Hoedown

event

Hoedown: 40 Years

Saturday, August 15 and Sunday, August 16, 2026 9:00 A.M. EST Saturday – 4:00 P.M. EST Sunday
Watkins Glen, NY

Celebrate with Farm Sanctuary at Hoedown!

This August 15-16, come celebrate four decades of compassion, courage, and change at Farm Sanctuary’s Hoedown: 40 Years!

This special event will bring our movement together for a weekend of renowned speakers, powerful storytelling, compassionate community, and unforgettable moments with our animal residents.

And for the first time ever: You’ll enjoy a behind-the-scenes sanctuary experience! Follow along with our rescue, education, and advocacy teams as they work to save lives, change hearts and minds, and fight factory farming.

Your Hoedown Weekend ticket price includes:

  • The Kitchen at Farm Sanctuary’s catered vegan meals throughout the weekend, including a continental breakfast, lunch, and dinner on Saturday, and a continental breakfast and farewell lunch on Sunday
  • Admission to all speaker presentations and activities
  • Open sanctuary time with the rescued animals 
  • Access to our sanctuary camping area

Speakers and panels include:

  • Gene Baur, co-Founder and president, reflects on “40 Years of Rescue and Sanctuary”
  • Jo-Anne McArthur, founder of We Animals, on “Witnessing Through Art: Factory Farming, Sanctuary, and the Truth About Farm Animals”
  • Environmental, worker, and food sovereignty experts share their visions for the future in “For People and Our Planet: Visions of Food Systems that Work for All of Us”
  • Animal, farmer, and rural food experts share their visions for the future in “Replace Factory Farming: Visions of Transition”

All humans welcome!

Event Information

The health and safety of our community are top priorities. If an event is canceled as a safety precaution, due to extreme weather conditions, or other unforeseen circumstances, no action is required to obtain a refund. We will issue a refund to the original payment method used at the time of purchase to all event registrants.

Registration fees are refundable up to two weeks before the event, minus a $45 processing fee. Within two weeks of the event, no refunds will be issued unless the event is canceled.

Please contact us at [email protected] to cancel or inquire about a cancellation. For guests who do not arrive on the day of the event, your ticket purchase will be applied as a donation.

For the safety of the animals in our care and yours, we are unable to accommodate your companion animals at the sanctuary.

Service animals are not permitted in certain areas of the Sanctuary. Please contact us in advance to make arrangements for your visit.

Diseases are easily transmitted on shoes and even tires. If you have visited another sanctuary, farm, or location with cows, chickens, turkeys, ducks, or geese within 48-72 hours before your visit, or live with any of these species as companion birds, please email [email protected].

The safety of our guests, team, animal residents, and community is of utmost importance to us.

Please do not attend the event if you have a fever, cough, respiratory illness, or are experiencing any other symptoms of illness.

Thank you in advance for your understanding and patience.

For the safety of all guests and animal residents, alcohol is not allowed in or around any of the barns or animal pastures at any time.

Out of respect for our rescued farm animal residents and our organization’s mission, please refrain from consuming animal products while visiting Farm Sanctuary. Please feel free to contact us with any questions.

Smoking is allowed, although we ask that you limit your smoking to the designated smoking area near the parking area.

Farm Sanctuary, a source of education and inspiration for thousands of individuals each year, relies on the dedication of volunteers. We are currently seeking volunteers for the Hoedown, and we would love to have your help!

Volunteers are needed to assist with all aspects of the events: setup, parking, registration, food service, gate assistance, staffing barns, cleanup, and more.

For more information or to sign up to volunteer, please email: [email protected] with the subject line “Hoedown Watkins Glen”.

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