May 2024: Home & Garden

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GUIDE PLUS: Dining | Lodging | Outdoor Recreation Shopping | Attractions | Services | And More! Catskill Mountain Region MAY 2024 COMPLIMENTARY issuu.com/ catskillmtnregionguide Home & Garden INCLUDING REAL ESTATE AND HOME MAINTENANCE TIPS
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May 2024 • GUIDE 3

IN THIS ISSUE

EMBRACING SPRING IN ULSTER COUNTY: A Blossoming Escape

CAMILLE A. BROWN & DANCERS: I AM Coming to the Orpheum in Tannersville this May by Joan Oldknow

ACADEMY OF FORTEPIANO PERFORMANCE FESTIVAL by Sarah Beling

Manos-Jones

May 2024 • GUIDE 5
WOODSTOCK-NEW PALTZ
& CRAFTS FAIR WHERE HAVE ALL THE MONARCHS GONE
What We Can Do About It
HOME & GARDEN A GREENE COUNTY GARDEN IN MAY: Robins by Margaret
SPRING IN THE CATSKILLS CATSKILLS PAST: Cuban Hotels
Bradshaw COMEDY IN THE CATSKILLS
BORSCHT BELT, BEET ROOTS AND BELLY LAUGHS by Greg Madden
ARTS
And
by Maraleen
Donsbach Tomlinson
by T.M.
by Josh Fromer
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COVER
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Photo by Ground Picture/ shutterstock.com Photo by Mike Lawrie Photography

VOLUME 39, NUMBER 5 May 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

THE GREAT OUTDOORS

INDEX OF ADVERTISERS 62 66 67 80 82 86 90 92

HANFORD MILLS MUSEUM OPENS FOR 2024

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

CATSKILL MOUNTAIN FOUNDATION SUMMER ART PROGRAMS FOR YOUTH

CATSKILL MOUNTAIN FOUNDATION 2024 PERFORMING ARTS SEASON

SUGAR MAPLES SUMMER 2024 WORKSHOPS & PROGRAMS

DONATE TO THE CATSKILL MOUNTAIN FOUNDATION

issuu.com/catskillmtnregionguide

DISTRIBUTION

Catskill Mountain Foundation

EDITORIAL DEADLINE FOR NEXT ISSUE: May 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.

Sarah Beling, Brandt Bolding/shutterstock.com, T.M. Bradshaw, Catskills Borscht Belt Museum, Holly Cohen/golightlyink.com, Victoria Coyne, Christopher A. Duggan, Estonianmama/shutterstock.com, Josh Fromer, Ground Picture/shutterstock.com, Hanford Mills Museum, Dan Hanscom/shutterstock.com, Thomasine Helsmoortel, Holdridge Electric, Mike Lawrie, Greg Madden, Maraleen Manos-Jones, Joan Oldknow, Amy Rosen, Josefina Santos, Jeff Senterman, Margaret Donsbach Tomlinson, Robert Torres, Quail Hollow Events, and Ulster County Tourism.

ADMINISTRATION & FINANCE

Candy McKee

Tiffany Babcock & Hillary Morse

PRINTING

Catskill Mountain Printing Services

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

7,500 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

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May 2024 • GUIDE 7

A Blossoming Escape EMBRACING SPRING IN ULSTER COUNTY

Spring brings a burst of life and color to Ulster County, New York, transforming the landscape into a picturesque haven of blooming flowers and lush greenery. Nestled in the heart of the Catskills, Ulster County welcomes visitors with arms open, offering a myriad of experiences to rejuvenate the soul and indulge in the beauty of nature. From enchanting waterfalls to plentiful fruit-picking opportunities, everyone can savor life’s beauty in this idyllic springtime paradise.

Chasing Waterfalls

As the temperatures rise and winter’s grip loosens, the waterfalls of Ulster County come alive with cascading torrents of water. One of the crown jewels of this region is Minnewaska State Park Preserve, home to five stunning waterfalls that beckon adventurers and nature lovers alike. The hike to Awosting Falls, with its mesmerizing beauty, spans a scenic 1.5-mile trail, offering a perfect blend of tranquility and natural splendor.

For those seeking a more exhilarating trek, Verkeerderkill Falls, the highest waterfall in the Shawangunk Mountains, provides breathtaking views and a sense of awe-inspiring grandeur. However, note that access to Sam’s Point requires reservations during peak seasons, ensuring a serene and uninterrupted exploration of these natural marvels with an eye towards mindful stewardship of nature’s resources.

Linger in the Fragrance of Spring Flowers

Spring in Ulster County is synonymous with a vibrant tapestry of flowers adorning the landscape. It’s a time for reconnection and rejuvenation, whether with loved ones or through personal reflection. The county offers an array of lodging options, from the luxurious ambiance of Hotel Kinsley in Uptown Kingston to the serene retreat of Hasbrouck House, inviting guests to unwind and immerse themselves in the beauty of their surroundings.

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For those with a creative flair, indulge in activities like ecoprinting or crafting dried flower mobiles at AutoCamp Catskills, tapping into your artistic side while surrounded by nature’s bounty. Delve deeper into the world of floral artistry with a prearranged spring floral class at Watergrass Hill.

Don’t miss the annual Tulip Festival at Kelder’s Farm, a spectacle of vibrant colors and fragrant blooms sure to captivate the senses. With accommodations near this floral extravaganza, such as Mohonk Mountain House or the Greenhouses at Audrey’s Farmhouse, immerse yourself fully in the enchanting world of tulips and horticultural wonders.

Ulster County Flowers to Find Ulster County in the spring pulls out all the stops with a diverse array of flowers that collectively create a vibrant tapestry of colors and fragrances. While several flowers bloom during this season, some varieties stand out as dominant and iconic symbols of Ulster County’s springtime beauty.

Tulips are a hallmark of spring but these stalwarts of spring seem to pop brighter in Ulster County, particularly during the annual Tulip Festival at Kelder’s Farms. These elegant flowers come in a wide range of colors, including vibrant reds, yellows, pinks, and whites, painting the landscape with their vivid hues.

Daffodils, with their cheerful yellow blooms, are another prevalent sight in Ulster County’s spring gardens and meadows. These hardy flowers symbolize rebirth and new beginnings, adding a touch of brightness to the countryside and a smile to those appreciative of their spring awakening.

Apple blossom trees burst into delicate white blossoms during the spring, creating enchanting scenes reminiscent of Japanese gardens. Their fleeting beauty captivates onlookers and adds a sense of ephemeral charm to the Ulster County countryside.

Hyacinths, known for their intoxicating fragrance and clusters of tightly packed flowers, are a favorite among gardeners and florists in Ulster County. Their rich colors, including purples, blues, pinks, and whites, add depth and allure to spring gardens.

Dutch irises grace the landscape with their elegant blooms characterized by intricate patterns and striking colors such as deep blues, purples, and whites. These iris varieties add a touch of sophistication to gardens and floral arrangements.

Overall, the combination of tulips, daffodils, cherry blossoms, hyacinths, irises, and an array of native wildflowers paints Ulster County with a kaleidoscope of colors, making it a paradise for flower enthusiasts and nature lovers during the rejuvenating season of spring.

Family

Adventures Amidst Nature’s Splendor

Ulster County is a playground for families, offering a plethora of outdoor activities that cater to all ages. Explore the northern end of the Shawangunk Ridge at Mohonk Preserve, boasting over 100

miles of trails perfect for biking, hiking, climbing, or simply reveling in the beauty of nature’s canvas.

Places like Inness and Buttermilk Falls provide engaging experiences for children, with educational programs and unique attractions such as aviaries and animal sanctuaries. For a novel outdoor adventure, all aboard Rail Explorers and traverse the historic Ulster & Delaware Railroad in pedal-assisted rail cars, creating cherished memories with your loved ones.

For a truly immersive family getaway, consider Rocking Horse Ranch, an award-winning all-inclusive resort brimming with activities and entertainment options for every member of the family, promising laughter, joy, and unforgettable moments.

Indulging in Culinary Delights and Relaxation

After a day of exploration and adventure, savor all of the farm-totable dining experiences Ulster County offers. Whether you prefer the vineyard ambiance of Nostrano Vineyard, the craft beers at Arrowood or Rough Cut, or the crisp ciders at Brooklyn Cider House or Twin Star Orchards, there’s a flavor palette to suit every preference.

To unwind and pamper yourself, indulge in world-class spa treatments at Emerson Resort & Spa or Diamond Mills, where rejuvenation meets tranquility against the backdrop of serene waters. For a cozy retreat, Hutton Brickyards offers charming cabins nestled in nature’s embrace, providing the perfect setting for relaxation and reflection.

Plan Your Spring Escape to Ulster County

Ulster County beckons with its natural splendor, inviting travelers to embrace the essence of spring and embark on a journey of renewal and discovery. Whether you seek adventure in the great outdoors, moments of serenity amidst blooming flowers, or culinary delights and spa indulgences, Ulster County promises an unforgettable springtime experience.

Spring into your next adventure and plan your escape to Ulster County today at visitulstercountyny.com, where every moment blooms with possibility and beauty.

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TCOMING TO THE ORPHEUM IN

by

TANNERSVILLE THIS MAY

CAMILLE A. BROWN & DANCERS: I AM

he change of seasons brings changes in the landscape of the Mountain Top, and that includes the Catskill Mountain Foundation. Following its 25th anniversary year packed full of performances and residencies, CMF continues to present ever more dynamic and high quality performances on its stages. Through its partnership with The Joyce Theater Foundation, Catskill Mountain Foundation will soon have the pleasure of hosting Camille A. Brown & Dancers in a technical residency for their work, “I AM”.

If you haven’t heard of the award-winning choreographer and director Camille A. Brown yet, prepare to be astonished. As an important artist in the dance community, this powerhouse choreographer and her dance company are making waves in the world of contemporary dance. Having worked on Broadway, the Metropolitan Opera and in Hollywood, Ms. Brown blends live music, dance, and theatrical and visual elements into her work. The company is scheduled to give a special performance on May 11 at the Orpheum Performing Arts Center in Tannersville. Known for her vibrant, socially conscious contemporary dance works, Brown is sure to deliver an unforgettable show.

Camille A. Brown draws from a rich tapestry of cultural influences, blending traditional African American dance styles with

a contemporary flair. Her work is a celebration of heritage and a testament to the power of storytelling through movement. Brown and her dance company create art that reflects the diversity and complexity of the human experience. Through their performances, Brown aims to spark conversations, challenge perceptions, and inspire audiences to see the world in a new light.

Ms. Brown’s dancers come from diverse backgrounds and bring their own unique styles and experiences to the studio, a place of constant movement and experimentation. United by their love for dance and their dedication to Brown’s vision, the studio is a safe and supportive environment where the dancers can freely express themselves and take risks without fear of judgment. Dancers are encouraged to push boundaries and explore new movements, and are constantly being challenged to grow and evolve as artists. Music is a driving force behind the dancers’ movements. The beats and melodies shape their choreography, creating a dynamic interplay between sound and movement. The dancers’ dedication to artistic excellence and profound storytelling through movement is truly inspiring.

From intricate footwork to emotive gestures, Camille A. Brown’s choreography is a masterclass in storytelling through movement. Her dancers bring her vision to life with precision and

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Photo Christopher A. Duggan
May 2024 • GUIDE 13

passion, creating performances that are both visually stunning and emotionally resonant. Ms. Brown’s choreography is a melting pot of cultural influences from the rhythms of jazz to the traditions of West African dance. Each movement tells a story, weaving together threads of history, identity, and community. With culture at the heart of Brown’s work, she creates a space for cultural expression and dialogue, and uses dance as a powerful tool for exploring and celebrating the diverse narratives that make up our world. Dance is not just a form of entertainment, but a means of connecting with audiences, sharing experiences, and shining a light on important social issues.

Ms. Brown’s current work “I AM” is other-worldly, springing into future cultures and norms. Strong emotions tell the story of freedoms, the ability to decide for oneself how to navigate the world and choose how issues are resolved. There is tenderness, the strength of resilience, exploration of feelings and environments, allowing for the possibility of peace in a new place. With underpinnings of diverse cultures, musical styles, and the wealth of experience that Ms. Brown brings to the stage, this new work imagines the possibilities of resolving discord in the world, sharing with the audience an unbounded yet unified identity.

Continuing her explorations of Black Joy, director and choreographer Camille A. Brown creates a new work for her Company, Camille A. Brown & Dancers that launches new queries into the possibilities of imagination—and boldly investigates the future.

While Brown has often disrupted our understanding of the past, in this new work, she imagines a creative space for cultural liberation—conjuring new ways of being in this world. Inspired by the “I AM” episode of the HBO series, Lovecraft Country this new work picks up where ink left off by blasting us into the universe where anything is possible and features various dance genres of the African Diaspora.

Original music is by Deah Love Harriott, Jaylen Petinuad, Juliette Jones, and Martine Wade with projection design by Aaron

Rhyne, set and lights by David Arsenault, sound design by Justin Ellington, and costumes by Asthley Solman.

About Camille A. Brown

Camille A. Brown is a three time Tony Award nominated director and choreographer whose work taps into both ancestral and contemporary stories to capture a range of deeply personal experiences and cultural narratives of African American identity. Through the medium of dance, she is successfully balancing careers in stage, TV, and film. Her trilogy on race, culture and identity has won many accolades, including a Bessie Award. She was the first black director in the history of the Metropolitan Opera MainStage and has directed and choreographed numerous productions at the MET. TV & Film work includes the Academy Award nominated Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom and NBC’s Emmy award winning Jesus Christ Superstar. Brown has been featured numerous times in Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, The NY Times, and the cover of Dance Magazine, among many others and has received a myriad of awards including from the Guggenheim, Doris Duke Foundation,

ISPA’s 2021 Distinguished Artist, 2020 Dance Magazine Award, Audelco, Princess Grace Statue Award, Jacob’s Pillow Award, New York City Center, TED fellow & The Kennedy Center’s Next 50. Other awards include a Ford Foundation Art of Change Fellowship and the Obie Award for Sustained Excellence in Choreography.

For Tickets

Camille A. Brown & Dancers perform at the Orpheum Performing Arts Center, 6050 Main Street, Tannersville, NY, 12485 on Saturday, May 11 at 7 pm. Tickets purchased ahead are $25 for adults, $20 for seniors, $7 for students. Ticket purchase fees and higher at-the-door prices apply. To purchase tickets, visit catskillmtn.org or call 518 263 2063.

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Left: Photo by Robert Torres. Right: Camille A. Brown, photo by Josefina Santos

Continuing her explorations of Black Joy, director and choreographer Camille A. Brown creates a new work for her Company, Camille A. Brown & Dancers that launches new queries into the possibilities of imagination—and boldly investigates the future.

While Brown has often disrupted our understanding of the past, in this new work, she imagines a creative space for cultural liberation—conjuring new ways of being in this world. Inspired by the “I AM” episode of the HBO series, Lovecraft Country this new work picks up where ink left off by blasting us into the universe where anything is possible and features various dance genres of the African Diaspora.

May 2024 • GUIDE 15 SATURDAY, MAY 11 @ 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) 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.
The Catskill Mountain Foundation in Partnership with the Joyce Theater Foundation Presents
I AM
Scan for tickets! Photo by Christopher A. Duggan

Academy of Fortepiano Performance Festival

Sweet symphonies of sound will envelop Hunter this spring as the Academy of Fortepiano Performance (AFP) returns to the Catskill Mountain Foundation’s Piano Performance Museum for three weeks of world-class workshops and concerts.

AFP welcomes college and conservatory students, professionals, adult amateurs and advanced high school students to the museum May 22 through June 8 for a wide-ranging series of specialized lectures, master classes, and concerts — many of which are open to the public (interested auditors are also able to attend classes for a daily fee). In addition to gaining access to a course of intense study and performance opportunity in the workshop’s student concert, musicians are able to play the museum’s comprehensive collection of original and replica fortepianos, or, pianos constructed in the 18th and 19th centuries.

There are three distinct workshops, each addressing a different aspect of historical instrument maintenance and performance: a Historical Piano Technology Workshop from May 22 to May 24; a Fortepiano Performance Workshop from May 25 to June 2; and a Chamber Music Workshop for Fortepiano and Strings from June 2 to June 8.

Student participants perform at a level “that is really that of young professionals,” said workshop co-founder and fortepianist Maria Rose. “Those that are interested in the early pianos are always very excited to be in Hunter and they come with amazing energy and ability—the concerts at the end of the week are on a very high level.” While the Academy, founded in 2017 by Rose

with fellow fortepianists Audrey Axinn and Yi-heng Yang, used to primarily enroll students from Juilliard and Mannes School of Music, they now “see applications from students studying fortepiano from other countries,” said Axinn—thanks in part to their work with Juilliard’s satellite campus in Tianjin, China and the International Fortepiano Salon live streams hosted by Rose, Yang and former AFP participant Patricia Garcia Gil, she added.

For Rose and Axinn, the chance to pass on their fortepiano knowledge is a culmination of their own long studies with the instrument. Originally from the Netherlands, Rose first became interested in fortepianos in the 1980s and moved to New York in 1996 to earn a PhD in Musicology from New York University. But it was a connection from the Netherlands that brought her together with collaborators Yang and Axinn, said Rose. “I met both Audrey and Yi-heng through my friend Stanley Hoogland in Amsterdam: both of them had studied fortepiano with him in the Netherlands,” she added. “When I moved to the Catskill Region I needed to find a piano technician to install a humidifying system into my piano—that is how I met with Steven Greenstein, who told me about the Piano Museum in Hunter.” Upon arriving at the museum, “I was immediately interested to start a workshop there, both because of the piano collection and because of the beautiful facilities and surroundings,” said Rose, adding that CMF’s Pam Weisberg “has been an amazing supporter and collaborator from the beginning.” Without her help, the Academy “would not have been possible.”

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ACADEMY OF FORTEPIANO PERFORMANCE

FACULTY & GUEST ARTIST CONCERT:

WHEN THE PIANO WAS YOUNG

Audrey Axinn • Maria Rose

Andrew Willis • Elizaveta Miller

Saturday, May 25 @ 7:00 pm

Tickets Purchased Ahead: $25 adults/$20 seniors/$7 students At the Door: $30 adults/$25 seniors/$7 students

A concert of works for the fortepiano by Academy of Fortepiano Performance faculty members Audrey Axinn, Maria Rose, and Andrew Willis, along with guest artist Elizaveta Miller.

FREE LECTURE/CONCERT: “TOCCATAS AND FANTASIES” with Julian Jenson

Tuesday, May 28 @ 2:00 pm

FREE LECTURE/CONCERT: “HISTORICAL IMPROVISATION” with Nicola Canzano

Thursday, May 30 @ 2:00 pm

RECITAL AND MASTERCLASS with Jiayan Sun

Friday, May 31 @ 2:00 pm

FINAL STUDENT CONCERT, FORTEPIANO WORKSHOP

Saturday, June 1 @ 7:00 pm

FINAL STUDENT CONCERT, FORTEPIANO & STRINGS WORKSHOP

All events take place at

Friday, June 7 @ 7:00 pm

May 2024 • GUIDE 17 Visit catskillmtn.org or academyfortepiano.org for more information Catskill Mountain Foundation is supported in part by New York State Council on the Arts, Greene County Cultural Fund administered by the Greene County Legislature, Jarvis and Constance Doctorow Family Foundation, Royce Family Foundation, Samuel and Esther Doctorow Fund, Orville and Ethel Slutzky Family Foundation, Platte Clove Bruderhof Community, Bank of Greene County Charitable Foundation, Greene County Youth Bureau, Marshall & Sterling Insurance, All Souls’ Church, Stewart’s Shops, Windham Foundation, A. Lindsay and Olive B. O’Connor Foundation, and by private donations. Catskill Mountain Foundation’s Piano Performance Museum Concerts & Conversations Series
25-JUNE
FORTEPIANO PERFORMANCE WORKSHOP
MAY
2:
JUNE 2-8: CHAMBER MUSIC WORKSHOP FOR FORTEPIANO & STRINGS
DOCTOROW CENTER FOR THE ARTS
the
7971 Main Street • Hunter, NY 12442
Left to right: Audrey Axinn, Maria Rose, Andrew Willis, Elizaveta Miller, Jiayan Sun, Cynthia Roberts

Rose “immediately thought of Audrey and Yi-heng to put the workshop together as a team,” a concept that also drew Axinn’s interest, she said. As a doctoral student at Juilliard, “I spent eight days at the beginning of a summer break at Cornell University taking lessons each day with the eminent fortepianist Malcolm Bilson—and it was one of those moments where a door opens and you step through it without looking back,” she said. After receiving a Fulbright grant to study fortepiano in the Netherlands, she returned to New York to begin coaching and teaching at both Juilliard and Mannes School of Music. Rose and Yang “approached me in 2016 with the exciting idea of starting a fortepiano workshop at the Catskill Mountain Foundation,” said Axinn, adding that the region “seemed like a perfect environment with the piano museum’s rich collection of historical pianos and the beautiful facilities.”

Over the years, the team has deepened the Academy’s offerings, expanding to include string musicians in its chamber music workshops as well as incorporating a fortepiano technician’s series—which has become increasingly popular in attracting technicians from conversatories like Juilliard and Harvard, said Axinn. “In the first year, we invited a historical keyboard technician and performer of historical keyboards, Masayuki Maki (who prefers everyone call him ’Maki’) to join us,” explained Axinn. “Richard Hester, a builder and restorer of fortepianos who lives near Albany, also became part of the team from the first summer—working together with Maki to keep all the museum’s instruments as well as the fortepianos that Maria and I bring with us working and in tune.” It was Maki and Richard “who realized the importance of creating a training program for modern piano technicians—as well as people who own fortepianos or are considering purchasing a fortepiano—to become schooled in basic maintenance for these instruments,” added Axinn, “and that is how the technicians’ workshop was born.” It’s also thanks to Maki and Hester, noted Axinn, that the community of practitioners can care for and maintain the museum’s much-loved historical and reproduction instruments.

The academy’s impact lasts far beyond its yearly workshop, said Rose and Axinn, who noted that they are delighted to see returning participants. “The community of performers and teachers of fortepianos is small and mostly everyone knows each other,” said Axinn. “We’ve created a family of passionate fortepianists at AFP. Participants come back for the educational experience, to feel inspired and also to spend time together as an extended musical family.”

The Catskills arts community returns to see their ensembles, too—though Rose and Axinn hope that as the workshop continues to establish itself as a cultural staple in the region that more audiences will make the trip prior to the area’s busy season. As a “hub of creative energy and inspiring performing in a beautiful location with wonderful restaurants just down the road and gorgeous hiking everywhere you look,” they “would love to create more synergy with the Catskills community and for more people who live within driving distance to attend our performances and guest artists events,” said Axinn, noting that this year, AFP has secured performances from four-time participant Julian Jenson, historical improviser Nicolas Canzano and masterclasses with McGill University’s Elizaveta Miller and Smith College’s Jiayan Sun.

And as for Rose and Axinn, returning to the workshop for a 7th year remains one of their artistic highlights, they said. “The students are wonderful to work with, and people at CMF are always very helpful! And last year everyone raved about the food,” said Rose, in a sentiment that Axinn echoed. “I love watching the students start to hang out and let off steam together in the Red Barn after long days of practicing and listening to each other play,” she added. “No matter where we grew up or where we’ve studied, musicians have so much in common with each other — when 20 more of us come together we bond very quickly. It’s an intense week and an extremely rewarding one,” said Axinn. “The concert at the workshop’s end has offered some performances that will live inside me for the rest of my life.”

See the full schedule of events, many of which are open to the public, on page 17 of this issue of the Guide, or visit catskillmtn.org or academyfortepiano.org.

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Left: AFP students in a workshop with renowned Swiss fortepianist Pierre Goy; Right: AFP students with Steven Greenstein, curator emeritus of the Piano Performance Museum

The Catskill Mountain Foundation Presents

WINDHAM FESTIVAL

CHAMBER ORCHESTRA

MUSIC OF TCHAIKOVSKY, SCOTT JOPLIN & ROBERT MANNO

Robert Manno, Conductor

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

Pre-Concert Talk Saturday, 8/17, 6:45 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

May 2024 • GUIDE 19
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

WOODSTOCK-NEW PALTZ ART & CRAFTS FAIR

The Hudson Valley’s favorite celebration of handmade, The Woodstock-New Paltz Art & Crafts Fair, will return to the Ulster County Fairgrounds in New Paltz on May 25, 26, and 27. This biannual festival bookends the summer season, having taken place every Memorial and Labor Day weekend since 1982.

Consistently voted one of the country’s top contemporary craft shows by Sunshine Artist Magazine, the fair teems with handmade wares from hundreds of carefully curated exhibitors in over 10 media categories. Promoter Quail Hollow Events selects artists and craftspeople whose work is original in both design and execution, requiring the maker of the work to be in attendance. Festival director Ola Rubinstein explains, “The real beauty of this festival is the vibrant environment generated by the talented exhibitors and engaged public. Our exhibitors value sharing their process and work via meaningful one-on-one interactions, and shoppers enjoy learning the history of the objects and connecting with the maker of the unique pieces they purchase or browse.”

Alongside a slew of decades-long exhibitors (some of whom have been participating in the event since its inception over 40 years ago), are dozens of new exhibitors. Fairgoers will discover

uncommon, standout finds for the home, body and beyond— from wearable fiber art, to mixed media wall art, to hand-thrown porcelain table settings, large-scale garden fountains, dining room tables and everything in between. Find that long-sought after Adirondack chair or a one-size-fits-one jewelry piece. Demonstrations will include fiber-spinning, wood-turning, Japanese jewelrybraiding, leather-stitching, glass-cutting, and glass-painting. Visitors can get bejeweled—permanently—by jeweler Nicole Dubensky, who will be offering permanent jewelry on the spot. Bracelets and necklaces will be welded around a wrist or neck and, without a clasp, the special piece will be donned daily until the wearer chooses to remove it.

The Woodstock-New Paltz Art & Crafts Fair is beloved for the personal exchanges it fosters and its vast array of features that appeal to every style and generation. “The opportunity to observe so many creative processes, in person, and in one place is significant. So much of our lives are lived online, where parasocial relationships are commonplace, and we must uphold environments where in-person exchanges can thrive,” says Rubinstein. Visitors will delight in ongoing craft demonstrations, a variety of small-

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Clockwise from top left: Wood turning demonstration by VJB Creations; Children’s tent; Sangria tasting by Freefall Sangria; Music with Raquel and the Wildflowers. All photos by Mike Lawrie Photography

batch artisanal and prepared-on-site foods and, of course, local wine, beer, and spirits. Daily live musical performances round out this broad celebration of handmade. The youngest attendees (and their parents) will appreciate a complimentary children’s craft tent, brimming with a wide range of materials, many supplied by the artists themselves.

ABOUT QUAIL HOLLOW EVENTS

Quail Hollow Events was founded in 1982 by brothers Neil and Scott Rubinstein, two woodworkers who had tired of traveling from show-to-show exhibiting and selling their work. Craft fairs were what they knew, so they decided to dive into the promotional end of the business and develop events that would be centered around the diverse talents of its exhibitors. Ola Rubinstein, daughter-in-law of Neil, is now at the helm of Quail Hollow Events. She and her husband, Tate (Neil’s son), obtained the business in 2017, and remain committed to preserving and bolstering local in-person platforms where artists and craftspeople can market their work, and where real-world relationships between visitor and maker are cultivated.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Visit quailhollow.com for tickets, an exhibitor list, entertainment schedule, and more information about the Woodstock-New Paltz Art & Crafts Fair.

DATES & TIMES

May 25 10 am - 5:30 pm

May 26 10 am - 5:30 pm

May 27 10 am - 4:00 pm

Ulster County Fairgrounds

249 Libertyville Rd, New Paltz, NY 12561

May 2024 • GUIDE 21
WHERE
RAIN OR SHINE — BUSES WELCOME QUAILHOLLOW.COM
Visitors under Mohonk Mountain. Photo by Mike Lawrie Photography

WHERE HAVE ALL THE MONARCHS GONE

And What We Can Do About It

Butterflies have graced our planet for at least 70 million years, bees 130 million years, and wasps 240 million years. As part of the great intricate tapestry of life, they have played a vital role, busily pollinating flowers, vegetables, fruits, and trees. In the past few decades, these beautiful and dynamic creatures have been disappearing at an alarming rate. Nature has endowed butterflies with amazing coping and protective mechanisms, camouflage, mimicry, elusive maneuvering and chemical defenses, but the onslaught to their wellbeing has been relentless, accelerating in the 21st century. The culprits are many including: climate change, abundant use of pesticides, pollution, and habitat loss.

Until I moved next door twenty years ago and invited all these butterflies to my gardens, my neighbor says he had never paid much attention to the seventy or so species native to this area. As many of you know, encountering a butterfly up close and personally stirs something within, a sense of wonder and amazement, a bit of magic is afloat in our gardens, as if the flowers themselves took flight in glorious colors and patterns.

Climate change has drastically affected all life as weather patterns have changed, more frequent super storms occur, too much

precipitation in too short amount of time causing floods, or too little rain resulting in droughts and out-of- control wildfires, or snow falling in the mountains of Mexico.

There were drought conditions in October 2023 along the monarchs’ southward migration route, contributing to a small winter population. Indications are that even though their northward journey has started a month earlier again this year, there are enough young milkweeds emerging just in the nick of time for the exhausted females to lay their eggs. It takes one generation of monarchs migrating south in the fall, traveling over 2,000 miles to a place to which they have never before been and two to three generations to complete their northward migration. Migrating monarchs live about ten months, summer ones about three weeks.

After raising, releasing, and tagging monarchs for five years, in 1977 I went in search of their winter hideaway in the mountains of Mexico, the exact location unknown at the time. It took two months of climbing mountains before I was guided to an estimated 100 million monarchs mating on the first day of spring. Engaged in a magnificent aerial ballet, it was a spectacle like none other, a most amazing ancient ritual that had been occurring for

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Left: Monarch & Painted Lady; Right: Monarch. All photos by Maraleen Manos-Jones

millennium. The reality far surpassed the dream.

I have returned almost every year, living among the monarchs, tagging them to study their northward migration and working on reforestation projects while helping the mountain women develop and sell their crafts. Every year the population of monarchs fluctuated, from 30 million to over 100 million on any of the thirteen mountains they chose as the destination for their amazing migration from Canada and the United States. When I was allowed to camp among the butterflies in 1978 and ‘79, my guide and I explored the sixty or so acres atop Cerro Pelon, in and among millions upon millions of monarchs, ancient souls in a sacred gathering.

Much has changed over the last half century. This sacred place became known, roads were built, mountain guides trained and thousands upon thousands of tourists came to witness this miracle of the monarchs. Since the start of the 21st century, the many challenges to butterflies and pollinators have accelerated; their populations have further plummeted, numbers hardly rebounding. Since 2014, the monarch population has fluctuated between three and six million on a couple of acres. For the first time in anyone’s memory, there were no monarchs on Cerro Pelon this year where it was very cold. There were a few million on nearby mountains.

The timing of monarchs’ migration has changed dramatically with a warming world. For all creatures, great and small, timing is everything. With their migration delayed a month in autumn and beginning a month earlier in the spring, the question becomes will there be enough nectar to fuel their flight and will there be enough milkweed ready for the females who are laden with about four hundred eggs each. Only about ten percent of the eggs will survive to complete their metamorphosis due to all the challenges they face in every stage of their lives.

On November 5, 2012, Southwest Airlines flew a late emerging monarch and me from Albany to San Antonio to

May 2024 • GUIDE 23

complete her migration. By 2014, I flew 60 late monarchs to San Antonio on the Day of the Dead, November 1. Now, they are on their own; all we can do is provide for them as best we can in our gardens.

What can we do as individuals? Garden!! Create green corridors of gardens, whether a window box or 40 acres, in our front back and back yards, along our roadways, in our municipalities, and our cities too. There is one sure way to make our gardens beautiful and our agriculture fruitful while enriching the soil, storing carbon, and keeping methane from our landfill: compost!

Compost can help save the world besides making all your plants healthy and vigorous. Composting not only enriches the soil, but reduces methane from forming when throwing organic matter into the garbage. According to the Drawdown Project by Princeton, composting is one of the most effective solutions in dealing with climate change. Even a quarter inch of compost spread over one acre can absorb ten tons of carbon! Compost is a natural way to provide nutrients to plants, enhancing productivity while storing carbon in soils.

I love compost, an incredible example of transformation. Watermelon rinds and coffee grinds become rich silky dark soil, a/k/a black gold. More individuals as well as communities are engaged in composting, including the town of Saugerties and the City of Kingston, which has recently launched Phase 1 of its Organics Program, a food waste diversion program free and voluntary for all City of Kingston residents. In its fight against both climate change and rats, New York City has embarked on a mandatory

separation of trash, thus avoiding 8 million pounds of organic waste every day being thrown into landfills. Mandatory composting programs have thrived over the past decade in cities such as San Francisco, CA; Portland, OR; Seattle, WA; Denver, CO; and Boulder, CO. Boston, MA; Pittsburgh, PA; and Jacksonville, FL are now initiating composting infrastructures.

Get on board, help save the planet. It is mind boggling that one third of food produced worldwide is wasted. We all have to make an effort, a sincere commitment to make our environment healthy for all creatures, including us humans. If everyone in the U.S. composted their food waste, it would be the equivalent of taking almost eight million cars off the road, besides the added benefits of storing carbon naturally and reducing methane emissions.

Pesticides, yikes! Oh my, how we’ve been bamboozled. Introduced after World War II by the munitions makers who needed to transform their chemicals to another cash cow, they disseminated information and propaganda about the virtues of pesticides and chemical fertilizers through the advent of a new medium in the early 1950’s, the television. I vividly remember the image of dandelions withering with application. Clover, a natural fertilizer, was another enemy of the ‘idyllic’ perfectly uniform green expanse. My lawns look like beautiful multi-colored carpets with wild violets, (host plant for fritillaries), wild strawberries, its flowers providing sweet nectar, clover, and plantain, both host and nectar sources. Plantain can be chewed and applied to an insect bite or sting for immediate relief.

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Left: The lower right wings of the Pollinator Garden in front of Kenco Outfitters on Route 28: Nasturtiums, sedum, rudbeckias, Russian sage. Right: Echinacea, mountain mint, Black-eyed Susans, Joe-pye weed, nasturtiums from garden in front of Kenco.

The early bees and butterflies rely on early spring flowers, one being the bright dandelion whose nectar is medicinal, boosting bees’ and butterflies’ immune systems. The war on dandelions and clover is still going on after all these years of research and information. Ever newer “improved” and deadlier chemicals are being used on our lawns and in agriculture as some insects have evolved to become more resistant with extra added ingredients from Agent Orange added to Roundup, the mostly widely used herbicide in the world. Lawns use about eighty million pounds of it per year, while Big Agriculture uses about three hundred million pounds compared to eleven million in the 1980’s. Amazingly, lawns actually use more per acre than in agriculture. Needless to say, it is a multi billion-dollar industry. Let’s all stop contributing to these companies enrichment to our own detriment.

Not to dwell on dangers from chemicals, but there is a direct correlation between its increased use and the demise of pollinators. When a seed of any plant is coated with a neonicotinoid, this pesticide is in every molecule of the plant, stem, leaf, flower, and nectar. In the nicotine family, bees quickly become addicted, ingest too much and soon perish. Where you buy your plants truly matters. The big box stores have been implored, inundated with petitions to discontinue selling perfectly beautiful looking plants that are destroying our pollinators. Almost half of all garden plants in the U.S. are bought in big box stores, thus having a huge impact. Big box stores offer such a tempting display of colorful plants that lures us all but leads to pollinators demise. Ask before you buy.

According to NRDC, 150 million acres of milkweed habitat have been lost in the United States in the last two decades, as pesticide use has dramatically increased. Iowa alone has lost 98% of its milkweed. Milkweed is the only host plant for a monarch and a great nectar source for many pollinators. Without any milkweed

breeding monarchs have no place to lay their eggs, another way of destroying the population.

We can accomplish so much with our gardens; by composting, by not using pesticides, and by planting appropriate native host and nectar plants for many of the seventy species native to this area. A few, like the Mourning Cloak, Red Admiral and Comma butterflies overwinter in their adult state, finding shelter in crevices, emerging on warm mid-winter days to nectar on dung when all else is covered in snow. You could provide a slice of orange or banana for an extra treat. Our gardens can offer blooms from early spring all the way through late autumn, from dandelions, columbines, foxglove and lilacs to asters, sedums, joe-pye weed, goldenrods, and ironweed, to name a few.

Since each species of butterfly has a particular host plant, many species of butterflies can be seen in a flower filled meadow because they know how to share nectar and do not have to worry about competition among their caterpillars.

It is going to take a concerted effort by all of us individually and in our communities to create nourishing corridors of gardens that will sustain, not poison, our pollinators, so vital to their survival and ours. Each one of us has to take responsibility for the little piece of earth upon which we stand while taking into consideration future generations.

Find inspiration for your garden along the Pollinator Trail of the Scenic Byway. Flutter like a butterfly to explore the various and varied community pollinator gardens in our midst, from Hurley to Andes. Visit the Catskill Mountains Scenic Byway website at ScenicCatskills. com to learn about the community pollinator gardens and updates on new and exciting efforts to expand our pollinator gardens in our communities. Want to get involved? email: chamber@centralcatskills.com

May 2024 • GUIDE 25
Sweet William (left) and calendula (right) are two plants you can add to your garden to help the Monarch population.

Home & Garden

Holdridge Electric 1189 Route 23B Leeds, NY 12451

holdridgeelectric.com 518 943 3229

Building upon its 30-year legacy of residential electric services, Holdridge Electric is now offering Mitsubishi Heat Pump/Mini Split installation and Air Duct Cleaning. Mitsubishi Electric Heat Pumps are designed for maximum efficiency and comfort. Featuring an advanced filtration system and whisper-quiet technology, Mitsubishi Electric Heat Pumps will drastically cut your heating and cooling costs and give you room-by-room temperature control. Call us today for a free consultation and discover how you can achieve yearround comfort like never before.

11287 NY 23 Ashland, NY 12407 bluemountainexcavation.com 518 734 5173 or 518 734 3754

At Blue Mountain Excavation, we change the shape of the Earth! We move the earth your way and showcase the natural beauty. With each Blue Mountain Excavation client, we strive to touch the hearts of those we work for. Whether we build four wheeler trails or construct a pond or install a new driveway, our clients truly enjoy the results for many years. We specialize in ponds, roads, driveways, boulder scapes, land clearing, and septic systems.

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LLC
Blue Mountain Excavation
ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR EXCAVATING
Photo by Estonianmama/shutterstock.com

GARDEN, LANDSCAPE & NURSERY

Augustine Nursery

9W & Van Kleecks Lane

Kingston, NY 12401

AugustineNursery.com

845 338 4936

We’ve been creating landscapes of distinction throughout the Hudson Valley since 1974. We started small in our hometown of Kingston. Today, Augustine Nursery has grown to become one of the leading residential and commercial landscape design firms and the “nursery of choice” among high-end landscape architects, independent contractors and discerning homeowners. We offer a stunning selection of larger scale, estate-grade trees, shrubs and plants. There are hundreds of varieties, ranging from the most popular to the new and emerging. We also offer a full menu of nursery services, from planning and design to installation and dress finish for greenscapes and hardscapes.

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!

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

May 2024 • GUIDE 27

Deer Resistant Shade Perennials: Winning Combinations

The question we are asked most often is, “Is there anything I can plant in the shade that the deer will leave alone?”

Yes! Your shade garden can be full of visual interest from early spring until frost, despite those nibbling critters. At Victoria Garden we have a vast selection of deer-resistant trees, shrubs, and perennials to choose from. Here are a few of our favorite combinations and why they work.

THALICTRUM + GERANIUM ‘ROZANNE’ + TOAD LILY

This planting ensures purple blooms from spring to fall. Feathery blooms on Thalictrum’s tall stalks wave in the breeze, while the the long-blooming Geranium ‘Rozanne’ carpets the ground below. The delicate orchid-like flower of the Tricyrtis (Toad Lily) will delight you in the fall.

HELLEBORE + CORYDALIS + GOAT’S BEARD

Helleborus ‘Royal Heritage’ is a Victoria Gardens favorite. It blooms in March, often even before the snow has melted. The colorful blooms dry a pale green and offer addition visual interest through the summer. The shiny, serrated leaves are a wonderful deer-resistant replacement for Hosta. Corydalis ‘Canary Feathers’ is a showy addition, complementing the yellow undertones of Aruncus sinensis (Goat’s Beard).

BLEEDING HEART + PAINTED FERN + BRUNNERA

Dicentra eximia is a Bleeding Heart variety that has a very long bloom time - from April to July. The pale, almost frosty green foliage is a wonderful compliment to the colors of the Japanese Painted Fern. To contrast the feathery foliage, add the large heart-shaped leaves of Brunnera macrophylla ‘Variegata’, with tiny blue flowers in the spring.

JAPANESE FOREST GRASS + CIMICIFUGA + EPIMEDIUM

The bright chartreuse blades of the Japanese Forest Grass compliment the heart shaped leaves of the Epimedium ‘Niveum’ and contrasts with the darker purple and green of the Cimicifuga ramosa ‘Atropupurea’ foliage. Epimedium is a charming early spring bloomer!

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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.

Story’s Nursery

4265 Route 67

Freehold, NY 12431

storysnursery.com

518 634 7754

Story’s Nursery is a 35 acre nursery and garden center located in the scenic, rural foothills of the northern Catskill Mountains. Over 50 years in the horticulture field has earned Story’s Nursery the reputation for growing high quality trees, shrubs, perennials, greenhouse crops, and bedding plants. You are sure to be impressed by our greenhouses and sales yard with its extensive selection of unusual, hard-to-find plant varieties. Our garden shop carries a large selection of pottery, gifts and supplies for a one-stop shopping experience. We look forward to serving you and hope you find your shopping experience to be a pleasant one that will leave you inspired and anticipating your next visit.

Victoria Gardens

1 Cottekill Road

Rosendale, NY 12472

victoriagardens.biz 845 658 9007

Victoria Gardens is located in Rosendale, NY on the corner of Rt 213 and Cottekill Road. Victoria Gardens is a fully stocked plant nursery and garden center with a huge selection of trees, shrubs, and perennials that are chosen specifically for our area and for our customers’ most frequently voiced problems: deer, dry soil, wet spots, and shady areas. Our knowledgeable staff will help you find the perfect combinations, so you only have to plant once!

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,

May 2024 • GUIDE 29

Organic and Heirloom Garden Seeds, Organic Soils and Fertilizers, Housewares, Weber grills, Seasonal products, Camping and Toys. Everything you need for work and play.

Windham Hardware

5390 Main Street

Windham, NY 12496

518 734 4433

General hardware, housewares, plumbing, electrical supplies, window and screen repair, paint supplies, garden supplies, and keys made. Built as a Hardware store in 1887, the Hardware has been here for the residents of Windham, and those who come to visit, for over 120 years. Windham Hardware has been in the Lawrence family for 44 years, and we’re proud to be a part of this community.

HOME DECOR & FURNISHINGS

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 home decor items and gifts from around the Region and around the world. Open Friday through Sunday and holiday Mondays from 11 am to 6 pm.

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.

Smitty’s

4681 State Route 23

Windham, NY 12496

smittyscapes.com

518 734 3489

Smitty’s Nursery, Garden Center, and Rustic Home Furnishings showroom is a unique and meaningful lifestyle destination. Smitty’s offers Amish crafted furnishings and home décor. We can accommodate many styles, from rustic to modern. Local delivery and setup service is available. Smitty’s is also a fully stocked nursery, with everything you need for landscaping and hardscaping. Other services include mowing, bulk material & delivery, plowing, and firewood.

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Market Trends in Local Real Estate

What’s going on in local real estate, you ask? As of April 1, 2024, the date of my writing this, we remain in a strong sellers market. The pandemonium of 2020-2022 is now in the rearview mirror, and we are seeing less sales driven by emotion, replaced by very serious buyers, many of whom can now work from home. It cannot be overstated how impactful this trend has become. For instance, in the greater Woodstock area, for years there were pockets of beautiful mid-century homes, owned by business executives, that rarely attracted second home owners, who had historically sought more seclusion than offered in these more suburban feeling enclaves. But now, they are in very high demand by the work-from-home crowd, due to their often being well built and landscaped, comfortable, and convenient to New York City, Kingston, and so much more.

Demand remains high along with prices, which have not cooled down. However, the short term rental market (houses used for Airbnb or VRBO properties ) has cooled off quite a lot, with many owners of these properties seeing a steep drop in both occupancy and nightly rates, caused in large part by vast market oversaturation. Local regulations are also proving to be a deterrent to many would be-buyers of houses used for this purpose, leaving more inventory available for full and part-time residents—though investors remain keenly interested in the region as a popular tourism destination, with new cottage colonies, motels, and resorts on the rise. Affordable workforce housing in the area remains scarce, and we are seeing many initiatives by concerned citizens and government officials seeking to address the issue.

As reported widely in the national media, changes are coming in the way real estate professionals are hired and paid, projected to become formalized as industry standards in July. You will need a knowledgeable, experienced agent to help you navigate new options for both sellers and buyers pertaining to how buyers agents are paid. Buyers agents remain vital in ensuring buyers make a fully informed purchase that has been well-researched and negotiated by their own representation, not one employed by the sellers. Buyers should consider any would-be agent’s experience and singular value propositions very carefully, for it is an important decision that if made well will serve them for many years to come. Listing agents are also more important than ever as allies to sellers, as it takes an experienced, pragmatic critical thinker to help sellers navigate complex new issues pertaining to how well they will do—or not—as offering a buyers agent’s commission becomes optional, along with the potential headaches and risks involved with receiving offers from buyers without representation. Stay tuned … there are interesting times ahead!

May 2024 • GUIDE 31

HOT TUBS

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 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!

PLUMBING, HEATING & HVAC

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.

PROPERTY SERVICES

Campbell Pristine

Coxsackie, NY

campbellpristinellc.com

518 291 2036

At Campbell Pristine LLC, we are dedicated to providing top-quality services for both residential and commercial properties. With our team of skilled professionals, we cover everything inside and out to keep your property looking its best all year round. With years of experience in the industry, you can trust us to deliver exceptional results. Whether you need a fresh coat of paint for your home or a detailed cleaning for your office space, we have the expertise to handle it all. Contact us today to discuss your next project and let us bring your vision to life.

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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!

CATSKILLS HOME TEAM

at Keller Williams Upstate Pamela “Jean” Orr Deb Dolan 42415 NY-28

Margaretville, NY 12455 845 684 2121

With more than 35 years specializing in Catskills real estate, our focus is on building relationships. Our clients are more than transactions; they’re our present and future neighbors. We are dedicated to going the extra mile to provide top-notch, professional, and informed service. Our commitment is to build trust and ensure that our clients feel fully supported throughout their journey, with their best interests always at the forefront of everything we do.

May 2024 • GUIDE 33

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.

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.

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Helsmoortel Realty

148 Burt Street

Saugerties, NY 12477

helsmoortel.com

845 246 9555

Helsmoortel Realty has been offering professional and friendly service for over 20 years. We are perennial “Top Producers” and also have earned the “5 Star Professional Award.” We care very much about our buyers and sellers and work towards seamless transactions. Our business has been primarily based on referrals, which we feel is the biggest compliment of all. Owner and Broker, Thomasine Helsmoortel ABR, GRI, SRES, SRS, has served clients in Ulster County and the Hudson Valley for over 20 years.

Amy Rosen, Licensed Real Estate Salesperson

Ruth Gale Realty

38 Main Street

Phoenicia, NY 12464

Cell 212 960 3983

amyrosenrealtor@gmail.com

Formerly a music biz executive and now matchmaker of dream homes, I have had roots in the Catskills since 2010, based in everyone’s favorite small town, Phoenicia. Licensed since 2017, I have steadily grown a successful, award-winning business, working with buyers and sellers in Ulster, Greene and Delaware counties, recently adding Dutchess to the mix. Please reach out anytime!

Tips for Looking for a New Home

Thomasine Helsmoortel, Helsmoortel Real Estate

Looking for a home can be fun, as long as you keep an open mind and follow just a few of my tips.

They say the three most important things to think about when buying a home are location, location, location. You can change almost everything else, but you can’t change your home’s location. Be ready to make an offer because if you love this house, many others do also. Have your pre-approval from a mortgage broker in hand. Your offer is always contingent on inspection (unless you waive that right), so you will not lose any money until you are satisfied with the inspection. Know your must-haves. If this is your first home, consider what you can live with and what you can’t. Perhaps the kitchen isn’t ideal, but you know a few appliance upgrades will do the trick. You wanted two full bathrooms, but can you live with one and a half? Know when to walk away. With the market we are in, we can get crazy bidding back and forth, know your bottom line and stick close to it. You want to enjoy your home, you don’t want to be stressed every time your mortgage payment is due. There will always be another home. Know the best investment you can ever make is in real estate. Not only will you have a place to live, but you can also rent it, refinance it for extra cash in hand, and sell it when you have the equity you desire. When buying, think about resale. The location and the improvements to the home you purchase, will allow for a quicker sale when you move on to your next dream home.

May 2024 • GUIDE 35

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!

Win Morrison Realty Locations in Kingston, Catskill, Phoenicia, Saugerties, Windham & Woodstock winmorrisonrealty.com

At Win Morrison Realty we listen to your wants and needs while assisting you to make them a reality. We pride ourselves on being the largest and most respected real estate company in the Hudson Valley. Whether it is a weekend retreat, mansion, land, commercial property or business, our experienced agents will assist you every step of the way. We have seven offices located throughout the Hudson Valley and a team of over 100 real estate professionals. We

are members of numerous MLS (Multiple Listing Services) to serve you, from New York City to the Adirondacks. Please stop in or call any of our offices.

ROOFING

Sheeley Roofing

2452 Lucas Turnpike, Bldg 2 High Falls, NY 12440 sheeleyroofing.com 845 687 9182

Sheeley Roofing has been serving the greater Hudson Valley area for over 20 years. We install premium roofing using a variety of materials for both residential and commercial applications. We take great pride in our durable, and energy efficient roofs and look forward to working with you in putting the cap on your renovation or new construction project.

SHEDS

Mountain Sheds

11111 State Route 23 Windham, NY 12496 mountainshedsny.com 518 588 9353

We carry Backyard Outfitters sheds and Adventure Play Sets. Our sheds are custom-made to fit your personal needs. We have deluxe cabins, playhouses, utility sheds, mini barns, single & double garages, animal shelters, wood sheds and chicken coops. We have several buildings in stock for immediate purchase, or you may customize your

The Importance of Maintaining Your Generator

Holdridge Electric

Maintaining your generator for optimal performance is very important. Here are some things that you can do to keep your generator in good shape:

• Remove debris from inside and around your generator.

• Make sure it has at least 18” of clearance in the back and 36” on each side.

• Inspect the mounting surface for any damage and make sure it is level.

• If your generator runs on propane, make sure there is enough to run the generator.

• Verify that the engine oil level is sufficient.

• Check the coolant level.

• Inspect the air filter and determine if replacement is needed.

• Ensure your generator is not in the path of any water runoff from the roof.

• Check for evidence of standing water.

• Make sure the control panel fuse is securely closed.

• Check to make sure the fuel system components are tight and not leaking.

• Check that the battery terminals are clean and tight.

• Power up your generator every 3 months.

And don’t forget to have your generator serviced semiannually or annually by a licensed professional!

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building with different options available. Sheds are open to browse seven days a week. Our inventory displays different options, along with colors, and sizes. These buildings are made locally with Superior Mennonite craftsmanship using the highest quality materials. We offer a buy or rent-toown option with no credit check.

STONE & MULCH

Blue Stone and Mulch LLC

11287 State Route 23 Ashland, NY 12407 bluestoneandmulch@gmail.com 518 734 5173 or 518 734 3754

Blue Stone and Mulch has been in business for over 10 years, with over 20 years’ experience in excavation, stone, and mulch. We are master craftsmen at affordable prices. We bring creativity, experience, knowledge and expert guidance to help fit every budget. We are excited to show you some of the work we have done and to discuss how we can create what you envision!

May 2024 • GUIDE 37
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A Greene County Garden in May: Robins

By May, robins have returned from their wintering grounds in Florida and other parts of the South, or they may have stayed here year-round, especially in a mild winter like the one just past. We don’t see them as often in winter even if they are nearby, because they tend to flock in forested areas rather than our yards.

In early spring, male robins scout out and defend territories they like. If a late freeze occurs, sending insects and earthworms deep underground, a male can hunker down until the weather improves. Female robins, though, need steady nourishment to build up their strength for laying eggs, so if they have migrated south, they typically wait for warm weather and a stable food supply before returning. How can you tell males from females? They look almost alike, but males have darker heads, almost black, and brighter orange breasts.

Once the females arrive, they start building nests. A leafy tree or shrub can be a fine location, offering cover to help protect the chicks from predators. Robins feel quite comfortable, though, nesting under the eaves of our houses or in the rafters of a carport. It’s a hard-hearted gardener who would chase them away, especially after their aqua-blue eggs are laid or the chicks have hatched.

Males and females take turns sitting on the eggs to keep them warm and, once the chicks hatch, bringing food. A robin seems

to prefer earthworms to any other food while feeding nestlings. It relies on its keen hearing to find earthworms, cocking its head to listen and, hearing a telltale slither, darting its beak into the soil to catch the worm. Chicks grow fast, developing the feathers and wing strength to leave the nest about two weeks after hatching. You may see full-grown chicks looking quite ridiculous as they beg their parents for food.

A mother robin will lay as many as three clutches of eggs in a year. Mortality is high for the fledglings—only a quarter typically survive into the fall, and about half of those will not live through the winter. Even so, there are more robins in North America than any other species of bird.

It’s not hard to make your garden a favorite spot for a robin pair: encourage your earthworm population by letting leaves stay on the ground into spring, plant trees and shrubs with dense leaf canopies for nesting sites, and grow some native shrubs with berries that linger on the branches through the winter: chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa), American crabapple (Malus coronaria) and beautyberry (Callicarpa americana) are all good choices.

Margaret Donsbach Tomlinson enjoys gardening in Catskill. She writes a weekly Substack series, The Generous Garden, online at mtomlinson.substack.com.

May 2024 • GUIDE 39
Robin nestlings

Spring in the Catskills

ART GALLERIES

Tannersville Works

6041 Main Street

Tannersville, NY 12485

tannersvilleworks.com

518 589 4017

Tannersville Works is the premier art gallery in the Northern Catskills.

Our stunning venue offers an elevated and curated creative experience, focused on bringing contemporary artistic talent to our Catskills community. Our gift shop also highlights a thoughtful collection of new and vintage items including, fine art, beautiful housewares, apparel, hand-crafted candles, jewelry, bespoke gifts, and so much more! Come see our Spring Art Show: Flowers in Wind, which runs through May 15.

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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Photo by Holly Cohen, golightlyink.com

ART WORKSHOPS

Sugar Maples Center for Creative Arts

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. 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 2024 summer courses for adults and Art Explorers for youth is now open. This summer, Sugar Maples Center For Creative Arts redefines the art and craft experience. In addition to traditional offerings in ceramics, painting, and fiber arts, we will now be hosting workshops in writing on art, craft and memoir, written alphabet design, fly tying, and perfumery.

May 2024 • GUIDE 41
Photo by Margaret Donsbach Tomlinson

ATTRACTIONS

Gilboa Museum

122 Stryker Road

Gilboa, NY 12076

gilboafossils.org

607 588 6894

The Gilboa Museum is a non-profit organization dedicated to protecting the heritage of Gilboa, NY and the cultural treasure of the Devonian Period Gilboa Fossils. The Museum features videos about the fossils along with historical displays about the area and the town of Gilboa. We are excited to announce the opening of the Juried History Center at the Gilboa Museum. Funded by a generous grant from Nicholas Juried, this history center will enable us to preserve and present the amazing history of the region. The Gilboa Museum also has several new, permanent displays, including logging saws, antique farming and barn tools, artifacts from the original town of Gilboa and large Devonian tree size fossils. Gilboa Museum is open by appointment (607 588 6894) and 12-4 pm on weekends, Memorial Day to Columbus Day.

Hanford Mills Museum

51 County Highway 12 East Meredith, NY 13757

hanfordmills.org

607 278 5744

Experience a story of innovation, ingenuity and entrepreneurship at a historic working mill site. Hanford Mills Museum offers insights into the past and lessons about the relationships between people, the things they make, and the places they live. Join us for our 2024 season starting May 15. Go to hanfordmills.org for more information about visiting the museum and our 2024 Exploration Days, including Let’s Grow! on June 15 and Dairy at the Mill on July 20.

Iroquois Museum

324 Caverns Road

Howes Cave, NY 12092

iroquoismuseum.org

518 296 8949

Open April through November, the Iroquois Museum offers a window into the rich complexity of Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) culture and history through Haudenosaunee visual and performing arts. The 7300-square foot facility features changing and permanent exhibits; interactive, family-friendly learning stations; and the largest collection of contemporary Haudenosaunee art

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May 2024 • GUIDE 43

worldwide. Dance performances, storytelling, artist demonstrations, and special events. Gift shop offers fine hand crafted Haudenosaunee art purchased directly from the artists, as well as books and music CDs.

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.

CAR DEALERSHIP

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.

COMMUNITY RESOURCES

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

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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!

Woodstock-New Paltz

Art & Crafts Fair

May 25, 26 & 27

Ulster County Fairgrounds 249 Libertyville Road New Paltz, NY 12561 quailhollow.com

A Hudson Valley favorite, The Woodstock-New Paltz Art & Crafts Fair, returns for its 43rd anniversary year and 81st show this Memorial Day weekend at the Ulster County

May 2024 • GUIDE 45
CRAFT FAIR

Fairgrounds. Visitors will delight in hundreds of juried artists and craftspeople in over 10 media categories, alongside ongoing demonstrations, live musical performances, small-batch artisanal and prepared-on-site foods, local wine, beer, and spirits, and a children’s craft tent. Hours are 10 am-5:30 pm May 25 & 26; 10 am-4 pm May 27. Rain or shine. Buses welcome. Pure Catskills purecatskills.com

FARMS & FARM PRODUCTS

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 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.

GOLF

Windham Country Club 36 South Street

Windham, NY 12496

windhammountainclub.com/ windham-country-club 518 734 9910

Nestled within the Catskill Mountains, Windham Country Club is an 18-hole public golf course with a private club atmosphere. Located in the heart of Windham, the course is scenic and challenging with beautiful greens and fairways that follow the Batavia Kill and spectacular views of the

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Great Northern Catskills. Designed in 1928, the golf course has undergone complete renovation under the ownership of Windham Mountain Resort, returning the Club to its former glory while maintaining its longstanding tradition. Mulligan’s Pub adjoins the clubhouse and offers delicious fare and a spacious outdoor deck with stunning views of the Catskill Mountains. Tailored lessons are available with our PGA Pro, Jesse Muller, or through the Roland Stafford Golf School.

The Ice Cream Station

76 Main Street Phoenicia, NY 12464 845 688 3333

Amidst the restaurants and shops crowded along Main Street in Phoenicia, a dessert oasis awaits you inside the Ice Cream Station. The name of the place says it all: a bounty of traditional and unique ice-cream flavors is ready to be scooped into a dish, cone, milkshake, or whatever else strikes your fancy. Open from May through late October, The Ice Cream Station offers hard and soft ice cream, shakes, cones, sundaes, malts, candy, and homemade fudge. The Ice Cream Station is owned by the Kirk Family, who also operate The Nest Egg just up the road.

May 2024 • GUIDE 47
ICE CREAM Photo by Holly Cohen, golightlyink.com

LIVE PERFORMANCES

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! On May 4, soloists Miko Marks, CMT’s 2022 “Next Woman of Country” and Nashville-based singer Kristina Train will perform the hits of Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn, and Dolly Parton in “Trailblazing Women of Country.” On May 11, the Catskill Mountain Foundation, in partnership with the Joyce Theater Foundation, presents legendary choreographer Camille A. Brown and her dancers to the Orpheum. On May 18, the Maude Adams Theater Hub welcomes back Josh Fromer for a comedy show that also features opener Amanda Gail and headliner Greg Stone to the Catskills for an evening of hilarious stories and keenly-crafted jokes. And finally, starting on May 25 the Academy of Fortepiano Performance returns to the Doctorow Center for the Arts for a full week of concerts and lectures, using many of the historical pianos in the CMF’s Piano Performance Museum, along with modern replicas brought to Hunter especially for this workshop.

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Camille A. Brown and Dancers. Photo by Christopher Duggan

LODGING

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, and recently constructed Cottage building are host to 16 guest rooms open yearround 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 many outdoor recreation opportunities. 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 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 offsite 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!

May 2024 • GUIDE 49

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.

NATURAL FOODS & 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 non-profit 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

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MASSAGE & WELLNESS

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.

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.

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!

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.

Catskill Visitor’s Center

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.

Central Catskills Chamber of Commerce

Margaretville, NY 12455

centralcatskills.com

ScenicCatskills.com

845 586 3300

The Central Catskills Chamber of Commerce works to advance the economic

May 2024 • GUIDE 51
INFORMATION PHOTOGRAPHER PRINTING SERVICES
REGIONAL
RADIO STATIONS

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.

RESTAURANTS

A Slice of Italy

1316 Ulster Avenue Kingston, NY 12401 asliceofitaly7115.com 845 336 7115

The finest Italian dishes, pizza, hot and cold subs, salads and more made with the freshest ingredients and served with five star customer service. 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 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!

Bear Cantina

In the Bearsville Center: 295A Tinker St. Woodstock, NY 12498

thebearcantinawoodstock.org 845 684 7223

Contemporary Mexican made fresh! All of your favorites are here: burritos, tacos, quesa-

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dillas, fajitas, chimichangas and more, with several meat, fish, chicken and vegan options, and a kids menu. Enjoy streamside dining with both indoor & outdoor seating. View our full menu and place your order on the Clover app. Open Monday-Thursday 3-9 pm; Friday-Saturday 12-10 pm; Sunday 12-9 pm.

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 wonderful 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.

Chef Deanna

1645 County Highway 6

Bovina Center, NY 13740

chefdeanna.com

Weddings and special event catering, with delivery available for larger events! Chef Deanna is on the cutting edge of the sustainable food. Surrounded by farmers and local food makers, Chef Deanna creates beautiful dishes using her Sicilian heritage and her love of everything sweet and savory.

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!

High Falls Cafe

2842 Route 209

North Marbletown, NY 12484 highfallscafe.com 845 687 2699

Family owned and chef operated since 2005. Scratch kitchen, our dishes are made to order using fresh ingredients. Daily specials. Live music and events weekly. Reservations are highly suggested. Open for lunch Tuesday through Saturday 11:30 pm to 5 pm, dinner 5 pm to 9 pm. Sunday breakfast 9 am to 1 pm and lunch 1 pm to 3:30 pm.

Bar open later all nights and closes at bartenders discretion. Closed on Mondays. Check out our menus and event calendar at highfallscafe.com or like us on Facebook for daily updates at facebook.com/highfallscafe1

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.

Mama’s Boy Burgers

6067 Main Street (at the traffic light)

Tannersville, NY 12485

Mamasboyburgers.com

518 589 6667

Established in 2015, Mama’s Boy Burgers was voted the “Best Burger Shack” in the Hudson Valley by Hudson Valley Magazine. We are all about fresh and local ingredients. Our burgers are made from local, black Angus beef from a farm 6 miles away. Our seasonal produce comes from Story Farms, our ice cream is made in the Hudson Valley. We also offer vegetarian and vegan options. Eat In, Take Out or Order Online.

May 2024 • GUIDE 53

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.

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 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

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 pro-

duced 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.

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.

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.

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.

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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 on our spa.

TRAVEL & TOURISM

Ulster County Tourism

VisitUlsterCountyNY.com

Seek for Yourself & Bloom Brighter

A wise man named Buddha once said, “If we could see the miracle of a single flower clearly our whole life would change.” Imagine if Buddha could see Ulster County in

the spring and summer when fields of flowers make their triumphant reappearance. How many lives could Ulster’s millions of blooms change? Head upstate and discover the rich, vibrant colorful symphony of colors when Ulster County’s flowers put on a show just for you. Plan your trip at VisitUlsterCountyNY.com

WINE & LIQUOR

Town & Country Liquors

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 & Liquor

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.

May 2024 • GUIDE 55
SPA

Catskills Past

CUBAN HOTELS

Tourism in the Catskills blossomed in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. One surprising niche market developed in Stamford—two of the town’s 40 hotels and boardinghouses catered largely to what was referred to as a Cuban trade. Guests were not exclusively from Cuba, but from many Spanish-speaking locales, although U.S. involvement in Cuban affairs dating from the 1898 Spanish-American War probably sparked the initial influx of Spanish-speaking guests.

Rose C. Simpson and her husband George ran for a few years the Delaware House in Stamford, an establishment then owned by her father, John D. Church. Church was described posthumously in a 1921 Mirror-Recorder article as “a pioneer in the resort business.”

Rose Simpson was widowed in 1880 at the age of 32. In 1890 John D. Church built another boarding house, the Terrace, for his daughter. She ran that establishment until a few years before her death in June 1916; M. Barros began managing the hotel around 1913. It does not seem that the Terrace, also called Simpson Terrace, was from its beginning geared toward a particular population, but a 1910 clipping from the Delaware Republican about the hotel noted that “Dr. Madan and family, of Havana, Cuba, who have been guests this summer, returned to Cuba Tuesday.”

An August 31, 1921 Mirror-Recorder article listed the countries from which guests at the Terrace had come: “India, England, Ireland, Scotland, South America, Spain and Cuba. It is also the

impression of the writer that the first Spanish-speaking family to visit Stamford were guests of the Terrace.” The article mentioned several prominent guests, including Dr. Jose Gonzales Lanuza, a member of the Cabinet of civil advisers in Havana formed in 1898 and of the special Cuban commission in Washington, and Senor Tejada, an artist who exhibited at the 1901 Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo.

That same article noted that under the management of M. Barros the Terrace had catered almost exclusively to Spanish speaking people, something expected to continue at the renamed Hotel Habana after its 1921 sale to Antonio Sanchez. The postcard image of the Hotel Habana from this era also references someone named Morante as one of the proprietors. The only newspaper mentions of that name include a few social comments and a 1932 foreclosure notice. The article concluded “Let Stamford welcome its visitors from the South,” suggesting that the library should acquire some Spanish language books and a subscription to La Prensa. The postcard view of the Hotel Habana, as well as a photograph of the building when it was Simpson Terrace is reprinted in A Post Card Portrait of The Queen of the Catskills Grand Hotel Era, a booklet with images of many of Stamford’s hotels, available at the Stamford Library for a donation.

The late Anne Willis, former Stamford Village historian who lived down the street from the Habana, said that her mother, Daisy DeSilva, Stamford Village historian before Anne, had met regularly in the early 1920s with a guest from the Hotel Habana

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for an exchange beneficial to them both of English / Spanish lessons. The guest was the actor José Ferrer, then a young boy.

The hotel’s name would change back and forth between The Terrace and Hotel Habana with ownership changes over the years. In 1933, it was leased by L. E. Rademacher. In 1938; Estrella de Rodriguez, who also ran the Hotel Estrella in New York City, bought the hotel and changed the name back to Hotel Habana. She ran it in conjunction with Nicanor R. Fernandez until it was sold at auction in 1955. De Rodrigues and Fernandez married shortly before the auction of the hotel.

The postcard image from the Sanchez years was reused in the de Rodrigues/Fernandez years as part of a Spanish-language brochure explaining all the ways to travel to Stamford: by car, by bus, by train, by boat and train, and by airplane, using the Gilboa airport. Airport Farm was a spot for air shows, plane rides, and ballooning. Its landing strip was available for use by private planes. It and other small local airports will be the subject of a future article.

M. Barros of the Hotel Habana was connected to another Stamford hotel and a restaurant. A March 26, 1924 MirrorRecorder article noted that he purchased the Perla de Cuba from the estate of D. C. Hoagland after leasing it for several years. Hoagland had acquired the River Street hotel in 1913. Barros had big plans for the Perla, adding a large veranda and enlarging the dining room to a capacity of 75 guests. His ads for the Tea Time Inn declared “Delicious Spanish Food as well as American Food is most temptingly served at any hour here” and “Midnight Supper Parties taken care of in our Private Dining Room.”

A year later another article described Barros as an inventor who had recently patented an automobile device that combined tail light, turn signal, and license plate holder. He often served as chef at the Perla de Cuba; it was difficult to reserve a table on the Thursday and Sunday nights when he served certain Spanish specialties.

A letter to the editor from Barros under the heading “The People’s Forum” in the September 14, 1927, Mirror-Recorder took issue with how the Chamber of Commerce allocated the local advertising budget. “This year, as always, all the money they collect for advertising purposes is spent in New York papers and they forget the number of foreign people that come to Stamford every year, principally from Cuba. This year there were more than 300 Cubans here and it may be mentioned they stay from six to eight weeks. That is better than to have plenty people come for only two weeks.” He contrasted his own $250 advertising budget in Havana papers with the three or four brief, free mentions there of Stamford, which he said were done as a favor to “Mr. Mase and only with the idea of giving the advertisement to the Churchill Hall and the Rexmere.” (Both of those hotels, built by Dr. Stephen Churchill, were run by Mase at that time.)

The Perla de Cuba occupied the spot where Stamford Central School is now. The headwaters of the West branch of the Delaware flow behind the opposite side of the street. In August 1925

a group of children from the hotel were playing near the water. Manuel Luis Barros, the two-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Barros, fell in. There were adults present, but instead of attempting to rescue the child, one of them ran back to the hotel to get Mrs. Barros. She plunged into the water and rescued her son, who required the efforts of two doctors boarding at the hotel to resuscitate.

The Perla de Cuba was sold at foreclosure sale to the National Bank of Stamford in April 1932. A month later, H. W. Reynard of Canada arrived to run the hotel, making a number of redecorating changes within and adding outdoor attractions such as a tennis court and a croquet ground. The hotel was renamed the Darby House and the cuisine was changed to Southern cooking.

An October 16, 2020, article by Alan B. Crawford in the Mid Hudson Times told of a dedication ceremony on October 4 by the Plattekill Historical Preservation Society in Thomas Felton Community Park in Modena. A historic marker dedicated that day commemorates a wider area of Spanish-language tourism between 1910 and 2000. As transportation improved and vacations became affordable to more people, a system of working farms combined with tourist accommodations, “Las Villas,” developed along the Route 28 corridor. Over time many of the owners concentrated on tourism over farming.

Crawford reports that Alejandro Rodriguez, a former cigar maker in Cuba and Florida, was the first to buy a working farm in the Town of Plattekill and transform it into a villa, the Villa Rodriguez. Other villas soon followed in Newburgh, Ellenville, Phoenicia, Rifton, Allaben, Shokan, and Shandaken.

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

May 2024 • GUIDE 57

COMEDY IN THE CATSKILLS

When most people think of the Catskills, more often than not they recall bucolic images of picturesque forests, cascading waterfalls, crystal-clear lakes, untouched ski trails and the world renowned natural beauty that inspired a legion of famous landscape artists including Thomas Cole and Susie M. Barstow.

But, what many people may not realize is that the Catskills have long been a training ground for another type of artist. An artist whose canvas is the stage and whose art is not inspired by the astounding beauty that describes the Catskills but by the very trials and tribulations that define life itself.

The artist I’m describing is the stand up comedian, and while the medium is often associated with the comedy clubs of NYC and Los Angeles, stand up comedy as we know it today originated in the Catskill Mountains in the middle of the last century.

Starting in the mid 20th century, established and aspiring comedians would flock to the Catskills and hone their acts while entertaining guests at expansive “Borscht Belt” resorts like Grossinger’s and the Nevele. Legendary comedians like Joan Rivers, Rodney Dangerfield, and Jerry Lewis were regulars at these resorts and would go onto popularize the sharp witted style of stand up comedy still adored and emulated by comedians today.

In 2021, inspired by this history, my own comedic ambitions as well as a desire to offer fun, safe and low cost entertainment to a place I have called home since my birth, I began producing comedy shows in the Catskills. Since then I’ve produced a string of successful comedy nights featuring nationally headlining comedians like Chrissie Mayr, Aaron Berg and Andre Kim.

On May 18, I’ll be once again partnering with The Catskill Foundation and the Maude Adams Theater Hub to host Comedy in the Catskills: a night of stand up comedy at the Doctorow Center for the Arts in Hunter starring headliner Greg Stone and featuring Amanda Gail. This amazing evening will be full of hilarious stories and sidesplitting jokes guaranteed to generate huge laughs for all those who attend. All proceeds go towards the Maude Adams Theater Hub and tickets will go fast so get yours today and come witness a part of comedy history!

Josh Fromer preseents Comedy in the Catskills on Saturday, May 18 at 7:30 pm. The Doctorow Center for the Arts is located at 7971 Main Street, Hunter, NY 12442. Tickets are $30 and may be purchased at catskillmtn.org or by calling 518 263 2063.

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Left to right: Amanda Gail, Greg Stone, Josh Fromer
May 2024 • GUIDE 59

Borscht Belt, Beet Roots and Belly Laughs

Do you like beets? Have you ever liked beets? Could you ever like beets? Should you like beets? Well, when you come to the Catskills to live, or for a relaxing visit, you will find beets, or a reasonable facsimile, in nearly every place to eat and along every creek, kill or mountain ridge. Really!!

I have found, as I climbed the ladder of age, I am now enjoying beets more and more, favoring the golden beets over the reddish ones, though I do like them both.

Upon moving to this region, my first mountain top home was at the Xenia Resort in Hunter, where the Schoharie Creek and the East Kill combine, as we teamed up to open a wellness center there. The owners, the Tsiselsky family from Ukraine, assembled a kitchen staff that specializes in sumptuous eastern European cuisine, where beets are a mainstay and staple of their incredibly delicious and satisfying meals. Try the borscht if it is offered as you will return again and again for this delicacy.

So yes, I do like beets, but others that I know, well, not so much. A good friend from Connecticut says she feels that beets taste like dirt to her. Well yes, they do grow in the ground and

perhaps they should be vigorously washed before cooking them. Just a thought!

Beets are also very healthy for you according to WebMD, “Beets are a hardy root vegetable grown all over the world. The most common type of beets sold in grocery stores is Beta vulgaris, but there are many different varieties. They generally have an earthy, sweet taste that many people enjoy and are packed with nutrition. Beets come in many vivid colors, from deep red to bright purple. Research suggests that eating vegetables in a wide array of colors can be good for your health. Adding colorful beets to your diet can be a visually appealing way to pack some extra nutrition into your favorite dishes.”

Most notably beets help with our bodies with inflammation, they protect your heart and also offer you increased energy.

In the “heart” of the Catskill Mountains, where the whispering pines dance among the rhythm of generations past, lies a legacy as rich and vibrant as the hues and aroma of a bowl of borscht.

So welcome everyone to the World Famous Borscht Belt, sometimes called the Yiddish Alps, a place where laughter and joy

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The Nevele Country Club Stardust Room in Ellenville, New York, seen while the hotel was still in operation. Photo courtesy of the Catskills Borscht Belt Museum

cascaded through the hills and along with the hearty Eastern European cuisine which nourished the souls of locals and vacationers alike, seeking respite and nutritious flavor from the humdrum of city life.

Nestled among the rolling hills of our mountains, the Borscht Belt earned its moniker not for its beet-centric cuisine however, but for the vibrant Jewish culture and entertainment scene that flourished in the area during the mid-20th century. The Catskills’ resort-filled backyard was widely celebrated for half a century from the 1920s to the 1970s, as the mountainous terrain here in upstate New York was an exciting playground for comedians, musicians, and vacationers alike. They came for the borscht, the chuckles and nature’s pure air.

The Borscht Belt’s golden age dawned in the wake of World War II, as Jewish immigrants sought refuge from the trials of their past and embraced the promise of the American Dream. Catering to this burgeoning clientele, a string of amazing resorts and hotels sprang up in the Catskills, each offering a unique blend of entertainment and gastronomic delights. Such resorts included Avon Lodge, Brickman’s, Brown’s, Butler Lodge, The Concord, Grossinger’s, Granit, the Heiden Hotel, Irvington, Kutsher’s Hotel and Country Club, the Nevele, Friar Tuck Inn, the Laurels Hotel and Country Club, the Pines Resort, Raleigh Hotel, the Overlook, the Tamarack Lodge, Shady Nook Hotel and Country Club, Stevensville, Stier’s Hotel, and the Windsor.

If laughter is the best medicine, then combining that with the beets in the Borscht Belt was a veritable apothecary of mirth. From Milton Berle to Joan Rivers and more recently to a younger Jerry Seinfeld, the “Belt” played host to an illustrious roster of comedians who cut their teeth on its stages. Night after night, these comedic virtuosos regaled large audiences with funny looks at, and tales of, everyday life, poking fun at the quirks and foibles of our human condition. Laughing until you cry is very healing, I highly recommend and prescribe it. But drink more water. (guffaw)

During its heyday, the Catskills pulsed with energy of all types, its resorts teeming with vacationers eager to escape the monotony of city life. By day, guests would lounge by the pool, play games and explore the pristine wilderness that surrounded them. Come evening, they would flock to the grand ballrooms and nightclubs that dotted the landscape, ready to revel in the jocularity and camaraderie that awaited them.

As the Woodstock era unfolded into the expansive ‘70’s, the winds of change swept through the Catskills, spelling the end of the Borscht Belt’s golden age. A new generation was exploding with changing tastes, and coupled with the advent of affordable air travel, led to a decline in the region’s popularity. Resorts fell into disrepair, and once-thriving communities simply faded into pleasant memories. Yet, the legacy of the Borscht Belt lives on, immortalized in the annals of history and the hearts of those who remember its less stressful glory days.

Though the original Borscht Belt may have faded from its former glory, its spirit still endures, buoyed by a newfound

appreciation for its cultural significance and healing vibrations. Today, as many escape the urban cities for many new and different reasons, an emerging generation of chefs and entertainers are breathing renewed life into the region, paying homage to its storied past while forging a path forward. From farm-to-table bistros to boutique theaters, the Catskills are once again alive and thriving with the sounds of laughter of a new generation but still the aroma of borscht lingers, not to be forgotten. You just gotta have some!

Now as the sun sets over the rolling hills of the Catskills, casting a golden hue over the landscape, one cannot help but feel a sense of reverence for the rich tapestry of history that surrounds us. In the Borscht Belt, past and present converge, weaving a tale of resilience, reinvention, and the enduring power of laughter and good food. So, find time the next time you go out or you find yourself here in the Catskills, why not raise several spoonfuls of borscht to the memories of days gone by and the promise of a yet unwritten future that continues to unfold building on the energies of the past.

For more background and information on the history of these interesting and entertaining times, please check out the Catskills Borscht Belt Museum located in Ellenville NY: borschtbeltmuseum.org .

And finally, we will leave you now with this, an often told joke from the era of the famous Borscht Belt of the Catskill Mountains, but not specifically attributed,

“A man called his mother in Florida

“Mom, how are you?”

“Not too good,” said the mother. “I’ve been very weak.”

The son said, “Why are you so weak?”

She said, “Because I haven’t eaten in 38 days.”

The son said, “That’s terrible. Why haven’t you eaten in 38 days?”

The mother answered,”Because I didn’t want my mouth to be filled with food, if you should call.”

So please tip your waitstaff … and … try the borscht! (rimshot and chuckle)

Greg Madden is the Development Manager at Wellness Rx, Pharmacy for the Public Good 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 located in Phoenicia, NY (PharmacyforthePublicGood.org), on Main Street.

May 2024 • GUIDE 61

S THE GREAT OUTDOORS IN THE CATSKILLS

pring always seems to take a while to get started here in the Catskills, but we know that by the end of May, summer is just around the corner!

During May, it’s a busy time for the trails of the Catskills. Throughout the month, volunteer trail maintainers and trail crews, and staff and contractors from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation are out on the trails, clearing them of winter tree falls and brush, freshening up trail markers and getting everything ready for the busy summer hiking season that’s coming in the summer months.

It’s also busy across the rest of the mountains, as everyone shakes off winter and the rainy season and starts to enjoy warmer temperatures and sunshine.

Catskills Great Outdoor Expo

The oldest and most popular expo showcasing the outdoors and the arts in the Catskills—the Catskills Great Outdoor Expo—returns this June on Saturday, June 8, 2024 at the Catskills Visitor Center in Mount Tremper, NY. The Catskills Great Outdoor Expo is a Catskills tradition celebrating the outdoors and art with vendors, food, live presentations, and a host of fun activities for the whole family. This one-day Expo will feature dozens of exhibitors, along with expert presentations, free samples and raffles—plus the famous Catskill Center Gear Sale. More information is available at catskillsoutdoorexpo.com.

Updated Catskill Park Conditions

Local recreational opportunities are always changing and by visiting the Catskills Visitor Center’s Trail Conditions blog, 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.

Streamside Acquisition Program Helps Local Communities

Getting the Facts Straight

The Streamside Acquisition Program, or SAP aims to protect water quality in streams in the northeastern Catskills through the purchase and protection of streamside lands. By doing that, the SAP also helps to mitigate future flooding, which has devastated parts of our communities in recent years. The SAP only purchases eligible properties, and only if the property owner is interested in selling.

Key points include criteria for eligible properties, such as that lands be within the drainage basin of the Schoharie Reservoir. Another important part of the program is that the SAP focuses on lands outside of areas formally identified by municipalities as areas intended for future growth. The SAP will not reach out to landowners in these areas unless invited to do so by the municipality through a formal resolution. Honoring community goals is important.

“We regularly reach out to town officials to ask how the SAP can complement community goals,” said Lee Alexander, Streamside Acquisition Program Director. “Some towns have asked us to prioritize floodplain protection, while others have worked with us to help create streamside trail networks. We love working collaboratively with towns to implement the SAP in ways that enhance community goals while also protecting water quality.”

Besides helping to ensure community flood resilience by keeping undeveloped wetlands and floodplains from being

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North/South Lakes, Kaaterskill High Peak and Roundtop Mountain. Photo by Brandt Bolding/shutterstock.com

developed, the SAP preserves the tax base, as the New York City Department of Environmental Protection (NYC DEP) pays property taxes on lands acquired through the program. The SAP focuses on properties that make the biggest difference in protecting water quality: floodplains, wetlands, and lands within 300 feet of streams. SAP staff encourage landowners to keep their more developable lands in private hands.

The Catskill Center runs the SAP in partnership with the New York City Department of Environmental Protection (NYC DEP). It is one of many programs required by regulators, such as the New York State Department of Health, to help protect the City’s drinking water at its source. The SAP furthers the mission of the Catskill Center to protect and foster the environmental, cultural, and economic well-being of the Catskill region. You can learn more at catskillcenter.org/streamside.

Catskills Hiking Guides with the Hiker Trash Husbands on YouTube and the Web Looking to explore the trails of the Catskills (and beyond) before you hit the trail? My husband and I have a YouTube channel about our hiking and snowshoeing adventures all over! You can find The Hiker Trash Husbands on YouTube at www.youtube.com/thehikertrashhusbands. If you’re in the Catskills and have cable provided by MTC, you can catch our videos on CatskillsAir, MTC Channel 1.

For the two of us, 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 about it by visiting our website at www.hikertrashhusbands.com.

Visit the Catskill Park’s Visitor Center

Located at 5096 Route 28 in Mount Tremper, NY, the Congressman Maurice D. Hinchey Catskills Visitor Center (CVC) is the official visitor center for the Catskill

#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.

May 2024 • GUIDE 63

Park. Operated and managed by the Catskill Center, staff are available at the CVC with information, maps and all the advice needed to plan a Catskill adventure. The CVC is open every day, except for Tuesdays, from 9:30 am to 4 pm. Visitors can get their Catskill questions answered in person, receive tourism literature, and make purchases at the CVC’s shop that includes hiking maps, regional books, 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.

In addition to tourism services, there are 1.5 miles of trails on the CVC’s grounds, including the 0.5 mile ADA 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.

Catskill Park Advisory Committee

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

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.

To support the work of the Catskill Center, become a member online through their website at www.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.

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Overlook Mountain in Woodstock. Photo by Dan Hanscom/shutterstock.com
May 2024 • GUIDE 65

Hanford Mills Museum Opens for 2024

Hanford Mills Museum will open for its 2024 season on Wednesday, May 15. The museum will be open Wednesdays through Sundays from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm through October 15. Guided tours of our water powered sawmill, gristmill, and woodworking machines will be offered each day at 10:30 am, 12:00 pm, 1:30 pm and 3:00 pm. You can reserve space on a tour ahead of time by visiting hanfordmills.org or calling 607 278 5744.

Throughout the 2024 season, Hanford Mills Museum will again be hosting several Exploration Days. The events will kick off on June 15 with the Let’s Grow! Exploration Day that will highlight pollinators, native ecosystems, and agriculture. The day will include local organizations and vendors, a demonstration of our water-powered gristmill, and a hands-on planting activity for kids. A guided bird walk with the Delaware-Otsego Audubon Society will take place in the morning before the museum opens.

On July 20, you will have the chance to learn about Delaware County’s dairy industry and enjoy vanilla ice cream churned at the mill. Fall events will include the Metal at the Mill Exploration Day (featuring the Dan Rion Memorial Antique Engine

Jamboree) on September 7 and the Woodsmen’s Exploration Day on October 5.

Check our website at hanfordmills.org and our social media channels for details about the Exploration Days and other events at Hanford Mills Museum in 2024.

About Hanford Mills Museum

Experience a story of innovation, ingenuity and entrepreneurship at a historic working mill site. Sheltered in a valley in the northwestern Catskills of New York, Hanford Mills Museum offers insights into the past and lessons about the relationships between people, the things they make, and the places they live. As one of only a handful of operating water-powered mills, Hanford Mills Museum has earned a place on both 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.

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CALENDAR OF EVENTS

This is just a sampling of all of the events in the Catskills this May.

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.

ONGOING

Delhi Farmers Market

An amazing line up of dedicated farmers, bakers, producers, herbalists, craftspeople and more. You will find a variety of your kitchen staples—fresh bread, farm fresh cheeses, vegetables, jams, poultry and more.

Location: Courthouse square, Delhi

Hours: Every Wednesday, 9:00 am-2:00 pm

Woodstock Farm Festival

Woodstock’s other festival, celebrating local food, live music, and our rockin’ community

Location: Mountainview Lot, Rock City Road, Woodstock

Hours: Every Wednesday starting May 15, 3:007:00 pm

Kingston Farmers Market

The Kingston Farmers Market was founded in 2000 by the Kingston Uptown Business Association. The original goal was to draw people to Uptown Kingston on Saturdays. Over time, we’ve evolved into more; we’re fostering a sense of community, where people come together to shop, talk and learn. A wide variety of produce, baked goods, alcohol, goodies and gift items.

Location: County Courthouse parking lot, 285 Wall St Kingston

Hours: Every Saturday from May 4-November 23, 9:00 am-1:00 pm

More Info: kingstonfarmersmarket.org

Saugerties Farmers Market

All the best of local produce, including fruits and vegetables, pasture-raised meats, artisanal cheeses, eggs, maple syrup, honey, wines and spirits, baked goods, jams and jellies, prepared foods, and more.

Location: Cahill School Parking Lot 115 Main St., Saugerties

Hours: Every Saturday from May 25, 10:00 am2:00 pm

More Info: saugertiesfarmersmarket

Phoenicia 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: Main Street, Phoenicia

Hours: Every Sunday from May 19-October 27, noon-4:00 pm

More Info: phoeniciafarmersmarket.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

THROUGH MAY 2

Benmarl Winery Annual Barrel Tasting

Our winemaker will tell you about the 2023 vintage, and walk you through a tasting of six wines that haven’t been released to the public yet. This is a chance to hear the stories behind how your favorite wines are made, and the moment to ask all your burning questions. You’ll also have the opportunity to purchase these wines at a steep discount before they are released! Reservations are required.

Location: Benmarl Winery 156 Highland Avenue, Marlboro

Time: 6:00-8:30 pm

More Info: benmarl.com

THROUGH MAY 15

Spring Art Show: Flowers in Wind Hudson Valley artist Matthew Izzo is celebrated for his abstract nature paintings, shaped by exploring chance and random occurrences. Izzo incorporates bold brush strokes and patterns made with oil and acrylic paints. His vibrant and colorful abstract nature paintings use gestures and movements inspired by the landscapes of the Hudson Valley and his travels.

Location: Tannersville Works, 6041 Main Street, Tannersville

More Info: tannersvilleworks.com

THROUGH

MAY 26

Natural Manipulation

Natural Manipulation brings together 8 artists whose work engages in a conversation about the intricate relationship between humans and the natural world. Ranging from ceramics and found-material sculptures to video, sound, painting and installation, the artists explore natural materials and organic forms. Adie Russell, Benjamin King, Bonnie Ralston, Carolyn Lambert, Jonathan Harris, Judy Hoffman, Stephanie Beck, Triona Fritsch, curated by Monika Zarzeczna and Stella Yoon.

Location: CREATE Council on the Arts, 398 Main Street, Catskill

Hours: Friday 4:00-7:00 pm, Saturday & Sunday 11:00 am-6:00 pm

More Info: createcouncil.org

THROUGH MAY 27

Two Solo Exhibitions: Anna Contes Memorial Exhibit and Lesley A. Powell: “Interpretations” 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

More Info: longyeargallery.org

THROUGH NOVEMBER 30

Outside the Box

Iroquois Museum’s Outside the Box presents the work of 10 Iroquois/Haudenosaunee individuals whose creative paths diverge from the unexpected to break molds and make inroads into areas of expression where Indigenous representation is rare. Photographer Ian Maracle will speak about his work and practice at the official opening reception of Outside the Box. Maracle (Tuscarora Bear Clan, Six Nations Reserve) is a photographer whose practice

May 2024 • GUIDE 67
“Indecision,” by Lesley A. Powell

CATSKILL MOUNTAIN FOUNDATION

TRANSFORMING LIVES THROUGH THE ARTS

THANK YOU TO OUR FUNDERS & SUPPORTERS!

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

is rooted in storytelling and communication. He was showcased in Photographers Without Borders, has conducted workshops with at-risk youth, and has been commissioned for behind the scenes and production work by Kaha:wi Dance Theater. Along with metalsmith Margaret Jacobs (Mohawk) and filmmaker/animator Paulette Moore (Mohawk), Maracle will speak about his work and practice at the official opening reception.

Location: Iroquois Museum, 324 Caverns Road, Howes Cave

Opening Reception & Talk: May 4, 1-4 pm

More Info: iroquoismuseum.org or 518 296 8949

MAY 1

Rodrigo Y Gabriela with Special Guests OKAN Grammy Award-winning duo Rodrigo y Gabriela grew up on an eclectic mix of classic rock, heavy metal and flamenco, a rare alchemy of influences that still informs their work today. Not long after the dissolution of their first band, the two musicians set off with their acoustic guitars and ended up in Ireland, where they began busking on Dublin’s Grafton Street—a turn of events that led to their crossing paths with Irish singer/songwriter Damien Rice, who then asked them to open for him at an early headline show. As they developed their distinct breed of guitar music, Rodrigo y Gabriela quickly gained recognition for their extraordinary live show and made their full-length debut with 2002’s re-Foc

Location: Ulster Performing Arts Center, 601 Broadway, Kingston Time: 7:30 pm

More Info: bardavon.org

Blues Night at the Colony: Nite Train Nite Train celebrates 21 years of rockin’ Capitalland with their funk and blues! Since 2003, the band has participated in some very significant performances, including performing with Hubert Sumlin (guitarist w/ Howlin Wolf, Muddy Waters) and Little Sammy Davis (blues-harp player w/ Pinetop Perkins, Ike Turner, Albert King, Muddy Waters, Jimmy Reed & Little Walter), and opening for John Primer & the Real Deal Blues Band. Location: Colony, 22 Rock City Rd., Woodstock Time: 8:00 pm

More Info: colonywoodstock.com

MAY 1-31

Fresh Beginnings, Renewal Through Art Embrace nature’s vitality and transformation through art. Featuring artists Mireille Duchesne, Anne Johann and Satish Joshi with refined styles and artistic techniques conveyed through passionate colors, reflective water, and forms

abstracted from nature. Windham Fine Arts, bringing you the finest in art, since 2001.

Location: Windham Fine Arts, 5380 Main Street, Windham

More Info: director@windhamfinearts.com, 518 734 6850, or windhamfinearts.com

MAY 2

Saugerties Art Studio Tour PREVIEW Exhibit

Join us for a special preview exhibit of the renowned Saugerties Art Studio Tour!

Location: Opus 40, 356 George Sickle Rd, Saugerties

Time: 5:30-7:30 pm

More Info: opus40.org

Gethen Jenkins w/ Sourmash

Gethen Jenkins is an award-winning singersongwriter who has played over 1,000 live shows, sharing the stage with prominent acts such as The Marshall Tucker Band, Billy Joe Shaver, Wanda Jackson, David Allan Coe, and many more.

Location: Colony, 22 Rock City Rd., Woodstock Time: 8:00 pm

More Info: colonywoodstock.com

Catskills Comedy Festival Sneak Peek Event

We’ll kick off the night with the comedy duo of Stephanie Ibarra & Anna Torzullo. This comic duo has been bringing their Brooklyn best to the Catskills, fast becoming a local audience favorite, selling out shows each time they visit! Hudson Valley Improv will take the stage to create one-of-a-kind hilarity from your very own suggestions. There is limited seating for this Sneak Peek event and tickets will go fast … so get yours today!

Location: Griffin House, 3311 Route 23A, Palenville Time: 8:00 pm

More Info: tccfest.org

MAY 3

First Fridays at the Athens Cultural Center

Embrace the arts and join us at the Athens Cultural Center, where we open our doors to celebrate the rich tapestry of culture and creativity that defines our community.

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

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W INDHAM F O UNDATIO N Education, Recreation, Arts, and Community Initiatives
“Tide of Clouds,” by Mireille Duchesne

The Dishonest Fiddlers in the Beer Garden Since forming in 2013, The Dishonest Fiddlers has released three studio albums and have played at music festivals and theatres throughout the Northeast.

Time: 6:00-9:00 pm

Location: Colony, 22 Rock City Rd., Woodstock More Info: colonywoodstock.com

Emo Karaoke Night

Members of Hotel Books, Freshman 15, Just Surrender, Weatherbox, and Thieves and Villains, plus more, play your favorite songs from back in the day live on stage featuring YOU on lead vocals!

Time: 8:00 pm

Location: Colony, 22 Rock City Rd., Woodstock More Info: colonywoodstock.com

Pokey LaFarge

After crisscrossing the nation for the last half-decade looking for a home, Pokey LaFarge found himself in Mid-Coast Maine. Upon arriving, the Illinois-born singer/songwriter/actor pursued a major life change, working 12-hour days on a local farm—a turn of events that catalyzed an extraordinary burst of creativity and redefined his sense of purpose as an artist. On his new album Rhumba Country, LaFarge reveals his newly heightened devotion to making music that channels pure joy.

Location: Levon Helm Studios, 160 Plochmann Lane, Woodstock

Time: 8:00 pm

More Info: levonhelm.com

MAY 3-19

Wait Until Dark, by Frederick Knott and adapted by Jeffrey Hatcher

Wait Until Dark is a classic thriller complete with murders, disguises and jump scares. Briefly: three criminals run a con game on a blind woman who’s only assistance in fighting back comes from a pre-teen girl who lives upstairs. The play is set in 1944. Directed By Michael Koegel

Location: Phoenicia Playhouse, 10 Church Street, Phoenicia

Time: Fridays & Saturdays @ 7:00 pm, Sundays @ 2:00 pm

More Info: phoeniciaplayhouse.com

MAY 4

Ulster County SPCA 15th Annual Garden Party & Flea Market

Plants, vendors, bakers, flea market, food and more! Join us to welcome spring and get your Mother’s Day bouquet or potted plant!

Location: 20 Wiedy Road, Kingston

Time: 9:00 am – 2:00 pm

More Info: ucspca.org

Mountaintop Earth Day Celebration

It’s an Earth-stravaganza! Bring Your Earth Day Suit because the Mountain Top Celebrates Earth Day—ALL DAY! At the Mountain Top Library: at 12 pm, join us for a Wildlife Show: get close to majestic creatures, hosted by Robinson’s Wildlife Lectures. Student artwork from the Flowing Impressions exhibition will be on view at the Mountaintop Library. At the Main

Street Community Center: from 1:00-5:00 pm, there will be an opening reception for the adult Flowing Impressions exhibition, and at 2:30 Bob and Johanna Titus will speak about the geology, history, and art of the Watershed area.

Location: Mountaintop Library, 6093 Main Street, Tannersville, and Main Street Community Center, 5494 State Route 23, Windham

Hours: 10:30 am-1:30 pm @ the Mountaintop Library, 1:00-5:00 pm @ the Main Street Community Center

More Info: mountaintoplibrary.org and mainstreetcenter.org

Healthy Family Cooking Workshop: Slow Cookers

An opportunity for caregivers to get into the kitchen and learn how to cook alongside their children. CCE Program Director, Becky Polmateer will walk families through the preparation of a healthy recipe intended for the slow cooker. She will highlight appropriate cooking techniques for every age so that the whole family can get in on the fun in the kitchen. At the end of the program, families will be able to leave with a prepared meal in their new slow cooker (they will only need to plug it in and let it cook at home), as well as the kid-friendly kitchen equipment they used during the program.

Location: Extension Education Center, 479 Route 66, Hudson

Time: 1:00 – 2:00 pm

More Info: ccecolumbiagreene.org/ events/2024/05/04/healthy-family-cookingworkshop-slow-cookers

Opening Reception & Talk for Outside the Box with Ian R. Maracle

Ian Maracle (Tuscarora Bear Clan, Six Nations Reserve) is a photographer whose practice is rooted in storytelling and communication. He was showcased in Photographers Without Borders, has conducted workshops with at-risk youth, and has been commissioned for behind the scenes and production work by Kaha:wi Dance Theater. Along with metalsmith Margaret Jacobs (Mohawk) and filmmaker/animator Paulette Moore (Mohawk), Maracle will speak about his work and practice at the official opening reception of Outside the Box. Open through November 30, Iroquois Museum’s Outside the Box presents the work of 10 Iroquois/Haudenosaunee individuals whose creative paths diverge from the unexpected to break molds and make inroads into areas of expression where Indigenous representation is rare.

Location: Iroquois Museum, 324 Caverns Road, Howes Cave

Time: 1:00-4:00 pm

More Info: iroquoismuseum.org or 518 296 8949

John Prine Celebration with writer Erin Osmon & special guests

Rolling Stone ranks John Prine’s self-titled debut album as the 149th best record of all time. But that doesn’t do it justice. It is a jaw-dropping record that has stood the test of time, 53 years and counting: songs like” “Hello in There,” “Sam Stone,” and “Angel from Montgomery” are now much-admired standards in the American Songbook. Writer Erin Osmon’s 33 ⅓ book shows us how the Mark Twain of songwriting went from singing mailman to celebrated son of Chicago. Through original interviews, exhaustive research, and incisive commentary, author Osmon has written a journalistic inquiry and a love letter to Prine’s landmark debut. She will host an evening celebrating Prine’s songwriting, interspersed with live clips + cover songs by local luminaries including Robert Burke Warren. Location: Orpheum Theatre, 156 Main Street, Saugerties

Time: 4:00 pm

More information: upstatefilms.org

The Deadbeats

Join us for an evening of Grateful Dead on our outdoor main stage! Playing together for over 30 years, The Deadbeats put their own spin on things, setting them apart from the average Dead Cover Band. Based out of NY’s Capital Region, The Deadbeats have played thousands of shows along the East Coast, from Maine to Key West. Mike Johnson and Denise Parent have been playing with The Deadbeats since it all got started, back in the early 90’s.

Time: 6:00-9:00 pm

Location: Colony, 22 Rock City Rd., Woodstock More Info: colonywoodstock.com

Saturday Creature Features: Mysterious Island (1961) and Earth vs The Flying Saucers (1956) Ray Harryhausen’s stop motion film process had no equal during this period in terms of natural animal movement and believability. Come to Rosendale for an evening of “TWO” Ray Harryhausen classics! Mysterious Island (1961): Stranded on an isolated south seas island, a shipwrecked group of travelers struggle to survive among gigantic animal life and a nearby volcano that’s ready to blow! Earth vs The Flying Saucers (1956): It’s a full scale alien invasion as laser blasting flying saucers and hostile aliens from an unknown planet decimate the capitals of the world in their attempt to conquer Earth! Location: Rosendale Theatre, 408 Main Street, Rosendale Time: 7:00 pm

More Info: rosendaletheatre.org

May 2024 • GUIDE 69
“Monument,” by Ian R. Maracle

Trailblazing Women of Country:

From Patsy to Loretta to Dolly

With their chart-topping hits and record-breaking sales, Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn, and Dolly Parton wove threads of contemporary womanhood throughout the tapestry of country music, resulting in unprecedented commercial success and earning each a place in the Country Music Hall of Fame. Trailblazing Women of Country will feature soloists Miko Marks, CMT’s 2022 “Next Woman of Country” and Nashville-based singer Kristina Train, supported by a 5-member all-female band.

Location: Orpheum Performing Arts Center, 6050 Main Street, Tannersville

Time: 7:00 pm

More Info: catskillmtn.org

An Evening with Rachel Maddow

Presented by Oblong Books in partnership with the Bardavon. Bestselling author and Emmy Award-winning broadcaster, Rachel Maddow will discuss the topics in her latest book, instant #1 New York Times bestseller, Prequel: An American Fight Against Fascism with University of Pennsylvania Professor Anthea Butler. Location: Ulster Performing Arts Center, 601 Broadway, Kingston

Time: 7:30 pm

More Info: bardavon.org

Margaret Glaspy: Unplugged

For the first time, Margaret Glaspy is presenting a solo acoustic show filled with songs from her past and present. Freshly off the heels of her third full-length album, Echo The Diamond, the music emerged from a deliberate strippingaway of artifice to reveal life for all its harsh truths and ineffable beauty.

Location: Levon Helm Studios, 160 Plochmann Lane, Woodstock

Time: 8:00 pm

More Info: levonhelm.com

Heartless & Jagged Little Thrill: Tributes to Heart & Alanis Morissette Heartless performs not only the classic Heart chart topping hits of the band Heart, we also play Ann Wilson’s well known song covers as well as her original solo songs. Jagged Little Thrill—The Alanis Experience is a Premier Tribute Band honoring the music of Alanis Morissette. This 5-piece tribute band covers the 5-time Grammy Award Winning Album, Jagged Little Pill, in its entirety, along with Alanis’s greatest hits, and deep cuts for the true Alanis fan. Time: 8:00 pm

Location: Colony, 22 Rock City Rd., Woodstock

More Info: colonywoodstock.com

MAY 4-5, 11-12

Hurds Apple Blossom Festival 2024

Take in the beauty of all the apple blossoms at Hurd’s Family Farm! View the beautiful orchard full of blossoms with their drive-thru experience, VIP golf cart experience after the farm has closed, a self-guided walking tour, or the 25-minute bin train tour! Enjoy spring signature cocktails made with NY spirits available at the Bar in the Barn! Grab a bite to eat from the local farm to table menu they’ve crafted! Of course, there will be fun for the kids as well!

Location: Hurds Family Farm 2187 State Route 32, Modena

Time: 10:00 am-4:00 pm

More Info: hurdsfamilyfarm.com/appleblossomfestival

MAY

4-JUNE 28

Flowing Impressions: Celebrating the Land and Waterways of the Schoharie Reservoir Watershed

The Main Street Community Center in Windham, the Windham Arts Alliance, and the Mountaintop Library in Tannersville are excited to collaborate with Greene County Soil and Water Conservation District to present a new art show called Flowing Impressions, which celebrates the Schoharie Watershed during Watershed Month in May. At the opening reception, at 2:30 pm, Bob and Johanna Titus will speak about the geology, history, and art of the Watershed area. The adult art show will be held at the Main Street Community Center. There will also be a student art show at the Mountaintop Library in Tannersville in coordination with the Mountaintop Earth Day Celebration.

Location: Main Street Community Center, 5494 State Route 23, Windham

Opening Reception: Saturday, May 4, 1:00-5:00 pm

More Info: mainstreetcenter.org

MAY 4-OCTOBER 27

Native Prospects: Indigeneity and Landscape Native Prospects: Indigeneity and Landscape juxtaposes an Indigenous approach to the articulation of land with the American landscape paintings of Thomas Cole. The exhibition presents 19th-century paintings by Thomas Cole featuring Native figures, in context with Indigenous works of historic and cultural value, and artworks by contemporary Indigenous artists: Teresa Baker (Mandan/Hidatsa), Brandon Lazore (Onondaga, Snipe Clan), Truman T. Lowe (Ho-Chunk), Alan Michelson (Mohawk member of the Six Nations of the Grand River) and Kay WalkingStick (Cherokee). Curator Dr. Scott Man-

ning Stevens will give a talk on May 4 at 2:30 pm, prior to the opening party.

Location: Thomas Cole National Historic Site, 218 Spring Street, Catskill

Opening Party & Curator’s Talk: Saturday, May 4 @ 2:30 pm (curator’s talk), 4:00-6:00 pm (opening party)

Days: Saturdays & Sundays

More Info: thomascole.org

MAY 5

Hudson Valley Marathon at Walkway Over the Hudson

The Hudson Valley Marathon at the Walkway Over the Hudson will return for its second year! After a successful event in 2023, the Hudson Valley Marathon is on track to be Alpha Win’s leading running event. The course offers an unparalleled view of the Hudson Valley region as runners make their way across the historic Walkway Over the Hudson. The race features 1 mile, 5k, 10k, Half Marathon and Marathon distances, making it the perfect event for any athlete!

Location: Walkway Over the Hudson State Historic Park 87 Haviland Road, Highland More Info: alpha.win

Spring Explorations - Indigenous History 2024

Learn the history and culture of Hudson Valley’s native people with Justin Wexler of Wild Hudson Valley.

Location: The Ashokan Center 477 Beaverkill Rd, Olivebridge Time: 2:00-4:00 pm

More Info: ashokancenter.org

Ravensbeard Fundraising Gala

Join us for an unforgettable evening at the first annual Ravensbeard Wildlife Center Fundraising Gala. Immerse yourself in the beauty of nature at The Ashokan Center, while supporting Ravensbeard’s mission and helping us to continue providing compassionate care and rehabilitation to all of our local injured, and orphaned animals. Location: The Ashokan Center 477 Beaverkill Rd, Olivebridge

Time: 5:00 pm

More Info: ashokancenter.org

Headwaters Hangouts

Join us for our new monthly series of social arts experiments, Headwaters Hangouts. From exquisite corpse drawings to performative workshops, Headwaters Hangouts will offer creators of all disciplines the opportunity to work on expression in new and different ways in a social setting. A workout for your creative muscles and an opportunity to meet and network with other local creators, Headwaters Hangouts programming is free and open to everyone.

Location: Headwaters Arts Center, 66 Main St, Stamford Time: 6:00-8:00 pmpm

More Info: roxburyartsgroup.org

Brandy Clark

A Grammy and CMA Award-winner, Brandy Clark is one of her generation’s most esteemed songwriters and musicians. In the midst of yet another landmark year, Clark won Best Ameri-

70 • issuu.com/catskillmtnregionguide
Left: Kristina Train, photo by Fairlight Hubbard and Megan Thompson. Right: Miko Marks, photo by Amanda Lopez “Tannersville Lake with Hunter Mountain,” by Athena Billias

cana Performance at this year’s 66th Grammy Awards for her song “Dear Insecurity,” featuring 11x Grammy-winner Brandi Carlile — Clark’s first Grammy win. The song is from Clark’s self-titled album, which was produced by Carlile and features her most personal songwriting to date. Released to overwhelming critical acclaim, Brandy Clark landed on several “Best of 2023” lists including NPR Music, Billboard, Rolling Stone, Variety, Los Angeles Times and Forbes, who calls the album “an Americana Masterpiece.”

Location: Levon Helm Studios, 160 Plochmann Lane, Woodstock

Time: 8:00 pm

More Info: levonhelm.com

MAY 5-10, 12-17, 19-24

Spring Biking Weeks

Guided bike tours curated by industry professionals at Alpha Win, in some of the best locations the Hudson Valley has to offer—including the Walkway Over the Hudson, Ashokan Reservoir, and historic town of Woodstock. Cyclists can choose between a 25 or 50 mile ride each day, and every route boasts spectacular views and a challenge suited to your skill level. When you’re not biking your way through the region, enjoy the pinnacle of relaxation and rejuvenation at your luxurious accommodations at Diamond Mills Hotel. Indulge in spa and recovery services at the Waterside Spa and exceptional dining at BLACKBARN Hudson Valley. Please visit the website for pricing details!

More Info: alpha.win

MAY 6

Amy (SONIC WAVE Weekly)

Behind six-time Grammy winner Amy Winehouse’s genius lay a troubled and fragile personal life. This gripping documentary illuminates struggles that kept her from her pure desire to create music. Interviews from friends and producers show Amy Winehouse as a fierce and singular talent that will be remembered for years to come. (dir. Asif Kapadia, U.S., 2015, 128m)

Location: Orpheum Theatre, 156 Main Street, Saugerties

Time: 4:00 pm

More information: upstatefilms.org

MAY 6, 13, 20 & 27

The World-Famous Colony Open Mic

Hosted by Brendan O’Shea. House guitar & piano available!

Time: Signups start at 7:00 pm, music at 8:00 pm

Location: Colony, 22 Rock City Rd., Woodstock More Info: colonywoodstock.com

MAY 8

Brian Mitchell & Friends

Brian Mitchell records and performs his own original music and has worked with artists such as Levon Helm & The Midnight Ramble Band, Bob Dylan, BB King, Al Green, Dolly Parton, Buster Poindexter, and Allen Toussaint. Mitchell has appeared on five Grammy Award-winning recordings, three with Levon Helm, and one each with BB King and with Les Paul. In 2015, Brian was inducted into the New York Blues Hall Of Fame. He is known to have versatility on piano, Hammond B-3 organ, accordion, various vintage keyboards and harmonica, plus his distinct vocal stylings.

Time: 8:00 pm

Location: Colony, 22 Rock City Rd., Woodstock More Info: colonywoodstock.com

MAY 9

Wild, Edible Plants

Explore the grounds at the Extension Education Center to learn about the value of woodlands and fields in a new way. Foraging is a great way to get to know your land as a resource for local foods. It can be a wonderful family activity and comes with a greater understanding of our interactions with the natural world. Participants will learn what is available on a seasonal basis as well as how to collect food without disturbing or endangering a plant population. Recommendations will be given on how to safely collect food with the help of local resources. Following the walk, we will learn how to incorporate these wild foods into a meal. Locally foraged goods will be made available for samples and snacking during a Q & A to wrap up this evening.

Location: Extension Education Center, 479 Route 66, Hudson

Time: 4:30 – 6:30 pm

More Info: ccecolumbiagreene.org/ events/2024/05/09/wild-edible-plants

Benedictine Health Foundation’s 1st Annual Family Feud

Invites community members and local businesses to battle it out by answering survey questions for a chance to earn bragging rights – all while raising funds to support those struggling with a cancer diagnosis and whose financial means limit their ability to access the care that they need.

Location: Diamond Mills Hotel & Tavern, 25 S Partition St, Saugerties

Time: 5:30 pm

More Info: benedictinehealthfoundation.org/ event/family-feud/

Chosen Family Presents : Meridian Brothers Colombian guitarist and composer Eblis Alvarez started Meridian Brothers back in 1998 as a vehicle for his own experimental music. Over the years, the group has evolved into a five-piece band focused on re-interpreting all manners of Latin Tropical styles with a strong psychedelic and experimental sensibility.

Location: Opus 40, 356 George Sickle Rd, Saugerties

Time: 6:00 pm

More Info: opus40.org

Film

The original 1974 H.B. Halicki classic— with FULL THEATRE SOUND on the BIG SCREEN!

Maindrian Pace (H.B. Halicki) is a respectable insurance investigator in Long Beach, California. He is also the leader of a professional car theft ring that steals and resells stolen cars. And he needs to steal 48 cars by Saturday! Widely considered the greatest smash ’em up car crash film ever made, a total of 127 cars were destroyed in the making of the film. Come by for the fun!

Location: Rosendale Theatre, 408 Main Street, Rosendale Time: 7:00 pm

More Info: rosendaletheatre.org

Film: Closeup (1990)

The fiction-documentary hybrid Close-Up uses a sensational real-life event that occurred in Tehran in the ’80s- the arrest of a young man on charges that he fraudulently impersonated the well-known Iranian filmmaker Mohsen Makhmalbaf and conned his way into a middleclass family’s home- as the basis for a stunning, multilayered investigation into movies, identity, artistic creation, and existence, in which the real people from the case play themselves. This fascinating and intensely moving film from director Abbas Kiarostami is a meditation on art and identity like no other. One of a handful of true modernist milestones in the history of cinema that has resonated with viewers around the world. This film appears as part of our GAME CHANGERS Series, featuring twelve films that revolutionized cinema.

Location: Ulster Performing Arts Center, 601 Broadway, Kingston

Time: 7:30 pm

More Info: bardavon.org

Ensemble Sangineto w/ mamalama

Ensemble Sangineto is an eclectic band which skillfully blends ancient harmonies and sonorities with modern rhythms. Founded by the Sangineto twins, Caterina and Adriano, whose father is respected Italian luthier Michele Sangineto, they were brought up hearing famous artists such as Derek Bell of the

May 2024 • GUIDE 71
Classic Series: Gone in 60 Seconds (1974)

Chieftains, and Breton harpist and singer Alan Stivel. With guitarist Jacopo, the wide ranging musical experiences of the individual members converge,creating fresh and new arrangements of traditional Irish, Scotish, Breton, Italian, and original compositions that display influences from varied musical genres ranging from classical to folk, Gregorian chant to musicals, from pop to Celtic music.

Time: 8:00 pm

Location: Colony, 22 Rock City Rd., Woodstock

More Info: colonywoodstock.com

Jethro Tull’s Martin Barre

Martin Barre was Jethro Tull’s guitarist for over 43 years. His sound and playing was a major factor in their success, and his guitar playing has earned him a high level of respect and recognition. His solos were voted 25th best solo ever in the USA and 20th best solo ever in the UK for his playing on Aqualung. His playing on the album Crest of a Knave earned him a Grammy award in 1989. Martin has also worked with many other artists including Paul McCartney, Phil Collins, Gary Moore, Joe Bonamassa and Chris Thompson and has shared the stage with such legends as Jimi Hendrix, Fleetwood Mac, Pink Floyd, and Led Zeppelin.

Location: Levon Helm Studios, 160 Plochmann Lane, Woodstock

Time: 8:00 pm

More Info: levonhelm.com

MAY 9-19

Uncle Vanya

During the heat of the summer, a retired university professor and his restless, alluring, and much younger new wife return to a small estate in the Russian countryside. Their disruptive presence causes polite facades to crumble and long repressed feelings to emerge with devastating consequences for everyone involved. Irish playwright Conor McPherson provides a vibrant, earthy, and surprisingly comedic new translation of this most intimate and heartbreaking of Chekhov’s dramatic works.

Location: Bridge Street Theatre, 44 West Bridge Street, Catskill

Day & Time: Thursday, Friday & Saturday @ 7:30 pm; Sunday @ 2:00 pm.

More Info: bridgest.org

MAY 10

The Howard Levy 4

Howard Levy is an acknowledged master of the diatonic harmonica, a superb pianist, innovative composer, recording artist, bandleader, teacher, and producer. In 1970 at the age of 19, he discovered how to play the diatonic harmonica as a fully chromatic instrument by developing

techniques on it that had never existed before. This enabled Howard to take the harmonica into the worlds of jazz, classical, Middle Eastern music, and more. At home in many musical styles, the two-time Grammy Award Winner is a favorite with audiences worldwide and a highly sought-after recording artist. Howard has appeared on hundreds of CD’s and several movie soundtracks. Howard tours as a solo artist, with Chris Siebold, Trio Globo, Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, and with his new band, The Howard Levy 4.

Time: 7:00 pm

Location: Colony, 22 Rock City Rd., Woodstock

More Info: colonywoodstock.com

John Moreland

Moreland’s new album, Birds in the Ceiling, is a nine-song collection that offers the most comprehensive insight into the thoughts and sounds swimming around in his head to date. A compelling blend of acoustic folk and avant-garde pop playfulness, Birds in the Ceiling lives confidently in a space of its own, enriched by tradition but never encumbered by it. The songwriting that has stunned fans and critics alike since 2015’s High on Tulsa Heat remains potent, while the sonic evolution that unfolds on the record feels like a natural expansion of 2020’s acclaimed LP5 The New Yorker, Pitchfork, Fresh Air, Paste, GQ, and others have embraced Moreland’s meditative songs, while performances on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, CBS This Morning, NPR Tiny Desk Concert, and more have introduced Moreland to millions.

Location: Levon Helm Studios, 160 Plochmann Lane, Woodstock

Time: 8:00 pm

More Info: levonhelm.com

MAY 10-12

Scottish String Fling 2024

Learn tunes by ear, gain confidence and experience on your instrument, and build a fantastic group medley arrangement, with world-class Scottish traditional musicians and teachers, Alasdair Fraser & Natalie Haas.

Location: The Ashokan Center 477 Beaverkill Rd, Olivebridge

More Info: ashokancenter.org

MAY 10-26

Little Shop of Horrors

A deviously delicious Broadway and Hollywood sci-fi smash musical, Little Shop Of Horrors has devoured the hearts of theatre goers for over 30 years. Howard Ashman and Alan Menken (Disney’s The Little Mermaid, Beauty And The Beast, and Aladdin) are the creative geniuses behind what has become one of the most popular shows in the world.

Location: The CENTER for Performing Arts at Rhinebeck, 661 Route 308, Rhinebeck Day & Time: Friday & Saturday @ 8:00 pm; Sunday @ 3:00 pm

More Info: CenterforPerformingArts.org

MAY 11

17th Annual Rip Van Winkle Wine, Brew & Beverage Festival

The Fortnightly Club of Catskill will be hosting its 17th Annual Rip Van Winkle Wine, Brew & Beverage Festival. Patrons will enjoy wine, craft beers, distilled beverages, cheeses, shopping for craft goods, food and live music entertainment throughout the day. The Fortnightly Club of Catskill is a non-for profit organization. All proceeds stay in the Catskill community to help build and maintain fully accessible playgrounds and recreation areas for children and adults. This event will be held rain or shine.

Location: Historic Catskill Point, 1 Main Street, Catskill

Time: 11:30 am-5:00 pm

More Info: fortnightlyclubofcatskill.ticketspice. com/rvwwinebrewbeveragefestival

MyKingstonKids Kite Building Workshop

This is a FREE event where kids can make, design, and fly their own kites! There will also be games, live music, and delicious food vendors. Location: Unfettered Arts Gallery 37 Oneil St., Kingston

Time: 1:00-3:00 pm

More Info: mykingstonkids.com

Camille A. Brown and Dancers: I AM

Camille A. Brown is a three time Tony Award nominated director and choreographer whose work taps into both ancestral and contemporary stories to capture deeply personal experiences and cultural narratives of African American identity. Through the medium of dance, she has been successful in stage, TV, and film. She was the first black director in the history of the Metropolitan Opera MainStage, where has directed and choreographed numerous productions. TV & Film work includes the Academy Award nominated Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom and the Emmy award winning Jesus Christ Superstar

Location: Orpheum Performing Arts Center, 6050 Main Street, Tannersville Time: 7:00 pm

More Info: catskillmtn.org

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Martin Barre. Photo courtesy of The Store for Music Beatrice Capote and Chloe Davis. Photo by Christopher Duggan

Della Mae

Della Mae is a GRAMMY-nominated, all-women string band made up of founder and fiddle player Kimber Ludiker, lead vocalist/guitarist Celia Woodsmith, guitarist Avril Smith, and bassist Vickie Vaughn. Hailing from across North America, and reared in diverse musical styles, they are one of the most charismatic and engaging roots bands touring today. They have traveled to over 30 countries spreading peace and understanding through music. Their mission as a band is to showcase top female musicians, and to improve opportunities for women and girls through advocacy, mentorship, programming, and performance.

Location: Walton Theatre, 30 Gardiner Place, Walton

Time: 7:30 pm

More Info: musiconthedelaware.org

Green River - The Ultimate CCR / John Fogerty Tribute Show Green River - The #1 Nationally Touring Creedence Clearwater Revival/John Fogerty Tribute Show is the brain child of native New Yorker Rick Horvath. The show is very faithful to a live CCR performance. Listeners enjoy a full 90 minute show of their favorite CCR classics and songs that Creedence would turn into live jams. The band also mixes in John Fogerty solo classics, capturing the energy of his current show.

Time: 8:00 pm

Location: Colony, 22 Rock City Rd., Woodstock More Info: colonywoodstock.com

Matt Nathanson

Over his almost 30 year career, Matt Nathanson has evolved into one of the most applauded songwriters and engaging performers on the music scene today. His sixth studio album, Some Mad Hope, yielded his breakthrough multi-platinum hit “Come on Get Higher.” He followed up with Modern Love, a critically acclaimed album (PopMatters called it “the closest a pop album comes to perfection this year”) that garnered Nathanson two RIAA Gold Certified singles, “Faster” & “Run (featuring Sugarland)”. His 2013 release, Last of The Great Pretenders, debuted at #16 on the Billboard Top 200 while hitting #1 on iTunes’ Alternative Albums chart. His most recent album, Sings His Sad Heart spawned the hit single “Used To Be” which was a chart climber - hitting top 20 at Adult Top 40.

Location: Levon Helm Studios, 160 Plochmann Lane, Woodstock

Time: 8:00 pm

More Info: levonhelm.com

An Evening with Lyle Lovett & Lisa Loeb in conversation and song

A singer, composer and actor, Lyle Lovett has broadened the definition of American music in a career that spans 14 albums. Coupled with his gift for storytelling, the Texas-based musician fuses elements of country, swing, jazz, folk, gospel and blues in a convention-defying manner that breaks down barriers. Grammy awardwinning singer/songwriter Lisa Loeb started her career with the platinum-selling Number 1 hit song “Stay (I Missed You)” from the film Reality Bites. A trailblazing independent artist, Lisa was the first pop musician to have a #1 single while not signed to a recording contract.

Location: Ulster Performing Arts Center, 601 Broadway, Kingston

Time: 8:00 pm

More Info: bardavon.org

MAY 11-JULY

6

Showcase Exhibition

Students of the following Instructors will be on display: Les Castellanos, Nancy Campbell, Peter Clapper, Anne Crowley, Joan Ffolliott, Leslie Guiliani, Richard Frumess, Carol Griffin, Robert Ohnigian, Florence Neal, Ronald Netsky, Meredith Rosiér, Ransome, Muriel Stallworth, Julio Valdez, John Varriano, Karen Whitman, Marlene Wiedenbaum, Lois Woolley, Hongnian Zhang, Karen O’Neil, and Dan Welden.

Location: Robert H. Angeoch Gallery, Woodstock School of Art, 2470 Route 212, Woodstock Opening Reception: Saturday, May 11, 2:004:00 pm

More Info: woodstockschoolofart.org

MAY 12

Songwriter’s Circle

Join us for our monthly Songwriter’s Circle at Bushel. Engage in discussions about works-inprogress, connect with fellow songwriters, and gain valuable insights from veteran musicians. The Songwriter’s Circle meets on the 2nd Sunday of each month. This meetup is open to all levels and there is no fee to attend.

Location: Bushel Collective, 106 Main St, Delhi Time: 11:00 am-12:30 pm

More Info: bushelcollective.org

Alasdair Fraser & Natalie Haas Concert 2024

A lively concert of Scottish fiddle & cello music with renowned performers Alasdair Fraser, Natalie Haas, and friends.

Location: The Ashokan Center 477 Beaverkill Rd, Olivebridge

Time: 3:00 pm

More Info: ashokancenter.org

Chosen Family Presents: Colin Stetson

Colin Stetson is a Montreal based musician known for his astounding physical engagement with his instruments and his idiosyncratic style, experimenting with multi/polyphonics, vocalisations, valve-work and his instrument’s percussive sounds.

Location: Opus 40, 356 George Sickle Rd, Saugerties

Time: 5:30 pm

More Info: opus40.org

Slow Fawn ft. Sam Cohen, Cochemea and Stuart Bogie w/visuals by Alyson Denny Producer/musician Sam Cohen collaborates with Kevin Morby, Danger Mouse and Karen O among others, and has released three well-regarded solo records. As Slow Fawn, he teams up with two iconic multi-instrumentalists, Cochemea and Stuart Bogie, to conjure a fantastical blend of delicate songs, cosmic jazz, and minimal electronica.The band’s live show is augmented by jaw-dropping projections from visual artist and light show veteran Alyson Denny. With a post-screening DJ set by Malik Abdul-Rahmaan

Location: Orpheum Theatre, 156 Main Street, Saugerties

Time: 8:00 pm

More information: upstatefilms.org

Gaby Moreno

Armed with a warm, soulful sound, Gaby Moreno creates music that offers an intoxicating invitation into her musical world for English and Spanish speakers alike. Since moving to Los Angeles from her native Guatemala, singersongwriter-producer Gaby Moreno has released 7 albums, earned a Grammy nomination for her albums Alegoría and Illusion, and won two Latin Grammy Awards. Through her various projects, Moreno has redefined Americana as the only prominent Latina in the genre today, opening the doors for other marginalized voices and transforming the landscape overall.

Location: Levon Helm Studios, 160 Plochmann Lane, Woodstock Time: 8:00 pm

More Info: levonhelm.com

MAY 13

Stand By For Failure w/ film director Ryan Worsley and Negativland’s Mark Hosler via Skype (SONIC WAVE Weekly & CLOSE UP)

Since childhood, David “The Weatherman” Wills has recorded and reported on anything that grabs his attention. When he and friends Richard Lyons and Mark Hosler formed Negativland, it soon became a collage of sounds and visuals, both ordinary and extraordinary. The group’s work is so expansive and unique that it cannot help but push boundaries of sound, media, propaganda, and perception. (Ryan Worsley, US, 2022, 99m)

Location: Orpheum Theatre, 156 Main Street, Saugerties

Time: 7:00 pm

More information: upstatefilms.org

May 2024 • GUIDE 73

MAY 14

Pollinators—Learn How to Support Them

Do you want to see more birds, bees, and butterflies in your yard? Join Tim Kennelty for a talk about how we can create pollinator safe environments right in our own yards. Tim Kennelty is a Master Gardener and Master Naturalist through Cornell Cooperative Extension and serves on the Board of Trustees of the Columbia Land Conservancy. He has been involved in a multi-year habitat restoration project at the Siegel-Kline Kill public conservation area in Ghent, New York.

Location: Germantown Library, 31 Palatine Park Rd., Germantown

Time: 1:00 – 3:00 pm

More Info: ccecolumbiagreene.org/ events/2024/05/14/pollinators-learn-how-tosupport-them

MAY 15

Healthy Family Cooking Workshop: Easy Gnocchi with a Spring Salad CCE Program Director, Becky Polmateer will walk participants through the preparation of gnocchi in a brown butter sage sauce, as well as a spring salad. At the end of the program, participants will be able to leave with a prepared meal, as well as new kitchen equipment they used during the program.

Location: Extension Education Center, 479 Route 66, Hudson

Time: 5:30 – 7:00 pm

More Info: ccecolumbiagreene.org/ events/2024/05/15/healthy-cooking-workshopeasy-gnocchi-with-a-spring-salad

MAY 16

Camp Saint Helene (Album Release Show)

Created by Elizabeth Celeste Ibarra, Dylan Nowik, Wesley Harper and Alex Wernquest, Camp Saint Helene approach their craft akin to a ritual, leaning into the notion that art and expression are sacred experiences on an overstimulated planet. Their new album, Of Earth and its Timely Delights, measures the distance between grief and possibility. With an urgency that is both thoughtful and experimental, the sound of Camp Saint Helene is a collaborative endeavor; a sonic enmeshing of each member’s individual character.

Time: 8:00 pm

Location: Colony, 22 Rock City Rd., Woodstock

More Info: colonywoodstock.com

Wild Child

End of the World, the new album from acclaimed Austin songwriting duo Wild Child (Kelsey Wilson and Alexander Beggins) came about during the pandemic, when the duo got together for a series of online performances for devout fans. Within 30 minutes of rejoining forces, they’d written the first single for what would become Wild Child’s fifth album.

Location: Levon Helm Studios, 160 Plochmann Lane, Woodstock

Time: 8:00 pm

More Info: levonhelm.com

MAY 17

Durham County Poets w/ special guests Scott Wolfson and Other Heroes

Formed in Ormstown, Quebec, Durham County Poets are a band in the truest sense of the word and have seen their popularity and reputation grow with each passing year. Each band member writes and arranges material, bringing a unique flavour to the overall mix. The result is blues, folk, soul, gospel and R&B woven into an authentic and contemporary sound. They have been nominated for several Maple Blues Awards, a Canadian Folk Music Award and a Juno Award.

Time: 8:00 pm

Location: Colony, 22 Rock City Rd., Woodstock

More Info: colonywoodstock.com

Kenny Roby

Kenny Roby’s music which is full of depth, darkness, and most importantly, hope. His songs are inhabited by a cast of fully human characters and their timeless stories. Kenny Roby has been praised by numerous songwriting peers and has received critical acclaim from publications such as Billboard, Rolling Stone, and No Depression

Location: Rosendale Theatre, 408 Main Street, Rosendale

Time: 8:00 pm

More Info: rosendaletheatre.org

Ryuichi Sakamoto | Opus (SONIC WAVE Weekly)

The enigmatic composer Ryuichi Sakamoto was one of the world’s greatest musicians. Now, in this documentary by his son Neo Sora, we are able to see Sakamoto’s last performance before his death, a concert film featuring just him and his piano. Curated and sequenced by Sakamoto himself, the twenty pieces span his entire career, from his pop-star period with Yellow Magic Orchestra and his magnificent scores for filmmaker Bernardo Bertolucci to his meditative final album, 12. (dir. Neo Sora, Japan, 2023, 103m)

Location: Orpheum Theatre, 156 Main Street, Saugerties Time: 8:00 pm

More information: upstatefilms.org

MAY 17-19

Ariles Son Jarocho Camp 2024

Spend a weekend surrounded by Son Jarocho, the beautiful traditional folk music, song, and dance of Veracruz Mexico!

Location: The Ashokan Center 477 Beaverkill Rd, Olivebridge

More Info: ashokancenter.org

MAY 18

Bikers Against Cancer

Come join us for this fun event to benefit the Greene County Women’s League cancer patient aid. The ride starts at Lindsay’s in Leeds and ends at the Inn at Leeds with a delicious all-youcan-eat buffet, raffles, giveaways, and live music with WYLD BLU.

Location: Ride starts at Lindsey’s, 1125 Route 23B, Leeds

Time: Registration @ 10:00 am, ride at 11:00 am, after-party starts @ 3:00 pm

More Info: greenecountywomensleague.com

Last Frost Festival—Esopus Earth Day

Join the Esopus Environmental Board at their Last Frost Festival, an Earth Day event. Pick up free native bare root saplings; learn from environmental educators; enjoy vendors, local organizations, and kid activities.

Location: Mid-Hudson Valley Federal Credit Union 185 Broadway, Port Ewen

Time: 10:00 am-3:00 pm

More Info: esopus.com

Greenville Arts in the Park

Immerse yourself in the charming beauty of the Catskills’ foothills as talented artists capture its essence in a special Plein Air Exhibit area, showcasing the picturesque mountains, trails, and vistas. Witness live demonstrations as artists craft both grand and intimate works. Delight in the opportunity to acquire diverse artworks, supporting local talents while finding the perfect piece for your collection.

Location: Vanderbilt Park, Town Park Road, Greenville

Time: 11:00 am-5:00 pm

More Info: cpog.org

Opus 40 Community Day

Join us for a celebration of our local community—free to Hudson Valley residents! A day of visits, tours, music,activities, vendors and more. Live music, local vendors, local non-profits and organizations, family activities, food truck & snacks and more!

Location: Opus 40, 356 George Sickle Rd, Saugerties

Time: 11:00 am-5:00 pm

More Info: opus40.org

Springfest

Come join us to support our local vendors, artists and children in the community. There will be activities, shopping, entertainment, delicious food and drinks.

Location: Town of Lloyd Vineyard Avenue & Main Street, Highland Time: 11:00 am-6:00 pm

More Info: townoflloyd.com

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Vintage Base Ball:

Bovina Dairymen v. Delhi Polecats

Vintage base ball is an ode to the way base ball was played in the 1800s, when rules were changing yearly and only the catcher wore a mitt. The game is competitive and fun, focused on bringing the community together for an exciting afternoon! Feel free to pack a picnic, grab your friends, sip something refreshing and cheer on your favorite team. Mark your calendar and start planning your adventure to participate in this vibrant tradition!

Location: Creamery Field, Bovina Time: 2:00 pm

More Info: delcovintagebaseball.org

CCE’s Puttin’ on The Ritz Annual Recital CCE presents their annual recital “Puttin’ On the Ritz” featuring performances by Energy Dance Company, rhythm nation Community Drum Ensemble, DXF-Dance Xross Fitness enthusiasts and students from CCE’s after school arts and education enrichment programs including hip hop, ballet and contemporary dance, drumming, Mini Keys, Jam Band, Lil’ Ninja’s, theater, songwriting and more!

Location: Ulster Performing Arts Center, 601 Broadway, Kingston Time: 6:00 pm

More Info: bardavon.org

Mama’s Broke

Mama’s Broke have spent the past nine years in a near-constant state of transience, pounding the transatlantic tour trail. They’ve brought their dark, fiery folk-without-borders sound to major festivals and DIY punk houses alike, absorbing traditions from their maritime home in Eastern Canada all the way to Ireland and Indonesia. Nowhere is the duo’s art-in-motion approach more apparent than on their long-awaited JUNO nominated sophomore record Narrow Line. It’s the sound of nowhere in particular, yet woven with a rich synthesis of influences that knows no borders.

Time: 8:00 pm

Location: Colony, 22 Rock City Rd., Woodstock More Info: colonywoodstock.com

Maude Adams Theater Hub Presents Josh Fromer Comedy Night

Comedy Night is back, and it’s cleaner than ever! Josh Fromer brings opener Amanda Gail and headliner Gregg Stone to the Catskills for an evening of hilarious stories and keenlycrafted jokes.

Location: Doctorow Center for the Arts, 7971 Main Street, Hunter Time: 8:00 pm

More Info: catskillmtn.org

The Big Takeover

Led by the dynamic Jamaican-born vocalist and lyricist Nee Nee Rushie, this seven-piece ensemble from New York presents an original sound deeply rooted in the vibrant genres and rhythms of Jamaican pop: reggae, rocksteady, and ska. With a nod to icons like Desmond Dekker, they honor the traditional while also embracing a progressive spirit, effortlessly blending global influences into their music.

Location: Bearsville Theater 291 Tinker Street, Woodstock Time: 9:00 pm

More Info: bearsvilletheater.com

MAY 18-19

Painting the Streets with Lisbeth Firmin Urban landscape painter Lisbeth Firmin will be taking students into the streets of Stamford, instructing them in working quickly with big brushes and bold color to capture the light and shadow of Main Street action. This workshop is structured for both beginners and advanced painters who want to expand their painting skills. Firmin will be giving a demonstration at the beginning of each class, and there will be a critique at the end of each session. Students will meet at the Headwaters Building, 66 Main St at 10 am on the beginning of the first day. Space is limited, and registration is required.

Location: Headwaters Art Center, 66 Main Street, Stamford

Time: 10:00 am-4:00 pm

More Info: roxburyartsgroup.org

Old Style Moccasin Making Workshop

Seneca Old Style Moccasin Making Workshop with artisan Jamie Jacobs from Tonawanda Reservation. Constructed from a single piece of leather with a center seam and cuffs, this style of moccasins date from the 1800s. Class size is limited. Cost: $75 members/$85 non members includes all materials.

Location: Iroquois Museum, 324 Caverns Road, Howes Cave

More Info: iroquoismuseum.org or 518 296 8949

Matilda the Musical

Inspired by the twisted genius of Roald Dahl, the Tony Award-winning Roald Dahl’s Matilda

The Musical is the captivating masterpiece from the Royal Shakespeare Company that revels in the anarchy of childhood, the power of imagina-

tion and the inspiring story of a girl who dreams of a better life. With book by Dennis Kelly and original songs by Tim Minchin, Matilda has won 47 international awards and continues to thrill sold-out audiences of all ages around the world.

Location: Woodstock Playhouse, 103 Mill Hill Road, Woodstock

Time: Saturday @ 7:00 pm, Sunday @ 2:00 pm

More Info: woodstockplayhouse.org

MAY 19

Día de las Familias 2024

Celebrate Latin culture, food, music, and the arts at the Ashokan Center!

Location: The Ashokan Center 477 Beaverkill Rd, Olivebridge Time: 12:00 pm-5:00 pm

More Info: ashokancenter.org

Library of Local, Back to Nature: Make Your Own Terrariums

Roe Jan Community Library, in partnership with Cornell Cooperative Extension of Columbia and Greene Counties, is sponsoring a series of three “Back to Nature” seminars conducted by Master Gardener Volunteers who are all wellversed in their subject matter. A terrarium is a small green space that is created in a transparent container consisting of various plants and other materials. Completed terrariums can be used to brighten up your décor or as a gift for someone special. This will be a “hands-on” workshop led by Master Gardener Volunteer Linda Levitt. Each participant will be able to make their own terrarium to take with them. The demonstration will include how to properly plant a terrarium, suggest materials, tools, containers and design.

Location: Roeliff Jansen Community Library, 9091 Route 22, Hillsdale

Time: 1:00 – 3:00 pm

More Info: ccecolumbiagreene.org/ events/2024/03/19/library-of-local-back-tonature-make-your-own-terrariums

Vintage Base Ball: Fleischmanns M.A.C. v. Leatherstocking Baseball League

Vintage base ball is an ode to the way base ball was played in the 1800s, when rules were changing yearly and only the catcher wore a mitt. The game is competitive and fun, focused on bringing the community together for an exciting afternoon! Feel free to pack a picnic, grab your friends, sip something refreshing and cheer on your favorite team. Mark your calendar and start planning your adventure to participate in this vibrant tradition!

Location: Historic M.A.C. Grounds, Wagner Avenue, Fleischmanns

Time: 2:30 pm

More Info: delcovintagebaseball.org

Coffeehouse Concerts presents Tune Keepers

Steve Jacobi and Dale Teeple have been playing music together for over 40 years as members of the group “The Old Time Fiddlers” and a band called “Fiddlin’ Around.” Because of their dedication to preserving the art of fiddling, they are calling their duo “Tune Keepers.” They have a repertoire of hundreds of tunes from

May 2024 • GUIDE 75

many parts of the world, including Irish, Scottish, Scandinavian, and Canadian, along with many styles of American fiddling.

Location: Walton Theatre, 30 Gardiner Place, Walton Time: 6:00 pm

More Info: musiconthedelaware.org

Erin McKeown w/ Spouse

Erin McKeown is a musician, writer, and producer who has released 11 albums since her 2000 debut, Distillation. As a bandleader, she has performed at Bonnaroo, Glastonbury, and Newport Folk Festivals. McKeown’s songs are a familiar presence on NPR and the BBC and have appeared in commercials, film, and television. Her first musical, Miss You Like Hell, co-written with Pulitzer Prize winning playwright Quiara Alegría Hudes, premiered Off-Broadway at The Public Theater, garnered 5 Drama Desk Nominations, and was named “Best Musical of 2018” by the Wall Street Journal. Her latest album, Kiss Off Kiss, was released in 2021. Time: 8:00 pm

Location: Colony, 22 Rock City Rd., Woodstock More Info: colonywoodstock.com

Willi Carlisle

For folksinger Willi Carlisle, singing is healing. And by singing together, he believes we can begin to reckon with the inevitability of human suffering and grow in love. On his latest album, Critterland, Carlisle invites audiences to join him: “If we allow ourselves to sing together, there’s a release of sadness, maybe even a communal one.”

Location: Levon Helm Studios, 160 Plochmann Lane, Woodstock

Time: 8:00 pm

More Info: levonhelm.com

MAY 20

Dig! XX (SONIC WAVE Weekly)

This 20th anniversary chronicling the torrid love affair between legendary pop-psych groups Dandy Warhols and Brian Jonestown Massacre has a brand new sound, with a fresh narration track and over 40 minutes of new footage. If you saw the original documentary, you’ll finally discover what happened at the Viper Room, and why some people quit the band. If this is your first introduction to these trailblazing cult bands, prepare to be dazzled by the electric charisma of a beautiful slice of nineties indie music. (dir. Ondi Timoner, U.S, 2024, 146m)

Location: Orpheum Theatre, 156 Main Street, Saugerties

Time: 7:00 pm

More information: upstatefilms.org

MAY 21

Food Truck Fiesta

Live music, food trucks, beer, wine, and water sold by Bloomington Fire Department! The rain date is following Tuesday. On May 21: 90 Proof Band

Location: Bloomington Fire Department, 14 Taylor Street, Bloomington

Time: 5:00-9:00 pm

More information: 845 338-2794

MAY 23

Open Mic Night

Phoenicia Playhouse Presents a free community night of connection, performance and songs! Hosted by Scott Kent. Bring a song, poem, stand up bit, and anything that sets your creative heart a blaze! Sign ups start at 7pm at the door.

Location: Phoenicia Playhouse, 10 Church Street, Phoenicia

Time: 7:00 pm

More Info: phoeniciaplayhouse.com

Film: Beau Travail (1999)

A loose retelling of Herman Melville’s Billy Budd, Sailor, the ravishingly sensual Beau Travail established director Claire Denis as one of the great visual poets of our time. Amid the azure waters and sunbaked desert landscapes of Djibouti, a French Foreign Legion sergeant sows the seeds of his own ruin as his obsession with a striking young recruit plays out to the thunderous, operatic strains of Benjamin Britten. In the tense, tightly disciplined atmosphere of military life—sensuously photographed by frequent collaborator Agnès Godard—Denis found an ideal outlet for the quiet agony of repressing one’s emotions and the terror of finally letting loose in one of the most startling and unforgettable endings in all of modern cinema. This film appears as part of our GAME CHANGERS Series, featuring twelve films that revolutionized cinema.

Location: Ulster Performing Arts Center, 601 Broadway, Kingston

Time: 7:30 pm

More Info: bardavon.org

Damn Tall Buildings & Cole Quest and The City Pickers

In their early days, Damn Tall Buildings didn’t rehearse—they busked. Now, whether live or on record, the trio still radiates the energy of a crew of best friends playing bluegrass on the street. Anchoring that energy is their instrumental chops, their strong songwriting, and their varied influences that stretch beyond bluegrass, even beyond American roots music altogether.

Time: 8:00 pm

Location: Colony, 22 Rock City Rd., Woodstock More Info: colonywoodstock.com

MAY 23 & 24

The Heavy Heavy

The Heavy Heavy create the kind of unfettered rock-and-roll that warps time and place, immediately pulling the audience into a euphoric fugue state with its own sun-soaked atmosphere. Led by lifelong musicians Will Turner and Georgie Fuller, the Brighton, UK-based band began

with a shared ambition of “making records that sound like our favorite records ever,” and soon arrived at a reverb-drenched collision of psychedelia and blues, acid rock and sunshine pop. As revealed on their gloriously hazy debut EP Life and Life Only, The Heavy Heavy breathe an incandescent new energy into sounds from decades ago, transcending eras with a hypnotic ease.

Location: Levon Helm Studios, 160 Plochmann Lane, Woodstock

Time: 8:00 pm

More Info: levonhelm.com

MAY 24

The Marc Black Band ft. Amy Fradon

The Band will feature the always delightful Amy Fradon on vocals Michael Esposito on bass, Eric Parker on drums and Otto Kontrol on sax. Psychedelic funk smashed head-on into roots rock and gave birth to the Marc Black Band … a classic group who’s pedigree includes bringing the theramin to rock, playing lead guitar for the original Blues Magoos, drumming with Bob Weir’s Kingfish and sharing the stage with Bonnie Raitt.

Time: 7:00 pm

Location: Colony, 22 Rock City Rd., Woodstock More Info: colonywoodstock.com

This is Spinal Tap (Hudson Valley Picture Show)

In 1982, the legendary English heavy metal band Spinal Tap attempt an American comeback tour accompanied by a fan who is also a film-maker. The resulting documentary, interspersed with powerful performances of Tap’s pivotal music and profound lyrics, candidly follows a rock group heading towards crisis, culminating in the infamous affair of the 18-inchhigh Stonehenge stage prop. Rain date May 26. Location: Opus 40, 356 George Sickle Rd Saugerties

Time: Gates @ 7:00 pm, film @ 8:30 pm More information: upstatefilms.org

MAY 24-26

May Cabaret: Weekend of Events! Join us for an amazing weekend of May Cabaret Events! Afternoon and evening events. Visit phoeniciaplayhouse.com for most up-to-date schedule.

Location: Phoenicia Playhouse, 10 Church Street, Phoenicia More Info: phoeniciaplayhouse.com

MAY 24-27

Uke Fest 2024

Expand your skills and thrive in the aloha spirit of the ukulele at the Ashokan Uke Fest with host Ben Hassenger and his amazing teach-

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ing staff! You’ll meet new people, learn new techniques and styles, and gain confidence as a player.

Location: The Ashokan Center 477 Beaverkill Rd, Olivebridge

More Info: ashokancenter.org

MAY 25

BioBlitz: Celebrate the Schoharie Watershed! Celebrate Schoharie Watershed Month with a biodiversity hunt on the grounds of Mountain Top Arboretum in Tannersville! Local experts on everything from birds to butterflies will be in attendance to lead interpretive walks, offer guidance on identification, and assist contributors in adding their records to the database. The day ends at 3:00 with a special performance by Arm-of-The-Sea Theater by the pond! Rain date is May 26.

Location: Mountain Top Arboretum, 4 Maude Adams Road, Tannersville

Time: 8:00 am-5:00 pm

More Info: mtarboretum.org

18th Century Growing Season

Join us in learning about what it was like to grow things and produce food in the 18th century. Watch us plant our 18th century inspired garden, see beekeeping, sheep shearing, and food preservation. Includes crafts for visitors of all ages. All event activities are FREE and family-friendly. Admission to the Senate House and Museum will be $7/Adults, $5/Seniors, and Children 12 and under are free.

Location: Senate House State Historic Site 296 Fair Street, Kingston

Time: 11:00 am-4:00 pm

More Info: parks.ny.gov/historic-sites/senatehouse/details.aspx

O Brother Where Art Thou with the Slide Mountain String Band (Hudson Valley Picture Show)

Loosely based on Homer’s “Odyssey,” the movie deals with the picaresque adventures of Ulysses Everett McGill and his companions Delmar and Pete in 1930s Mississippi. Sprung from a chain gang and trying to reach Everett’s home to recover the buried loot of a bank heist they are confronted by a series of strange characters–among them sirens, a cyclops, bank robber George “Baby Face” Nelson (very annoyed by that nickname), a campaigning governor and his opponent, a KKK lynch mob, and a blind prophet who warns the trio that “the treasure you seek shall not be the treasure you find.” Rain date May 26.

Location: Opus 40, 356 George Sickle Rd Saugerties

Time: Gates @ 6:00 pm, contradancing @ 7:00 pm, film @ 8:30 pm

More information: upstatefilms.org

Uke Revue 2024

Treat yourself to a fabulous evening concert by six fantastic ukulele players.

Location: The Ashokan Center 477 Beaverkill Rd, Olivebridge

Time: 7:30 pm

More Info: ashokancenter.org

Professor Louie & The Crowmatix Celebrate the Music of Levon Helm

Professor Louie & The Crowmatix will perform a special concert in honor of Levon Helm’s Birthday. When Levon Helm wanted to perform solo shows in the ‘90’s, he recruited the Woodstock Band The Crows which morphed into Levon Helm & The Crowmatix. They began playing many venues and released a CD called Souvenir Vol. 1 with Levon singing, playing drums & mandolin & joined by The Crowmatix. To celebrate Levon’s Birthday, Professor Louie & The Crowmatix will play songs from Souvenir Vol. 1 plus songs from The Band & his solo career that Levon made famous, as well as Crowmatix originals.

Time: 8:00 pm

Location: Colony, 22 Rock City Rd., Woodstock More Info: colonywoodstock.com

MAY 25-26

47th Annual East Durham Irish Festival

Every Memorial Day Weekend, the East Durham Irish Festival attracts thousands of attendees to enjoy Irish American & Irish music, crafts, culture and so much more. Our very own Donegal Cottage opens to the public this weekend as well. This is one of the longest-running USA Irish festivals, and 2024 will be our 47th year!

Location: Michael J. Quill Irish Cultural & Sports Center, 2267 Route 145, East Durham

More Info: eastdurhamirishfestival.com

MAY

25-27

Woodstock-New Paltz Art & Crafts Fair

The Woodstock-New Paltz Art & Crafts Fair has evolved into a highly successful event, voted one of the top art and craft shows in America by Sunshine Artist Magazine. Over the years, the fair has attracted the finest artists and craftspeople from across the country.

Location: Ulster County Fairgrounds 249 Libertyville Road, New Paltz

More Info: quailhollow.com

Mayfest Farmers and Makers Market

Mayfest brings a curated selection of the Hudson Valley’s finest 190 producers including farms, distilleries, breweries, wineries, restaurants, artisans, and more to the Hudson Valley Rail Trail and Walkway Over the Hudson State Historic Park. General admission tickets are available now for only $5 per person. Children under 12 and Walkway Over the Hudson Members receive free admission!

Location: Walkway Over the Hudson State Historic Park 87 Haviland Road, Highland Time: 12:00-5:00 pm

More Info: walkway.org

MAY 26

Bearsville Bluegrass Festival

Featuring Austin Scelzo and On The Trail, Catskill Mountain String Band & Grass Valley Band. The Bearsville Bluegrass Festival and each different festival is just one in our series of summer festivals at Bearsville Park: an exceptional line up of festivals coming to Bearsville in 2024. Experience a year brimming with unforgettable moments set amidst the natural beauty of Bearsville Park in Woodstock, NY. From the soulful melodies of Blues to the rhythmic beats of Bluegrass, Country and Folk, immerse yourself in a captivating array of live music, nestled in the heart of Bearsville.

Location: Bearsville Theater, 291 Tinker Street, Woodstock

Time: 12:00-6:00 pm

More Info: bearsvilletheater.com

Memorial Weekend Concert with Gentlemen Caller

Gentlemen Caller is the synergy of indie folk musicians Jon B. Woodin and Jude Roberts. Together they weave compelling melodies, harmonies reminiscent of Simon and Garfunkel, and a combined sense of humor that puts the audience at ease and makes them feel included; and all of this is achieved while dressing in the most Gentlemanly fashion and sporting a dazzling array of chapeaux. Admission is FREE. Registration is recommended, but not required. The concert will be held by the West Meadow pond, so please bring a lawn chair or blanket. In case of rain, the concert will be held inside the Education Center.

Location: Mountain Top Arboretum, 4 Maude Adams Road, Tannersville

Time: 3:00-4:30 pm

More Info: mtarboretum.org

Honky Tonk Last Sundays w/ Hudson Valley Flyers

The Hudson Valley Flyers bring honky tonk and classic country music to the Colony. The Flyers perform two-steps, waltzes, shuffles, and western-swing music for whatever suits you, whether it be dancing with a partner, drinking alone, or just reminiscing. You’ll hear songs from the 1930s, ‘40s and ‘50s, from singers such as Hank Williams, Webb Pierce, Ernest Tubb, Bob Wills, and many more.

Time: 7:00 pm

Location: Colony, 22 Rock City Rd., Woodstock

More Info: colonywoodstock.com

May 2024 • GUIDE 77
Visitors at the booth of Nicole Dubensky Catskill Mountain String Band

MAY 27

Catskill Memorial Day Parade and Ceremony Come join the fun in Catskill for the Memorial Day Parade! The parade route is Water Street to Main Street ending with a ceremony in the gazebo at Dutchman’s Landing Park. Sponsored by the Catskill Patriotic Committee. All Greene County Veteran’s organizations, Fire Companies & Auxiliaries, Schools, Religious Groups & other community and civic organizations are invited to participate.

Location: Main Street, Catskill

Time: Starts at 2:00 pm

MAY 29

Chosen Family Presents: Nick Hakim For singer-songwriter Nick Hakim, it all started in a house in Jamaica Plains, MA with collaborators Naima and Solo Woods. There, he put the finishing touches on his breakthrough EPs, Where Will We Go, Pt. I & II, which would later release through his Earseed Records and earn critical praise from NPR and The New York Times. But it was where the sessions for the two-part project ended and the ideas began to materialize for what would become his fulllength debut, Green Twins (releasing via ATO Records in 2017), an experimental step forward with emotional heft gleaned from his experiences in the years since.

Location: Opus 40, 356 George Sickle Rd, Saugerties

Time: 6:00 pm

More Info: opus40.org

Dead Last Wednesdays with Gratefully Yours Gratefully Yours has emerged as one of the premier Grateful Dead cover bands in the Northeast. Based out of the Hudson Valley in NY, the band is comprised of an all-star lineup

of long-time jam band musicians from the area. Their willingness and ability to improvise and their openness to spontaneity and the energy of the moment lie at the core of their performances and truly sets them apart.

Time: 8:00 pm

Location: Colony, 22 Rock City Rd., Woodstock More Info: colonywoodstock.com

MAY 30

Eric Hutchinson

For over a decade and a half, Eric Hutchinson has been mastering the art of his unique, personal songwriting while exploring diverse musical genres like pop, soul, Americana, folk, alt-rock, and jazz. Known for his melodic pop song craftsmanship and witty, heartfelt lyrics that combine pop, rock, soul, and reggae, Eric is hitting the road in 2024 to perform all his most popular songs. An artist and songwriter who refuses to be pinned down to one musical genre or attitude with a diverse collection of songs, Eric Hutchinson continues to search to understand his place in the world and in 2024, the “Best” is yet to come.

Location: Levon Helm Studios, 160 Plochmann Lane, Woodstock Time: 8:00 pm

More Info: levonhelm.com

MAY 31

Sarah Power w/ Blue Museum Album Release & DJ Michael V (Late Night)

Sarah Power’s alluring voice and thoughtful piano driven songs navigate the depths of jazz complexity dressed in pop sensibility. A leading figure of the Hudson Valley music scene, Sarah was the front woman of the indie rock band Outloud Dreamer and has released three solo albums as Sarah Perrotta. Her latest album Blue

to Gold was warmly received in Europe where she toured in 2022. Sarah is currently working on her fifth album to be released in 2024.

Time: 8:00 pm

Location: Colony, 22 Rock City Rd., Woodstock More Info: colonywoodstock.com

Chris Smither with Special Guest Peter Mulvey One day in the late 1960’s a young songwriter was encouraged to go to Cambridge, Massachusetts and play in the music clubs there. That was Chris Smither. Celebrating his newest record and over fifty years of touring, Smither continues as a leading songwriter drawing deeply from the blues, American folk music, modern poets and philosophers and is still one of America’s most distinctive acoustic performers. One evening, back in the early 1990’s, a young songwriter opened for Chris. That was Peter Mulvey – as he self-describes “road-dog, raconteur and almost-poet.” Since that evening, a deep friendship and close musical comradery has flourished. Hear them both in concert.

Location: Levon Helm Studios, 160 Plochmann Lane, Woodstock

Time: 8:00 pm

More Info: levonhelm.com

MAY 31-JUNE 30

Two Solo Exhibitions: Joanne Barham and Helene Manzo, plus Members’ Group Show 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

Opening Reception: Saturday, June 1, 3-5 pm

Hours: Friday-Sunday & Holiday Mondays, 11:00 am-4:00 pm

More Info: longyeargallery.org

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For more information about my work, visit www.francisxdriscoll.com By Francis X. Driscoll IMAGES OF THE NORTHERN CATSKILLS 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 Discover this extraordinary collection in performance, music education, and cultural exploration Piano
The Catskill Mountain Foundation Doctorow Center for the Arts 7971 Main Street, Route 23A, Hunter, NY 12442 www.catskillmtn.org The CMF Piano Performance Museum is funded in part by the Jarvis and Constance Doctorow Family Foundation Featuring the Steven A. Greenstein Collection REOPENING SOON!
Performance Museum

Woven Currents

Piano Concert with Projected Images and Live Action Drawing

Saturday, June 22, 2024, 1:00 pm

Cinema 1, Doctorow Center for the Arts

7971 Main St., Hunter, NY 12442

Reception to follow the concert in the Piano Performance Museum

FREE event. Register to reserve a seat at catskillmtn.org or by calling 518 263 2063

This event features pianist Yi-heng Yang on piano improvising to images of prints from Judd Weisberg’s series “Woven Currents” as they are displayed on the movie screen. The second half of the concert features Yi-heng on piano responding to live action drawing created on the spot by Weisberg which will be projected onto the screen.

This project is made possible with fund provided to Judd Weisberg whose community partner is the Town of Prattsville from the Statewide Community Regrant Program, a regrant program of the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of The Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature and administered in Greene County by CREATE Council on the Arts.

SUMMER

FOR YOUTH ART PROGRAMS

ORPHEUM DANCE PROGRAM

Ages 4-18

Summer programs to immerse your child in a safe and creative environment where they explore art, theater, music, and dance.

Community Summer Dance Classes

With Victoria Rinaldi

Offering dance classes for pre-ballet through advanced ballet, pointe and contemporary. Classes are $10 each paid at the beginning of the session Participation in the annual production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream is free and open to all.

June 17 – August 4, 2024

Auditions for A Midsummer Night’s Dream: Wednesday, June 19

Performances of A Midsummer Night’s Dream: Saturday – Sunday, August 3 – 4

For more information and schedule email rinaldi.victoria@gmail.com or call 518 263 2001

NATIONAL DANCE INSTITUTE

The Living Environment

National Dance Institute (NDI), founded by Jacques d’Amboise, brings its award-winning dance program to the Catskill Mountains. Children participate in high energy dance classes and choreography workshops accompanied by live music. The program culminates in a performance onstage at the Orpheum Performing Arts Center.

NDI’s 2024 theme is The Living Environment. Using movement to explore the beauty of the natural world and its connections to human life, we aim to empower students to become stewards of the environment and creators of a future based on creative solutions, compassion, and community.

July 8 – 19, 2024

Monday – Friday, 9:00 am – 3:00 pm

Performance: Saturday, July 20, 7:00 pm

Scholarships are available!

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SCHOLARSHIPS ARE AVAILABLE FOR MOST PROGRAMS! www.catskillmtn.org
Scan the QR code for more info and to register online, or call 518 263 2001
Grades 3-8

The Superpowers of Art & Nature

Instructor: Kate Berten

Do you like to play outside and be creative? Art Explorers is for YOU!

Taking inspiration from the flowers, bugs, trees, and mountains around us, we will tap into our creativity to capture the magic of nature and create paintings, drawings, and sculptures. Each day will include free play in the gorgeous Catskill Mountains, art exploration and creative connections.

WEEK 1: July 15 – 19

WEEK 2: July 22 – 26 WEEK 3: July 29 – August 2

Scan

WEEK 4: August 5 – 9 WEEK 5: August 12 – 16

Monday – Friday, 9:00am–4:00pm

Scholarships

MAUDE ADAMS THEATER HUB

The Superpowers of Theater and Movement

We will combine theater and movement to make small plays and skits as participants learn to create everything from scripts, to costumes, to props, and much more. Stage combat, movement, and dance will also be part of the curriculum as students explore their creativity in the beauty of Sugar Maples.

August 5 – 16, 2024

Monday – Friday, 9:00am–4:00pm

CATSKILL MOUNTAIN

Youth Company Summer Intensive

Spend a week immersed in the world of Shakespearean performance. Led by professional actors and teaching artists, members of the CMS Youth Company will spend their days making sense of verse and learning how to bring it to life, taking a stab at stage combat, and having a spin with Elizabethan song and dance. The week will culminate in a performance to showcase the work, because, after all, the play is the thing!

August 5 – 9, 2024

Monday – Friday, 9:00am–3:00pm Special Outdoor Performance! Saturday, August 10

Scholarships are available!

Maude Adams Theater Hub

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Auditions: March 23, 24 & 26

Doctorow Center for the Arts

7971 Main Street, Hunter, NY 12442

Performances: July 5 & 6

Orpheum Performing Arts Center

6050 Main Street, Tannersville, NY 12485

Orpheum Dance Program A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Auditions: June 19

CMF Red Barn

7970 Main Street, Hunter, NY 12442

Performances: August 3-4

Orpheum Performing Arts Center

6050 Main Street, Tannersville, NY 12485

May 2024 • GUIDE 81
are available!
the QR code for more info and to register online, or call 518 263 2001
Scholarships are available!
Scan the QR code for more info and to register online, or call 518 263 2001 Ages 8-12
Ages 5-14
ART EXPLORERS
Scan
info
to register
263 2001
A partner program with the Catskill Mountain Foundation
SHAKESPEARE
the QR code for more
and
online, or call 518
Ages 12-18
AUDITIONS

2024 PERFORMING ARTS SEASON

Scan to Purchase Tickets! u

SATURDAY, JANUARY 6 AT 7:30PM LAYERHYTHM

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.

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.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 2 AT 7:30PM

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 3 AT 4:00PM

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 3 AT 7:30PM THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW

Maude Adams Theater Hub Catskill Mountain Foundation

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!

FEBRUARY 14-18 V-SEASON

Maude Adams Theater Hub Catskill Mountain Foundation

Doctorow Center for the Arts

FEBRUARY 14 & 16 AT 7:00PM

The Women by Clare Boothe Luce

FEBRUARY 15 & 17 AT 7:00PM

God of Carnage by Yasmina Reza

FEBRUARY 17 & 18 AT 2:00PM

The Gin Game by Donald L. Coburn

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.

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 18 AT 2:00PM

INTERNATIONAL FORTEPIANO SALON

“Dancing the Minuet to the Fortepiano”

Yi-heng Yang, Maria Rose & Patricia García-Gil Hosts

Streaming LIVE on Facebook and YouTube

The Baroque minuet contained all of the musical attributes that maintain its status as the most popular dance form—whether to be danced or not—throughout the 18th century: a pleasing character, a simple texture, and regular, clearly delineated phrases. When playing minuets on the fortepiano, how do you make them dance? By asking a choreographer of course! Join choreographer Julia Bengtsson and fortepianist Patricia Garcia Gil in an exploration of the inherent connection between dance and music.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 24 AT 3:00PM ERTH’S DINOSAUR ZOO LIVE

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.

SATURDAY, MARCH 2 AT 7:00PM

DANÚ: “TRADITIONAL MUSIC FROM IRELAND”

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.

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LayeRhythm January 6 Erth’s Dinosaur Zoo February 24
SOLD OUT!
Ladies of Hip Hop March 30
SOLD OUT!

SATURDAY, MARCH 9 AT 7:00PM 360 ALLSTARS

Orpheum Performing Arts Center

A phenomenal physical performance exploring all forms of rotation and 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.

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

—Weekend Notes ★★★★★

SUNDAY, MARCH 24 AT 2:00PM INTERNATIONAL FORTEPIANO SALON

Yi-heng Yang, Maria Rose & Patricia García-Gil Hosts

Hilda Huang Guest

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.

SATURDAY, MARCH 30 AT 7:00PM LADIES OF HIP HOP: THE BLACK DANCING

BODIES–SPEAKMYMIND

Orpheum Performing Arts Center

Part of an ongoing performance and documentary effort focused on Black women in street and club dance culture, in this session of Black Dancing Bodies 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.

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.

FRIDAY, APRIL 5 AT 7:00PM

SATURDAY, APRIL 5 AT 7:00PM

STUPID F*ING BIRD

By Aaron Posner

Directed by Caitlin McColl

Maude Adams Theater Hub Catskill Mountain Foundation

Doctorow Center for the Arts

In this irreverent, contemporary, and very funny remix of Chekhov’s The Seagull, Aaron Posner stages a timeless battle between young and old, past and present, in search of the true meaning of it all. STUPID F*ING BIRD will tickle, tantalize, and incite you to consider how art, love, and revolution fuel your own pursuit of happiness.

SATURDAY, APRIL 13 AT 2:00PM

APRIL IN PARIS

Joanne Polk piano

Jeffrey Langford lecture

Doctorow Center for the Arts

Come join husband and wife team musicologist Dr. Jeffrey Langford and pianist Dr. Joanne Polk as they take a romantic conversation and musical stroll through Paris. Enjoy performances of songs with the word “Paris” in the title, including “I Love Paris” by Cole Porter and “April in Paris” by Vernon Duke. These songs were transcribed for Dr. Polk by composer David Shenton, who will attend the concert and will be part of the Q&A after the concert. Other composers featured will include Claude Debussy and Cécile Chaminade.

SATURDAY, APRIL 27 AT 7:30PM THE TEMPEST

Doctorow Center for the Arts

The Tempest will use physicality, clowning, and cinematic theatricality to create magic, spectacle, and community dialogue. Join Catskill Mountain Shakespeare at the Catskill Mountain Foundation on April 27 to experience it yourself!

This touring production is presented thanks to the generous support from Shakespeare in American Communities, a program of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with Arts Midwest. From April 8-28, 2024, Catskill Mountain Shakespeare will tour to local middle schools, high schools, libraries and other community venues throughout the greater Catskill region.

SATURDAY, MAY 4 AT 7:00PM

TRAILBLAZING WOMEN OF COUNTRY: FROM PATSY TO LORETTA TO DOLLY

Orpheum Performing Arts Center

With their chart-topping hits and record-breaking sales, Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn, and Dolly Parton wove threads of contemporary womanhood throughout the tapestry of country music, resulting in unprecedented commercial success and earning each a place in the Country Music Hall of Fame. Trailblazing Women of Country will feature soloists Miko Marks, one of CMT’s 2022 Next Women of Country; and Nashville based singer Kristina Train, supported by a 5-member all-female band.

May 2024 • GUIDE 83
360 ALLSTARS March 9
SOLD OUT!
Photo: Darren Thomas

SATURDAY, MAY 11 AT 7:00PM

CAMILLE A. BROWN & DANCERS: I AM

Orpheum Performing Arts Center

Camille A. Brown is a three time Tony Award nominated director and choreographer whose work taps into both ancestral and contemporary stories to capture deeply personal experiences and cultural narratives of African American identity. Through the medium of dance, she has been successful in stage, TV, and film. She was the first black director in the history of the Metropolitan Opera MainStage, and has directed and choreographed numerous productions. TV & Film work includes the Academy Award nominated Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom and the Emmy award winning Jesus Christ Superstar

SATURDAY, MAY 18 AT 2:00PM ORPHEUM DANCE PROGRAM COMMUNITY BALLET CLASS ANNUAL RECITAL

Victoria Rinaldi

Orpheum Dance Program Director

Orpheum Performing Arts Center

The Orpheum Dance Program Community Ballet Class is a year-round program of ballet instruction for children of all ages which includes an annual student dance recital and participation in two fully-staged ballets each year. The recital showcases the work of all students and can also include alumni who have joined acclaimed ballet companies or who are studying dance at major universities.

SATURDAY, MAY 18 AT 8:00PM COMEDY SHOW

Doctorow Center for the Arts

Comedy Night is back, and it’s cleaner than ever! Josh Fromer brings opener Amanda Gail and headliner Greg Stone to the Catskills for an evening of hilarious stories and keenly-crafted jokes.

SATURDAY, JUNE 22 AT 1:00PM WOVEN CURRENTS

Yi-heng Yang piano

Judd Weisberg Woven Currents projected prints and live drawing on stage

Doctorow Center for the Arts, Cinema I

A multi-media collaboration between artist Judd Weisberg and pianist Yi-heng Yang. Weisberg has created a series of prints capturing the magical junctions where two streams merge, and Yi-heng Yang has composed music drawn from the musical pitches of the currents as they meet. This performance includes projected images from the Woven Currents print series and live drawing by Weisberg projected on the movie screen accompanied by Yi-heng Yang performing composed and improvised works on piano.

ACADEMY OF FORTEPIANO PERFORMANCE FESTIVAL

Doctorow Center for the Arts academyfortepiano.org/academy2024

Academy of Fortepiano Performance students will participate in master classes and workshops supported by plentiful access to pianos from the 18th & 19th century or their modern replicas.

MAY 25 – JUNE 2

ACADEMY OF FORTEPIANO PERFORMANCE WORKSHOP FOR SOLO FORTEPIANO

Guest artists: Elizaveta Miller and Jiayan Sun

SATURDAY, MAY 25 AT 7:00 PM

FACULTY AND GUEST ARTIST CONCERT: WHEN THE PIANO WAS YOUNG

Audrey Axinn, Maria Rose, Andrew Willis and guest artist Elizaveta Miller

TUESDAY, MAY 28 AT 2:00 PM

FREE LECTURE/CONCERT: “TOCCATAS AND FANTASIES”

With Julian Jenson

THURSDAY, MAY 30 AT 2:00 PM

FREE LECTURE/CONCERT: “HISTORICAL IMPROVISATION”

With Nicola Canzano

JUNE 2 – JUNE 8

CHAMBER MUSIC WORKSHOP FOR FORTEPIANO AND STRINGS

Guest faculty: Cynthia Roberts

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

ARTS

6050 MAIN STREET TANNERSVILLE, NY 12485

* The Red Barn (and outdoor tent) are located directly across the street from the Doctorow Center for the Arts

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ORPHEUM
OUR VENUES
PURCHASING TICKETS IS EASY Visit catskillmtn.org Email boxoffice@catskillmtn.org Call (518) 263-2063 Scan this QR code to visit our website and purchase tickets today! FREE!
PERFORMING
CENTER
DOCTOROW

JULY-DECEMBER AT-A-GLANCE

JULY

Maude Adams Theater Hub presents Charlie & The Chocolate Factory

Friday & Saturday, July 5 & 6

Orpheum Performing Arts Center

Catskill Mountain Foundation Benefit Dinner featuring a performance of Julius Caesar by Catskill Mountain Shakespeare Friday, July 12 @ 5:30pm Red Barn

Stars of Ballet with New York City Ballet

Principal Adrian Danchig-Waring Presented in partnership with Works & Process Sunday, July 14 @ 3:00pm Orpheum Performing Arts Center

Catskill Mountain Shakespeare presents Julius Caesar July 13-28, 2024

Under the Big Tent behind the Red Barn

Horton-By-The-Stream: Celebrating 30 Years! Harrison, Texas, by Horton Foote

Saturdays and Sundays July 20-21 & 27-28 @ 2:00pm Benefit Performance: Saturday July 27 @ 8:00pm Doctorow Center for the Arts

National Dance Institute: The Living Environment

Saturday, July 20 @ 7:00pm Orpheum Performing Arts Center

AUGUST

A Midsummer Night’s Dream Ballet

Orpheum Dance Program, Victoria Rinaldi, Director Featuring dancers from Joffrey Ballet School New York, Aquila Theatre and Orpheum Dance Program Student Dancers

Saturday, August 3 @ 2:00 & 7:00pm Sunday, August 4 @ 2:00pm Orpheum Performing Arts Center

HUNTER INTERNATIONAL MUSIC FESTIVAL

August 1 – August 10 Visit: huntermusicfestival.com

Hunter International Music Festival Faculty Concert Around the World: An Evening of Musical Integration

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

OMNY Taiko Drummers

Saturday, August 10 @ 6:00pm Orpheum Performing Arts Center

Sunday, August 11 @ 2:00pm Windham Civic & Performing Arts Center, Windham

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

The Moss Ensemble

Darcy Dunn, Marshall Coid and Mary Wooten

Saturday, August 24 @ 7:00pm Doctorow Center for the Arts

SEPTEMBER

Steven E. Greenstein Memorial Concert

Saturday, September 7 @ 2:00 pm Doctorow Center for the Arts

Martha Graham Dance Company: Baye & Asa, a first look Presented in partnership with Works & Process

Saturday, September 28 @ 7:00 pm Orpheum Performing Arts Center

OCTOBER

Maude Adams Theater Hub presents The Songbirds in concert

Saturday, October 5

Doctorow Center for the Arts

Home Again: Carole King Tribute

Saturday, October 19 @ 7:00pm

Orpheum Performing Arts Center

NOVEMBER

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

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

Doctorow Center for the Arts

May 2024 • GUIDE 85 Tickets now on sale! Visit www.catskillmtn.org

2024 SUMMER COURSES

CERAMICS BIG BURN: GENERAL MAYHEM

Instructors: Steve Cook & Bruce Dehnert

Dates: June 14 - 18 (5 Days)

Course Fee: $500

Lab Fee: $120

Skill Level: Beginner to Advanced

If you love to fire and love lots of different effects, or if you’re short on atmospheric firing experience, this intensive workshop is your ticket. You will participate in different types of firing, achieving results in a short time. We’ll fire soda, wood, gas reduction, raku, and pit! Emphasis is placed on glaze/surface preparation and firing techniques through demonstrations, lectures, and hands-on participation. You bring the bisque-ware, and we deliver the heat.

FROM NATURE TO ART: A WILD CLAY POTTERY WORKSHOP

Instructors: Takuro and Hitomi Shibata

Dates: June 21 – 25

Course Fee: $600

Lab Fee: $100 (includes first bag of clay)

Skill Level: Beginner to Advanced Locally prospected clays, known as “wild clays,” have been utilized for pottery-making for thousands of years. Join us in this workshop as we explore wild clay’s potential as a clay body, slip, or glaze material. This workshop will provide an opportunity to discover the possibilities of materials found in our own surroundings. Let’s craft together and enjoy this creative process of transforming the Catskill’s wild clay into creative objects.Test firings are planned.

HAND BUILT POTTERY: FROM FLAT TO FORM

Instructor: Bill Griffith

Dates: June 28-July 2

Course Fee: $500

Lab Fee: $50 (includes first bag of clay)

Skill Level: Beginner To Advanced Using soft clay slabs, templates and several hand building construction techniques, students

will create a variety of functional pottery forms including mugs, pouring pots, vases, and platters. Students will also make their own clay stamps. Emphasis will be on learning good craftsmanship and constructing functional forms. This workshop is designed for beginning level students, and teachers who want to expand their making skills and knowledge. There will be a bisque firing. Glazes and application will be demonstrated and discussed.

SODA FIRING INTENSIVE

Instructor: Chris Archer

Dates: June 28 – July 1

Course Fee: $400

Lab Fee: $50 [includes first bag of clay]

Skill Level: Beginner to Advanced

Explore the transformative power of soda ash in a three-day workshop covering glaze application, kiln stacking, and firing techniques. Achieve rich colors and unique surface textures through this atmospheric firing process. Learn to balance science and art as you choreograph your work for stunning results. Bring bisquefired stoneware or porcelain pieces, and experiment with glazes, flashing slips, and test tiles. There will be wheel-throwing and altering demonstrations, and time for making with lots of individual attention. All skill levels welcome!

LEVELING UP: PORCELAIN AND CELADON

Instructor: Francine Epstein

Dates: July 5-9

Course Fee: $500

Lab Fee: $60 [includes first bag of clay]

Skill Level: Beginner To Intermediate

If you are looking to improve your skills in throwing great pots with porcelain, this workshop is for you. Come study in our sunny studio with one of the most gifted teachers of the craft while focusing on making better pots. Through demonstrations, practice, and discussions, students will explore the anatomy of pots, and concentrate on aspects of their craft that deserve improvement. Students will take home a greater knowledge of their own approach and ‘voice’, as well as greenware, bisqueware, and high fired celadons from our gas reduction kiln!

GLAZE & MATERIALS

SCIENCE FOR THE ARTIST: PLUS!

Instructor: Dr. William M. Carty

Dates: July 5 – 9

Course Fee: $500

Lab Fee: $60

Skill Level: Beginner to Advanced

Whether you’re a recent arrival to the glaze and clay calculation world, or you’ve previously studied this fascinating science, this workshop will exponentially expand your knowledge of glaze and clay-body development. Students will ex-

plore color behavior in glazes, that they invent, in both oxidation AND reduction atmospheres. Glaze and clay body formulation, the role of metal oxides and stains, the introduction of opacifiers, and causes of defects will be taught step by step. Testing “wild clays” will be welcome in our explorations. Students are encouraged to bring in their curiosities and challenges for discussion with this renowned, and fun, instructor.

FIVE DAYS WITH ADJECTIVES

Instructor: John Gill

Dates: July 12 – 16

Course Fee: $600

Lab Fee: $50 [includes first bag of clay]

Skill Level: Beginner to Advanced

John Gill is known for his unique approaches to constructing planular vessels that exhibit both contemporary and historical associations. Gill’s expressive angulars challenge gravity with cantilever, colliding with surfaces that feature dynamic painting. There is undeniable magic in his hands, and a plausible logic guided by the idea that working with function opens-up possibilities. Join us in this workshop that could change your trajectories in thinking and creating. Gill has been a leader in our field, absorbing stories, and working intuitively to put together forms in direct yet activated relationships. The opportunity to study with this artist is a rite of passage and not to be missed.

CLAYING WITH SODA FIRING

Instructor: Chad Steve

Dates: July 19-23

Course Fee: $500

Lab Fee: $70 [includes first bag of clay]

Skill Level: Beginner to Advanced

This workshop provides a hands-on experience in wheel throwing and soda firing. Students will experiment with altering and incorporating various flashing slips to enhance the aesthetic aspects of their work. Participants are encouraged to bring gathered materials, such as sand and small stones, to be added to slips. Each material can provide unique textures, patterns, or even contrasting colors. This process adds both aesthetic and tactile dimensions to the fired works. The combination of wheel throwing, alterations, slip additions and atmospheric firing allows for a diverse range of artistic expression.

SMOKIN’ LIKE A FREIGHT TRAIN!

Instructor: Ben Owen

Dates: July 26 - August 4

Course Fee: 900

Lab Fee: $130 [includes first bag of clay]

Skill Level: Intermediate to Advanced

This pivotal workshop will provide a great experience of wood-firing as a group. Various approaches to using flashing slips, glazing with materials to create texture, and firing techniques will be emphasized. Specific placement in the

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34 Big Hollow Road | Maplecrest, NY 12454 www.catskillmtn.org On Instagram: @sugarmaples_art_center Register TODAY! FULL!
FULL!

kiln, for various effects from the flame, smoke, and ash accumulation will be an important component of the experience. Philosophy, design, and specific ways of processing pottery will be shared. A hands-on workshop will take place while the wood kiln cools. Information on clays and materials to use for this workshop will be provided.

THE LAYERED SURFACE

Instructor: Anna Calluori Holcombe

Dates: August 9-13

Course Fee: $500

Lab Fee: $90

Skill Level: Beginner to Advanced If you are interested in developing a rich and layered surface, this course will allow you to expand your palette and skills in making work that is personally relevant and dynamic. By incorporating drawing, photography, scanning, and collage techniques to develop imagery. Techniques such as China paint, decals, slips, and under and over glazes will be explored. These processes will be used on a variety of forms, such as tiles and plates, as well as work you make during this exciting workshop. We will be working with porcelain, exploring its multitude of forming and decorative possibilities.

DWIPPY GLAZE PLAY & THE DIMINUTIVE TEAPOT

Instructor: Fong Choo

Dates: August 9-13

Course Fee: $500

Lab Fee: $90

Skill Level: Beginner to Advanced

Focus your playful side and inner glaze alchemist! This workshop will emphasize throwing a variety of forms, including the instructor’s beloved teapot, and delves into the mesmerizing world of unorthodox glazing, blending and learning how to tweak Mayco’s low-fire crystal glazes with their mid-range counterparts, for a kaleidoscope of unpredictable finishes. We’ll also explore his renowned handle-building techniques using unique materials like cane and reed, transforming your handled works into mini masterpieces. Come experiment, embrace the unexpected, and discover the magic of firing to cone 5-6 with the master of this approach.

ZOOMORPHIC VESSELS

Instructor: Katherine Maloney

Dates: August 16-20

Course Fee: $500

Lab Fee: $70 (includes one bag of clay)

Skill Level: The ability to wheel-throw a cylinder is encouraged

Join us for 5 days of exploring imaginative approaches to creating zoomorphic pottery. Using techniques of throwing and hand-building, students will form vessels that incorporate animal figures by sculpting, carving, and alteration. Instruction will cover basic sculpting techniques such as the hollowing method and how to give their animals expression and detail. Katherine will provide individual guidance with each student to achieve a pleasing composition, structural integrity, and personal meaning in their finished work. The workshop also includes one glaze firing.

PAINTING ON CLAY WITH YOUR BODY, MIND AND SOUL

Instructor: Sin-ying Ho & Phil Read

Dates: Aug. 23-27

Course Fee: $500

Lab Fee: $95 (includes first bag of clay)

Skill Level: Beginner To Advanced

This exciting workshop will emphasize ancient Chinese methodologies and concepts for painting and decorating on porcelain greenware, bisqueware, and glaze ware. Processes, that include applying “Qing Hua” cobalt pigment, color underglazes, glazes, computer decal transfers and China paints, will be shared. Students will learn two major brush painting techniques; fine-line brush painting and board brush expression. Ways of painting symbols and patterns, like bamboo, will be covered. By understanding color field and exploring the subconscious, participants will connect with their body, mind, and soul.

THE WHOLE ENCHILADA: A BEGINNER’S JOURNEY IN CLAY

Instructors: Marilyn Katz, Gail Rutigliano, Karen Stern

Dates: September 7 – 9

Course Fee: $300

Lab Fee: $50 [includes first bag of clay]

Skill Level: Beginner

Last year, this revolutionary way of learning to work with clay was invented right here at Sugar Maples Center for Creative Arts. Have a blast getting creative in this workshop with three Dynamos! Come be a part of a new paradigm in learning how to work with clay…under the guidance of three amazing artists. Students will learn wheel throwing, hand building, glazing, and raku firing…each technique important to building skills quickly. These Instructors who know how to work with clay, enthusiastically share their knowledge, and set the right atmosphere for learning.

VOLUMETRIC IMAGE TRANSFER

Instructor: Forrest Lesch-Middleton

Dates: September 13-17

Course Fee: $500

Lab Fee: $110 [includes first bag of clay]

Skill Level: Intermediate To Advanced This workshop explores a technique called “volumetric image transfer.” We’ll start with wheel-throwing and tile demos, then move on to creating silkscreens with your own designs. By the end of day one, you’ll have your own silkscreen and understand how to set up a low-tech darkroom. We’ll also explore form and function, and you’ll gain a deeper understanding of wheel throwing and design principles. There’s plenty of time to develop your work and incorporate image transfer into your studio practice.

EXPLORING THE HUMAN TORSO

Instructor: Lisa Clague

Dates: Sept. 13-17

Course Fee: $500

Lab Fee: $65 [includes first bag of clay]

Skill Level: Beginner To Advanced

Learning to sculpt the Figure is a process that is both exciting and challenging. With good instruction, you will enjoy the process of creating a torso that tells your own personal story In this workshop we will construct the torso using slab construction. Emphasis will be on the face and hands, giving expression to your piece. The incorporation of metal and fabric dipped in slip will give your work another level of freshness and excitement. Surface treatments will be explored on wet clay as well as glazes and post fired finishes.

2D PROGRAM SLICE N EASY: PAPERCUT CITYSCAPES

Instructor: Rosa Leff

Dates: June 10-12

Course Fee: $300

Lab Fee: $30

Skill Level: Beginner to Advanced In this workshop, we will work from personal photographs to create hand-cut paper images. Participants will learn how to navigate the shadows, layers, and movements in a photo and ensure that the cut image remains structurally sound without the use of adhesives. The skills practiced in this workshop can be applied to any image, allowing participants to create dynamic papercuts from their own photos. There will be discussions and demonstrations to assist students through this amazingly complex, and beautiful, art-form. All levels of skill are most welcome.

THE JOURNEY IS REAL

Instructor: Karin Lowney-Seed

Dates: June 28 - July 1

Course Fee: $400

Lab Fee: $45

Skill Level: Beginner To Advanced In this workshop we will explore personal artistic style while venturing new ideas and pathways into your skills in painting. Experimenting and challenging yourself can be the most rewarding process, yet also intimidating. Students will receive instruction in understanding, mixing, and applying paint to create imagery. Learning personal mark-making is central to this experience. This supportive and dynamic workshop instructor will take you on that journey.

May 2024 • GUIDE 87

LANDSCAPE IN THE STUDIO AND AFIELD

Instructor: Nathan Loda

Dates: July 5 – 9

Course Fee: $500

Lab Fee: $30

Skill Level: Beginner To Advanced We will learn the fundamentals of landscape painting in the studio, and venture outdoors to use our skills under the beautiful Catskill sky. There will be demonstrations of a methodical approach to painting landscapes that can be used in the studio, as well as painting directly from observation in these ancient mountains, valleys, and glens. The focus will be on representational painting, and practicing techniques used to blend realism, abstraction, and imagination. All levels welcome.

THINKING WITH YOUR HANDS

Instructor: Cyrus Highsmith

Dates: July 7-9

Course Fee: $300

Lab Fee: $40

Skill Level: Beginner to Advanced There are few aspects of human communication that are as sophisticated as written alphabets. Integral to language and meaning, letters, designed and drawn, offer infinite aesthetic possibilities. Students will be introduced to methods that can be applied to type design as well as image-making of all kinds. This workshop will be a dynamic, hands-on, and mostly computer-free, exploration of drawing, making, and thinking about letters in ways that will enable students to see the world in different ways.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Instructor: Gabe Brown

Dates: July 12-16

Course Fee: $500

Lab Fee: $40

Skill Level: Beginner To Advanced Designed for those interested in not only the basic understanding of oil painting and various water media techniques and applications, this workshop will also address advanced knowledge of practical uses. This workshop is ideal for anyone wanting to perfect their craft with a better understanding of how to apply specific methods to individual studio practice. You will learn application methods of ‘ground’ on various substrates, paint-mixing techniques, presentation, and preparation of artwork for transportation.

EXPLORING WATERCOLOR AND ACRYLIC

Instructor: Loreen Oren

Dates: July 19- 21

Course Fee: $300

Lab Fee: $50

Skill Level: Beginner To Advanced

This workshop is designed for beginners or students who wish to continue working with watercolor and other water-based painting such as tempera gouache and acrylics. Techniques such as wet-on-wet, wet-on-dry, scumbling and “dry brush” will be demonstrated. Students will learn

how to create patterns, layers, color relationships, brush strokes and effects in watercolor painting. In-depth explorations of various types of paper will be led, in addition to using unexpected tools to apply paint and achieve unique results. Bring your creativity and love for color!

FIND YOUR STARBURST

Instructor: Kulvinder Kaur Dhew

Dates: August 2-6

Course Fee: $500

Lab Fee: $45

Skill Level: Beginner To Advanced

Join us for a dynamic exploration of drawing where you’ll delve into the fundamentals of capturing form, image, and narrative through a wide array of media and tools. This workshop goes beyond the mechanics of drawing, inviting you to discover the profound connection between observation, understanding, and artistic expression. Engage in insightful lectures, stimulating exercises, and engaging presentations that fuel your artistic growth. This workshop is perfect for anyone seeking to deepen their relationship with drawing. All skill levels welcome.

EXPLORATIONS IN NATURAL PAINTS, DYES & PIGMENTS

Instructor: Patricia Miranda

Dates: August 16-20

Course Fee: $500

Lab Fee: $50

Skill Level: Beginner To Advanced This workshop is an exploration of color using natural dyes and pigments. Participants will create color from raw materials such as cochineal, malachite, clay, oak gall, and black walnuts, for use in a diverse group of water-based binders, from gum arabic to distemper to egg tempera. We will explore the potentials of color, and how materials carry content through history, context, physical and aesthetic properties. Considerations of the environmental impact of materials will offer a framework for maintaining a sustainable safe painting practice. Participants will create a set of handmade watercolor paints, a color swatch book, and paintings.

FIBERS RUG HOOKING

Instructor: Tina Harp

Dates: June 21 - 23

Course Fee: $300

Lab Fee: $85

Skill Level: Beginner to Advanced Rug Hooking is a traditional art form here in the Catskills. Beginning with a complete kit, students will learn how to hook a simple 8 x 10 picture using hand-dyed strips of wool. Learn how color and texture function in this intriguing craft technique. Because this tool is portable, students will be able to continue working on projects outside class hours, and the next morning will be spent going over how the colors create textures, and how to fix a mistake. Lots of demonstrations and individual attention!

TWINING BASKETS WITH WAXED LINEN

Instructor: Cael Chappell

Dates: August 9-13

Course Fee: $500

Lab Fee: $50

Skill Level: Beginner to Advanced Join us for a 5-day basket weaving workshop with award winning weaver Cael Chappell! This hands-on experience will take you on a creative journey, where you’ll learn the art of twined basketry using waxed linen thread. Each day will be filled with in-depth instruction to create unique, personalized baskets. Cael’s expertise and passion will guide you through the process, from planning your project to completing beautiful baskets. All skill levels welcome.

CATTAIL WEAVING INTENSIVE

Instructor: Renee Baumann

Dates: August 30-September 1

Course Fee: $300

Lab Fee: $40

Skill Level: Beginner to Advanced Drawing from traditional English rush-weaving techniques, this workshop will delve into working with locally harvested cattail leaves found here in the Catskills. This unique course will extend the student’s basket weaving skills through constructing smaller baskets and culminating with weaving a sun hat. Expect to leave Sugar Maples with the knowledge to harvest, prepare and weave baskets from this abundant wetland plant. No previous basketry experience required!

SPECIAL TOPICS

THE ART OF TYING FLIES

Instructor: Judd Weisberg

Dates: July 13

Time: 1-4pm

Course Fee: $100

Lab Fee: $60

Skill Level: Beginner To Advanced In this introductory workshop, you’ll learn the essential techniques for crafting classic trout flies, from the alluring wet patterns that mimic aquatic insects to the vibrant streamers that tempt larger fish. Whether you’re a seasoned angler or a curious beginner, this hands-on experience will equip you with the skills to

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create effective and beautiful lures. Under expert guidance, you’ll master the art of tying the Black & Olive Woolly Bugger, a versatile wet fly; the Black-Nosed Dace, a classic dry fly that imitates a small minnow; the Hendrickson, a dry fly designed for mayfly hatches; and assorted nymphs, essential for imitating underwater prey.

MOSAICS: NATURALLY

Instructor: Cynthia Fisher

Dates: June 14 -16

Course Fee: $300

Lab Fee: $80

Skill Level: Beginner to Advanced Mosaics inspired by the natural world range from abstract to representational. We will work in the indirect method with instruction tailored to your individual needs. Beginning with an overview of materials, substrates and tools, students will move onto composing their mosaic. Key elements of mosaic design will be emphasized: Andamento (the placement of tiles), color, value, and texture. Under the instructor’s skilled guidance, you will bring your nature-inspired vision to life in mosaic.

NATURAL PERFUME WORKSHOP

Instructor: Michelle O’Carroll

Dates: August 3

Course Fee: $160

Lab Fee: $130

Skill Level: Beginner To Advanced

This workshop is your gateway to the captivating world of natural perfumery. We’ll cover the fascinating history and methods of scent extraction, and then delve into the principles of fragrance structure, composition, and how scents interact with your unique skin chemistry. Embark on a sensory adventure with a guided sampling of the 13 olfactory families before experimenting with over 50 raw materials from our extensive library. Design and create your own, bespoke natural perfume/cologne to take home, using professional skeletal formulas as your roadmap. This workshop is perfect for anyone curious about the art of natural perfumery and eager to express their creativity through scent.

DRIFTS & LABYRINTHS

Instructor: Christopher Kaczmarek

Dates: August 16-20

Course Fee: $500

Lab Fee: $30

Skill Level: Beginner To Advanced

The act of walking is one of the most basic constants of the human condition, and is often a solo endeavor of short duration, covering the “last mile” between destination points. But there are creative and cultural spaces where walking serves as a shared modality for deep engagement and contemplation, and where both an investigation and a heightened awareness of our internal and external environments is undertaken. We will explore cultural spaces as formed through the artistic practice of Dérive, and the act of creating and walking an outdoor seven-circuit classic labyrinth.

WRITING ON CRAFT, ART AND OUR SELVES

Instructor: Vince Montague

Dates: August 31- September 2

Course Fee: $300

Lab Fee: $25

Skill Level: Beginner To Advanced

Sugar Maples is thrilled to announce that for the first time in our history, we are offering an opportunity for those who would like to write. This will be a workshop with one of the country’s most special writers. If you are interested in writing about art, craft, or memoir, this workshop will infuse your thinking and writing with new ways of looking at our world of creativity. There will be discussions and exercises aimed at helping you hone your ideas, sharpen your vision, explore language, and experiment with the infinite ways of words. Learn how to construct and submit manuscripts for publication by journals, online media, and book publishers. Participants will have full access to our beautiful, sunny studio that’s replete with lots of table room, potters’ wheels, WIFI, and a supportive atmosphere. Note* You don’t have to be an artist to take this workshop!

WEEKLY CLASSES (Wednesdays)

WEEKLY WHEEL THROWING CERAMICS

Instructor: Meredith Kunhardt

Dates: June 19 – August 20

Time: 10:00 am – 1:00 pm

Course Fee: $220

Lab Fee: $65 [includes first bag of clay]

Skill Level: Beginner to Advanced

There are many reasons that making pottery on the wheel has become so popular. Making pots gets us more in touch with our elemental ‘selves’. Fashioning pots with our hands, and minds, serves our desire to create and realize our imaginations. The farm to table movement has made us more aware of the relationship between locally grown foods and handmade wares. We aim to celebrate this relationship by offering an introductory course to making pots. Students will learn how to prepare clay and, using the potter’s wheel, create tableware shapes.

WEEKLY HAND BUILDING CERAMICS

Instructor: Maureen Garcia

Dates: June 19 – August 20

Time: 10:00 am – 1:00 pm

Course Fee: $220

Lab Fee: $65 [includes first bag of clay]

Skill Level: Beginner to Advanced

Using clay to create pottery, sculpture, architectural and other forms, reaches back as far in time as 28,000 years ago when the first paleolithic Venus figurines were sculpted. From the magnificent, Native American pots to modern day tilework, sculptures, and functional vessels, hand-building processes have played an important role in artists’ abilities to express their imaginations and cultures through this most malleable medium. During this exciting course, students will learn a variety of processes, tools, and approaches to realizing form. There will be demonstrations of pinch, coil, and slab techniques, and firings.

WEEKLY WEAVING

Instructor: Tina Harp

Dates: May 29 – July 17

Time: 10:00 am – 1:00 pm

Course Fee: $220

Lab Fee: $65

Skill Level: Beginner to Advanced

This class is designed for beginners and advanced weavers who want to learn and refresh the basics of hand-weaving. Each week, you will focus on a different weaving technique or project. By the end of the class, you will have created a variety of woven pieces, such as a scarf, placemat, or wall hanging. In addition to learning how to wind a warp, set up a loom, and weave basic patterns, you’ll learn different weaving techniques and how to troubleshoot. This class is a great way to relax, while also learning a new skill that you can enjoy for years to come. No prior experience is required.

Please Note: If a course is marked as FULL, you may visit the website and register to be put on the waiting list.

34 Big Hollow Road Maplecrest, NY 12454

www.catskillmtn.org/

May 2024 • GUIDE 89
sugar-maples-center-for-
On Instagram: @sugarmaples_art_center
creative-arts/
Photo: Mark Loete

Your support matters and makes everything we do possible!

EACH YEAR, THE CATSKILL MOUNTAIN FOUNDATION

• Presents and hosts more than 20 performances and lectures

• 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.

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

• 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:

q Secondary Address

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 q Visa q Mastercard q AmEx Card # Exp. Date CVV 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.

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THE CATSKILL MOUNTAIN FOUNDATION!
PLEASE DONATE TO
State: Zip: E-mail: Phone:
Zip:
Address: City: State:
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
Catskill

The MOUNTAIN CINEMA

DOCTOROW

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

May 2024 • GUIDE 91
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Blue Mountain Excavation bluemountainexcavation.com

See ad on page 30

Blue Stone & Mulch 518 734 5173

See ad on page 30

Brainard Ridge Realty brainardridge.com

See ad on page 1

Brandywine brandywinewindham.com

See ad on page 46

Briars & Brambles Books briarsandbramblesbooks.com

See ad on page 2

Camp Catskill campcatskill.co

See ad on page 55

Campbell Pristine Pro Services campbellpristinellc.com

See ad on page 31

Catskill Center catskillcenter.org

See ad on page 19

Catskills Home Team at Keller Williams Upstate NY Properties 845 684 2121

See ad on page 7

Catskills Visitors Center catskillsvisitorcenter.com

See ad on page 19

Central Catskills Chamber of Commerce

ScenicCatskills.com

See ad on page 23

Chef Deanna chefdeanna.com

See ad on page 49

CMF Gift Shop 518 263 2001

See ad on page 65

CMF Piano Performance Museum

catskillmtn.org

See ad on page 78

CMF Presents Academy of Fortepiano Performance catskillmtn.org

See ad on page 17

CMF Presents

Camille A. Brown & Dancers: I AM catskillmtn.org

See ad on page 15

CMF Presents

Trailblazing Women of Country catskillmtn.org

See ad on page 38

CMF Presents Windham Festival Chamber Orchestra catskillmtn.org

See ad on page 19

CMF Presents Woven Currents catskillmtn.org

See ad on page 79

Coldwell Banker— Timberland Properties timberlandproperties.com

See ad on page 3

DEWA Spa | Menla menla.org/spa

See ad on page 23

Francis X. Driscoll Photography francisxdriscoll.com

See ad on page 78

Garden of Stone 518 734 4730

See ad on page 34

Gardens by Trista gardensbytrista.com

See ad on page 31

Gilboa Museum 607 588 6894

See ad on page 44

Gordon Hunter Mountain Realty gordonrealty.com

See ad on Back Cover

Gracie’s Luncheonette graciestruckny.com

See ad on page 48

Greene County EDC greenecountyedc.com

See ad on Inside Back Cover

Greenville Arms greenvillearms.com

See ad on page 43

Hampton Inn kingston.hamptoninn.com

See ad on page 47

Hanford Mills Museum hanfordmills.org

See ad on page 45

Helsmoortel Realty helsmoortelrealty.com

See ad on page 37

High Falls Cafe highfallscafe.com

See ad on page 43

Holdridge Electric HoldridgeElectric.com

See ad on page 35

Houst Hardware housthardware.com

See ad on page 34

The Ice Cream Station 845 688 3333

See ad on page 43

Iroquois Museum iroquoismuseum.org

See ad on page 21

Jessie’s Harvest House jessiesharvesthouse.com

See ad on page 45

The Knitting Room theknittingroomny.com

See ad on page 42

Main Street Community Center mainstreetcenter.org

See ad on page 2

Mama’s Boy Burgers mamasboyburgers.com

See ad on page 48

Maude Adams Theater Hub presents Comedy in the Catskills MaudeAdamsTheaterHub.org

See ad on page 59

Moose Crossing rustic-cabin.com

See ad on page 37

Mountain Cinema catskillmtn.org

See ad on page 91

Mountain Sheds mountainshedsny.com

See ad on page 30

N & S Supply nsssupply.com

See ad on page 33

The Nest Egg nesteggshop.com

See ad on page 43

Peekamoose Restaurant peekamooserestaurant.com

See ad on page 49

Pure Catskills purecatskills.com

See ad on page 4

Amy Rosen, Licensed Real Estate Salesperson, Ruth Gale Realty 212 960 3983

See ad on page 33

Shaw Country Realty

Carol Shaw, Broker/Owner 518 734 3500

See ad on page 32

Shawn’s Fresh Fish

On Instagram @shawnsfreshfish

See ad on page 50

Sheeley Roofing

SheeleyRoofing.com

See ad on page 29

Smitty’s Nursery & Landscape smittyscapes.com

See ad on page 37

Story’s Nursery storysnursery.com

See ad on page 33

Sunflower Market

SunflowerNatural.com

See ad on Inside Front Cover Tannersville Works tannersvilleworks.com

See ad on page 42

Thorpe’s GMC thorpesgmcinc.com

See ad on page 43

Town & Country Liquor Store townandcountryliquorstore.com

See ad on page 48

Ulster County VisitUlsterCountyNY.com

See ad on page 9

Victoria Gardens victoriagardens.biz

See ad on page 28

Win Morrison Realty winmorrisonrealty.com

See ad on page 13

Windham Fine Arts windhamfinearts.com

See ad on page 44

Windham Foundation windhamfoundation.com

See ad on page 41

Windham Hardware 518 734 4433

See ad on page 32

Windham Manor windhammanor.com

See ad on page 45

Windham Mountain Club windhammountainclub.com

See ad on page 11

Windham Wine & Liquor 518 734 3474

See ad on page 47

WIOX 91.3FM wioxradio.org

See ad on page 52

Woodstock-New Paltz

Art & Crafts Fair quailhollow.com

See ad on page 21

WRIP 97.9FM rip979.com

See ad on page 46

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