By Kat Leslie | Apple Picking Edition
WARWICK, N.Y. — The first crisp mornings of September have finally arrived, which in Warwick means two things: the Valley soon turns red and gold, and families start asking the same joyful question—“When are we going apple picking?” As orchards across the Hudson Valley open their gates and Warwick gears up for its signature Applefest, hometown favorite Masker Orchards is already making news: its High-Top Apple Pie has been voted Best Apple Pie in our annual taste test.
The celebration started early with the perfume of cider doughnuts, and cars full of families rolling into town. On Saturday, James Murray of Impractical Jokers popped in to help kick things off, proving yet again that apple season in Warwick has a funny way of turning into an event.
A hometown season with a marquee festival
Circle Sunday, Oct. 5: that’s Warwick Applefest, the region’s one-day juggernaut with live music on multiple stages, more than 200 artisans and food vendors, a kids’ carnival, and apples in every form from fritters to fresh-pressed. It’s the day the village center becomes a pedestrian picnic—while, just beyond downtown, the orchards hum. Applefest ties it together—festival downtown, orchards in full glow just minutes away.
Why Masker wins the weekend, not just “Best Pie” category
Long before Applefest pitched its first tent in 1989, Masker Orchards was already drawing carloads up Ball Road—going back to 1969, when “drive-to-the-trees” weekends turned Warwick into an autumn pilgrimage. In many ways, Masker’s fall crowds were the precursor to Applefest by two full decades—a homegrown festival before the festival.
At Masker Orchards (est. 1913), the recipe for a perfect day hasn’t changed: you drive right to the trees, pop the hatch, and pick with a view that looks like a postcard. The price hasn’t changed either—no increase this season—still $39.95 per half-bushel (about 25–30 lbs) for apples, and no bump on pies or doughnuts either. Between rows, you’ll catch the scent of those warm cider doughnuts and, if you linger, you’ll watch pies come out of the oven like a magic trick.
Masker’s also keeps it neighborly: free parking, free admission with your apple-bag purchase (per car, not person), and free picking bags so you can head straight to the row you want. First-timers discover a few extra smiles in the fine print—drop by the bakery window and ask about the free tasting ticket (three bite-size samples); visit three times or caravan three cars of friends and someone’s walking away with a free 6-inch pie; and families who really load up—two bags of apples—get a free jug of cider to toast the haul. Add the new season amusements (maze, bbq pit, petting zoo, wagon and pony rides), and it’s easy to see why most “quick stops” become all-day memories.
How we picked “Best Apple Pie” (Readers’ Choice)
Each November, at the end of the previous season, the Warwick Valley Dispatch invites readers to nominate favorite pies from local bakeries, farm stands, and orchards. We compiled your recommendations, sourced the finalists, and this year with a small panel of staff and a few long-suffering volunteers ran a blind tasting modeled on the world’s most serious contests—only our judges wore flannels instead of tuxedos.
We scored crust (flake and structure), filling (apple integrity vs. mush, spice balance, sweetness/acidity), aroma (depth, not just cinnamon fireworks), and—yes—slice height: because a pie that towers should taste like it, too.
We sampled widely—from classic double-crusts to crumb-tops, to open faced pies. Masker’s Apple Pie didn’t just look the part, it stood out twice: first on the nose (buttery crust, warm apple perfume), then on the fork (distinct slices of apple, not applesauce). The clincher was that dramatic dome—a true High-Top—with an apple-forward bite that read orchard, not sugar bowl. It tasted like the season itself.
A quick word with owner Mike Martucci
We caught Masker Orchards owner Mike Martucci between oven cycles and wagon runs to share the good news.
“I’m pleased and proud that our visitors value our efforts so highly,” Martucci said. “Masker’s has always been famous not only for the apples, but for what you can make out of them—cider, doughnuts, and of course apple pies.”
“Part of it is history. The orchard was planted over a century ago – in 1913 – with heritage, heirloom varieties—apples grown for flavor, not for shelf life or travel endurance. We still grow over 17 varieties, including a few you won’t find in most markets, and we blend most of them for the pie.”
“And we’re generous with the fruit—we use two-and-a-half to three pounds per pie, which is why it’s the true High-Top Apple Pie. It’s made right here on the farm, and you can get it hot, straight from the oven, even baked to your specs. All our ingredients are grown or produced on the farm, right down to the eggs and milk we use to egg-wash the crust. That’s the difference—you can taste where it comes from.”
Martucci paused, then added the line that could be the farm’s fall thesis: “Great pies are just good farming with a good oven, and a trusted recipe.”
Doughnuts, Cider, and the Sound of Weekend Laughter
If pies are the showpiece, cider doughnuts are the heartbeat—simple, warm, and better eaten with a napkin and a view. Families tailgate at the edge of rows; grandparents give impromptu lessons in apple triage (“firm, heavy, a little green is good”); teenagers pose with overflowing bags as if they’ve discovered agriculture itself. On busy weekends, the lanes turn into a slow parade of hatchbacks, dogs, and laughter.
Local Color: The Season’s First “Celebrities”
Warwick has its share of fun cameos. Over the years, Masker has welcomed A-list Hollywood celebrities, visiting chefs, international dignitaries, and a long roster of officeholders—from senators and Congress representatives to, more recently, even a Speaker of the House—not to mention a retired ballplayer or two. And to kick off the 2025 season, James “Murr” Murray and a band of pranksters—channeling TV’s favorite jokers—dropped by opening weekend for a few harmless hijinks between the rows. The selfies were epic, the laughs were loud, and the pies didn’t stand a chance.
Warwick: a full menu of fall
Warwick’s charm is that apple picking isn’t the only thing. When you’re done picking—and still hungry for more—roll into the town for more things to do. Warwick is built for a weekend. After you pick at Masker’s, swing by Penning’s for live music and a pint in the yard, or head over to a neighboring stand for pumpkins and mums. Back in the village, there’s coffee, dinner, and dessert before the ride home. Ask the locals where to go and you’ll hear plenty of favorites, but when we pressed the crew at Masker for a recommendation they admitted they’re partial to Yesterdays Irish Pub, the longtime village staple run by John Christison—where the drinks are generous, the pints are poured right, and the atmosphere is warm, wood-paneled, and neighborly.
Practical flavor notes for first-timers
Plan for daily hours 9 a.m.–5 p.m. at Masker through early November. Early arrivals beat the lines for doughnuts and snag the best picnic pull-offs with those long Warwick Valley views. If you’re chasing pies, ask what’s coming out of the oven next and time your stop accordingly—nothing wins a tailgate like a hot slice shared off a trunk.
If You Go
Masker Orchards — 45 Ball Rd., Warwick, NY • (845) 986-1058 • maskers.com
Open daily 9 a.m.–5 p.m. through early November. Drive to the trees, picnic with a view, and grab a hot pie or warm cider doughnuts on your way out.
Applefest — Sunday, Oct. 5, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Stages, artisans, food courts, kids’ activities, and nonprofit fundraising throughout the day. Park in designated lots; free shuttles run to the festival center.
Yesterdays Irish Pub – 16 Elm Street, Warwick, NY 10990, (845)986-1904 https://www.yesterdaysnet.com
Bottom line: Apple season is on, apple orchards are in peak form, and the Readers’ Choice Best Apple Pie is waiting under that high-top crust. Whether you’re here for apples, views, or that newly crowned Best Pie, you’ll find them all on the hillside of Warwick Mountain, at Masker Orchards—hot from the oven, crisp from the branch, and proudly Warwick. Bring your crew, your camera, and your appetite. In Warwick, fall tastes exactly the way you remember it—only warmer, fresher, and, if you’re lucky, fresh from the oven.
