Rett Fest comes to the firehouse September 19 — and the fund behind it is now a nonprofit

The biggest community day of Speigletown’s fall has a new name. The festival that filled the firehouse grounds with more than 2,600 people last September returns on Saturday, September 19, 2026, from 11 AM to 5 PM — now as Rett Fest.

A new nonprofit behind a familiar cause

The bigger news came with the announcement. Organizers Alyssa and Rick Otis — whose son Barrett lives with Rett Syndrome — shared that they have established the Barrett D. Otis Charitable Fund as a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. In their words, the milestone lets them “significantly expand our reach and maintain closer, hands-on control over the vital Rett Syndrome research we fund, ensuring that every dollar directly drives the most promising breakthroughs.”

The rebrand of the annual gathering as Rett Fest, they said, “perfectly captures the energy, unity, and purpose of our community coming together for a common cause” — a foundation “built on hope, but… fueled entirely by our incredible community.”

For context on that community: over four years the festival has raised nearly $1.2 million for Rett Syndrome research, including a record $325,000+ at the 2025 event — making this corner of Upstate New York one of the largest grassroots contributors to the cause anywhere. Rett Syndrome is a severe neurological disorder that can leave those affected unable to walk, talk, or use their hands.

The day itself

Same firehouse, same family-day formula, new name. On the grounds at 146 Speigletown Road (Route 40):

• Live music, food & drink
• Raffles and a 50/50
• Kids’ activities
• A motorcycle ride
• The cornhole tournament
• The dunk tank

Go, give, or volunteer

Rett Fest is Saturday, September 19, 11 AM–5 PM at the Speigletown firehouse. You can learn more, donate, or get involved through the Barrett D. Otis Charitable Fund or the group’s Facebook page. We’ll share more details as the day gets closer — it’s a highlight of the hamlet’s year, and it keeps getting bigger.

Update, September 18: the plan for Saturday

It’s this weekend, and the fund has filled in the day. A few things worth knowing before you head over:

• Admission is free. The money is raised through the food and drink, the raffles and 50/50, the cornhole tournament and the dunk tank, and donations.
• The motorcycle ride now has a name and a start line. The Ride for Rett leaves at 9:30 a.m. from 40 Leversee Road (the Fane and C.D. Perry offices) and rolls back into the firehouse grounds by 11, right as the festival opens. There’s no fee to ride, donations are encouraged, and the fund asks riders to register ahead through the form on its events page.
• The kids’ side has grown: face painting, balloon art, a rock-climbing wall and slides are on the list this year.
• This is the fifth year of the festival, and the running total the fund cites is now past $1.2 million for Rett Syndrome research.

Parking fills fast along Route 40. Give yourself a few extra minutes, watch for the riders coming in around 11, and bring cash for the raffle table.

Details from the Barrett D. Otis Charitable Fund’s announcement, event flyer and events page, with the ride and kids’ activity details as listed there and in the fund’s regional event listings. Confirm times with the organizers on the day.