February 2024: Winter in the Mountains

Catskill Mountain Region

GUIDE

FEBRUARY 2024 COMPLIMENTARY issuu.com/ catskillmtnregionguide

Winter in the Mountains

ON AND OFF THE SLOPES Shopping | Dining | Lodging | Outdoor Recreation Attractions | Services | And More!

February 2024 • GUIDE 1

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February 2024 • GUIDE 3

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Photo courtesy of Windham Mountain Club

IN THIS ISSUE 8 ERTH’S DINOSAUR ZOO LIVE! At the Orpheum Performing Arts Center

COVER 8

10 THE ARTS 16 JUST THE BASICS, PLEASE! Finding Your Way Around the Central Catskills

20 CATSKILLS PAST: Catskill Legends of Star-Crossed Lovers by T.M. Bradshaw

24 BELLEAYRE MOUNTAIN STATS

Photo by C. Waits Photo by Christopher Gilner

25 HUNTER MOUNTAIN STATS 26 PLATTEKILL MOUNTAIN STATS 27 WINDHAM MOUNTAIN CLUB STATS 28 OFF THE SLOPES

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50 MATH & CMF ARE HEATING UP THEATERS THIS FEBRUARY

52 WINTER HOOT: A Winter Tradition for All Ages at the Ashokan Center

54 ICE HARVEST FESTIVAL AT HANFORD MILLS MUSEUM: Winter’s Coolest Tradition

56 A GREENE COUNTY GARDEN IN FEBRUARY: Sorrel

by Margaret Donsbach Tomlinson

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Photo by Mad Hare Imagery

58 SURVIVING THE DOG DAYS OF WINTER

by Greg Madden

60 THE GREAT OUTDOORS

by Jeff Senterman

65 CALENDAR OF EVENTS 72 SNEAK PEEK, CATSKILL MOUNTAIN FOUNDATION 2024 PERFORMING ARTS SEASON

77 SNEAK PEEK, SUGAR MAPLES SUMMER 2024 WORKSHOPS & PROGRAMS

78 DONATE TO THE CATSKILL MOUNTAIN FOUNDATION

79 INDEX OF ADVERTISERS Photo by John D. Kelly

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A LITTLE LOVE NOTE from Jen Schwartz

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VOLUME 39, NUMBER 2 February 2024 PUBLISHERS Peter Finn, Chairman, Catskill Mountain Foundation Sarah Finn, President, Catskill Mountain Foundation EDITORIAL DIRECTOR, CATSKILL MOUNTAIN FOUNDATION Sarah Taft ADVERTISING SALES Barbara Cobb Hillary Morse CONTRIBUTING WRITERS & PHOTOGRAPHERS Ashokan Center, Belleayre Mountain, T.M. Bradshaw, Central Catskills Chamber of Commerce, Julian Diamond/shutterstock.com, Brad Gillespie, Christopher Gilner, Hanford Mills Museum, hikertrashhusbands.com, Hunter Mountain, Mad Hare Imagery/ shutterstock.com, Greg Madden, Maude Adams Theater Hub, Minnewaska State Park Preserve, Plattekill Mountain, Robert Plociennik/shutterstock.com Jen Schwartz, Jeff Senterman, Margaret Donsbach Tomlinson, Ulster County Tourism, and Windham Mountain Club.

ADMINISTRATION & FINANCE Candy McKee Tiffany Babcock & Hillary Morse

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PRINTING Catskill Mountain Printing Services DISTRIBUTION Catskill Mountain Foundation EDITORIAL DEADLINE FOR NEXT ISSUE: February 5 The Catskill Mountain Region Guide is published 12 times a year by the Catskill Mountain Foundation, Inc., Main Street, PO Box 924, Hunter, NY 12442. If you have events or programs that you would like to have covered, please send them by e-mail to tafts@catskillmtn.org. Please be sure to furnish a contact name and include your telephone number and e-mail address. To receive submission guidelines send a request to tafts@catskillmtn.org.

The liability of the publisher for any error for which it may be held legally responsible will not exceed the cost of space ordered or occupied by the error. The publisher assumes no liability for errors in key numbers. The publisher will not, in any event, be liable for loss of income or profits or any consequent damages.

The Catskill Mountain Region Guide office is located at 7971 Main Street, Hunter, NY 12442.

The magazine can be found on-line at www.catskillmtn.org by clicking on the “Magazine” button, or by going directly to issuu.com/catskillmtnregionguide 8,000 copies of the Catskill Mountain Region Guide are distributed each month. It is distributed free of charge at tourist information offices, restaurants, lodgings, retailers and other businesses throughout Greene, Delaware and Ulster counties, and at the Empire State Plaza Visitor Center in Albany.

Home delivery of the Guide magazine is available, at an additional fee, to annual members of the Catskill Mountain Foundation at the $100 membership level or higher. ©2000 Catskill Mountain Foundation, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without written permission is prohibited. The Catskill Mountain Region Guide is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts. All photographic rights reside with the photographer.

THE CATSKILL MOUNTAIN FOUNDATION 7971 MAIN STREET, P.O. BOX 924 • HUNTER, NY 12442 PHONE: 518 263 2000 • FAX: 518 263 2025 WWW.CATSKILLMTN.ORG

February 2024 • GUIDE 7

The Catskill Mountain Foundation presents

At the Orpheum Performing Arts Center in Tannersville!

“A delightful and educational date with the dinos that provides visual oomph to rival ‘The Lion King.”

—The Chicago Tribune

O

n Saturday, February 24 at 3:00 pm, Catskill Mountain Foundation presents Erth’s DINOSAUR ZOO LIVE™, a breathtaking tour beginning in pre-historic Australia, at the Orpheum Performing Arts Center in Tannersville.

DINOSAUR ZOO LIVE™ is an experiential theatre production that takes audiences on a prehistoric journey into a new dimension where they get to meet a menagerie of insects, mammals and dinosaurs that once roamed the planet millions of years ago. Featuring a large-scale cast of life-sized dinosaur puppets brought to life by sophisticated design and theatrical presentation and puppet mastery, these amazingly life-like dinosaur recreations connect children to paleontology in a fun and informative setting.

This new production will feature nineteen dinosaurs on stage, including the awesome Triceratops which Erth created uniquely for the North American tour. Children can watch and learn, but can also interact with the creatures in this fun, educational and unique presentation.

DINOSAUR ZOO LIVE™ is the creation of one of Australia’s most innovative and creative companies, Erth Visual & 8 • issuu.com/catskillmtnregionguide

“Erth’s Dinosaur Zoo delivers solid science as well as an extraordinary spectacle.”

—The New York Times Physical, Inc., who bring the impossible to life. For over 21 years, the company has developed a truly fantastic aesthetic and an extraordinary box of tricks, which now serve as the foundations of its unique visual and physical theatre work. Their work ranges from large-scale interactive environments such as ‘The Garden’, a prehistoric landscape inhabited by giant insects which premiered at the Melbourne International Festival of Arts, to more intimate in-theatre work and roving spectaculars. The company regularly tours internationally and more than a million people have seen its dinosaurs in museums, and in performance works such as Radio Lab’s Apocalyptical, Dinosaur Petting Zoo™ and DINOSAUR ZOO LIVE™. The North American tour of Erth’s DINOSAUR ZOO LIVE™ is produced by Red Tail Entertainment.

Erth’s DINOSAUR ZOO LIVE™ is on Saturday, February 24, 2024 at 3:00 pm at the Orpheum Performing Arts Center, 6050 Main Street, Tannersville, NY. Purchase tickets online at catskillmtn. org, email the box office at boxoffice@catskillmtn.org or call 518 263 2063. For information about Catskill Mountain Foundation’s upcoming programs, please visit catskillmtn.org.

February 2024 • GUIDE 9

THE ARTS Danú: “Traditional Music from Ireland” at the Orpheum in Tannersville this March

Photo by John D. Kelly

Hailing from historic County Waterford, Danú is one of the leading traditional Irish ensembles of today. Their standing room only concerts throughout Ireland are true events featuring high-energy performances and a glorious mix of ancient Irish music and new repertoire.

Repertoire is announced from the stage and includes hornpipes, reels, and traditional favorites like “The Foggy Dew,” “Ten Thousand Miles,” and “Mo Ghile Mear.”

Danú will appear Saturday, March 2 at 7:00 pm. at the Catskill Mountain Foundation’s Orpheum Performing Arts Center, 6050 Main Street, Tannersville, NY 12442. Tickets may be purchased at catskillmtn.org

Multimedia Evening of Contemporary Performance at Catskill Art Space in Livingston Manor

Thurman Barker

Catskill Art Space is pleased to announce a multimedia evening of contemporary performance in celebration of Black History Month at Catskill Art Space in Livingston Manor, NY, kicking off President’s Day Weekend on Saturday, February 17. The evening will begin with African/American Composers, Then and Now, a lecture and performance presented by Thurman Barker, from 4:00 to 5:00 pm, followed by screening of DJ Spooky’s multimedia film remix, Rebirth of a Nation, from 5:30 to 6:45pm. Both events take place in CAS’s second floor River Gallery. Barker and Paul D. Miller aka DJ Spooky will be in attendance for audience questions and talk-back. The two performance events offer opportunities to reflect on the important artistic contributions of Black artists, while examining historic and presentday narratives around race and power in America.

Thurman Barker’s presentation and performance, entitled “African/American Composers, Then and Now,” invites audiences to examine the impact of Black Jazz composers on compositional music today. The narrative intertwines historical context with Barker’s own orchestral compositions, drawing on his experience writing for chamber orchestra and work with orchestras in Chicago and New York. The presentation includes live performance from the dynamic percussionist himself of selections from Barker’s trio’s latest release, IMPACT!.

Paul D. Miller aka DJ Spooky’s Rebirth of Nation reinterprets DW Griffith’s infamously racist silent film, Birth of a Nation, to create a commentary on exploitation and political corruption in America’s history and present-day society.

Miller writes, “We live in an age where media across all platforms has come to reflect the toxic sensibility of an era dominated by a hyper-partisan political discourse. ‘The Birth of a Nation’ is generally considered one of the most controversial films of all time, and could be considered a precursor to the media landscape of our time.” Miller’s remix project encapsulates a new approach to thinking about applying the concept of “remix” to cinema—where “the director is the DJ.” With an original soundtrack scored by DJ Spooky and performed by the Kronos Quartet, this multimedia film event provokes audiences to question the power structures propagating media of yesterday and today.

Catskill Art Space (CAS) is located at 48 Main Street in Livingston Manor, NY. It explores contemporary art practices of emerging and established artists. Through exhibitions, performances, classes, lectures, and screenings, CAS fosters creative community in the Catskills. Learn more at catskillartspace.org.

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February 2024 • GUIDE 11

360 ALLSTARS at the Orpheum in Tannersville this March “BMX, basketball, breakdancing, beatboxing, acrobatics, drumming and more!”The most thrilling stage show ever.”

—Weekend Notes ★★★★★ “Blindingly talented. The energy is infectious” —Broadway Baby ★★★★★ A phenomenal physical performance exploring all forms of rotation, 360 ALLSTARS connects the street with the elite to deliver a supercharged urban circus. Boasting a stellar international cast of World Champion and World Record-holding athletes and artists, 360 ALLSTARS is a spectacular fusion of the extraordinary artistry that emerges from street culture.

Photo by Darren Thomas

360 ALLSTARS will appear Saturday, March 9 at 7:00 pm. at the Catskill Mountain Foundation’s Orpheum Performing Arts Center, 6050 Main Street, Tannersville, NY 12442. Tickets may be purchased at catskillmtn.org.

Ladies of Hip Hop: “The Black Dancing Bodies—SpeakMyMind” at the Orpheum in Tannersville this March Part of an ongoing performance and documentary effort focused on Black women in street and club dance culture, this session of Black Dancing Bodies continues to explore the power of the choreopoem; first coined in 1975 by writer Ntozake Shange (for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf); Each member of the collective responds to the question, “If I could speak my mind, what would I say?” In this world premiere, experience new writings, music, and movement spanning dance styles from African, to waacking, vogue, Hip-hop, and house; all curated under the direction of Michele Byrd-McPhee.

“Each woman’s voice stands powerfully on its own.”

—Dance Enthusiast Ladies of Hip Hop will appear Saturday, March 30 at 7:00 pm. at the Catskill Mountain Foundation’s Orpheum Performing Arts Center, 6050 Main Street, Tannersville, NY 12442. Tickets may be purchased at catskillmtn.org SpeakMyMind was commissioned by Works & Process, developed in Works & Process LaunchPAD residencies at Bethany Arts Community (2022, 2023, and 2024) and Catskill Mountain Foundation (2022), and Office Hours esidency at The Kennedy Center (2023) with performances at the Guggenheim Museum, Jacob’s Pillow, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, the National Gallery of Art, SummerStage, Dancers Responding to AIDS Hudson Valley Dance Festival, and New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.

SpeakMyMind is a 2023 New England Foundation for the Arts’ National Dance Project grantee, with lead funding from the Doris Duke Foundation and Mellon Foundation.

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The Catskill Mountain Foundation Presents

“BMX, basketball, breakdancing, beatboxing, acrobatics, drumming and more!” The most thrilling stage show ever.”

—Weekend Notes ★★★★★

SATURDAY, MARCH 9 @ 7:00 PM ORPHEUM PERFORMING ARTS CENTER 6050 Main Street • Tannersville, NY 12485 Tickets Purchased Ahead: $25; $20 seniors; $7 students (+processing fees. Higher at-the-door ticket prices apply)

Tickets available at catskillmtn.org or 518 263 2063 Catskill Mountain Foundation is supported in part by New York State Council on the Arts, the Greene County Cultural Fund administered by the Greene County Legislature, The Jarvis and Constance Doctorow Family Foundation, The Royce Family Foundation, The Samuel and Esther Doctorow Fund, The Orville and Ethel Slutzky Family Foundation, Platte Clove Bruderhof Community, Bank of Greene County Charitable Foundation, The Greene County Youth Bureau, Marshall & Sterling Insurance, All Souls’ Church, Stewarts Shops, Windham Foundation, and by private donations.

Scan for tickets!

The Catskill Mountain Foundation in Partnership with Works & Process Presents

SATURDAY, MARCH 30 @ 7:00 PM ORPHEUM PERFORMING ARTS CENTER 6050 Main Street • Tannersville, NY 12485 Tickets Purchased Ahead: $25; $20 seniors; $7 students (+processing fees. Higher at-the-door ticket prices apply) Scan for tickets!

Tickets available at catskillmtn.org or 518 263 2063

Catskill Mountain Foundation is supported in part by New York State Council on the Arts, the Greene County Cultural Fund administered by the Greene County Legislature, The Jarvis and Constance Doctorow Family Foundation, The Royce Family Foundation, The Samuel and Esther Doctorow Fund, The Orville and Ethel Slutzky Family Foundation, Platte Clove Bruderhof Community, Bank of Greene County Charitable Foundation, The Greene County Youth Bureau, Marshall & Sterling Insurance, All Souls’ Church, Stewarts Shops, Windham Foundation, and by private donations.

SpeakMyMind was commissioned by Works & Process, developed in Works & Process LaunchPAD residencies at Bethany Arts Community (2022, 2023, and 2024) and Catskill Mountain Foundation (2022), and Office Hours Residency at The Kennedy Center (2023) with performances at the Guggenheim Museum, Jacob’s Pillow, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, the National Gallery of Art, SummerStage, Dancers Responding to AIDS Hudson Valley Dance Festival, and New York Public Library for the Performing Arts. SpeakMyMind is a 2023 New England Foundation for the Arts’ National Dance Project grantee, with lead funding from the Doris Duke Foundation and Mellon Foundation.

February 2024 • GUIDE 13

CENTERstage Productions and Teens on Stage Proudly Present Alice By Heart at The CENTER for Performing Arts in Rhinebeck Join us in a Wonderland you’ve never seen before. The CENTER for Performing Arts at Rhinebeck’s Teens on Stage invites you to step into the world of Alice By Heart, first performed in 2012 by London’s Royal National Theatre. For a limited engagement from February 2-11, audiences can immerse themselves in both the fantastic world from Alice in Wonderland and the reality of England during World War II. Teens on Stage previously entertained audiences with excellent productions of The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical, bare: A Pop Opera, Be More Chill, and 13: The Musical. This production of Alice By Heart, featuring high-caliber performances by local teen talent, is not to be missed. Performances are Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 pm and Sundays at 3:00 pm from February 2 through February 11. Tickets are available now for $19 at CenterForPerformingArts.org In the rubble of the London Blitz of World War II, Alice Spencer’s (Sarah Griffin, Pine Plains, NY) budding teen life is turned upside down, and she and her dear friend Alfred (E Jeffreys, Rhinebeck, NY) are forced to take shelter in an underground Tube station. When the ailing Alfred is quarantined, Alice encourages him to escape with her into their favorite, cherished book and journey once more down the rabbit hole to Wonderland. As Alice draws upon her memory to spin the story, the children, nurses, and doctors trapped underground transform into characters familiar and feared.

Alice by Heart explores the poignancy of first love, coming to terms with loss, and finding the courage to move forward.

This musical, inspired by Lewis Carroll’s 1865 novel Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, encourages us all to celebrate the transformational power of the imagination, even in the harshest of times. Presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International.

The Creative Team and Cast: Alice By Heart is a musical with music by Duncan Sheik, lyrics by Steven Sater, and a book by Sater with Jessie Nelson.

Two local educators and professional performers lead this production- director and choreographer Lynne Czajka, and musical director Russell McCook. This Teens on Stage production features the best of the Hudson Valley’s teenage talent: Lexi Beaumont, Noah Cinatti, Hayden Cipriano, Lee Griffin, Riona Hack, Liv Heuser, Ana Kirsch, Max Leipham, Eli Marlborough, Maximilian McBride, Haley Polidore, Kate Schaffer, Lily Strattman, Zoe Ulrich, & Ellie Walker Tickets and Information: The CENTER for Performing Arts at Rhinebeck is located at 661 Route 308, Rhinebeck, NY 12572. Secure your tickets by visiting CenterForPerformingArts.org at any time or by contacting the box office directly at 845 876 3080 or boxoffice@ centerforperformingarts.org.

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Catskill Mountain Foundation’s Piano Performance Museum presents

F R E E!

INTERNATIONAL

FORTEPIANO Salon Series Online

SALON #18: WITH GUEST HILDA HUANG SATURDAY, MARCH 24 @ 2:00 PM

Connecting fortepiano lovers from all around the world Streaming LIVE on Facebook and YouTube

Hilda Huang is a modern performer of historical music who brings together traditions of performance on piano and harpsichord. Her work has earned international acclaim with the distinction of first prize at the Leipzig International Bach competition and appearances at the Leipzig and Montréal Bach Festivals.

Hilda resides in Amsterdam and performs frequently in the United States, Netherlands, and Germany.

HOSTED BY YIHENG YANG MORE INFORMATION: www.catskillmtn.org www.internationalfortepianosalon.com

This event is made possible in part through the support of the Jarvis and Constance Doctorow Family Foundation.

The Catskill Mountain Foundation Presents

WINDHAM FESTIVAL ORCHESTRA Robert Manno, Conductor

MUSIC OF TCHAIKOVSKY, SCOTT JOPLIN & ROBERT MANNO Melissa Wimbish, soprano and Andrew Garland, baritone

SATURDAY AUGUST 17, 2024 @ 7:00 PM Open Rehearsal Saturday 8/17 10:30 am – 1:00 pm

ORPHEUM PERFORMING ARTS CENTER 6050 Main Street • Tannersville, NY 12485

Tickets Purchased Ahead: $25; $20 seniors; $7 students (+processing fees. Higher at-the-door ticket prices apply)

Tickets available at catskillmtn.org or 518 263 2063 Catskill Mountain Foundation is supported in part by New York State Council on the Arts, the Greene County Cultural Fund administered by the Greene County Legislature, The Jarvis and Constance Doctorow Family Foundation, The Royce Family Foundation, The Samuel and Esther Doctorow Fund, The Orville and Ethel Slutzky Family Foundation, Platte Clove Bruderhof Community, Bank of Greene County Charitable Foundation, The Greene County Youth Bureau, Marshall & Sterling Insurance, All Souls’ Church, Stewarts Shops, Windham Foundation, and by private donations.

February 2024 • GUIDE 15

Winter along the Ashokan Reservoir

Just the Basics, Please!

Finding Your Way Around the Central Catskills

W

hen you’re finding your way around the Central Catskills, along the NYS Route 28 and the Catskill Mountains Scenic Byway, the beauty of the mountains and streams can take your breath away. Miles and miles of driving will take you past historic buildings, vast forests, and mountains of great beauty, and pristine streams and enormous reservoirs that provide the public water supply to NYC residents.

Your final destination could be located in the western edge of Ulster County or in the eastern portion of Delaware County, an area larger than the entire state of Rhode Island.

Of course, we have the Internet now to help us find our way, just take out that phone and ask your questions! What … no cell service? Few cell towers means that seeking out Wi-fi locations is necessary and making your way onto our Main Streets is not only helpful but is also great to explore and learn about our communities, eateries and entertainment. For more information about communities along Route 28, visit sceniccatskills.com.

We start with Delaware County and its wide-open spaces, many farms both large and small working within the NYC Watershed and under the auspices of the Watershed Agricultural Council (nycwatershed.org).

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Town of Andes A little town where neighbors still wave to each other from their cars and while walking along the street. This little hamlet in the Catskills has always been welcoming, but in the past several years, its generous, friendly spirit has transformed the town. Our Main Street may be small but it is mighty.

Art galleries, family-oriented eateries, and upscale restaurants abound, along with plenty of unique shops, a walking trail and parks, a renowned cidery, and a yoga studio. The Andes Hotel, a landmark right in the center of town that opened its doors in 1850, is under new ownership and drawing crowds with its newly renovated dining room, expanded wine list, wide selection of local beers, and farm-to-table offerings. Right around the corner from Main Street is Dirty Girl Farm, a working goat farm open to the public year-round. Children and adults alike visit frequently to get some goat kisses and buy locally-made products.

Information about the village’s storied history can be found at the Hunting Tavern, a town landmark on Main Street built in the 1820s. Now owned by the Andes Society for History and Culture, the Hunting Tavern operates as a museum and event space, hosting special exhibits, gallery shows, lectures, and other cultural events. For more information, visit andesnewyork.com.

Left: Kayaking on Lake Wawaka, photo courtesy of kayakingnewyork.com; Right: The pool at the Catskill Recreation Center

Town of Roxbury

Village of Margaretville

Located along Route 30, the Town of Roxbury has a prestigious history. Long known as the home of John Burroughs, it is where he invited such notables as Thomas Edison and Henry Ford to enjoy his simple Catskills pleasures. Known to meander along the East Branch on his own or hike the pristine mountain paths, he shared his travels through storytelling. You can still visit his home and enjoy informal storytelling on First Saturdays in the summer months.

Summer fun includes Shephard Hills Golf Club, and yearround recreation and events at Plattekill Mountain, well known for its skiing, mountain biking and even weddings at the top of the Mountain. (plattekill.com) If you are looking for a one-of-a-kind destination where you can relax, recharge, and reconnect with your sense of wonder, then The Roxbury, Contemporary Catskill Lodging is the place for you. Located within minutes of all that is great in Roxbury, this one-of-a-kind lodging experience offers themed rooms and suites at The Roxbury Motel or the themed mansion rooms and tower cottages at The Roxbury at Stratton Falls. Learn more at theroxburyexperience.com

Margaretville is the biggest little village you’ll visit in the Catskills, and its historic Main Street is proof … it even has a traffic light!

Take a walk down Main Street and you will find Zadar’s, a live music wine bar, the Galli Curci Theater with exhibits and live musical events, the ever-popular Catskill Mountains Artisans Guild, a craft store made up of local artists; an antiques shop; unique and traditional jewelry stores, and the Café Marguerite coffee shop, offering delightful chocolates, scrumptious pastries and savories. Home Goods of Margaretville has everything you need to outfit your kitchen and now carries goods from local farmers as well as specialty ingredients from around the globe.

The favorite Wildflowers Florist shop shares Main Street with the newly opened Sacred Soil, offering a beautiful selection potted succulents. And if you have not yet done so, be sure to visit Barb Allyn’s amazing shop filled with delightful and creative art, as well as Kelly Edkins and her herbals and honey. Several popular restaurants and liquor stores under new ownership, as well as new retail shops, round out the options. See you in Margaretville! Learn more at centralcatskills.com

Hamlet of Halcottsville

The Historical Society of the Town of Middletown expects to open the Middletown History Center in 2024. The center features an archives and reading room, along with a large hall for programs and events. Visit mtownhistory.org or the society’s Facebook page for an announcement of the opening and a schedule of activities for 2024

Traveling from Roxbury along Route 30 a bit south as the eagle flies you come upon the beautiful wildlife and serene nature of Lake Wawaka, just the way it was meant to be seen! In recent years Lake Wawaka has become an outdoor recreation destination for families and groups who want to take a hike and picnic, rent a kayak or canoe, and paddle along this very quiet lake. Watch the resident loon fly back and forth, check out fish, birds, and other water-related wildlife, and truly enjoy this quiet place. If you are a bit more daring try a stand-up paddle board. Learn more at kayakingnewyork.com.

Town of Middletown

Hamlet of Arkville Catskill Recreation Center Located just off of Route 28 in Arkville, the Catskill Recreation Center is open to the public with day rates and other membership February 2024 • GUIDE 17

Left: Catskill Water Discovery Center; Right: The historical marker at Fleischmanns Park, featuring two members of the vintage Base Ball team the Mountain Athletic Club

options. A fully equipped gym that offers offer year-round swimming, fitness, and recreational opportunities. The 25-yard pool offers lap swimming, aquatics classes, and lifeguard certification.

Classes include boxing for those with Parkinson’s Disease, Yoga and Spinning. There are also walking pathways on site, and the Center sponsors annual biking events. Learn more at catskillrecreationcenter.org Catskill Water Discovery Center Located at 669 County Highway 38 in Arkville, the Catskill Water Discovery Center is an educational organization that tells the story, past and present, of the New York City water supply system. The WDC offers exhibits in its hall, a speakers series, 6th graders Camp H20 for students in area schools, and will be creating a 33-acre Nature Preserve adjacent to the Exhibit Hall this spring. The WDC is located in the CWC and DEP shared building and is open by appointment. For more information, visit waterdiscoverycenter.org.

Village of Fleischmanns Main Street in Fleischmanns continues to add new businesses like the Print House, a wine bar with live music and great food that is located across from 1053 Main Gallery that features artists’ work, presentations, and openings throughout the year. The Arts Inn is a new center for the Arts located in one of the Main Street historic inns. Live performances and concerts are held during the warmer months of the year.

Fleischmanns Park The park consists of 5 acres of active and quiet spaces for community enjoyment. The park includes four tennis courts, a seasonal snack shack, a soccer field, a baseball diamond, an accessibility- featured children’s playground, and access to the Bushkill stream.

The park is also home to the Mountain Athletic Club. Fashioned after the original team established in Griffin Corners, New York in 1895 by yeast magnates Julius and Max Fleischmann, 18 • issuu.com/catskillmtnregionguide

the Mountain Athletic Club connects generations to the National pastime through authentic play according to the rules and customs of nineteenth-century base ball. The M.A.C. Grounds at Fleischmanns Park is listed on the New York State & National Register of Historic Places. Learn more at macvintagebaseball.org.

Town of Shandaken Moving into Ulster County going east you’ll come upon the town of Shandaken. One of the newest businesses there is Catskill Fungi. Over the past few years visitors have been taken on mushroom walks that engage the public in educational experiences about the forests and mushroom habitats, variety of mushrooms, and how to identify and use mushrooms safely. Catskill Fungi is continuously growing its programs and products. Learn more at catskillfungi.com.

The Town of Shandaken is currently working on making available free Wifi to Phoenicia Main Street. Watch for that! The very popular Phoenicia Farmers’ Market continues to grow in popularity, and will be spending the winter months (through April) at the Pine Hill Community Center on Sundays from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm.

Check out the Pine Hill Community Center, pinehillcommunitycenter.org, for arts workshops, weekend concerts and its popular Thrift Shop. The Empire State Railroad Museum is located in Phoenicia: visit esrm.com for program dates. There are always new events going on at the Phoenicia Playhouse (phoeniciplayhouse.com) and the Shandaken Town Museum (shandakennymuseum.org).

Town of Olive The town of Olive is home of the Ashokan Reservoir: located at the eastern end of the Catskill Park, it is but one of the reservoirs built to provide drinking water to NYC residents. It is the deepest of the reservoirs in its system at 190 ft. Only nonmotorized and licensed fishing boats are allowed on this reservoir. Those boats as at other reservoirs in the NYC system must be steam-cleaned before putting in the water.

The Ashokan Center is an independent music & nature nonprofit established in 2008. They welcome school groups for educational field trips, host public community events including festivals and music & dance camps, and rent the facility for private retreats, conferences, and weddings. The site has been declared an Historic District on the National and State Registers of Historic Places. This land was a favored hunting and fishing ground for the Munsee Indians for generations, and became home to Americans of European descent in the 1730s. The first mill and blacksmith shop in Ulster County were built here by Lemuel Winchell who later constructed Winchell’s Inn Ashokan’s historic centerpiece. For more information, visit ashokancenter.org The Ashokan Rail Trail. Photo courtesy of Ulster County Tourism

Ashokan Rail Trail With various access points along Route 28, the Ashokan Rail Trail is open to the public from sunrise to sunset year-round. Download a map at ashokanrailtrail.com.

Ashokan Center Musicians Jay Ungar and Molly Mason founded the Ashokan Center to inspire learning and build community through shared experiences in nature, history, music, and art. Jay and Molly are perhaps best known as composers of “Ashokan Farewell,” the song used as the title theme of Ken Burns’ Civil War series.

And Last But Not Least…

Kaatscast: the Catskills Podcast is a biweekly series featuring Catskills culture, history, sustainability, local interviews, literature, and the arts. Shows are hosted by Brett Barry and professionally produced by Silver Hollow Audio, in the heart of the Catskills.

Subscribe for free wherever you get your podcasts, to experience what reviewers have called “delightfully informative” storytelling with “great production quality.” Voted “Best Regional Podcast” two years in a row. Episode archives, transcripts, and a robust search engine at kaatscast.com. Enjoy!

Visit ScenicCatskills.com to download maps and learn more.

February 2024 • GUIDE 19

Catskills Past

Cover (left) and frontispiece (right) from The Legend of Utsayantha, by Arnold H. Bellows.

Illustrations by LaMont A. Warmer, courtesy of Stamford Library

CATSKILL LEGENDS OF STAR-CROSSED LOVERS

By T.M. Bradshaw

S

tar-crossed lovers struggling against opposition from the world is a classic theme in legend and literature, likely because such interference in the real world is all too frequent.

While there may be varying degrees of fact in these stories, there is a form of truth in them all: Society in general and families in particular may raise objections to romantic choices, citing as reasons race, ethnicity, gender, religion, political divides or old family feuds, as in Romeo and Juliet.

There are numerous Catskills legends on this theme, almost all involving Native Americans and European settlers. Some have a more traceable basis in fact than others, but all illustrate the premise. Some are the source of names for geographical features and all have been told and retold and almost certainly embellished to entertain visitors.

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As Richard Lionel Dc Lisser tells the story in his Picturesque Ulster, Winnisook, the 7-foot tall “Big Indian” and white settler Gertrude Molyneux had a mutual attraction, but Gertrude married instead Joe Bundy, yielding to her parents’ wishes. Bundy proved to be an abusive husband and eventually Gertrude ran off with Winnisook, living happily with him for several years. In a skirmish following a livestock raid, Bundy recognized Winnisook by his height and shot him. Winnisook took shelter in a hollow tree, which is where Gertrude later found him, standing up dead.

The salemlandtrust.org has on its site a tale from around Coxsackie. The hunter Nick Wolsey married Minamee with her father’s permission. A member of the tribe who loved Minamee, but had never spoken of it, interrupted the ceremony, lunging at Wolsey with a knife. Wolsey’s dog leapt at the man’s throat,

Illustrations from The Legend of Utsayantha, by Arnold H. Bellows. Illustrations by LaMont A. Warmer, courtesy of Stamford Library

knocking him to the ground; Wolsey then beat and kicked the interloper to the edge of the woods. Over a year later the jealous and humiliated man came to Wolsey’s and Minamee’s cabin and murdered their infant. Minamee named the attacker before dying of grief two days later. Wolsey’s revenge is terrible to contemplate: After dragging the man back to the cabin by a noose attached to his saddle, Wolsey bound the living murderer face to face with Minamee’s corpse, tightly secured the pair across his horse’s back and lashed the animal until it galloped into the woods, where legend says its hoofbeats still echo.

“Malaeska, the Indian Wife of the White Hunter” is a serialized story that appeared in 1839 in the Ladies Companion. In author Ann S. Stephens’ tale, the child of that union is raised by his white relatives after his father’s death, with his mother serving as his nursemaid; he commits suicide at learning in adulthood of his own mixed heritage. Stephens’ story was later published as a stand alone by the New York publisher Irwin P. Beadle in 1860. It was the first in Beadle’s series of dime novels, paperback books with covers emblazoned with an image of a dime, a feature described in the company’s ad in the November 12, 1863 issue of the New-York Daily Tribune as “their exclusive and protected trade mark” that had been granted by “a special decision of the Supreme Court.” The genre of the dime novel had been around since the mid-1840s; in fact other companies advertised books at

the ten cent price on the same page as Beadle’s ad in the Tribune, but the coin image belonged to Beadle.

Another such tale, set in Stamford, is that of Utsayantha (Utsigh-ahn-tha—“Ut” rhymes with foot). This particular legend’s first published appearance seems to be a poem of ten five-line stanzas by Eugene Bouton (December 1850–March 1951) in the Yale Literary Magazine, volume 39, October 1873–June 1874.

Bouton’s poem was titled “Utsayanthia’s Legend” with an “i” inserted toward the end of the name, the only place it is like that.

There is a Mount Utsayantha and a Lake Utsayantha in Stamford.

References to them in 18th- and 19th-century maps and documents are often spelled Utsayantho. Decades later the secretary of state of New York was queried as to the correct spelling: Utsayantha or Utsayantho? The decision was for Utsayantha.

Utsayantha fell in love with a white settler and married him over her father’s objections—his preference was for Ungatoah, a medicine man from Pakatakan. The couple had a son and were happy for a few years. Then, Utsayantha’s father, the chief, buried his tomahawk in the husband’s skull and had the toddler drowned in the lake. Utsayantha paddled a canoe out to the spot where she saw her son drowned and drowned herself. Grief-stricken, her father had her body retrieved and carried her up the mountain to be buried. Using today’s roads, that’s a distance of at least two miles. While there may have been a shorter path through the February 2024 • GUIDE 21

Illustrations from The Legend of Utsayantha, by Arnold H. Bellows. Illustrations by LaMont A. Warmer, courtesy of Stamford Library

woods, the distance is still sufficient to discount the story variation where Utsayantha threw herself into the lake by jumping from the mountain.

Many others used the legend as a basis for creative work. In the spring of 1885, in New York and Boston, a concert of American compositions was performed by Theodore Thomas’ orchestra.

The program included “An American Legend,” based on the story of Utsayantha and composed by Professor E. C. Phelps of Brooklyn. In August that year, Prof. Phelps’ daughter, a violinist, performed the piece in Stamford’s Seminary Hall.

Poems about Utsayantha appeared with some frequency in the Stamford Mirror and later, the combined Stamford MirrorRecorder. The sentiments of the final stanza of one by Katherine S. Harrington from March 4, 1937, could apply to any of the area’s tales of thwarted love: “Poor Princess! Did you never learn / ’Tis earth’s unhappy that leave their mark / On history; and sorrowing, step / Lonely into the dark.”

Utsayantha’s story was again reimagined in 1944 as an epic poem by Arnold H. Bellows (January 1884–February 1957), loosely in the meter and structure of Longfellow’s Hiawatha. It was published by the Catskill Mountain News as a small book with accompanying illustrations by the artist LaMont Warner. The poem was so popular it was reprinted by the Stamford Press and sold thousands of copies.

In a foreword Bellows noted that he had “freely exercised the privilege of poetic license to bridge the gulf between fact and fancy” and that he had “made every possible effort to investigate all obtainable facts that have a bearing upon the legend of Utsayantha.” Numerous footnotes add context to material within the poem. One such note explains that while many versions of the story state the white man’s death was the result of a tomahawk blow, the oldest versions have the weapon as an arrow, which is what Bellows used in his poem.

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Bellows wove other area legends into his work—The Legend of Haines Falls, The Legend of Blossom Valley, Legend of the Indian Plume, Tongora and Ashokan—as well as a version of Winnisook’s story. The book includes a glossary that explains the origins of many Catskill place names. Warner’s illustrations of objects were drawn from Native American artifacts collected by his father, Adelbert M. Warner.

In the interval of time between Bouton’s poem at Yale and Bellows’ small book, roughly the period of Stamford’s “Queen of the Catskills” era, hikes and picnics on Mount Utsayantha were popular tourist activities.

In October 1936 a dedication ceremony was held unveiling a plaque marking Utsayantha’s grave partway up the mountain bearing her name. How had the spot been identified? S. I. Brown, born in 1850, offered a very plausible answer. He was for a time Stamford’s fire chief and with his wife ran a meat market and also hotels there—the Greycourt Inn and for a few years, Churchill Hall. He had once told a story to the Stamford Mirror about his connection to the purported grave of Utsayantha.“When I was a lad of about 12 years, I and two or three other boys of about the same age were skipping Sunday School, and wandering on the mountain, we discovered the mound, erected a heap of stones, and then and there named it the grave of Utsayantha.” Mr. Brown was certain this was the first reference to the grave.

But legends must be maintained to not disappear, and admissions of adolescent adventures aside, an article in the August 5, 1925 Stamford Mirror-Recorder reporting on a newly discovered cave on Mount Utsayantha referred to interesting spots on the mountain, “not the least of which is the grave of Utsayantha, the Indian maiden, as it was 300 years ago.”

T. M. Bradshaw shares other thoughts on history at tmbradshawbooks.com.

The Catskill Mountain Foundation presents

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 24 @ 3:00PM ORPHEUM PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

6050 Main Street • Tannersville, NY 12485 Tickets Purchased Ahead: $25; $20 seniors; $7 students (+processing fees. Higher at-the-door ticket prices apply)

Catskill Mountain Foundation is supported in part by New York State Council on the Arts, the Greene County Cultural Fund administered by the Greene County Legislature, The Jarvis and Constance Doctorow Family Foundation, The Royce Family Foundation, The Samuel and Esther Doctorow Fund, The Orville and Ethel Slutzky Family Foundation, Platte Clove Bruderhof Community, Bank of Greene County Charitable Foundation, The Greene County Youth Bureau, Marshall & Sterling Insurance, All Souls’ Church, Stewarts Shops, Windham Foundation, and by private donations.

Scan for tickets!

Tickets available at catskillmtn.org or 518 263 2063

February 2024 • GUIDE 23

BELLEAYRE MOUNTAIN

MOUNTAIN STATS:

ELEVATIONS:

Longest Run: 12,024’ Vertical Drop: 1,404’ Total Skiable Acres: 171 Snowmaking: 96% Uphill Lift Capacity: 12,980 people/hour

Belleayre Summit: 3,429’ Sunset Lodge (summit lodge): 3,325’ Overlook Lodge (mid mtn. lodge): 2,542’ Discovery Lodge (lower mtn. lodge): 2,025’

TRAILS, PARKS & GLADES:

9.2 km of trails. The cross country trails are free to use and are only open with natural snow. They are not patrolled or groomed.

61 Trails, including Glades & Parks 22% Easiest Trails 58% More Difficult Trails 20% Most Difficult Trails

CROSS COUNTRY TRAILS:

WINTER HOURS OF OPERATION: Lodges: 8:00am - 5:00pm | Lifts: 9:00am - 4:00pm Make sure to visit the Snow Report at belleayre.com/mountain/conditions/ to see a full listing of open lifts, trails and any changes in operations.

We encourage you to purchase online in advance to secure your days of skiing or riding. If the dates you desire are not currently available, be sure to check back! Based on our evaluation, we may add more tickets to our inventory right up until the day of skiing or riding. All lift tickets must be loaded onto our reusable SKI3 Cards. Already have one? Reload it online and head directly to the lift. If you do not have an existing SKI3 Card, one can be added to your shopping cart (new card fee $5) at the time of purchase. Bring your e-ticket barcode to one of our contactless Ticket Pick-Up Boxes to receive your lift ticket loaded onto a new SKI3 Card. Save your new SKI3 Card to reload online for future visits! Lift Tickets are not transferable, and your SKI3 Card is associated exclusively with your guest profile.

Rentals also available online! Save 10%!

181 Galli Curci Rd | Highmount, NY 12441 800-942-6904 (snow phone) | 845-254-5600 | belleayre.com

Base Elevation: 1,600’ (above sea level) Summit Elevation: 3,200’ (above sea level) Vertical Drop: 1,600’ Skiable Acres: 320 Number of Lifts: 13 Number of Trails: 67 Terrain Parks: 4

PERCENTAGE OF TERRAIN: Beginner: 25% Intermediate: 30% Advanced: 45%

WINTER HOURS OF OPERATION: Main Base Lodge Ticket Sales: Midweek (Non-Holiday) 8:30 am - 4:00 pm; Weekends & Holidays: 8:00 am - 4:30 pm Learning Center Ticket Sales: Midweek (Non-Holiday) 8:30 am - 4:00 pm; Weekends & Holidays: 8:00 am - 4:00 pm Children’s Program Ticket Sales: Midweek (Non-Holiday) 8:30 am - 4:00 pm; Weekends & Holidays: 8:00 am - 4:00 pm

64 Klein Ave. | Hunter, NY 12442 800-HUNTERMTN | 800-486-8376 | huntermtn.com

HUNTER MOUNTAIN

MOUNTAIN STATS:

PLATTEKILL MOUNTAIN

MOUNTAIN STATS: Summit Elevation: 3,500’ Base Elevation: 2400’ Vertical: 1,100’ Number of Trails: 40 Number of Lifts: 4 Triple Chair, Double Chair, Two Carpet Lifts (Learning Center and Tubing Park) Longest Trail: 2 miles Average Snowfall: 175” Snowmaking: 75% Terrain Park: 1

PERCENTAGE OF TERRAIN: Easier: 20% Difficult: 40% More Difficult: 20% Most Difficult: 20%

HOURS OF OPERATION: SKIING & SNOWBOARDING: Friday-Sunday & Holidays (February 19-23) 8:45 am-4:15 pm

SNOWTUBING: Saturdays, Sundays & Holidays 11:00 am-5:00 pm (two-hour time slots)

469 Plattekill Rd. | Roxbury, NY 12474 607 326 3500 | plattekill.com

Top Elevation: 3,100’ Vertical Rise: 1,600’ Slope Length: 300’–12,500’ Number of Trails: 54 Number of Lifts: 11 1 high-speed 6 passenger, 3 high-speed quads, 1 triple, 1 double, 5 surface Uphill Capacity: 20,754 passengers/hour Total Acres: 785 Trail Acreage: 285 Snowmaking Coverage: 97% of trails Terrain Parks: 6

HOURS OF OPERATION: Monday-Friday: 9:00am – 4:00pm Saturdays, Sundays & Holidays: 8:00am – 4:00pm

19 Resort Dr. | Windham, NY 12496 518 734 4300 | windhammountain.com

WINDHAM MOUNTAIN CLUB

MOUNTAIN STATS:

Photo courtesy of Ulster County Tourism

Off the Slopes ART GALLERY

ART WORKSHOPS Sugar Maples Center for Creative Arts

Windham Fine Arts 5380 Main Street Windham, NY 12496 windhamfinearts.com 518 734 6850 Windham Fine Arts is the premier art gallery in the Catskills. Representing local and internationally acclaimed artists, the gallery showcases a diverse collection of original paintings, photography, and ceramics. From inspiring landscapes to expressive abstracts, Windham Fine Arts is a kaleidoscope of visual enchantment. With over 3,000 square feet of curated artwork and 22 years in the business, Windham Fine Arts stands out as a unique gem of artistic inspiration.

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34 Big Hollow Road Maplecrest, NY 12454 sugarmaples.org A program of the Catskill Mountain Foundation, Sugar Maples Center for Creative Arts offers short term adult workshop programming in ceramics, painting, drawing, fiber arts and weekly classes in ceramics and fiber arts during the summer season. Weekly classes in painting, drawing and ceramics continue during the fall, winter, and spring seasons. All classes are led by artists who are renowned and celebrated in their field. The summer Art Explorers program provides opportunities for local youth to explore their creativity through art exploration. Registration for the 2024 summer season begins soon.

BANK Ulster Savings Bank 58 Main Street Phoenicia, NY 12464 ATM available Ulstersavings.com 845 688 5965 Ulster Savings Bank is a locally focused and operated mutual savings bank with locations throughout the Hudson Valley.

As a bank with no stockholders, our profits are reinvested back into the communities we serve. We are proud to be the recipient of numerous community awards reflecting our belief that helping community changes lives. We invite you to stop by our location in beautiful Phoenicia to experience the local difference with US. Bank where you matter!

BOOKSTORE Briars & Brambles Books Route 296 & South Street Windham, NY 12496 briarsandbramblesbooks.com 518 750 8599 Briars and Brambles Books is your go-to Indie Bookstore in the heart of the Catskill Mountains. Briars & Brambles Books is a dream come true for owner & part-time Windham resident, Jen Schwartz. Jen has combined her love of books with her experience as a long-time library volunteer and past library board president to create an inviting, knowledgeable and professional atmosphere. The Briars

& Brambles team understands that being a bookseller involves so much more than simply “selling books” and is committed to providing unparalleled personal attention.

BOWLING & BBQ The Ark Bowl & BBQ 42366 State Hwy. 28 Arkville, NY 12406 thearkbowl.com 845 586 2695 The perfect spot for a casual aprésski, the Ark Bowl & BBQ is an eclectic 120-seat restored 1960’s era vintage 8-lane bowling alley, BBQ joint, saloon and music/entertainment venue in the western Catskill Mountains, just a short drive from Belleayre Mountain. We feature a slow smoked, grilled and Americana BBQ menu, pub style food, and a full bar, and are open for brunch, lunch, supper and late night. Live music, featuring national and local acts, appear regularly–check out our Facebook and Instagram pages for the most up-to-date schedule. The Ark Bowl & BBQ is available for all types of social events, including weddings, birthday parties, work gatherings, family reunions, motorcycle touring groups and more. Catering also available.

Photo courtesy of Belleayre Mountain

February 2024 • GUIDE 29

CAR DEALERSHIP

COMMUNITY RESOURCES Thorpe’s GMC

5964 Main Street Tannersville, NY 12485 thorpesgmcinc.com 518 589 7142 Thorpe’s unmatched service and diverse GMC inventory have set them apart as the preferred dealer in Tannersville.

With a full-service team of sales and service professionals, visit them today to discover why they have the best reputation in the area. They offer one of the largest GMC inventories in New York, and their trained sales staff will help you every step of the way.

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE Central Catskills Chamber of Commerce Margaretville, NY 12455 centralcatskills.com ScenicCatskills.com 845 586 3300 The CCCoC works to advance the economic and community vitality of the many hamlets, villages and towns in our region and promote and foster events, programs and initiatives that will support its members. Collaboration and innovation will inspire community enhancement and quality of life opportunities for all who live, work and visit our communities.

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Main Street Community Center 5494 NY-23 Windham, NY 12496 mainstreetcenter.org 518 734 4168 The Main Street Community Center strives to build a caring, welcoming and inclusive environment to benefit all of the communities on the Mountain Top. Centrally located in Windham, the building contains multiple rooms, including two bathrooms (one is handicap accessible), a large sitting area, a conference room, individual workspaces with computer monitors and a large screen TV, free WIFI, access to printers, and a studio for creative activities. The Artist’s Hideaway provides individual lockers for artists to safely store their supplies. There is plenty of on site parking. The Center has an ever increasing offering of classes, programs, and events for people of all ages.

Phoenix Web Collective 7947 Main Street Hunter, NY 12442 phoenixwebcollective.com 518 628 5101 Mutual aid resource on the mountain!

Local artist shop, makers’ space, and our free mart, where you can get gently used and vintage clothing, home goods, food, toys, books, music, movies,

jewelry, electronics, and more for free or pay-what-you-can. We also host small events and workshops. All are welcome!

COWORKING SPACE

Tannersville Works 6041 Main Street Tannersville, NY 12485 tannersvilleworks.com 518 589 4017 Escape to The Catskills for productive and inspiring work days! Our coworking space is perfect for remote workers, visitors, and entrepreneurs looking for a professional place to work while enjoying the natural beauty of the mountains. Conveniently located in the center of Tannersville with easy access to local parks, shops, and restaurants.

Every coworker gets a dedicated desk, comfortable seating, high-speed internet, and access to printers and private calling rooms. Daily, weekly, and monthly rates available.

FARMS & FARM PRODUCTS

Pure Catskills purecatskills.com A regional, buy local campaign developed by the Watershed Agricultural Council to improve the economic viability of the local community, sustain the working landscapes of the Catskills and preserve water quality February 2024 • GUIDE 31

in the NYC Watershed Region. Pure Catskills works to promote hundreds of farm, forest and local businesses throughout Delaware, Greene, Otsego, Schoharie, Sullivan and Ulster Counties. Search their website for local products, or pick up a copy of the Guide to Pure Catskills Products!

FISH & SEAFOOD

Shawn’s Fresh Fish 5150 Route 28 Mount Tremper, NY 12457 On Instagram: @ShawnsFreshFish 845 702 2120 Located at the Migliorelli Farm Stand.

We started our business in 2016. We carry a large selection of fresh fish and seafood. Also, try our fresh made soups, salads and locally smoked fish. Requests welcomed.

GARDEN & LANDSCAPE

The Garden of Stone 5444 State Route 23 Windham NY 12496 gardenofstone5444@gmail.com Shop our eclectic selection of cast stone pieces for your garden and home. We hand-cast animal statuary, birdbaths, angels, gnomes and more.

We offer fresh-cut flowers by the stem or bouquet and can help with your special event. Shop for houseplants and unusual items–vintage and new. Browsing is encouraged!

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Gardens by Trista 176 Polen Hill Road Gilboa, NY 12076 gardensbytrista.com 607 588 6762 Gardens by Trista is a full service landscape company focused on providing each client with the individualized landscape or garden of their dreams. We know each property and client holds their own unique essence which we use to transform the land and its elements into their personalized landscape. We strive to fulfill the needs of each and every customer, whether it be a complete design/build for new construction or help with an existing garden that needs a rejuvenation. We also have an extensive garden maintenance division to help keep your landscape and garden in pristine condition. We also offer residential fruit tree pruning, berry bush and grapevine pruning, orchard planning and renovation, and natural sheet mulch and organic fertilization services. We are currently scheduling for our 2024 fruit tree pruning season! Please contact us to schedule your pruning or to request a quote.

HARDWARE Houst Hardware 4 Mill Hill Road Woodstock, NY 12498 housthardware.com 845 679 2115 Shop local with Houst Hardware, independent and family owned for 89 years. For all your projects, Houst Has IT. Benjamin Moore Paints, Equipment Rentals, Tools, Plumbing, Electrical, Organic and Heirloom Garden Seeds, Organic Soils and Fertilizers, Housewares, Weber grills, Seasonal products, Camping and Toys. Everything you need for work and play.

Photo courtesy of Minnewaska State Park Preserve

February 2024 • GUIDE 33

HOT TUBS

LIVE PERFORMANCES Best Hot Tubs

275 CR 65 Corner of Route 23 Windham, NY 12496 besthottubs.com 518 734 9100 Best Hot Tubs Windham store serves the Hunter/Windham, NY and entire Mountain Top area, including the nearby ski resorts at Hunter, Windham and Belleayre and beyond. You will find the right hot tub for your lifestyle and all the accessories you need to make your summer and winter spa experience perfect. Come see the new Bullfrog A series, Aspen Spas and Strong Spas. Best Hot Tubs repairs hot tubs and we offer weekly hot tub maintenance. All you have to do is relax!

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Catskill Mountain Foundation 2024 Performing Arts Season Doctorow Center for the Arts 7971 Main St., Hunter, NY 12442 Orpheum Performing Arts Center 6050 Main St. Tannersville, NY 12485 catskillmtn.org Ticket line: 518 263 2063 Our 2024 Performing Arts season is filled with music, dance, theater and much more! February starts on the right note with perhaps the greatest love story ever told, The Rocky Horror Show. With three performances at the Orpheum on February 2 and 3, the Maude Adams Theater Hub’s everpopular production is a wild ride. Costumes are encouraged!

The season of love continues with the Maude Adams Theater Hub’s V Season from February 14-18. Consisting of plays chosen to make you laugh, cry, and contemplate the nature of human relationships, V Season pushes the boundaries in ways that surprise and delight. This year’s plays include The Women, by Clare Booth Luce, God of Carnage by Yasmina

Reza, and The Gin Game by Donald L. Coburn. We wrap up February with a performance by Erth’s DINOSAUR ZOO LIVE on February 24. Brought to life by a team of skilled performers and puppeteers, this show guides your family on a breathtaking tour that begins in pre-historic Australia.

LODGING

Belleayre Lodge 15 Hostel Drive Pine Hill, NY 12465 belleayrelodge.com 845 254 4200 or belleayrerentals@gmail.com Belleayre Lodge is located minutes from Belleayre Ski Center in the hamlet of Pine Hill. The eleven vintage modern cabins are warm and welcoming and range from studios with kitchenettes to two and three bedroom cabins with full kitchens.

Guests enjoy outdoor amenities; fire pit, and salt water hot tub. The lodge room is open daily for pool, games, and relaxation.

Greenville Arms 11135 State Route 32 Greenville, NY 12083 greenvillearms.com 518 966 5219 Originally built in 1889, our historically registered Inn is situated on six acres of gardens, lawns, and woodlands.

The Queen Anne Revival-style main house, renovated Carriage House, February 2024 • GUIDE 35

and recently constructed Cottage building are host to 16 guest rooms open year-round to guests. Every guest room is uniquely decorated with a blend of antiques and modern amenities. A hot, cooked-to-order breakfast is included with each room.

Hampton Inn 1307 Ulster Avenue Kingston, NY 12401 Kingston.hamptoninn.com 845 382 2600 Additional location in New Paltz: 4 S. Putt Corners Road New Paltz, NY 12561 Newpaltz.hamptoninn.com 845 255 4200 Our hotel is near I-87, with several restaurants within walking distance.

Historic Downtown Waterfront and Uptown Kingston are both just four miles away with many local shops and dining options. Spend some family time at the Dutchess County Fairgrounds, seven miles away. An hour drive or less from 3 popular ski mountains. Unwind in our indoor saltwater pool. Enjoy complimentary hot breakfast and free WiFi.

Windham Manor 1161 Co Rd 10 Windham, NY 12496 windhammanor.com 518 944 1448 Our serene 45-acre property features a beautiful twelve-bedroom Victorian mansion, a newly-constructed luxury 36 • issuu.com/catskillmtnregionguide

reception barn, and breathtaking mountain views. The Main House, which can accommodate up to 24 overnight guests, offers 12 private bedrooms, an on-site gym, a full spa, a large kitchen, ADA accommodations, and sprawling communal areas. It’s the perfect space for any small reception and is also ideal for a weekend getaway with friends or family; a wellness retreat; or a corporate off-site event. Just a few steps west of The Main House, The Barn at Windham Manor can hold up to 300 guests for dinner and dancing. With beautiful tall ceilings, tons of natural light, and no detail spared, the space offers the perfect mix of classic mountain charm and unique modern luxury. We also offer various outdoor wedding ceremony locations throughout the property—one more beautiful than the next!

LUMBER & BUILDING MATERIALS GNH Lumber 5477 Route 23 Windham, NY 12496 518 734 3760

11513 NY-32 Greenville, NY 12083 518 966 5333

Online at GNHlumber.com Renovating your home or building new? Ask our team of experts for inspiration, help, and on-site delivery. Lumber & Building Materials, Plumbing & Electrical Supplies, Cabinets, Countertops & Design Services, Tools, Paints, Stains & More! Discover why GNH has a reputation for high-quality products and friendly customer service since 1937.

MASSAGE & WELLNESS Illuminating Wellness/ Mountain Top Massage illuminatingwellness.care 518 718 4228 Transformative therapeutic massage practice combines elements of many of the healing arts such as Acupressure, Reflexology, Reiki, Chiropractic adjustment and many forms of Asian and Thai massage. BioPhoton Light Therapy – Biontology is a European healing process that detoxes, neutralizes and resets the body and healing begins immediately. This practice finds the root-cause of any symptom-producing malady and quickly neutralizes it and thus assists you in raising the body’s immune system, the key to your health. (biontology.com).

MOVIE THEATER Catskill Mountain Foundation’s Mountain Cinema 7971 Main Street Hunter, NY 12442 catskillmtn.org 518 263 4702 Hollywood, foreign & independent films just a mile west of Hunter Mountain and a short drive from Windham. Shows run Friday through Sunday. Also available for rental.

February 2024 • GUIDE 37

NATURAL GROCERY

Sunflower Market 75 Mill Hill Road Woodstock, NY 12498 24 Garden Street Rhinebeck, NY, 12572 sunflowernatural.com 845 679 5361 (Woodstock) • 845 876 2555 (Rhinebeck) Sunflower is dedicated to providing products you can feel good about sharing with people you love.

Prioritizing working with local farms, families, and business, we know where our food comes from. Sunflower is devoted to providing clean and sustainably sourced food, 100% organic produce and a selection of carefully curated items that fit all dietary needs.

NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS

Catskill Mountain Foundation 7971 Main Street Hunter, NY 12442 catskillmtn.org 518 263 2000 Founded in 1998, the Catskill Mountain Foundation is a 501 (C)3 nonprofit corporation dedicated to arts, culture and educational enhancements in the northern Catskill Mountains. The Foundation creates programs in the performing arts, visual arts, studio arts, and film. We support the work of artists through performance opportunities and residency 38 • issuu.com/catskillmtnregionguide

programs; create cultural and educational opportunities for residents and visitors in the Catskill Region; and use these initiatives to build on the Mountaintop’s assets and turn it into a major cultural and educational center in the region.

Windham Foundation windhamfoundation.com info@windhamfoundation.com 518 734 9636 Windham is a special place for all of us. Our mission is to preserve and enrich Windham and the people who live, work, and visit here. We are a 501c3 grants-based organization, funding programs in education, recreation, the arts, and community initiatives. Established in 2004, the Windham Foundation is run by an all-volunteer Board. Donations are tax deductible.

PHOTOGRAPHER Images of the Northern Catskills

by Francis X. Driscoll Work available for purchase at: Tannersville Antiques & Artisans: 518 589 5600 Rustic Mountain Antiques: 518 589 1202 Smitty’s Nursery: 518 734 3489 francisxdriscoll.com • 518 821 1339 A frequent contributor to the Guide magazine, Francis X. Driscoll is an award-winning nature photographer whose

work involves total immersion in a setting so that he might capture that rare glimpse. His primary subject is the Catskill Forest Preserve. He shares his craft with others by leading hikes, conducting workshops and giving private instruction.

PLUMBING & HEATING N&S Supply Locations in Fishkill, Brewster, Kingston, Catskill, and Hudson, NY; and Danbury, CT nssupply.com N&S Supply is your one-stop resource for all your plumbing, heating and HVAC needs; Whether it’s an oil or gas burner, electric or gas water heater, furnace, toilet, faucet or custom shower, our service parts counters or our beautiful Bath Classics Showrooms will have what you need. We carry complete product lines, including all the accessories needed for any installation, with dependable, on-time delivery service available. We provide everything you would expect from a full-service distributor, including specialty products designed and manufactured to meet your needs and lifestyle. Contact us today and learn more about how we can provide the best solutions for you. Or, visit us at one of our full service locations or showrooms throughout the Hudson Valley and CT.

February 2024 • GUIDE 39

PODCAST

RADIO STATIONS Kaatscast

kaatscast.com Also available for free on major broadcasting platforms.

Kaatscast is a biweekly podcast focusing on Catskills history, community, arts & culture, sustainability, and tourism.

Voted “Best Regional Podcast” two years in a row, the podcast has collaborated on programming with several regional organizations and is produced

by Brett Barry, of Chichester-based Silver Hollow Audio, a creator of podcasts, audio tours, public radio segments, and audiobooks.

PRINTING SERVICES Catskill Mountain Printing Services 7971 Main Street Hunter, NY 12442 518 263 2001 Your one-stop shop for fast, personal service for all of your printing needs. Graphic design services are available, and we can print green!

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WIOX 91.3FM MTC Cable Channel 20 WIOXRADIO.ORG on computers and smartphones WIOX Community Radio—where public access meets public service to build public trust. WIOX programming is wildly diverse, live and local, and non-commercial, broadcasting from the Catskill Mountains region of upstate New York in the heart of the New York City Watershed. WIOX talk and music programs range from farming to brewing to cooking, forestry to healthcare, Rock to Pop, Bach and Goth, Blues, Folk, Country, Americana, Jazz and Salsa. WIOX: produced and supported—by you!

WRIP 97.9FM wripfm.com Streaming at rip979.com RIP 97.9 is the radio voice of the Mountaintop and Valley. Broadcasting 24/7 with the equivalent of 6,000 Watts of power, we are the only radio station covering the entire region between the Hudson Valley and Oneonta. WRIP is independently owned and operated. WRIP is heard on these FM frequencies: 97.9 in Windham and Hunter, 97.5 in Durham and Greenville, 103.7 in Catskill and Hudson, 104.5 in Stamford and Delaware County, and streaming worldwide at rip979.com.

REAL ESTATE

Brainard Ridge Realty 237 South Street Windham, NY 12496 brainardridge.com 518 734 5333 Specializing in Windham Mountain and the surrounding area for over 35 years. Visit our web site at brainardridge.com for a variety of listings both on and off the mountain: Homes, Townhomes, Rentals and Land. Whatever your needs we are here for you. Call us today!

Coldwell Banker— Timberland Properties TimberlandProperties.com CatskillPremier.com Margaretville: 845 586 3321 Boiceville/Mt. Tremper: 845 657 4177 Delhi: 607 746 7400 Stamford: 607 652 2220 Sidney: 607 604 4394 Roscoe: 607 290 4130 Start your real estate career today!

Unrivaled agent support & the best training in the region. Call or email to learn more: Debra G. Danner, Licensed Associate Real Estate Broker/ Branch Manager: 518 937 0924 or Debra.Danner@Timberlandproperties.net.

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Gordon Hunter Mountain Realty 6528 Route 23A Hunter, NY 12442 gordonrealty.com 518 589 9000 Gordon Hunter Mountain Realty is dedicated to serving you when you’re looking for property in Upstate New York and Northern Catskill Mountains. Our professional staff specializes in properties near Hunter Mountain and Windham Mountain ski resorts, including Hunter, Tannersville, Jewett, Lexington, Prattsville, Windham, and Ashland. We know the Catskill Mountains and look forward to showing you all that is available to see, do and live in our wonderful world.

Carol Shaw, Broker/Owner—Shaw Country Realty 5359 State Route 23 Windham, NY 12496 518 734 3500 I have been a real estate broker in the mountain top area for nearly four decades. Representing buyers and sellers, as well as dealing with various types of properties such as homes, land, and country homes, rentals, indicates a broad expertise in the local real estate market. With our many years in the industry, Shaw Country Realty has built a strong network, deep understanding of the market trends, and a keen ability to match buyers with suitable properties and help sellers navigate successful transactions. If you have any specific questions about real estate, the current market conditions, or any other related topics, feel free to ask!

REGIONAL INFORMATION Catskill Visitor’s Center

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5096 State Route 28 Mt. Tremper, NY 12457 catskillsvisitorscenter.org 845 688 3369 Your gateway to Catskills, where you can learn about the vast outdoor recreational opportunities in the area as well as discover the cultural and natural history of the Region. The center features educational exhibits along with maps, books, gear, and gifts, as well a friendly and knowledgeable staff.

RESTAURANTS A Slice of Italy 1316 Ulster Avenue Kingston, NY 12401 asliceofitaly7115.com 845 336 7115 For years we have been providing the Kingston area with finest Italian dishes, pizza, hot and cold subs, salads and more made with the freshest ingredients and served with five star customer service. We have a full bar featuring a range of red and white wines, bottled beers, beers on tap and liquor. We also cater, and pride ourselves on being able to deliver

February 2024 • GUIDE 43

our quality restaurant dishes right to your door. Whatever the event, no matter how many or how few, we are there for you. Open Monday through Saturday from 11 am to 10 pm, closed on Sundays.

Angela’s Pizza 1923 Ulster Avenue Lake Katrine, NY 12401 angelaspizzarestaurant.com 845 382 2211 Angela’s is more than just pizza!

Soups, salads, pastas, subs, wraps, Italian dinners, desserts & more. …

But, yeah, our pizza is dang awesome, too! Try our specialty pies or build your own! Open every day 11:00 am to 10:00 pm. Eat in or take out, and delivery is available.

Catering is also available: let us bring our delicious food to your next event! Angela’s mobile app—available on both Android and iOS devices—is designed just for you. Get instant access to online ordering, Angela’s Loyalty Program, coupons, dining & catering menus, wing flavors and much more! Download the app today!

Brandywine 11157 State Route 23 Windham, NY 12496 brandywinewindham.com 518 734 3838 For the past 35 years, this fullservice Italian restaurant has offered great food and impeccable service. Share wonder-

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ful memories with your loved ones as we fill your table with delicious Italian cuisine. Born and raised in Southern Italy, owner Louis Caracciolo mastered the art of Italian cookery, and passed it on to his son Joseph, who has continued that art and tradition as chef in the restaurant. We guarantee that we know the formula to capture the rich flavor of your favorite Italian dishes.

Early Terrible 45 Mill Hill Rd. Woodstock, NY 12498 earlyterrible.com 845 684 7226 An authentic, approachable, wine bar with a full menu, in the heart of Woodstock. Please join us in our magical lounge and enjoy the property and gardens. Offering a wide variety of specialty cocktails, wines, beers, and more, alongside a selection of shared plates and off-the-grill bratwurst, burgers, cheesesteak or fish.

Gracie’s Luncheonette 969 Main Street Leeds, NY 12451 graciestruckny.com 518 943 9363 Our diner-style burgers, fried chicken sandwich, loaded fries and donuts are our signature menu items. All of our breads, pastries and desserts are made fresh in house every day. We make all of our own condiments and even our own cheese. We buy whole beef

from Josef Meiller’s farm in Pine Plains, NY and we grind our own special blend for our burgers as well as cut our own steaks. We also cure and smoke our own bacon, pastrami and other meats. All eggs, dairy, produce and other meats are all sourced as locally as possible. the potatoes for our French fries are even grown right in Catskill at Story’s Farm and hand-cut daily!

Hunter Mountain Brewery 7267 Route 23A Hunter, NY 12442 HMBCatskills.com 518 263 3300 Over 15 home brewed beers on tap including seasonal ales, IPA’s, porters, stouts, lagers and more. Available for in house and take out in our 64 oz growlers or canned four packs.

Weekly specials include taco Tuesdays, sushi Thursdays, and prime rib Fridays. Stop in for the best views and brews on the mountain top!

Jessie’s Harvest House 5819 Main Street Tannersville, NY 12485 jessiesharvesthouse.com 518 589 5445 Jessie’s Harvest House Restaurant and Lodge is a welcoming & cozy place to gather, featuring a delicious menu of American-style cuisine and elevated comfort foods, with locally-sourced ingredients, a

friendly tavern, and rustic country lodging. Family-owned & family-run, we love to share all the freshest foods our area has to offer! Catering is available. Indoor dining.

La Cabaña Mexican Restaurant & Bar 966 Main St. Fleischmanns, NY 12442 lacabanarestaurantny.com 845 254 4966 Family owned and operated, La Cabaña is rich in tradition and authenticity. Our dinners are individually prepared with the freshest ingredients available. You’ll find all of your favorites on the menu, from enchiladas, burritos, tacos, chimichangas and flautas to chile relleños, carne asada, nachos and quesadillas to traditional desserts such as flan, fried ice cream and churros. Vegetarian options are available.

Pancho Villa’s Mexican Restaurant 6037 Main Street Tannersville, NY 12485 panchovillamex.com 518 589 5134 The Best Mexican Food this side of the Border! Pancho Villa’s is owned and operated by the Oscar and Patricia Azcue family. They have been proudly serving authentic Mexican food on Main Street in Tannersville since 1992. Rooted in tradition, their passion is sharing great food and good company. All of the

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traditional Mexican favorites are served here, from enchiladas and burritos to chimichangas and flautas...plus great margaritas and daiquiris! Open every day except Tuesday.

Peekamoose Restaurant & Tap Room 8373 State Route 28 Big Indian, NY 12410 peekamooserestaurant.com 845 254 6500 Devin and Marybeth Mills hail from some of New York City’s finest restaurants, including the famed Gramercy Tavern.

Seeking to move closer to the farms supplying their menu, they have beautifully restored this country farmhouse set among the Catskill Mountains. The restaurant supports local growers by changing the menu daily, using the freshest ingredients available.

you to the importance of preserving the natural wonders of our world. We work with brands that care about their impact on the planet and its people, and we donate 1% of our revenue to environmental nonprofits here in the Catskills.

Catskill Mountain Foundation Gift Shop 6042 Main Street Tannersville, NY 12485 518 589 7500 Operated by the Catskill Mountain Foundation and located next door to the Orpheum Performing Arts Center, our shop features a curated selection of gifts from around the Region and around the world. Open for holiday shopping Thursday through Sunday from 11 am to 6 pm.

The Knitting Room

RETAIL Camp Catskill 6006 Main Street Tannersville, NY 12485 campcatskill.co 518 303 6050 Sustainable gear & gifts, including clothing, footwear, backpacks, and hiking gear. Our mission is to help you feel good about what you buy, what you wear, and the gear you use (and reuse) in the wild. Having the right gear lets you spend more time outside in nature, which in turn connects

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11111 State Route 23 Windham, NY 12496 theknittingroomny.com 518 768 1944 Co owned by long time friends May and Zairi, The Knitting Room is a yarn store specializing in locally produced and hand dyed yarn. Come touch gorgeous yarn and stay to knit or crochet over a cup of hot cocoa, latte or tea.

We offer beginner and advanced classes, and help starting new projects. With gorgeous views of Windham Mountain and a great atmosphere, any afternoon spent at The Knitting Room is guaranteed good fun in fantastic company.

Moose Crossing 1 Reservoir Rd. Shokan, NY 12481 rustic-cabin.com 845 657 9792 Casual, rustic and country Adirondack-style furniture, home furnishings, home decor, accessories, gifts and collectibles.

Hand-crafted, Made-In-America sold wood furniture and furnishings for your home, lodge or cabin. Jewelry, blankets, pillows, rugs and clothing in Native American, Western and country motifs and styles. The best selection of nature-inspired items hand crafted from artisanal craftsmen located locally and from around the country.

The Nest Egg 84 Main Street Phoenicia, NY 12464 thenesteggcountrystore.com nesteggshop.com 845 688 5851 An old-fashioned country store in the heart of the Catskill Mountains. You’ll find lots of specialty and artisan crafted foods here, from local maple syrup, honey, preserves, to nostalgic candies and gourmet chocolate, to gourmet peanut butter, and more! Your source for mountain clothing and souvenirs, including Minnetonka Moccasins, t-shirts & sweatshirts, local area books and hiking maps, candles, soaps, incense, jewelry, toys, puzzles, games and more. Our home-made delicious fudge is worth the trip! Owner Robin Kirk’s family has owned The Nest Egg since 1968.

Greene County Economic Development Corporation 411 Main Street Catskill, NY 12414 greenecountyedc.com 518 719 3290 Your gateway to establishing your business in Greene County. Their team connects entrepreneurs, developers, and corporate leadership with resources, municipalities, and investment incentives for job-creating businesses.

SKIING & SNOWBOARDING Windham Mountain Club 19 Resort Drive Windham, NY 12496 windhammountain.com 1 800 754 9463 Windham Mountain Club is New York’s premier members’ club that invites the public to ski and snowboard during the winter season. Across pristine alpine acres, Windham Mountain Club provides guests, members, and families and friends with an elevated experience to escape to. Windham Mountain Club’s crowd management during the winter season affords guests with a premium on-snow experience, with room to roam. Windham Mountain Club is all about making memories that last generations.

SERVICES Catskill Center for Conservation & Development 43355 Route 28 Arkville, NY 12406 catskillcenter.org 845 586 2611 Since 1969, the Catskill Center has led the effort to protect the more than 700,000 acres of the Catskill Park and Catskill Forest Preserve. Their mission is to protect and foster the environmental, cultural,and economic well-being of the Catskill Region.

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SKINCARE & WELLNESS Skin Concept 61 NY-296 Windham, NY 12496 skinconceptwindham.com 518 750 8030 Medical aesthetics and relaxation treatments for the entire body, for self care, pampering and health improvement. We offer customized facials, massages, body treatments and infrared sauna. At the clinic you can buy professional skin care products. Environ and DMK, and the best quality of European brand supplements.

SPA

WINE & LIQUOR Olivia’s Wine & Spirits 128 South Street Windham, NY 12496 oliviaswineandspirits.com 518 750 8026 Wine connoisseurs Olivia and Robert Giordano have traveled the world learning about wine, and are now bringing their vast knowledge and passion for wines from all over the world to Windham. Olivia’s offers a diverse selection of wines at a variety of competitive price points, as well as a variety of bourbons, whiskeys, and other liquors. Open every day.

Town & Country Liquors MENLA | Dewa Spa

375 Pantherkill Road Phoenicia, NY 12464 menla.org Menla is a hidden oasis in the heart of the Catskill Mountains.

Featuring wellness and spiritual retreats as well as exclusive getaways, and the world-class Dewa Spa. Immerse yourself in the magic of pristine mountain forests. Explore hiking trails, encounter wildlife, and discover a rich tapestry of wellness experiences and activities. Dewa Spa’s unique architecture and Tibetan accents evoke peace and tranquillity. Eastern and Western treatments, such as Tibetan KuNye massage, herbal baths, Shirodhara, sounds baths, energy readings, and customized facials are a few of the lavish therapies found in our spa.

TOURISM Ulster County Tourism

330 Route 12 Saugerties, NY 12477 townandcountryliquorstore.com 845 246 8931 Our selection of wines and spirits is among the best in the Hudson Valley. Our friendly helpful staff is here to assist you in finding the right beverage: we have a huge selection of wines and spirits from all over the world.

Windham Wine & Liquors 5448 State Route 23 Windham, NY 12496 518 734 3474 Windham Wine & Liquors is the Mountaintop’s premier destination for the best offerings of wines and spirits since 2003. Our ever-expanding selection is sure to please every palate and price range. Let us help with your special event or gift. Visit us at the west end of town. Open every day of the year except Christmas Day.

visitulstercountyny.com In Ulster County, love finds its own rhythm against the backdrop of scenic landscapes and historic charm. From intimate dinners in cozy Kingston bistros to strolls through the idyllic Walkway Over the Hudson, Valentine’s Day here is a celebration of romance and local allure. Capture the essence of love with a scenic drive along the Shawangunk Wine Trail or savor artisanal chocolates from charming shops in Woodstock. In Ulster County, Valentine’s Day is a symphony of affection in a setting that blends history, nature, and heartfelt moments.

Photo courtesy of Windham Mountain Club

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February 2024 • GUIDE 49

MATH & CMF Are Heating Up Theaters this february!

Fresh off a wildly successful year of plays and musical productions, Maude Adams Theater Hub is starting 2024 with a bang!

Let’s Do the Time Warp Again—Valentine’s Style!

Is Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show the greatest love story ever told? Get your ticket for February 2 and 3 and find out!

Traditionally produced in the fall to align with Halloween, this year’s wild ride is taking a different path and starting the season of love on the right note.

Myra Garcia returns to the stage as Dr. Frankenfurter, with some familiar faces and some new to the Orpheum stage, including, Allegra Coons, CJ Dunn-Cappelino, Bridget Czermerys, Gary Falk, Marina Garcia, Christian Greene, Brooke Harrison, Aly Hoyt, Michael McDonald, Juan Miguel, Michael Ryan, and Kat Wood.

Don’t wait to get the ticket of the season! Costumes are encouraged and appreciated. Doors open at 7:00 pm for lobby cocktails, shows at 7:30 pm on Friday and Saturday, 4:00 pm matinee on Saturday. Shows are at the Orpheum Performing Arts Center, 6050 Main Street, Tannersville. Tickets are $25.

V Season Returns for a Second Year!

After the wildly popular launch of MATH’s winter series of staged readings in 2023, a fresh new batch of plays are in rehearsal to help you beat those mid-season blues. Consisting of plays chosen to make you laugh, cry, and contemplate the nature of human relationships, V Season pushes the boundaries in ways that surprise and delight. All shows are at the Doctorow Center for the Arts, 7971 Main Street, Hunter. Tickets for individual shows are $20.

V Season special: purchase tickets for all three shows for $50!

Opening the season on Valentine’s Day (or dare we say Galentine’s Day?) is Clare Boothe Luce’s classic comedy of l’amour, l’amour, The Women. Directed by Patricia Charbonneau, this lively tale, set in 1939, follows the plight of Mary Haines, whose 50 • issuu.com/catskillmtnregionguide

once-devoted husband is stepping out with the villainous Crystal Allen, shop girl by day, seductress by night. Against her better judgment, Mary lets her catty group of gossipy friends talk her into a divorce, and much mayhem ensues before all is set right again. Consisting of a large cast of the region’s most talented actresses, The Women is the perfect way to kick off V Season 2024.

Shows are Wednesday, February 14 and Friday, February 16 at 7:00 pm.

Called by The New York Times a “Rumble in the Living Room,” God of Carnage by Yasmina Reza and translated effortlessly by Christopher Hampton, is a tour de force of adults behaving very badly. A heavily satirized view of Brooklyn parents who meet over espresso and clafouti in order to discuss a playground brawl between their eight-year-olds, turns wild and wooly as the boundaries of civil discourse are tested by the best of intentions.

Relentless in both its humor and brazen in its ability to peel back the skin of human nature, God of Carnage won both the Olivier and Tony awards in 2009. Shows are Thursday, February 15 and Saturday, February 17 at 7:00 pm.

Rounding out the V Season weekend are two matinee showings of The Gin Game, by Donald L. Coburn. First produced in 1976, the play won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1978, and the Tony Award for Best Play later that same year. Focusing on the accidental friendship of two people in a derelict retirement home, The Gin Game lays bare the loneliness, frailty, and sheer frustration of growing old with dignity. Weller Martin and Fonsia Dorsey (who will be played by local favorites Chris Cade and Elisabeth Henry), become odd card table fellows who tell each other stories as they try to best each other at gin rummy. Gradually, each conversation becomes a battle, and Weller struggles with Fonsia’s uncanny ability to win every hand. Shows are Saturday, February 17 and Sunday, February 18 at 2:00 pm.

Visit catskillmtn.org or maudeadamstheaterhub.org for tickets!

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Photo by Christopher Gilner

T

A Winter Tradition for All Ages at the Ashokan Center

he Ashokan Center’s 11th Winter Hoot is February 2 through February 4 at the Center’s campus in Olivebridge, NY. The Winter Hoot is a down-home, down-to-earth, music gathering where everyone is welcome and there’s joy to spare.

Located at the Ashokan Center in Olivebridge, NY (20 min from Woodstock) the event begins with a Friday dinner, concert, and jam, continues with music, fun activities, and dancing all day/ night on Saturday, and ends with yoga and a farewell singalong on Sunday. Don’t miss the blacksmithing, mini concerts in the pewter shop, kids zone activities, local food & libations!

What is a Hoot? In this case, it’s part world-class concert, part community supper, part all-ages nature retreat. Friday will kick off with a very special and delicious organic, locally-sourced, community meal (GF and vegan options available). Following the dinner, Ashokan Center founders Jay Ungar and Molly Mason will perform with family & friends; Jay’s lively fiddling brims with playfulness and soul and Molly’s total mastery and inventiveness on piano and guitar is always supportive and spot-on.

Millions were entranced Ken Burns’ PBS documentary The Civil War where their performance of Jay’s haunting composition, “Ashokan Farewell,” earned the couple international acclaim. The soundtrack won a Grammy and “Ashokan Farewell” was nominated for an Emmy. The tune was originally inspired by Ashokan Music & Dance Camps and played a role in saving the land now known as the Ashokan Center and it’s outdoor education programs and cultural traditions. Following the concert will be a Jam Session in the Dining Hall. Bring your instruments, voices, or just relax with a drink and listen.

Saturday at the Winter Hoot boasts a full day of outdoor fun, music and dancing. The day will kick off with a morning hike with Del Orloske (weather permitting). Concerts for kids, square 52 • issuu.com/catskillmtnregionguide

dances, and live roots music performances by Jeremy Schonfeld, The Evening Bells, Mikaela Davis, Lau Noah, The Mammals, and Storey Littleton round out the day.

Meanwhile the Ashokan Center’s friendly and skilled Outdoor Education staff will lead blacksmithing workshops and pewter shop sessions, indoor kids zone activities, and a laid-back instrument petting zoo where anyone can try their hand at a variety of musical instruments. A silent auction in the balcony will support the Ashokan Center. Local beer, wine and cider will be on sale in the evening.

Sunday morning offerings include yoga with Sara Trapani and a farewell community sing in the resonant performance hall space.

The event is a showcase and fundraiser for the Ashokan Center, a unique nonprofit organization with a 56-year history of youth outdoor education and 43 years of cultural preservation at summer Music & Dance Camps for adults and families.

Weekend passes for the Winter Hoot are $50 in advance (free under 18) with sliding scale tickets available at the door. VIP Weekend and Single Day Passes are also available. Donations are greatly appreciated and no one is turned away for lack of funds.

Friday dinner must be reserved in advance for $30. Affordable on-site lodging is available in the hostel-style Longhouse for an additional fee. Limited private rooms may also be available while supplies last. Detailed information, volunteer opportunities, and the full music schedule are available at https://hoot.love The Ashokan Center’s mission is to inspire learning and building community through shared experiences in nature, history, music and art. It is located at 477 Beaverkill Road in Olivebridge. For more information, visit ashokancenter.org.

The Catskill Mountain Foundation presents

Photo by John D. Kelly

Hailing from historic County Waterford, Danú is one of the leading traditional Irish ensembles of today. Their standing room only concerts throughout Ireland are true events featuring high-energy performances and a glorious mix of ancient Irish music and new repertoire.

“Compellingly original” — LOS ANGELES TIMES

“a powerhouse band” — THE IRISH TIMES

“fierce fiddle reels to pensive ballads” — THE NEW YORK TIMES

SATURDAY, MARCH 2 @ 7:00PM ORPHEUM PERFORMING ARTS CENTER 6050 Main Street • Tannersville, NY 12485

Tickets Purchased Ahead: $25; $20 seniors; $7 students (+processing fees. Higher at-the-door ticket prices apply)

Scan for tickets!

Tickets available at catskillmtn.org or 518 263 2063 Catskill Mountain Foundation is supported in part by New York State Council on the Arts, the Greene County Cultural Fund administered by the Greene County Legislature, The Jarvis and Constance Doctorow Family Foundation, The Royce Family Foundation, The Samuel and Esther Doctorow Fund, The Orville and Ethel Slutzky Family Foundation, Platte Clove Bruderhof Community, Bank of Greene County Charitable Foundation, The Greene County Youth Bureau, Marshall & Sterling Insurance, All Souls’ Church, Stewarts Shops, Windham Foundation, and by private donations.

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Ice Harvest Festival at Hanford Mills Museum Winter’s Coolest Tradition

J

oin Hanford Mills Museum this winter for a traditional ice harvest! As the museum wraps up its 50th anniversary season in 2023, they are continuing to go back to our roots and reflecting upon the historical traditions of the ice harvest.

What will the 2024 Ice Harvest Look Like?

In the days before mechanical refrigeration, ice harvesting was an essential wintertime activity. The ice harvested in the winter would be used to keep food and agricultural products cold in the warmer months. Just as farmers did a century ago, the team at Hanford Mills will be monitoring ice and weather conditions to determine the best time for the best harvest. Instead of setting a date months in advance, the team at Hanford Mills is going to watch the ice and weather to schedule a day (or set of days) as they have a better idea of when ice harvesting will be possible.

They will do their best to provide as much advance notice as ice conditions and weather forecasts allow.

Scheduling and other information will be added at hanfordmills.org as they are able to confirm based on ice and weather conditions. Updates will also be posted on Facebook and Instagram. Admission will be by donation rather than the museum’s usual rates.

Harvesting Ice Hanford Mills Museum’s annual Ice Harvest celebrates the historic and community traditions of harvesting ice. Learn about the process, from measuring the ice to packing it in the ice house.

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The Science of Ice and Ice Houses Why was ice such an important crop before mechanical refrigeration? Ice is full of energy, waiting to be released. Learn more about the science of ice and how Hanford Mills keeps its ice crop cold through the summer.

Ice and a Changing Climate In New York State, climate change impacts our winter temperatures, and those changes impact the environment, wildlife, and economies. The impacts of these changes are clearly visible at the annual Ice Harvest.

About Hanford Mills Museum Hanford Mills Museum operates an authentic water- and steampowered historic site, which includes a sawmill, gristmill, and woodworking shop. The mission of Hanford Mills Museum is to inspire audiences of all ages to explore connections among energy, technology, natural resources, and entrepreneurship in rural communities with a focus on sustainable choices. The museum is listed on the National and New York State Registers of Historic Places.

Hanford Mills is located at 51 County Highway 12 in East Meredith, at the intersection of Delaware County Routes 10 & 12, just 10 miles from Oneonta, and 15 miles from Delhi. For more information, visit hanfordmills.org or call 607 278 5744.

February 2024 • GUIDE 55

Sorrel

A Greene County Garden in February: Sorrel

By Margaret Donsbach Tomlinson

O

ne of the earliest garden greens, often leafing out before spring officially arrives, is sorrel. A welcome addition to omelets, soups and salads—or any dish that benefits from a handful of lemony flavored greens—it will come up year after year without replanting. In a mild winter when the temperature stays above 20 degrees or so, it may even be possible to harvest sorrel year-round.

Sorrel is high in healthful potassium, vitamin C and betacarotene. It’s also high in oxalic acid, which can cause kidney stones if too much is eaten, so people who prone to that condition should use caution. Sorrel is so tart, though, that most people would be unlikely to eat too much.

Easy to grow from seed, sorrel can be planted successfully in February; it will sprout whenever the weather suits it, which can be surprisingly early. Because February soils tend to be soggy, it’s best to barely scratch the surface, scatter the seed, and cover it with half an inch of compost. When planting this early, use an established garden bed so the sprouts won’t have to compete with a lot of weeds. You can also plant sorrel later in the season when you can cultivate the soil more deeply.

The best culinary varieties are common garden sorrel (Rumex acetosa) and French sorrel (Rumex scutatus). In practice, 56 • issuu.com/catskillmtnregionguide

seed catalogs tend to offer French sorrel or a more refined variety of garden sorrel, sometimes without differentiating between the two varieties. Common sorrel grows taller—some references say up to three feet—and its leaves are arrow-shaped. French sorrel is shorter, up to a foot tall, and its leaves are more oval.

French sorrel is less acidic, so you can use a fairly large quantity in, for example, cream of sorrel soup, without its tartness becoming overwhelming. Another variety, red-veined sorrel (Rumex sanguineus), has green leaves with deep red veins that add a dramatic flair to salads. This variety must be harvested when young and tender—the older leaves are tough and taste unpleasant.

Sorrel can be havested in early spring from an established planting, or within a couple of months after newly planted seeds sprout. In summer, the plants will send up flower stalks.

Removing each stalk as it appears will let the plant devote more energy to its roots and leaves. The leaves attached to the flower stalk are just as tasty as the others. By late summer or fall, the plants will stop trying to flower, and you can keep harvesting leaves as long as no hard winter freezes kill the top growth.

If they do die back, you can look forward to more in earliest spring.

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February’s “Snow Moon” in the early morning, setting behind Burroughs Range and frozen Ashokan Reservoir. Photo by Julian Diamond/shutterstock.com

Surviving the Dog Days of Winter with Hope T

he Catskill Mountains are forever beautiful, but they can also test those with the most ardent resolve. As the Dog Days of winter join us in full stride during February, we invite you to strap in for the slippery ride that is February, often a month that challenges even the toughest amongst us. Imagine what it was like for the settlers who first experienced winters here in our Catskills region. Brrr … chilly, right?

So, the Dog Days of winter are now upon us. We are much closer to the warm weather and more sun added to our days, but now is the time that tests our minds, our stamina and yes at times, our patience. While wading through these Dog Days of winter, we are reminded that there are also the Dog Days of summer as well, and for more on that, let’s meet back here in the Guide during August, OK ?

I could jump right in and tell you the astrological roots of the Dog Days of winter but that might be adding to your mountainous winter stress load, so instead, let’s drift into a fictitious winter malaise and a story of hope. Yes, we will be hopeful here … but Hope is also our heroine’s name too. You have to have hope, right? Hopefully!! I can’t help myself, though you might hope/wish I would.

Winter settles in with an icy grip, and our residents and visitors are well-versed in the art of surviving the Dog Days of winter.

The peaks of our ever-present Catskills, both tall and majestic, are cloaked in a pristine blanket of clean snow. Among them is Hope, a skilled and strong woman with a spirit as fierce as the biting northeast wind that continually sweeps through our curvy and narrow valleys and kills.

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By Greg Madden

As the first February snowflakes fall, Hope has already prepared for the frozen months ahead. She knows that surviving the harsh winter means more than just bundling up in several warm layers; it requires a combination of resourcefulness and resilience too. Her cozy Catskills cabin, nestled between snow-laden pines, becomes a sanctuary against the unforgiving mountain cold.

The key to enduring the relentless winter is disciplined preparation. Hope had split and stocked up on her firewood, ensuring a steady supply of warmth throughout the season. With her trusty ax in hand, she often ventured into the woods, carefully selecting the dead trees and their fallen branches. Each swing of her ax echoed through the silent forest, a rhythmic reminder of the work required for survival, especially in harsh conditions.

Inside her rustic cabin, the fireplace is crackling and popping with life as red and yellow flames dance and shadows flicker.

Hope enjoys sitting by the fire, savoring that warmth that envelopes her following her hard work. She has also sealed any drafts and gaps in the cabin walls, fortifying it against the frigid air that seeks entry and its efforts to invade her level of comfort. This form of insulation keeps the interior cozy, a refuge from the biting cold outside. It is a simple yin/yang expression of her world. The Dog Days know both hot and cold seasons. Never have we heard of the Dog Days of spring or autumn.

The Catskills seasonally experience unpredictable weather, and Hope has learned to expect the unexpected. She keeps a well-stocked pantry, filled with healthy, non-perishable items like canned goods, rice, and pasta. In the event of a storm that might isolate her from her supplies, Hope is well-equipped to “weather”

the storm without worrying about random food shortages. She is self contained in every way.

One particularly challenging aspect of winter in our mountains is the ever-present threat of power outages due to ice storms.

Heavy snowfall can also bring down power lines, plunging the entire region into a chilly darkness. To counter this, Hope has invested in a reliable generator and a stash of fuel to keep her world functioning at a minimum, one she is comfortable with. When the lights flicker or go out, as they often do, Hope simply fires up her generator to keep her essential appliances running.

Despite the isolation, Hope maintains and enjoys a sense of community with her nearby neighbors. They form a close-knit group, a network of support during these dark and chilly long winter months. They share resources, help each other with tasks when needed, and even organize communal gatherings to stave off the social isolation that often accompanied the dark and loneliest of the seasons.

One of the most vital aspects of surviving winter in the Catskills is staying alert and therefore active. The mountains offer a pristine landscape for winter sports, and Hope often takes full advantage of these activities. She straps on her snowshoes and explores the snow-covered trails, reveling in the beauty of the frozen world around her. Skiing and ice skating became not just recreational activities, but essential ways to stay fit and maintain a positive mindset.

In February, it appears that the days are shorter and the nights are longer; however, that is not true.Since December 21 of last year, there has been a reversal of this trend, yet it is the continued cold over longer periods of time that makes it seem worse than it is and by February we’ve had enough of it!! ENOUGH!!

Hope always finds solace in the simple pleasures of winter.

She brews warm, delicious and hearty soups, bakes fresh bread, and indulges in the warmth of hot cocoa, tea with buckwheat honey and flavored coffees. Her cabin becomes a haven of comfort, a place where the frigid howling winds outside could not extinguish the flicker of her “hope” within.

Embracing winter also means appreciating the unique beauty it brings, cold as it is. The Catskills each year transform into a winter wonderland, with icicles glistening on tree branches and snowdrifts forming unique and intricate patterns on the landscape. Hope always takes time to capture these moments, wielding her at the ready camera to “freeze” the unrelenting beauty of winter in our mountains.

The arrival of winter here also heralds the possibility of the celestial spectacle of the northern lights and their occasional visits here. Hope bundles up, steps outside her cabin, and gazes in awe as the night sky erupts in hues of green and purple. These luminescent lights in the sky serve as a reminder that even in the darkest of times, there is still exquisite beauty that abounds.

As winter wears on, Hope’s resilience is often put to the test.

There are days when the snow seems relentless, burying her cabin in a sea of white. With hope, Hope presses on, shoveling paths

and maintaining a routine that keeps both her spirit and mind active. She practices yoga by her fireplace, a calming ritual that helps her stay centered in the midst of the winter storm.

In the heart of these Dog Days of winter, when the chill seems once again unrelenting, Hope seeks refuge in the simple joy of reading, an old school distraction. She gathers a stack of books with differing story lines ,and allows herself to be transported to uncharted worlds away from her winter doldrums. The words that fill her books became another source of warmth, a mental escape from the cold reality outside.

As the winter months near their end, Hope meditates on the lessons she has learned during these same winter Dog Days. Surviving in the Catskill Mountains requires more than just endurance; it demands a deep connection to the natural world, a sense of community, and an unwavering spirit. The Dog Days of winter are clearly challenging, but they also reveal a powerful strength that lies within her and in all who read this, residents and visitors alike.

As spring begins to emerge, with the snow melting and the days growing longer, Hope feels a sense of accomplishment. She does not merely endure her winters; she embraces them, finding beauty and strength in the midst of their bone chilling moments.

The lessons she learns during these Dog Days will stay with her, engendering pride and a reminder that survival is not just about enduring these annual challenges, but also about thriving in the face of adversity.

As the sun again now climbs higher in the sky and the temperatures slowly creep up, Hope steps outside her cabin rejoining all that is sprouting. The once-frozen landscape is now thawed, revealing hints of green beneath the disappearing snow. The Catskill Mountain, will once again transform, ushering in a new season filled with green and the sounds of nature.

Hope smiles, knowing that she has not just survived the Dog Days of winter; she has conquered them, emerging stronger and more resilient than ever before.

Hope once again has learned to prepare and depend on herself and that when she (or you) have hope, you have everything.

Spring is on the way and next year Hope is hoping to travel to visit warmer climes and then return home for the Dog Days of summer. We hope she does and as you can see Hope (and hope) is eternal. We’ll check back with Hope in August for the other Dog Days. Until then, many blessings !!

Greg Madden is the Development Manager at Wellness Rx Pharmacy where he also practices ancient healing modalities like Tui-Na Medical Massage and BioPhoton Light Therapy. More at IlluminatingWellness.care.

WellnessRx, Pharmacy for the Public Good is America’s first nonprofit Community Pharmacy and Wellness Center in Tannersville, NY (WellnessRxLLC.com) and in April in Phoenicia, NY (PharmacyforthePublicGood.org), both located on Main Street.

February 2024 • GUIDE 59

THE GREAT OUTDOORS IN THE CATSKILLS

By Jeff Senterman

Neversink Gorge Trails. Photo by Mad Hare Imagery/shutterstock.com

T

hanks to the continuing impacts of climate change, it is hard to say what typical winter weather might be nowadays, but suffice to say the winter so far has been tough to prepare for and react to. We have had snow, cold temperatures, warmer temperatures, winds, rain, flooding, and then back to cold and snow here in the Catskills so far this winter.

Clearly, this has all led to a multitude of conditions on the trails for those looking to get out! The best advice I can think of going into February is to be prepared for anything in the mountains. Conditions can and do change quickly in the Catskills and if you are on the trails in the winter months, you should be spending more time planning, as there is a lot less room for mistakes and errors because of the cold temperatures, generally higher winds, snow, ice, and limited daylight hours. For any trip into the frontcountry or the backcountry, be sure to check out the regularly updated trail conditions posted by the Catskills Visitor Center—they’ll help you know before you go!

February is a very important time in the political life of the Catskills and the Catskill Park. At the State Capital in Albany, this is the time of the year when budgets are being made and 60 • issuu.com/catskillmtnregionguide

priorities are being assessed and discussed. Organizations like the Catskill Center are working hard to advocate for the Catskills and through efforts like Catskill Park Day, use that opportunity to positively influence the Catskills through the budgeting process.

Think all the hiking trails of the Catskills are in the high peaks region? Think again! Thanks to Trailkeeper we have the top five winter hikes in Sullivan County, which is home to the southern Catskills and some real gems of trails.

Catskill Park Day is February 29 Help Support the Catskill Park!

Organized annually by the Catskill Park Coalition, which is co-chaired by the Catskill Center, the 2024 Catskill Park Day will be held on February 29. This day is an opportunity for supporters of the Catskills to have their voice heard in Albany and to make a difference in the support and funding that the Park receives. As has happened for the last few years, this will be a virtual day of advocacy: for more information visit catskillcenter.org/advocacy.

The Catskill Park Coalition represents dozens of organizations who work in and care for the Catskill Park and the surrounding Catskill Region. The Coalition knows that investments in the Catskill Park protect our natural resources, provide outdoor recreation, support important jobs for our region, and provide clean drinking water protection for millions of New Yorkers. The priorities for the Coalition in the upcoming NYS Budget affirm tourism opportunities, natural resource protections, clean water, public health protections, climate resilience, recreational access, job creation, and quality of life for residents of and visitors to the Catskill Park.

Public Safety and Catskill Park Management The NYSDEC must be adequately staffed, including new staff in the Division of Lands and Forests and annual Forest Ranger Academies, and the Catskill Park Coordinator role must be adequately funded.

Environmental Protection Fund (EPF) Fund the Environmental Protection Fund at $400 million.

Within the EPF, maintain existing funding lines for the Catskills, including: $10 million Forest Preserve line; $250,000 line for the Catskills Visitor Center; $200,000 line for Catskill Science Collaborative; $500,000 for the “Save the Hemlocks” initiative; and $300,000 in dedicated Catskills funding for Smart Growth Grants.

Top 5 Winter Hikes in the Southern Catskills Have you explored the trails of the southern Catskills? Thanks to the Trailkeeper Network we have a list of the five best crosscountry ski and snowshoe trails in the Sullivan County region.

Take them as an excuse to avoid winter hibernation during the colder months and get out exploring the Catskills, either by foot, skis or snowshoes this winter. For more information on any of these trips, you can visit trailkeeper.org, an online outlet for hiking trails and public lands in Sullivan County.

When it comes to some great places to start, here are the top five cross-country ski and snowshoe trips from Trailkeeper: Willowemoc Forest’s Frick Pond Trail (voted NY’s 10 best winter hikes by I Love NY!) Walnut Mountain Park (Liberty) Bashakill D&H towpath (Wurtsboro, NY) Tusten Mountain Trail (Narrowsburg, NY) Neversink Unique Area, Shawangunk Region Trail (Rockhill, NY) Never tried a winter hike and need some guidance? A great place to start and for outdoor gear rentals, visit Morgan Outdoors on Main Street in Livingston Manor, NY or call 845 439 5507.

Visit the Catskill Park’s Visitor Center Supporting Local Economies Support Catskills communities by investing in projects with direct community benefits. Improve cellular service, support construction of the U&D Rail Trail, expand affordable housing, and improve trail connectivity to downtown main streets.

Located at 5096 Route 28 in Mount Tremper, the Catskills Visitor Center (CVC) is the official visitor center for the Catskill Park. A program of the Catskill Center, staff are available at the CVC with information, maps and all the advice needed to plan a Catskill adventure. In the winter months, the CVC is open

Frick Pond Trail in the Willowemoc Forest, one of the top five cross-country ski and snowshoe trips in Sullivan County, according to trailkeeper.org. Photo by Brad Gillespie

February 2024 • GUIDE 61

#RecreateResponsibly in the Catskills Time in nature, and outdoor recreation has proven to be essential for all.

Especially during uncertain times, all of us, from seasoned outdoor enthusiasts, to families heading out to their local park for the first time, can turn to community and simple reminders about how to safely & responsibly recreate outdoors while caring for one another.

The Recreate Responsibly guidelines came together to offer a starting point for getting outside to keep yourself and others safe while working to maintain access to our beloved natural spaces.

Read on to learn the primary tips on how to responsibly recreate outdoors. Each edition of the guidelines have been developed by bringing together topline issues and experts to distill key concepts that when implemented, build a community of care in the outdoors.

Learn more at recreateresponsibly.org

Know Before you Go Check the status of the place you want to visit for closures, fire restrictions, and weather.

Plan and Prepare Reservations and permits may be required.

Make sure you have the gear you need and a back-up plan

Build an Inclusive Outdoors Be an active part of making the outdoors safe and welcoming for all identities and abilities.

Respect Others There is space for everyone and countless outdoor activities.

Be kind to all who use the outdoors and nature differently.

Leave No Trace Respect the land, water, wildlife, and Native communities.

Follow the seven Leave No Trace principles.

Learn more at LeaveNoTrace.org

Make It Better We all have a responsibility to sustain the places we love.

Volunteer, donate, and advocate for the outdoors.

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Friday through Monday from 9:30 am to 4:00 pm. Visitors can get their Catskill questions answered in person, receive tourism literature, make purchases at the CVC’s shop that includes hiking maps, regional books, obtain hunting and fishing licenses, and much more. CVC staff are also available to answer questions about the Catskills and the Catskill Park via email at info@catskillcenter. org or phone at 845 688 3369 during normal business hours.

In addition to tourism services, there are 1.5 miles of trails on the CVC’s grounds, including the 0.5 mile long accessible Interpretive Loop Trail, which are open to the public daily. The 80-foot tall Upper Esopus Fire Tower is also open daily to visitors, offering unrivaled views of the surrounding mountains and Esopus Creek valley. Picnic tables are available on site for those who wish to enjoy a picnic lunch.

Visitors can explore the ever expanding resources available online for the CVC on the web at catskillsvisitorcenter.org, the CVC’s Facebook page at facebook.com/catskillsvisitorcenter, and the CVC on Instagram at @catskills.visitor.center.

Updated Catskill Park Conditions Local recreational opportunities are always changing and by visiting the Catskills Visitor Center’s Trail Conditions page, you can stay on top of those changes. Staff at the Visitor Center are regularly posting updates related to the Catskill Park, Catskill trails, Catskill campgrounds and camping, Catskill boating, and more at catskillsvisitorcenter.org/trail.

Catskill Park Advisory Committee Chaired by the Catskill Center, the Catskill Park Advisory Committee (CPAC) is a group of representatives from local governments and organiza-

The Catskill Mountain Foundation

Piano Performance Museum

Featuring the Steven E. Greenstein Collection

Photo by Jeffrey Langford

Discover this extraordinary collection in performance, music education, and cultural exploration

REOPENING THIS MAY! The collection includes early and modern keyboard instruments including European historic pianos, as well as American pianos built in the 18th and 19th centuries. The collection shows the development of the instrument from the small pianoforte, built for use in private homes and salons, to the modern piano, built for large concert halls. The collection also includes tuning tools and repair kits, some 200 years old, leather-wrapped with a place for each tool; tuning forks, hammers—everything that would allow a technician to bring a piano back to maximum performance standards.

Doctorow Center for the Arts 7971 Main Street, Route 23A, Hunter, New York • www.catskillmtn.org Hours: Closed for the winter, reopening in May. The CMF Piano Performance Museum is funded in part by the Jarvis and Constance Doctorow Family Foundation February 2024 • GUIDE 63

tions that provides a forum to discuss issues of regional importance. The purpose of the Committee is to provide assistance, advice and guidance to the NYSDEC, the New York City Department of Environmental Protection and other land managers in the management of the New York State Forest Preserve, the Catskill Park and the Catskill Watershed. Meetings are held quarterly and are open to the public. If you’d like to learn more, join the mailing list or attend the next meeting, please contact the Catskill Center at 845 586 2611 or email them at cccd@catskillcenter.org with CPAC in the subject asking to be added to the mailing list.

Hike the Catskills with the Hiker Trash Husbands For years, my husband and I have been trying to find ways to better communicate the love that we have for the outdoors and for hiking, to our friends and family who don’t necessarily get out as much as we do. One way we’ve found was to start a YouTube channel about our adventures. Thus was born The Hiker Trash Husbands, which you can now find on YouTube at youtube.com/ thehikertrashhusbands. The channel features a lot of hikes in the Catskills.

For Moe and me, The Hiker Trash Husbands is not only a way to show friends and family our hiking adventures, but an effort to provide positive LGBTQ+ representation in the hiking world. We love to showcase our own hiking adventures, along with other queer outdoors folks. You can learn more by visiting our website at www.hikertrashhusbands.com.

If you’re in the Catskills and have cable provided by MTC, you can catch our videos on CatskillsAir, MTC Channel 1.

Photo courtesy of the Hiker Trash Husbands,hikertrashhusbands.com

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Give Back to the Catskills The natural beauty, the majesty of the mountains, the protection of the Catskill Forest Preserve, the region’s natural and cultural resources, all need your help! By supporting the work of the Catskill Center, you support: stewardship of our Catskill Park and its vast natural resources; the Center’s collaborative spirit as we convene, create partnerships and facilitate discussions that benefit the region; and the Center’s work to support education, arts and culture throughout the Catskills.

Most importantly, know that by being a supporter of the Catskill Center you are helping protect and preserve the Catskills that we all love. Remember, the future of the Catskills is in our hands!

To support the work of the Catskill Center, make a donation online at catskillcenter.org/membership or donate by mail: Checks made out to the “Catskill Center” can be mailed to Catskill Center, PO Box 504, Arkville, NY 12406.

Jeff Senterman is the Executive Director of the Catskill Center for Conservation and Development in Arkville, NY, a member of the Board of Directors for the Catskill Watershed Corporation and the Central Catskills Chamber of Commerce. Jeff graduated with a degree in Environmental Science from Lyndon State College and worked for many years as an Environmental Planner in New England before coming back to the Catskills in the nonprofit sector.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS This is just a sampling of all of the events in the Catskills this February.

To request that your event be included in future calendars, please email tafts@catskillmtn.org

Please call ahead or visit the website for each event to confirm details, including any admission costs.

Delhi Winter Farmers Market The Delhi Farmers Market has an amazing line up of dedicated farmers, bakers, makers and more. Each week they bring their best with a wide selection of goods. You will find a variety of your kitchen staples—fresh bread, farm fresh cheeses, vegetables, jams, poultry and more. To help ward off the cold, you will find crocheted apparel, distilled spirits, amaryllis bulbs, and homemade pie. If you’d like to add sparkle and shine to your winter, there are unique jewelers at the market.

Location: Delhi American Legion, 41 Page Avenue, Delhi Hours: Every Wednesday, 9am-2pm Phoenicia Winter Farmers Market Phoenicia Farmers Market is a volunteer-led movement to increase access to locally-grown foods in the Town of Shandaken. We bring together local farms, artisanal makers, full-time residents, and seasonal visitors to a weekly market to shop, learn, gather, and compost.

EBT/SNAP Benefits are accepted.

Location: Pine Hill Community Center, 287 Main Street, Pine Hill Hours: Every Sunday, noon-4pm Woodstock Farm Festival Indoor Winter Farmers Market Woodstock’s other festival - celebrating local food, live music, and our rockin’ community Location: Overlook United Methodist Church, 233 Tinker Street, Woodstock Day & Time: Every other Saturday, 10:00 am2:00 pm More Info: woodstockfarmfestival.org Online Meditation with Bushel Bushel is hosting online meditation sessions that include guided meditation, group interaction, and support. New sitters and seasoned sitters are welcome. Meditation sessions are free and open to all, but donations are welcome to support this program.

Location: Join via Zoom Hours: Monday-Friday, 6:30-7:00 am More Info & Zoom Link: bushelcollective.org/meditation-calendar/ Magic On Main— An Intimate Parlor Experience Join Magician Sean Doolan for a magic show in his private library located in a historic building on Main Street in Windham. Sean will weave his personal story of transitioning from a trial lawyer to a magician in interactive magical routines. In

this parlor show, By reservation only, no walkins. Dates and times subject to change without notice, see website for updated calendar.

Location: 5428 NY Route 23 (Main Street), Windham Dates & Times: Check website for most up-todate schedule Tickets: $20/person More Info: MagicOnMainWindham.com

“Knacker Hill,” monotype by Laura Avello

THROUGH FEBRUARY 3

THROUGH MARCH 1

Human Nature: Multi-Media by Christina Hunt Wood Human Nature showcases Christina Hunt Wood’s latest assemblages, where the multimedia artist merges photographs, deconstructed “road soda” cans, and other found objects.

Location: Walt Meade Gallery, Roxbury Arts Center 5025 Vega Mountain Road, Roxbury Hours: Tuesday-Saturday, 10:00 am-3:00 pm More Info: roxburyartsgroup.org

Windham Arts Alliance presents Whiteout As winter in the Catskills approaches and the mountains turn from gray to a blanket of sparkling white, we wonder how artists will interpret what they see in this beautiful environment.

Each artist has been asked to find their own motivation and create a work of art that inspires them. These works can be a landscape, abstraction, still life, or an object, or anything that catches the artist’s spirit and creativity.

Location: Main Street Community Center, 5494 Main Street, Windham More Info: mainstreetcenter.org

THROUGH FEBRUARY 11 Members Winter Group Exhibit Longyear Gallery is an artist run co-op gallery.

This show features a variety of work by gallery members in various media.

Location: Longyear Gallery, 785 Main Street, Margaretville Hours: Friday-Sunday & Holiday Mondays, 11:00 am-4:00 pm More Info: longyeargallery.org

FEBRUARY 1 F Yez All: A Tribute to Shane McGowan ft.

County Hell and El Front Performed by County Hell playing songs by The Pogues (and The Popes) and members of El Front playing the music of Shane’s first punk band, The Nips.

Location: Colony, 22 Rock City Rd., Woodstock Time: 8:00 pm More Info: colonywoodstock.com “Dawn’s Early Light,” by Barry DeBaun

“Huaca Pucllana,” photograph

by Lindsay Comstock

ONGOING

THROUGH FEBRUARY 25 “Light Codes” Exhibition Organized by Lindsay Comstock, the exhibition brings together works by 12 artists who use photographic processes and the language of light to transport viewers into new realms. The gallery will host sound baths and artist talks to accompany the exhibition.

Location: 1053 Gallery, 1053 Main Street, Fleischmanns More Info: 1053gallery.com

FEBRUARY 1-29 Art-Filled Escape Step inside Windham Fine Arts and let the power of art brighten your day. Immerse yourself in the tapestry of original paintings and ceramics, each telling a unique story. Dive into the world of creativity at Windham Fine Arts.

Location: Windham Fine Arts, 5380 Main Street, Windham More Info: director@windhamfinearts.com, 518 734 6850, or windhamfinearts.com

February 2024 • GUIDE 65

CATSKILL MOUNTAIN FOUNDATION TRANSFORMING LIVES THROUGH THE ARTS

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THANK YOU TO OUR FUNDERS & SUPPORTERS!

Education, Recreation, Arts, and Community Initiatives

FEBRUARY 2 First Fridays at the Athens Cultural Center Embrace the arts and join us at the Athens Cultural Center for our vibrant “First Fridays” happy hour! We open our doors to celebrate the rich tapestry of culture and creativity that defines our community. Best of all, it’s absolutely free to attend! Discover new exhibitions, connect with fellow art enthusiasts, and unwind with a refreshing drink in hand.

Location: Athens Cultural Center, 24 Second Street, Athens Time: 5:00-7:00 pm More Info: friendsofathens.org First Fridays Catskill Stroll Main Street, Catskill on the 1st Friday of every month. Local shops are open late, most until 8 pm, offering specials like sips & snacks, pop-ups, music, discounts, and FUN! Location: Main Street & Bridge Street, Catskill More Info: firstfridayscatskill.com Walton First Fridays Local shops in Walton stay open late with deals and events for the community to enjoy!

Location: Walton More Info: instagram.com/waltonfirstfridays

Catskill Mountain Foundation is supported in part by New York State Council on the Arts, the Greene County Cultural Fund administered by the Greene County Legislature, The Jarvis and Constance Doctorow Family Foundation, The Royce Family Foundation, The Samuel and Esther Doctorow Fund, The Orville and Ethel Slutzky Family Foundation, Platte Clove Bruderhof Community, Bank of Greene County Charitable Foundation, The Greene County Youth Bureau, Marshall & Sterling Insurance, All Souls’ Church, Stewarts Shops, Windham Foundation, and by private donations.

7971 Main Street, Village of Hunter 518 263 2001 • www.catskillmtn.org

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Breathing Fire: A Wild Power Workshop for Women Are you burning to change your life and the world? Join us for a weekend celebrating the fire we hold in us, the dragon fire of the Catskills mountains, and the embers of fire festivals traditionally celebrated in winter and early spring to imagine the power and life of the coming year.

Location: Spillian, 50 Fleischmanns Heights Road, Fleischmanns More Info & To Register: spillian.com

Reelin’ In the Years—Celebrating Steely Dan Reelin’ in the Years brings you the timeless music of Steely Dan with an ensemble of worldclass touring and recording musicians.

Location: Bearsville Theater, 291 Tinker Street, Woodstock Time: 8:00 pm More Info: bearsvilletheater.com

FEBRUARY 2-5 Catskill Ice Climbing Festival Alpine Endeavors offers a full weekend of clinics on all the skills and techniques you need to get out on ice—from basic skills, to dry-tooling, to glacier travel techniques. Rock and Snow will offer 25% off for apparel and 15% off ice gear for all icefest registrants. Locations vary and will be provided upon registration.

More Info: alpineendeavors.com

FEBRUARY 2-11

Maude Adams Theater Hub Presents The Rocky Horror Show The Greatest Love Story Ever Told? Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show, live on stage, returns to the Orpheum for two nights only. Great night for a date night! Costumes Encouraged!

Location: Orpheum Performing Arts Centeer, 6050 Main Street, Tannersville Time: Friday @ 7:30 pm, Saturday @ 4:00 pm & 7:30 pm More Info: catskillmtn.org

Alice by Heart From the award-winning creators of Spring Awakening, Steven Sater and Duncan Sheik, and co-written by Jessie Nelson (Waitress), Alice by Heart is a touching musical inspired by Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. In the rubble of the London Blitz of World War II, Alice Spencer’s budding teen life is turned upside down, and she and her dear friend Alfred are forced to take shelter in an underground tube station.

When the ailing Alfred is quarantined, Alice encourages him to escape with her into their cherished book and journey down the rabbit hole to Wonderland. As they travel through the tale, Alice by Heart explores the poignancy of first love, coming to terms with loss, and finding the courage to move forward.

Location: The CENTER for Performing Arts at Rhinebeck, 661 Route 308, Rhinebeck Day & Time: Fridays & Saturdays @ 8:00 pm; Sundays @ 3:00 pm More Info: CenterforPerformingArts.org

FEBRUARY 2-4

FEBRUARY 3

Winter Hoot A down-home, multi-generational celebration of live roots music, local food & crafts, and the joyful spirit of this amazing community where the Catskills meet the Hudson River Valley. FRIDAY Dinner, Concert, Jam Session; SATURDAY Music all day/night and fun activities for all ages; SUNDAY Yoga & Community Sing.

Location: The Ashokan Center 477 Beaverkill Rd, Olivebridge More Info: ashokancenter.org

Music & Late Night at the Colony Early Show: The Lucky 5 with Daria Grace & The Pre-War Ponies Late Night: Strangehouse Presents: 0Femme Fatale Follies The Lucky 5 is a hard-swinging jazz band that blends 30’s and 40’s style swing with gypsy and Parisian flavors to create a unique blend of music that stands by itself. Combining originals and creative reworks of old standards, The Lucky 5 continues to be a favorite among music

FEBRUARY 2-3

lovers young and old alike. Stay for the Late Night Show: Femme Fatale Follies, a Burlesque & Cabaret.

Location: Colony, 22 Rock City Rd., Woodstock Time: Early Show @ 7:00 pm; Late Night @ 10:00 pm More Info: colonywoodstock.com Rock Academy Best of Season Show Select songs from our Bad Brains, British Invasion, Elvis Costello vs Joe Jackson, Prog Rock and Carole King shows will all appear on the same stage performed by our amazing students. A great night for the whole family! A fundraiser for the Rock Academy Scholarship Fund.

Location: Woodstock Playhouse, 103 Mill Hill Road, Woodstock Time: 7:00 pm More Info: woodstockplayhouse.org The Helm Family Midnight Ramble featuring Kyshona The Helm Family Midnight Ramble is a musical tribute to the founding songbook of Rock and Roll. Born inside the hallowed walls of Levon Helm Studios in Woodstock, NY, the Midnight Ramble has preserved and furthered Levon Helm’s legacy for nearly two decades, playing the iconic music of The Band, and Levon Helm.

Kyshona is an artist ignited by untold stories, and the capacity of those stories to thread connection in every community, unrelenting in her pursuit for the healing power of song.

Location: Levon Helm Studios, 160 Plochmann Lane, Woodstock Time: 8:00 pm More Info: levonhelm.com

FEBRUARY 4 Sunday Silents Presents: Pandora’s Box (1929) In this acclaimed German silent film, Lulu (played to perfection by the luminous American actress Louise Brooks) is a young woman so beautiful and alluring that few can resist her siren charms. The men drawn into her web include a respectable newspaper publisher, his musical producer son, a circus performer and Lulu’s seedy old friend, Schigolch. When Lulu’s charms inevitably lead to tragedy, the downward spiral encompasses them all. Marked by GW Pabst’s innovative, atmospheric direction and a surprisingly modern storyline, Pandora’s Box ultimately owes its power to Louise Brooks’ monumental, iconic performance. With live accompaniment

by Marta Waterman.

Location: Rosendale Theatre, 408 Main Street, Rosendale Time: 2:00 pm More Info: rosendaletheatre.org

Follow Your Arrow: A Queer Singer Songwriter Night feat. Holly Miranda, Francesca Hoffman & Erin Barth-Dwyer Holly Miranda grew up between Detroit and Nashville, began playing piano at the age of six, taught herself guitar at 14 and moved to New York at 16 to start her professional career. For over 20 years, she’s been performing, writing and producing with some of the best talent in the business. Francesca Hoffman is a multiinstrumentalist, singer-songwriter and event producer based in Kingston, NY. A classically trained flutist and self-taught guitarist, ukulele player and percussionist, she is also a co-founder of Hudson Valley based brass band Brasskill and the Hudson Valley Brassroots Festival. Erin Barth-Dwyer is a guitarist, harpist, and singersongwriter based in Kingston, NY. Crafting melodic songs that come from the heart, their poetic lyricism examines the pain and beauty of being human.

Location: Colony, 22 Rock City Rd., Woodstock Time: 7:30 pm More Info: colonywoodstock.com

Minstrels in the Gallery: A Tribute to Classic Jethro Tull Minstrels In The Gallery, a 5-piece band based in MA, presents concerts that evoke the peak years of British rock giants Jethro Tull, featuring multi-instrumentalist, vocalist and actor Chris Devine in the role of Ian Anderson.

Location: Colony, 22 Rock City Rd., Woodstock Time: 8:00 pm More Info: colonywoodstock.com

FEBRUARY 9 Jim Keller & Friends w/The Lost Leaders Acclaimed singer-songwriter Jim Keller has released his new album Spark & Flame, the follow-up to his highly-praised 2021 release

By No Means. The man that was once the lead guitarist and songwriter of San Francisco band Tommy Tutone, (“867-5309/Jenny”)—and later, improbably, spent years managing Phillip Glass—Keller has found himself in the midst of a bona fide late-career renaissance.

Location: Colony, 22 Rock City Rd., Woodstock Time: 8:00 pm More Info: colonywoodstock.com

FEBRUARY 7 Blues Night at the Colony: Daddy Long Legs New York City’s most diabolical Rhythm & Blues street gang aren’t back, they never left. In dark times they continue to shine their light everywhere they go leaving a piece of themselves on stage every night because it’s in them and it’s got to come out. Now the quartet have made their post pandemic return to the studio to present their latest offering Street Sermons (Yep Roc 2023), an album of the times, for the times by a band of the people.

Location: Colony, 22 Rock City Rd., Woodstock Time: 8:00 pm More Info: colonywoodstock.com

FEBRUARY 8 42nd Street (1933) One of Hollywood’s outstanding Pre-Code musicals with choreography by Busby Berkeley, music by Warren & Dubin and snappy 1930s dialog by everyone, 42nd Street would thrill 1933 movie goers and continues to delight musical fans to the present day. Ruby Keeler, Ginger Rogers, Dick Powell, Warner Baxter and Una Merkel star in this behind the scenes saga of love and turmoil within a Broadway stage company as they bring a new production to life. Nominated for Best Picture of 1933, and, number 13 on AFI’s list of the greatest musicals of all time, come see this early musical gem with glorious sound on the big screen!

Location: Rosendale Theatre, 408 Main Street, Rosendale Time: 7:00 pm More Info: rosendaletheatre.org

FEBRUARY 10 Absinthe Makes the Heart Grow Fonder: A Bohemian Valentine’s Ball Come wanderers, vagabonds, and adventurers … and come as your favorite bohemian! Think Monmartre in Paris, think Plaff’s Beer Cellar in Manhattan, think the early days of the Bohemian Grove in Sonoma County … Artists, writers, and defiers of convention all. There will be dining.

There will be dancing. There will be sparks and sparkles of romance. Wit and wonder. Along with really bad puns. And not a cherub in sight.

Seating is limited and we sold out last year, so make your reservations now!

Location: Spillian, 50 Fleischmanns Heights Road, Fleischmanns More Info & To Register: spillian.com Southbound Renegade at the Main Bar Come apres with us at the Main Bar with Southbound Renegade!

Location: Main Bar at Hunter Mountain Resort, 64 Klein Avenue, Hunter Time: 3:00 pm More Info: huntermtn.com Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968) Dick Van Dyke, Sally Ann Howes, Lionel Jeffries, Benny Hill, Gert Frobe and “Chitty” star in one of the most delightful, warm-hearted, musicals of all time! Inventor Caractacus Potts (Dick Van Dyke) transforms a broken down race car into a magical vehicle and together with his two chil-

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dren and Truly Scrumptious (Sally Ann Howes) set off on a magical adventure to save both their grandfather and the imprisoned children they encounter along the way. Come share the experience of this wonderful, musical favorite with full theatre sound on the big screen!

Location: Rosendale Theatre, 408 Main Street, Rosendale Time: 7:00 pm More Info: rosendaletheatre.org

Upstate Reggae Presents A Woodstock Tribute to Bob Marley with Mystic Bowie’s Talking Dreads On “Life During Wartime,” the first single from Talking Heads’ 1979 album Fear of Music, David Byrne famously sang the immortal lyrics, “This ain’t no party, this ain’t no disco … no time for dancing….” Yet all those anti-fun declarations go gleefully out the window when Mystic Bowie, aka the “Head Dread,” takes the stage, reimagining and infusing fresh life into the Talking Heads’ classic catalog with his high octane mix of roots reggae, ska and lover’s rock (aka “romantic reggae”). Since debuting his musically revolutionary Talking Dreads project live at the High Times Music Festival on the beach in Negril in late 2015, the charismatic Jamaican-born singer and performer has electrified audiences at more than 300 shows across North America Location: Colony, 22 Rock City Rd., Woodstock Time: 8:00 pm More Info: colonywoodstock.com

FEBRUARY 14 & 16 Maude Adams Theater Hub Presents V Season: The Women Opening the season on Valentine’s Day (or dare we say Galentine’s Day?) is Clare Boothe Luce’s classic comedy of l’amour, l’amour, The Women.

Directed by Patricia Charbonneau, this lively tale, set in 1939, follows the plight of Mary Haines, whose once-devoted husband is stepping out with the villainous Crystal Allen, shop girl by day, seductress by night. Against her better judgment, Mary lets her catty group of gossipy friends talk her into a divorce, and much mayhem ensues before all is set right again. Consisting of a large cast of the region’s most talented actresses, The Women is the perfect way to kick off V Season 2024.

Location: Doctorow Center for the Arts, 7971 Main Street, Hunter Time: 7:00 pm both nights More Info: catskillmtn.org

FEBRUARY 15 & 17 Maude Adams Theater Hub Presents V Season: God of Carnage Called by The New York Times a “Rumble in the Living Room,” God of Carnage by Yasmina Reza and translated effortlessly by Christopher Hampton, is a tour de force of adults behaving very badly. A heavily satirized view of Brooklyn parents who meet over espresso and clafouti in order to discuss a playground brawl between their eight-year-olds, turns wild and wooly as the boundaries of civil discourse are tested by the best of intentions. Relentless in both its humor and brazen in its ability to peel back the skin of human nature, God of Carnage won both the Olivier and Tony awards in 2009.

Location: Doctorow Center for the Arts, 7971 Main Street, Hunter Time: 7:00 pm both nights More Info: catskillmtn.org

FEBRUARY 11 Winter Guided Walk with Wild Hudson Valley Centuries ago, local Lunaapee communities made seasonal trips to the habitats where the land had the most to share. In the Hudson Valley indigenous calendar, springtime was spent along the tributary streams of the Hudson River to catch spawning fish. Summer was spent in floodplain villages adjacent to the maize crops.

Autumn was a time when people collected nuts and set brush fires to hunt game in the hills.

And winter was a time for hunting bears and for storytelling. Join ethnoecologist Justin Wexler of Wild Hudson Valley for one (or all four) seasonal walks to explore the outdoors and learn all about local native people and their relationship with the environment. These walks identify local flora and fauna and their uses in native culture while also explaining the species and the surrounding ecosystems through Hudson Valley native languages and folklore.

Location: Mountain Top Arboretum, 4 Maude Adams Road, Tannersville Time: 1:00-2:30 pm More Info: mtarboretum.org

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we are pleased to offer The Effects of Gravity as an artful, fact-filled multi-media performance that celebrates the human quest for understanding as it speaks for planetary stewardship.

Location: Ulster Performing Arts Center, 601 Broadway, Kingston Time: Shows at 10:00 am & 7:00 pm More Info: bardavon.org Squirrel Flower with Greg Mendez, Babehoven The music Ella Williams makes as Squirrel Flower has always communicated a strong sense of place. Her self-released debut EP, 2015’s early winter songs from middle america, was written during her first year living in Iowa.

Since that first offering, Squirrel Flower amassed a fanbase beyond the Boston DIY scene and has released two more EPs and two full-lengths.

The most recent, Planet (i), was laden with climate anxiety, while the subsequent Planet EP marked an important turning point in Williams’ prolific career; the collection of demos was the first self-produced material she’d released in some time. With a renewed confidence as a producer, she helmed her new album Tomorrow’s Fire at Drop of Sun Studios in Asheville alongside storied engineer Alex Farrar. Before Tomorrow’s Fire, Squirrel Flower might’ve been labeled something like “indie folk,” but this is a rock record, made to be played loud.

Location: Colony, 22 Rock City Rd., Woodstock Time: 8:00 pm More Info: colonywoodstock.com

FEBRUARY 16-MARCH 17 Members Late Winter Group Exhibit Longyear Gallery is an artist run co-op gallery.

This show features a variety of work by gallery members in various mediums.

Location: Longyear Gallery, 785 Main Street, Margaretville Hours: Friday-Sunday & Holiday Mondays, 11:00 am-4:00 pm Opening Reception: Saturday, February 17, 3:00-5:00 pm More Info: longyeargallery.org

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FEBRUARY 16 The Effects of Gravity The Effects of Gravity tells the story of our cosmic origins—the formation of the universe, galaxies, stars, planets, our solar system, and our planet—from both scientific and poetic perspectives. The performance is richly illustrated with animated computer graphics and astronomical images brought to life by a live, blazingly virtuosic electric guitar score and original poetry that embraces the vastness, complexity, and beauty of the cosmos and our efforts to understand it. At this historic juncture where the James Webb Space Telescope and other observatories are bringing us stunning images, and where science, regrettably, is under attack,

Guilty Pleasure at the Main Bar Come apres with us at the Main Bar with Guilty Pleasure!

Location: Main Bar at Hunter Mountain Resort, 64 Klein Avenue, Hunter Time: 3:00 pm More Info: huntermtn.com Western Dreamland: A Country & Disco Party Country dolls and dancing queens: Saddle up for a night under the neon moon, where timeless classics by country music legends such as Dolly Parton, Shania Twain, Garth Brooks, and The Chicks guide your every step on the dance floor in a technicolor world of disco icons such as ABBA and Cher along with modern pop artists Dua Lipa, Kacey Musgraves, Miley Cyrus, and more.

Location: Colony, 22 Rock City Rd., Woodstock Time: 8:00 pm More Info: colonywoodstock.com

Saturday Creature Features Presents: Mothra vs. Godzilla (1964) Godzilla is on the loose and once again Japan is in trouble! When Mothra’s giant egg washes ashore following a typhoon, unscrupulous businessmen plan to exploit it for profit. At the same time, Godzilla emerges from the earth and rampages across Japan heading straight for the egg! A team travels to Mothra’s island to plead with the dying Mothra to return to Japan and battle Godzilla. Mothra vs Godzilla marks the first crossover between two of Toho’s greatest monsters: Godzilla and the giant moth deity Mothra. One of the most beloved films in both the Godzilla series AND the Mothra series, come see this giant monster classic with FULL THEATRE SOUND on the BIG SCREEN! Location: Rosendale Theatre, 408 Main Street, Rosendale Time: 9:30 pm More Info: rosendaletheatre.org

FEBRUARY 17 & 18 Maude Adams Theater Hub Presents V Season: The Gin Game Rounding out the V Season weekend are two matinee showings of The Gin Game, by Donald L. Coburn. First produced in 1976, the play won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1978, and the Tony Award for Best Play later that same year. Focusing on the accidental friendship of two people in a derelict retirement home, The Gin Game lays bare the loneliness, frailty, and sheer frustration of growing old with dignity. Weller Martin and Fonsia Dorsey (who will be played by local favorites Chris Cade and Elisabeth Henry), become odd card table fellows who tell each other stories as they try to best each other at gin rummy.

Gradually, each conversation becomes a battle, and Weller struggles with Fonsia’s uncanny ability to win every hand.

Location: Doctorow Center for the Arts, 7971 Main Street, Hunter Time: 2:00 pm both days More Info: catskillmtn.org Hot Chocolate Festival Enjoy everyone’s favorite hot beverage choose from 8 delicious flavors in a lovely winter setting! Plus live music, food, guided hikes, blacksmithing, and more!

Location: The Ashokan Center 477 Beaverkill Rd, Olivebridge More Info: ashokancenter.org

FEBRUARY 18 Roadhouse 60s Come apres with us at the Main Bar with Roadhouse 60s!

Location: Main Bar at Hunter Mountain Resort, 64 Klein Avenue, Hunter Time: 3:00 pm More Info: huntermtn.com

Comedy Night at the Colony: Jeff Leeson For over 23 years Jeff Leeson has been astonishing crowds across North America with his off the cuff, improvisational style that leaves crowds not only wanting more, but amazed at what they just witnessed. Combining traditional stand up comedy with long form improv Jeff creates a unique and personal experience for the audience each and every show. With over 50 million views of his stand up clips online Jeff is quicklybecoming one of the most requested acts in North America!

Location: Colony, 22 Rock City Rd., Woodstock Time: 8:00 pm More Info: colonywoodstock.com

and pop sensibilities. Despite only being 22 years old, Evan has garnered an impressive 50 million+ streams across platforms and currently is in the midst of recording a highly anticipated new album and will be extensively touring as a 100% independent artist.

Location: Colony, 22 Rock City Rd., Woodstock Time: 8:00 pm More Info: colonywoodstock.com

FEBRUARY 21 Celebrating Bob Dylan with The Bob Cats Featuring Jerry Marotta, Kyle Esposito, Doug Yoel, Bruce Milner, Rob Stein and Chuck Cornelis, the Bob Cats will rock your favorite Dylan hits and album cuts.

Location: Colony, 22 Rock City Rd., Woodstock Time: 8:00 pm More Info: colonywoodstock.com

FEBRUARY 21-23 Youth Empowerment & Sustainability Summit The Youth Empowerment & Sustainability Summit (YESS!) is a global climate solution and leadership summit for young people who are ready to change their lives and their communities by working towards climate resilience.

Location: The Ashokan Center 477 Beaverkill Rd, Olivebridge More Info: ashokancenter.org

Photo by Raph_PH - https://www.flickr.com/photos/raph_ ph/41036851484/in/album-72157695502428854/, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=68707976

FEBRUARY 22 Ladysmith Black Mambazo The year 2023 marked the 63rd anniversary of Joseph Shabalala forming Ladysmith Black Mambazo. His group would not only conquer all of South Africa, but would become a worldwide phenomenon, winning more GRAMMY Awards (five), and receiving more GRAMMY Award nominations (19), than any World Music group in the history of recorded music.

Location: Colony, 22 Rock City Rd., Woodstock Time: 8:00 pm More Info: colonywoodstock.com

FEBRUARY 23 Evan Honer w/ Jesse Woods Evan Honer is a singer-songwriter originally from Surprise, Arizona. Influenced by esteemed artists like Jason Isbell, Tyler Childers, and Jim Croce. Evan has masterfully crafted a captivating blend of modern outlaw country, indie folk,

Photo by Justen Williams

Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue SHORTY GRAS TOUR Rare indeed is the artist with the virtuosity to draw the unqualified respect of some of the most iconic legends in jazz and the ability to deliver a high-energy funk rock show capable of mesmerizing international rock stars. Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews is one such artist—and there is no one else like him. Trombone Shorty is equally adept on trombone and trumpet and is a man to be reckoned with on both. A product of New Orleans’ culturally rich Treme neighborhood, Trombone Shorty was a bandleader by the age of six. While navigating New Orleans with his band in tow, he was also absorbing lessons from his older brother James, a dynamic musical performer known as “Satchmo of the Ghetto.” By the time Trombone Shorty was twelve, he had a Ph.D. in the ways of the streets, which you can still hear in his music.

Location: Ulster Performing Arts Center, 601 Broadway, Kingston Time: 8:00 pm More Info: bardavon.org

FEBRUARY 23-25 Creative Strings Weekend Austin Scelzo hosts a weekend of jamming and instruction on harmony, improvisation, composition, arranging, and multi-genre playing. This is a great opportunity for performers, hobbyists, and string teachers to expand their offerings to their students and for classically oriented players will be encouraged to get “off-the-page” and develop joy and confidence outside of their comfort zone.

Location: The Ashokan Center 477 Beaverkill Rd, Olivebridge More Info: ashokancenter.org

FEBRUARY 24 Winter Horrors: With Werewolves Within Director Josh Ruben and Friends Embrace the true horrors of winter on a weekend dedicated to scaring you silly. We’ll start the afternoon with a virtual escape room game, savor werewolf-inspired feasting and drink, and top the evening off with a genius of scares and laughter mash-ups. between scares and laughter. The acclaimed horror-comedy movie

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Werewolves Within was filmed on location at Spillian, and director, writer, comedian, and all-around camp horror genius Josh Ruben will be joining us along with friends to introduce his work on screen and his new illustrated novel, Darla. See the movie that stars (at least in our minds) Spillian and learn where the bodies are hidden….

Location: Spillian, 50 Fleischmanns Heights Road, Fleischmanns More Info & To Register: spillian.com

Photo by Rob Cardillo

Learn to ID Trees in Winter with Rich Ring Even in winter, even without leaves, our tree friends are still present, and are each distinctive enough to be identified. In this workshop we will first look at twigs, needles, and fruit of some trees in the Education Center, and then head out and look at the bark, branching, and form unique to each species. Special attention will also be given to traditional medicinal and cultural significance of certain species, and the stories they tell. Dress warmly, and bring a hand lens or magnifying glass if you have one. Rich Ring is a botanist and ecologist who has worked primarily on landscape ecology, natural areas inventories, habitat requirements of breeding passerine birds, and rare plant species distribution and conservation.

Location: Mountain Top Arboretum, 4 Maude Adams Road, Tannersville Time: 1:00-2:30 pm More Info: mtarboretum.org Film Screening: Encanto Disney’s Encanto tells the tale of an extraordinary family, the Madrigals, who live hidden in the mountains of Colombia, in a magical house, in a vibrant town, in a wondrous, charmed place called an Encanto. The magic of the Encanto has blessed every child in the family with a unique gift from super strength to the power to heal—every child except one, Mirabel. But when she discovers that the magic surrounding the Encanto is in danger, Mirabel decides that she, the only ordinary Madrigal, might just be her exceptional family’s last hope. There are no advance reservations, seating is first-come, first served. The Headwaters Arts Center has folding chairs for guests, but attendees can bring their own folding chairs or blankets if they prefer.

There is no cost to attend. Donations are gratefully accepted to support the continued programming offered by the Roxbury Arts Group.

Location: Headwaters Art Center, 66 Main Street, Stamford Time: 11:00 am-4:00 pm More Info: roxburyartsgroup.org

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features top-notch musicianship and offers a refreshing twist to the music of three legendary and iconic bands. While staying true to the spirit of the music, the band members put their own dynamic spin on a vast catalog of beloved songs.

Location: Colony, 22 Rock City Rd., Woodstock Time: 8:00 pm More Info: colonywoodstock.com Erth’s DINOSAUR ZOO LIVE! Get ready for the ultimate playdate—65 million years in the making—as Erth’s DINOSAUR ZOO LIVE guides your family on a breathtaking tour that begins in pre-historic Australia. You’ll observe, meet and interact with an eye-popping collection of amazingly life-like dinosaurs and other creatures presented in a theatrical performance that will thrill and entertain kids while stimulating their imaginations in ways that will forever connect them to their world. Brought to life by a team of skilled performers and puppeteers, and designed with the help of professional paleontologists, Erth’s DINOSAUR ZOO LIVE’s puppets are so extraordinarily realistic you may feel the urge to run and hide—but don’t! Because you won’t want to miss a minute of this fun, unique, entertaining and educational live show created by Erth Visual & Physical of Sydney, Australia. While it may indeed have been 65 million years in the making, we think you’ll agree, it’s well worth the wait.

Location: Orpheum Performing Arts Centeer, 6050 Main Street, Tannersville Time: 3:00 pm More Info: catskillmtn.org Hunter x Wild Honey Pie Pizza Party #3 New this year, Hunter collabs with the Wild Honey Pie to bring a new, intimate musical event to the mountain with more entertainment to follow after the Main Bar closes. This event consists of music at the Main Bar at 2:30pm and is open to all guests during the day. After 6pm, this turns in to a ticketed event in the evening on-site (location TBD) where Paulie Gee’s Pizza truck from Brooklyn will be serving up slices with even more entertainment.

Location: Hunter Mountain Resort, 64 Klein Avenue, Hunter More Info: huntermtn.com bubly Tubing Glow Party Join us to celebrate our new bubly branded Tube Park with special guest DJ on the bubly deck, giveaways, bubbles, lights and lots of glow swag!

Location: Tube Park at Hunter Mountain Resort, 64 Klein Avenue, Hunter Time: 4:00-7:00 pm More Info: huntermtn.com Dead Man’s Waltz: A Tribute to The Grateful Dead, The Allman Brothers Band and The Band Interweaving the classic songs and jams of The Grateful Dead, The Allman Brothers Band and The Band, Dead Man’s Waltz (formerly Steal Your Peach) is an all-star collective from the Northeast festival scene. Dead Man’s Waltz

FEBRUARY 25 Glen Phillips & Shawn Mullins During his years as lead singer and main songwriter of Toad the Wet Sprocket, Glen Phillips helped to create the band’s elegant folk/ pop sound with honest, introspective lyrics that forged a close bond with their fans. When Toad went on hiatus, he launched a solo career and stayed busy collaborating with other artists on various projects. After a series of indie releases and growing buzz in the Atlanta music scene, Shawn Mullins’ critical and commercial breakthrough came when 1998 Soul’s Core shot him to fame on the strength of Grammy-nominated hits.

Location: Levon Helm Studios, 160 Plochmann Lane, Woodstock Time: 8:00 pm More Info: levonhelm.com

FEBRUARY 28 Dead Last Wednesdays at the Colony Featuring Midnight Moonlight: The Songs Of Old And In The Way Featuring: The Dishonest Fiddlers, led by singer/songwriter Dave Brown (guitar/harmonica), the band features: Shawn Caden (mandolin/ guitar), Jasper Paciotti (bass) and Jami Novak (percussion). Since forming in 2013, the band has released three studio albums and have played at music festivals and theatres throughout the Northeast.

Location: Colony, 22 Rock City Rd., Woodstock Time: 8:00 pm More Info: colonywoodstock.com

Photo © Casey Martin Photos

MARCH 1 Driftwood Anyone familiar with the Americana music scene knows this Upstate, New York-based band has cut their teeth on a killer live show. With a neverending tour schedule and a steady buzz, they have built a very solid underground fan base.

“The game has been live shows and nose to the ground since the beginning,” says guitarist/songwriter Dan Forsyth.

Location: Levon Helm Studios, 160 Plochmann Lane, Woodstock Time: 8:00 pm More Info: levonhelm.com

MARCH 1-2 Dogs in a Pile The sandy shores of Asbury Park, New Jersey are hallowed ground in the northeast. Dogs in a Pile, an eclectic quintet, has emerged as the heir apparent to the town’s rich musical legacy.

Merging funk, jazz, and rock and roll with psychedelia, the quintet presents a completely original vibe built on kaleidoscopic soundscapes reminiscent of the days of yesteryear.

Location: Colony, 22 Rock City Rd., Woodstock Time: 8:00 pm More Info: colonywoodstock.com

Photo by John D. Kelly

MARCH 2 Danû “Traditional Music from Ireland” Hailing from historic County Waterford, Danú is one of the leading traditional Irish ensembles of today. Their standing room only concerts throughout Ireland are true events featuring high-energy performances and a glorious mix of ancient Irish music and new repertoire. Repertoire is announced from the stage and includes hornpipes, reels, and traditional favorites like “The Foggy Dew,” “Ten Thousand Miles,” and “Mo Ghile Mear.”

Location: Orpheum Performing Arts Center, 6050 Main Street, Tannersville Time: 7:00 pm More Info: catskillmtn.org Woodstock Symphony Orchestra: Mozart, Mendelssohn and Stravinsky The 3rd of four concerts of the Woodstock Symphony Orchestra’s 44th season under the baton of new music director Mina Kim. Program:

Mozart: Exsultate Jubilate soloist: Julie Papadopolous, Stravinsky: Pulcinella Suite, Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 3 “Scottish” Location: Woodstock Playhouse, 103 Mill Hill Road, Woodstock Time: 7:30 pm More Info: woodstockplayhouse.org The Helm Family Midnight Ramble featuring Pieta Brown The Helm Family Midnight Ramble is a musical tribute to the founding songbook of Rock and Roll. Born inside the hallowed walls of Levon Helm Studios in Woodstock, NY, the Midnight Ramble has preserved and furthered Levon Helm’s legacy for nearly two decades, playing the iconic music of The Band, and Levon Helm.

Pieta Brown was exposed early on to traditional and rural folk music through her father, Greg Brown, the beloved Midwestern folk singer.

Later, while living with her mother in Birmingham, AL, Pieta drew on and expanded these influences and began writing poems and composing instrumental songs on piano.

Location: Levon Helm Studios, 160 Plochmann Lane, Woodstock Time: 8:00 pm More Info: levonhelm.com

Film still with Holmes “at the throttle” of a locomotive in The Girl and the Game (1916)

MARCH 3 Sunday Silents Presents: A Salute to Film Pioneer Helen Holmes Helen Holmes became a star playing the part of the fearless railroad telegrapher “Helen” in the Kalem Company’s long-running, stunt-driven

serial The Hazards of Helen (1914–1917), and continued to make action films through the decade as an independent writer and producer.

Not only were her films successful at the box office, but they featured some of the most heroic female images in silent cinema as she leapt to the top of speeding trains and handled pistols with ease. The program will show several of Holmes’ best film shorts, plus a 2011 documentary Stunt Love. We will be joined by Helen’s great-granddaughter and author, Shirley Freitas.

With live accompaniment by Marta Waterman.

Location: Rosendale Theatre, 408 Main Street, Rosendale Time: 2:00 pm More Info: rosendaletheatre.org

MARCH 6 Nature’s Best Hope with Doug Tallamy Recent headlines about global insect declines, the impending extinction of one million species worldwide, and three billion fewer birds in North America are a bleak reality check about how ineffective our current landscape designs have been at sustaining the plants and animals that sustain us. The good news is that none of this is inevitable. Tallamy will discuss simple steps that each of us can—and must—take to reverse declining biodiversity and will explain why we, ourselves, are nature’s best hope. Doug Tallamy is a professor in the Department of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology at the University of Delaware, where he has authored eighty research articles and has taught Insect Taxonomy, Behavioral Ecology, Humans and Nature, and other courses for 32 years. Chief among his research goals is to better understand the many ways insects interact with plants and how such interactions determine the diversity of animal communities.

Location: Online via Zoom. Registration is required.

Time: 6:30-8:00 pm More Info: mtarboretum.org

IMAGES OF THE NORTHERN CATSKILLS

By Francis X. Driscoll

My work is available for purchase at:

Tannersville Antiques & Artisans: 518 589 5600 Rustic Mountain Antiques: 518 589 1202 Smitty’s Nursery: 518 734 3489

For more information about my work, visit www.francisxdriscoll.com February 2024 • GUIDE 71

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2024 PERFORMING ARTS SEASON LayeRhythm January 6

Erth’s Dinosaur Zoo February 24

JANUARY

FEBRUARY

LayeRhythm Saturday, January 6 @ 7:30pm Orpheum Performing Arts Center Kick off the New Year with a play-based jam session of freestyle live music, dance, and audience interaction that will get you off your feet. Celebrating the vibrancy of street and club dance cultures, LayeRhythm, led by Mai Lé Hô, weaves singular improvisations by musicians, dancers, and emcees, captivating the young and old, from theater to club goers by embodying the continuum of concert and social dance.

Maude Adams Theater Hub presents The Rocky Horror Show Friday, February 2 @ 7:30pm Saturday, February 3 @ 4:00pm & 7:30pm Orpheum Performing Arts Center The Greatest Love Story Ever Told? Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show, live on stage, returns to the Orpheum for two nights only. Great night for a date night! Costumes Encouraged!

“[LayeRhythm is a] brew of partying and performing that unfolds as a series of interactive sessions in which suggestions from the crowd beget songs and steps. Imagine an improv comedy show where dancing, not laughs, is the currency.

Then imagine a musicians’ jam session where the band is compelled to keep the dancers’ pace instead of the other way around. [...] [W]hat’s distinct about LayeRhythm is the way it bridges the two groups with crowd participation” —The New York Times Presented in partnership with Works & Process at the Guggenheim.

LayeRhythm will go straight from Catskill Mountain Foundation to the Works & Process Underground Uptown Dance Festival at Lincoln Center.

The Maude Adams Theater Hub is a community-centric performance arts program of the Catskill Mountain Foundation dedicated to finding, supporting, and creating opportunities for experiencing the joys of theater. MATH produced 11 shows in its first year in addition to creating MATHarts to offer a range of theater arts learning opportunities for youth and adults in our community.

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Maude Adams Theater Hub presents V-Season February 14-18 Doctorow Center for the Arts V Season is Back! An amazing weekend of three plays that amuse, inspire, and maybe even move you to tears. Grab a friend and join MATH for this annual series of staged readings.

2/14 & 2/16 @ 7:00pm: The Women by Clare Boothe Luce 2/15 & 2/17 @ 7:00pm: God of Carnage by Yasmina Reza 2/17 & 2/18 @ 2:00pm: The Gin Game by Donald L. Coburn Erth’s DINOSAUR ZOO LIVE Saturday, February 24 @ 3:00pm Orpheum Performing Arts Center Get ready for the ultimate playdate—65 million years in the making—as Erth’s DINOSAUR ZOO LIVE guides your family on a breathtaking tour that begins in pre-historic Australia. You’ll observe, meet and interact with an eye-popping collection of amazingly life-like dinosaurs and other creatures presented in a theatrical performance that will thrill and entertain kids while stimulating their imaginations in ways that will forever connect them to their world. Brought to life by a team of skilled performers and puppeteers, and designed with the help of professional paleontologists, Erth’s DINOSAUR ZOO LIVE’s puppets are so extraordinarily realistic you may feel the urge to run and hide—but don’t! Because you won’t want to miss a minute of this fun, unique, entertaining and educational live show created by Erth Visual & Physical of Sydney, Australia. While it may indeed have been 65 million years in the making, we think you’ll agree, it’s well worth the wait.

Danu March 2

Photo: John D. Kelly

360 All Stars March 9

MARCH Danú: “Traditional Music from Ireland” Saturday, March 2 @ 7:00pm Orpheum Performing Arts Center Hailing from historic County Waterford, Danú is one of the leading traditional Irish ensembles of today. Their standing room only concerts throughout Ireland are true events featuring high-energy performances and a glorious mix of ancient Irish music and new repertoire.

Repertoire is announced from the stage and includes hornpipes, reels, and traditional favorites like “The Foggy Dew,” “Ten Thousand Miles,” and “Mo Ghile Mear.”

360 All-Stars Saturday, March 9 @ 7:00pm Orpheum Performing Arts Center “BMX, basketball, breakdancing, beatboxing, acrobatics, drumming and more!”The most thrilling stage show ever.”

—Weekend Notes ★★★★★ A phenomenal physical performance exploring all forms of rotation, 360 ALLSTARS connects the street with the elite to deliver a supercharged urban circus. Boasting a stellar international cast of World Champion and World Record-holding athletes and artists, 360 ALLSTARS is a spectacular fusion of the extraordinary artistry that emerges from street culture.

VIRTUAL International Fortepiano Salon with Special Guest Hilda Huang Saturday, March 24 @ 2:00pm Streaming LIVE on Facebook and YouTube Hilda Huang is a modern performer of historical music who brings together traditions of performance on piano and harpsichord.

Her work has earned international acclaim with the distinction of

Photo: Matt Loncar

Ladies of Hip Hop March 30

first prize at the Leipzig International Bach competition and appearances at the Leipzig and Montréal Bach Festivals. Hilda resides in Amsterdam and performs frequently in the United States, Netherlands, and Germany.

Ladies of Hip Hop The Black Dancing Bodies – SpeakMyMind Saturday, March 30 @ 7:00 pm Orpheum Performing Arts Center Part of an ongoing performance and documentary effort focused on Black women in street and club dance culture, this session of Black Dancing Bodies continues to explore the power of the choreopoem; first coined in 1975 by writer Ntozake Shange (for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf); Each member of the collective responds to the question, “If I could speak my mind, what would I say?” In this world premiere, experience new writings, music, and movement spanning dance styles from African, to waacking, vogue, Hip-hop, and house; all curated under the direction of Michele Byrd-McPhee.

“Each woman’s voice stands powerfully on its own.”

—Dance Enthusiast SpeakMyMind was commissioned by Works & Process, developed in Works & Process LaunchPAD residencies at Bethany Arts Community (2022, 2023, and 2024) and Catskill Mountain Foundation (2022), and Office Hours Residency at The Kennedy Center (2023) with performances at the Guggenheim Museum, Jacob’s Pillow, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, the National Gallery of Art, SummerStage, Dancers Responding to AIDS Hudson Valley Dance Festival, and New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.

SpeakMyMind is a 2023 New England Foundation for the Arts’ National Dance Project grantee, with lead funding from the Doris Duke Foundation and Mellon Foundation.

CMF Partnerships with Works & Process at the Guggenheim and The Joyce Theater Over this past year, CMF has forged a partnership with Works & Process at the Guggenheim and The Joyce Theater Foundation to support the work of dance artists through residencies and performances at CMF’s facilities in Hunter and Tannersville, NY. The partnership with Works & Process at the Guggenheim continues in 2024 with dance groups LayeRhythm, Ladies of Hip Hop and a performance by dancers from New York City Ballet in July. Through The Joyce Theater Foundation, two dance companies will be selected to conduct residencies and perform at CMF’s Orpheum Performing Arts Center in 2024. It is a distinct honor and pleasure to work with these two nationally recognized dance organizations to help dance artists advance their work and connect to new rural audiences. Please visit our website, www.catskillmtn.org for updates on these exciting events.

February 2024 • GUIDE 73

APRIL

JUNE

Maude Adams Theater Hub presents Stupid F*ing Bird by Aaron Posner Friday, April 5 & Saturday, April 6 @ 7:00 pm Doctorow Center for the Arts

Woven Currents FREE Yi-heng Yang, piano Judd Weisberg, Woven Currents projected prints And live drawing on stage Saturday, June 22 @ 1:00pm Doctorow Center for the Arts, Cinema I

April in Paris Joanne Polk, piano and Jeffrey Langford, lecture Saturday, April 13 @ 2:00pm Doctorow Center for the Arts Catskill Mountain Shakespeare Touring Production of Shakespeare’s The Tempest Saturday, April 27 Orpheum Performing Arts Center (Additional dates throughout the Catskill Region April 8-28)

MAY Trailblazing Women of Country: From Patsy to Loretta to Dolly Saturday, May 4 @ 7:00 pm Orpheum Performing Arts Center Camille Brown Dance Saturday, May 11 @ 7:00 pm Orpheum Performing Arts Center

JULY Catskill Mountain Foundation Benefit Dinner Friday, July 12 Red Barn Stars from the New York City Ballet Saturday, July 13 @ 7:00pm Orpheum Performing Arts Center Catskill Mountain Shakespeare presents a Main Stage Production July 2024 Under the Big Tent behind the Red Barn Village of Hunter

Orpheum Dance Program Community Ballet Class Annual Recital Saturday, May 18 @ 2:00 pm FREE Orpheum Performing Arts Center

Horton-By-The-Stream: Celebrating 30 Years!

Harrison, Texas: The Work of Horton Foote Saturdays and Sundays July 20, 21 & 27, 28 @ 2:00pm Doctorow Center for the Arts Benefit Performance with wine and cheese Saturday July 27 @ 8:00pm

Maude Adams Theater Hub Comedy Show Saturday, May 18 Doctorow Center for the Arts

National Dance Institute: The Living Environment Saturday, July 20 @ 7:00pm Orpheum Performing Arts Center

ACADEMY OF FORTEPIANO PERFORMANCE FESTIVAL May 23 – June 8 Doctorow Center for the Arts Visit: academyfortepiano.org AFP Tech Workshop May 23-25 AFP Fortepiano Workshop May 25-June 2 Faculty Concert: Audrey Axinn, Maria Rose, Andrew Willis and guest artist Elizaveta Miller Saturday, May 25 @ 7:00 pm Masterclass: Elizaveta Miller Sunday, May 26 @ 2:00 pm Recital and Masterclass: Jiayan Sun Friday, May 31 @ 2:00 pm Fortepiano Student Concert I Saturday, June 1 @ 7:00 pm AFP Chamber Music Workshop June 2 – June 8 Chamber Music Student Concert

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AUGUST HUNTER INTERNATIONAL MUSIC FESTIVAL August 1 – August 10 Visit: huntermusicfestival.com Hunter International Music Festival Faculty Concert Friday, August 9 @ 7:00pm Doctorow Center for the Arts Guest Artist Concert - The Lysander Trio Saturday, August 10 @ 7:00pm Doctorow Center for the Arts Music Salon @ HIMF Sunday, August 4 @ 7:00pm Red Barn Recital Hall Young Artists Concert Series Tuesday, August 6 @ 7:00pm Wednesday, August 7 @ 7:00pm Doctorow Center for the Arts Student Chamber Music Performances Thursday, August 8 @ 7:00pm Friday, August 9 @ 4:00pm Doctorow Center for the Arts

Some Enchanted Evening November 16

A Midsummer Night’s Dream Ballet Orpheum Dance Program Victoria Rinaldi, Director Featuring dancers from Joffrey Ballet School New York, Saturday, August 3 @ 2:00 & 7:00pm Sunday, August 4 @ 2:00pm Orpheum Performing Arts Center

Windham Festival Chamber Orchestra Robert Manno, Music Director Music of Tchaikovsky, Scott Joplin & Robert Manno Robert Manno, conductor Melissa Wimbish, soprano Andrew Garland, baritone Saturday, August 17 @ 7:00pm Orpheum Performing Arts Center

SEPTEMBER Maude Adams Theater Hub Production September 26-28 Doctorow Center for the Arts

OUR VENUES

Some Enchanted Evening Benny Benack III and Stella Katherine Cole Saturday, November 16 @ 7:00pm Orpheum Performing Arts Center Twelfth Night Ensemble Yi-heng Yang, fortepiano and Aquila Theatre Saturday, November 30 @ 7:00 pm Doctorow Center for the Arts

Maude Adams Theater Hub Summer Musical Thursday-Saturday, August 8-10 Orpheum Performing Arts Center

The Moss Ensemble Darcy Dunn, Marshall Coid and Mary Wooten Saturday, August 24 @ 7:00pm Doctorow Center for the Arts

NOVEMBER

DECEMBER The Nutcracker Ballet Orpheum Dance Program Victoria Rinaldi, Director Featuring Dancers from Joffrey Ballet School New York, Aquila Theatre and Orpheum Dance Program Student Dancers SIX PERFORMANCES Saturday, December 7 @ 2:00 & 7:00pm Sunday, December 8 @ 2:00pm Saturday, December 14 @ 2:00 & 7:00pm Sunday, December 15 @ 2:00pm Orpheum Performing Arts Center Maude Adams Theater Hub Holiday Show Friday, December 20 Orpheum Performing Arts Center

DOCTOROW CENTER FOR THE ARTS 7971 MAIN STREET HUNTER, NY 12442

ORPHEUM PERFORMING ARTS CENTER 6050 MAIN STREET TANNERSVILLE, NY 12485

Tickets now on sale! Visit www.catskillmtn.org

February 2024 • GUIDE 75

The MOUNTAIN CINEMA Open Friday-Sunday

Showing the best of Hollywood & Independent films DOCTOROW CENTER FOR THE ARTS 7971 Main Street Village of Hunter

SCHEDULE SUBJECT TO CHANGE PLEASE visit catskillmtn.org or call 518 263 4702 in advance.

Shows open on Friday & run through Sunday.

Ticket Prices: $11 / $9 seniors & children under 11 View each week’s schedule and view trailers for our films online at www.catskillmtn.org • We strongly encourage you to purchase your tickets in advance.

Please visit www.catskillmtn.org and click on the film you’d like to see to choose your showing and reserve your seat!

www.catskillmtn.org • 518 263 4702

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SNEAK PEEK! SUMMER 2024 WORKSHOPS & PROGRAMS Sugar Maples Center for Creative Arts is excited to announce our Summer 2024 workshops, which will offer a variety of opportunities for students to learn from some of the leading artists in the world. Our program offers something for everyone, from beginners to experienced artists.

We are committed to helping students unleash their creativity, develop their artistic skills, and feel welcome in our vibrant Catskill community. Here’s a sneak peek at just a few of the exciting workshops and programs we’ll be offering: Creative Exercises in Ceramics for Educators and Teachers with Bill Griffith

Hitomi Shibata

This workshop is designed for teachers and artists who want to learn new and creative ways to incorporate ceramics into their curriculums or studio practice.

Bill Griffith, a renowned educator and artist, will share his many and varied exercises and techniques.

Basketry with Cael Chappell

ADULT PROGRAMS

Join us for an immersive basket weaving workshop with award winning weaver. This hands-on experience will take you on a creative journey, where you’ll learn the art of twined basketry. This is a wonderful opportunity to immerse yourself in the world of artisanal craftsmanship.

Wild Clay with Takuro and Hitomi Shibata Explore the natural world of clay in this workshop based on the Shibatas’ book, Wild Clay. Learn how to locate, prospect, and prepare clay so you can use it to create unique and expressive ceramics.

Natural Dye Workshop with Patricia Miranda Discover the beauty of natural dyes in this hands-on workshop. Learn how to extract dyes from plants and other natural materials and use them to create vibrant and colorful paintings and other art objects.

Firing the New Tunnel Kiln at Sugar Maples with Ben Owens Join us for a special workshop with Ben Owens, one of America’s leading ceramic artists. Learn how to fire your work in the new Sugar Maples Train kiln and create stunning woodfired pieces.

Paper Cutting with Rosa Leff Learn the art of paper cutting from this renowned and gifted artist. In this workshop, you’ll learn how to use tools and techniques to create exquisite works of art from paper.

YOUTH PROGRAMS Art Explorers July 15 – August 16, 2024 Monday – Friday, 9:00 am – 4:00 pm This year’s theme is What’s YOUR Superpower? Our Art Explorers experience the Catskills’ natural environment, looking to the flora and fauna of our ancient mountains for inspiration every day. They learn fun new techniques for drawing, painting, and collage to cultivate their creativity, collaborative skills, and identify what THEIR special superpower is! Lots of free fun time in the great outdoors.

MATHarts Theater Explorers (a division of Maude Adams Theater Hub) July 5 – August 16, 2024 Monday – Friday, 9:00am – 4:00pm Theater Explorers returns in August with a two-week intensive seminar that covers all the bases of theatrical performance and presentation. Learn how to build sets and costumes, write, and develop a script, and work with your friends to put on a show that your audiences are sure to remember forever!

These are just a few of the many exciting workshops and programs we’re offering this summer.

To learn more and register, please visit our website in February 2024 at www.catskillmtn.org/sugar-maples-center-for-creative-arts/ February 2024 • GUIDE 77

PLEASE DONATE TO THE CATSKILL MOUNTAIN FOUNDATION!

Your support matters and makes everything we do possible!

EACH YEAR, THE CATSKILL MOUNTAIN FOUNDATION • Presents and hosts more than 20 performances and lectures.

• Operates the Catskill Mountain Foundation Gift Shop, featuring a curated selection of books and gifts from around the Region and the world.

• Offers free or subsidized arts programs that are enjoyed by hundreds of local children.

• Hosts arts residencies bringing many artists to our community for extended stays.

• Publishes the monthly Guide magazine, distributed throughout the Catskill Region, and in Albany.

• Is the home of the Piano Performance Museum, a rare collection of historic playable pianos.

• Runs a dozen studio arts programs, with students from around the U.S. • Shows more than 100 films on our three screens in Hunter.

YES! I would like to help the Catskill Mountain Foundation in its mission to bring the arts to the Mountaintop

Please accept my donation of: $ All donors are listed in our playbills and receive our weekly e-mail updates.

Scan to make a donation online!

q Primary Address Name 1: Name 2 (if joint membership): Address: City:

State:

Zip:

State:

Zip:

E-mail: Phone:

q Secondary Address Address: City: q Check if this is a new address.

Please make your check payable to: Catskill Mountain Foundation PO Box 924 • Hunter, NY 12442 Become an “Angel of the Arts”: Make this a monthly gift I would like to donate $__________ monthly. q Check Enclosed Card #

q Visa q Mastercard

Exp. Date

CVV

q AmEx Billing Zip Code

Signature You may be able to double your contribution if you work for or are retired from a company that has a matching gift program.

To make your match, simply obtain a form from your company’s Matching Gift Coordinator and send it along with your contribution.

Catskill Mountain Foundation is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit corporation. All gifts are tax deductible as allowable by law.

Questions/More Information: Call 518 263 2001

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A Slice of Italy asliceofitaly7115.com See ad on page 35 Angela’s Pizza angelaspizzarestaurant.com See ad on page 44 The Ark Bowl & BBQ thearkbowl.com See ad on page 31 Best Hot Tubs besthottubs.com See ad on Back Cover Belleayre Lodge belleayrelodge.com See ad on page 41 Brainard Ridge Realty brainardridge.com See ad on page 1 Brandywine brandywinewindham.com See ad on page 33 Briars & Brambles Books briarsandbramblesbooks.com See ad on page 2 Camp Catskill campcatskill.co See ad on page 30 Catskill Center catskillcenter.org See ad on page 55 Catskills Visitors Center catskillsvisitorcenter.com See ad on page 55 Central Catskills Chamber of Commerce ScenicCatskills.com See ad on page 19 CMF Gift Shop 518 263 2001 See ad on page 49 CMF Piano Performance Museum catskillmtn.org See ad on page 63 CMF Presents 360 AllStars catskillmtn.org See ad on page 13 CMF Presents Danú catskillmtn.org See ad on page 53 CMF Presents Erth’s DINOSAUR ZOO LIVE catskillmtn.org See ad on page 23

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MENLA | Dewa Spa menla.org See ad on page 33 Moose Crossing rustic-cabin.com See ad on page 29 Mountain Cinema catskillmtn.org See ad on page 76 N & S Supply nsssupply.com See ad on page 43 The Nest Egg nesteggshop.com See ad on page 43 Olivia’s Wine & Spirits oliviaswineandspirits.com See ad on page 43 Pancho Villa’s Mexican Restaurant panchovillamex.com See ad on page 45 Peekamoose Restaurant peekamooserestaurant.com See ad on page 30

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Ulster Savings Bank UlsterSavings.com See ad on page 43 Windham Fine Arts windhamfinearts.com See ad on page 39 Windham Foundation windhamfoundation.com See ad on page 38 Windham Manor windhammanor.com See ad on page 36 Windham Mountain Club windhammountainclub.com See ad on page 3 Windham Wine & Liquor 518 734 3474 See ad on page 36 WIOX 91.3FM wioxradio.org See ad on page 55 WRIP 97.9FM rip979.com See ad on page 31

Pure Catskills purecatskills.com See ad on page 7 February 2024 • GUIDE 79

Image by Robert Plociennik/shutterstock.com

A Little Love Note From Jen Schwartz, Briars & Brambles Books, Windham Dear Visitors and Customers: On behalf of small business owners in the Catskill region, I am writing with a heartfelt thank you. You have no idea what it means to us when you shop locally. Yes, shopping locally helps us to keep money in our communities, but your support is so much more than just financial. When you walk into any of our businesses, you are helping to make someone’s dream come true. When I opened Briars & Brambles Books six years ago this July, I had no idea what to expect. Almost six years later, you have given us the chance to get to know so many of you and your families. We have gotten the chance to share so many of your milestones. We have watched babies grow to be toddlers and toddlers develop into early readers. We have celebrated your birthdays, engagements, and graduations. We have laughed with you, and yes, we have cried with you.

Often, in discussing what you like to read, you share your experiences, interests, and stories with us. By doing so, we learn not only more about you, but learn from you. You inspire us with your strength, wisdom, and humor. In many ways, you have helped the bookstore become its own little community. We love watching friends run into each other and enjoy it when strangers connect with one another. People have said we are like the bar in Cheers, where someone always knows your name and we are truly glad you came.

It is so very true … we are so glad you came and love being part of your lives.

With Love,

Jen 80 • issuu.com/catskillmtnregionguide

February 2024 • GUIDE 3