Beak & Skiff Apple Orchards has been growing apples in Lafayette, New York, since 1911. Somewhere along the way — around 2015 — someone realized that a scenic hillside orchard 20 minutes south of Syracuse, with sunset views over rolling Central New York farmland, might also be a pretty good place to watch a concert. They were right. The summer concert series at Beak & Skiff has become one of the most distinctive outdoor music experiences in Upstate New York, blending the laid-back energy of a farm visit with the production quality of a proper touring show.
The venue holds 4,000 people on the lawn surrounding the 1911 Stage — an outdoor performance area named after the year the orchard was founded. On concert nights, the farm transforms. The apple trees do not go anywhere, the cider is still flowing, and the sunset still does its thing over the hills to the west. But the stage, the sound system, and the lights are professional-grade, and the artists who play here are not local cover bands — they are national touring acts who chose an orchard over an arena because the setting is that good.
The 1911 Stage
The outdoor concert area is built into the Apple Hill Campus — the same complex that houses the 1911 Tasting Room, the farm store, and the orchard’s cidery and distillery operations. The stage faces a gently sloping lawn where concertgoers spread out with blankets and low-backed chairs. General admission is the standard format, with premium areas available near the stage for some shows.
Sightlines from the lawn are excellent. The natural slope gives the back rows elevation over the front, and the open-air setting means there are no obstructed views — just an unbroken line from your blanket to the stage with apple trees framing the periphery. Sound quality is strong for an outdoor venue. The production team brings touring-grade PA systems, and the lack of walls or a roof means the audio is clean without the reflections that plague enclosed spaces.
The vibe is deliberately casual. This is not a venue where you stand in a packed crowd pressed against a barrier. It is a place where people bring picnic spreads, pour a glass of 1911 hard cider, and settle into an evening that starts with golden-hour warmth and ends under the stars. Families, couples, and friend groups all mix comfortably. The energy is more backyard gathering than mosh pit, which is exactly the point.
The Cider and Spirits
Beak & Skiff’s 1911 Established brand — named after the founding year — produces hard cider, spirits, and wine on-site, and the concert series is integrated with the tasting room experience. Before the show, you can sample hard ciders, vodka, and gin made from the orchard’s own apples. During the show, the bars on the concert lawn serve the same products alongside beer and wine.
The flagship hard ciders are the draw — crisp, well-balanced, and made from apples grown on the property you are standing on. The 1911 Honeycrisp cider is the bestseller for a reason. The spirits are produced in a small-batch distillery on the premises, and the vodka has won awards that would surprise people who associate apple orchards with hayrides and doughnuts.
Who Plays Here
The summer concert series runs from late spring through early fall, typically booking 8 to 12 headline shows per season. The acts are national touring artists who fit the venue’s atmosphere — think indie rock, Americana, folk-adjacent, and the kind of bands whose fans appreciate a scenic setting as much as the setlist. Recent seasons have included acts like Cake, Wilco, and Hot Mulligan alongside regional favorites and emerging artists.
The 4,000-person capacity is intimate by touring standards, which means the shows sell out. Artists who might play a 2,000-seat theater in Syracuse choose Beak & Skiff for the experience — the orchard setting, the enthusiastic crowd, and the kind of evening that turns a concert into a memory. If a show you want to see is announced, buy tickets early. The lawn has a hard cap, and popular dates move fast.
Getting There
Beak & Skiff is at 4473 Cherry Valley Turnpike (Route 20) in Lafayette, about 20 minutes south of Syracuse via I-81 to Route 20 East. The drive from downtown Syracuse is easy and scenic — you are in farm country within 15 minutes of leaving the highway. From the Capital Region, plan on about two and a half hours via I-90 West.
Parking is on-site in the orchard’s lots, included with your ticket. The lots are large and well-organized — the farm handles thousands of visitors during apple-picking season, so concert-night parking is routine. Arrive 30-45 minutes before showtime to park, grab a cider, and claim your lawn spot.
The Lafayette Scene
Lafayette is a small town, so pre-show dining options in the immediate area are limited. Most concertgoers either eat at the orchard — Beak & Skiff has food vendors on-site during concerts — or stop in nearby Cazenovia or Syracuse on the way.
Brae Loch Inn in Cazenovia (15 minutes east) is a Scottish-themed restaurant in a historic inn with a full dinner menu and the kind of character that makes the detour worthwhile. Brewster Inn, also in Cazenovia on the shore of Cazenovia Lake, serves refined American fare in a setting that feels like an occasion. For something quicker on the Syracuse side, Dinosaur Bar-B-Que on Willow Street in downtown Syracuse is a legendary BBQ joint with live music of its own — smoked ribs and a cold beer before heading to the orchard is not a bad way to start the evening.
Insider Tips
- Bring a blanket, not a tall chair. Low-backed chairs are permitted. Tall chairs block sightlines and you will be asked to move. A blanket is the most popular option.
- Try the 1911 Honeycrisp. The flagship cider is made from apples grown on the property. It is crisp, refreshing, and perfect for a summer concert evening.
- Shows sell out. The 4,000-person cap is firm. Do not wait to buy tickets for an act you want to see — popular shows move fast.
- Layer up for evening. The orchard sits on a hillside south of Syracuse, and temperatures drop once the sun goes down. A hoodie or flannel is essential for late-season shows.
- Make it a day trip. Apple picking (fall), the tasting room, and the farm store are all worth exploring before the concert. Arrive early and lean into the full Beak & Skiff experience.
View the full concert schedule and purchase tickets at beakandskiff.com.