical approach that helps us move with the same effortless flow as nature. Evolved over centuries and based on observations of how water, plants, and animals move, the flowing and unforced exercises of Qigong bring circulation and flexibility back to the spine, shoulders, hips, knees, and hands. This all-ages program is beginner-friendly. Register here

Autumn Tasting: American Cider at Innisfree with Dan Pucci and Craig Cavallo | 4:30pm-6pm
As the day winds down in what is traditionally the peak of fall in the Hudson Valley, gather with family and friends beside Tyrrel Lake to savor the beauty of Innisfree Garden and two great American ciders selected by Craig Cavallo of the Golden Russet Café & Grocery in Rhinebeck. If you would like to pair yours with appetizers or a picnic supper, bring your own basket of goodies or pre-order local, seasonal food expertly prepared with cider in mind by Babette’s Kitchen in Millbrook.

Craig Cavallo and Dan Pucci, co-authors of American Cider (Ballantine Books, 2021), engaging storytellers and acknowledged experts on the subject, will discuss the two ciders we are tasting, touching on the rich history of this ancient alcoholic beverage and the vibrant culture of farmers and makers who craft it today. They will be happy to answer questions, and copies of their book will be available.
Register here