Mamaroneck REVIEW THE
July 5, 2024 | Vol. 10, Number 27 | www.mamaroneckreview.com
Borscht Belt Relics: Artifacts of the Catskill Resort Age SUMMER SOCCER SEASON! Harrison squares off against Walter Panas in the Lakeland Summer Soccer League on June 30. The Huskies and Panthers are among 18 teams getting work in before the official high school season starts in August. For story, see page 16. Photo/Mike Smith
The Osborn’s concert series presents Island Magic, the Street Life Trio The Osborn’s WellSpring Free Thursday Night Summer Concert Series presents Island Magic on July 11, 2024, from 7 p.m.-8 p.m. Join us for a night of classic tunes played with an island twist. Relax, close your eyes and you will be transported to a Caribbean island for the evening. The Osborn wraps up the series with the Street Life Trio on July 18, from 7 p.m.-8 p.m. The Street Life
Trio performs musical hits from the 50’s, 60’s & 70’s through today. You will love their approach to both classic favorites and contemporary hits. Free and open to the public, the concerts will be held on The Osborn’s South Lawn at 101 Theall Road in Rye. RSVP is not required. If you are not a resident of The
Osborn, please bring lawn chairs or blankets. (Seating is provided for Osborn residents only.) In the event of inclement weather, the concerts will be moved indoors to The Osborn’s newly renovated Art Deco auditorium. For more information, please visit here: https://www.theosborn.org/ events
“Borscht Belt Artifacts: Relics of the Catskill Resort Age” was first debuted by local author, musician, and historian Alex Prizgintas last November to a strong audience. “The history of the Borscht Belt, particularly how it was a melting pot for so many cultures when it came to cuisine, entertainment, music, and so many other aspects of American history” says Prizgintas. “What is even more tragic is how this history has vanished so quickly, which is why I have dedicated myself to collecting relics from the old hotels, resorts, and bungalow colonies.” Since Prizgintas began collecting items from the Borscht Belt ten years ago, awareness for this crucial aspect of our local past has rapidly expanded with the opening of the Borscht Belt Museum in Ellenville, the ongoing Borscht Belt Historical Marker Project, and a number of both films as well as books that have been published. “Seeing this history finally receiving the recognition it deserves is incredibly rewarding, and I am honored to be a part of this new chapter for the memories of the Borscht Belt.” Prizgintas’s popular
Borscht Belt lecture will be featured by the Harrison Public Library in Harrison on Monday, July 15 at 7 p.m. An advisory board member of the new Borscht Belt Museum of Ellenville, he did not live during the age of the grand hotels and bungalow colonies but is nonetheless fascinated by what artifacts remain. “Beyond their revolutionary architecture and nexus of cultures, I was always drawn to how the Borscht Belt intersected with many of my other historical interests—principally railroads,” says Prizgintas. “With thousands of items from each of an estimated 926 hotels and bungalow colonies, this program covers a broad history of the Borscht Belt extending back to the earliest records of summer agricultural colonies in the late 1830s. From here, I showcase five unique items from my personal collection that all have a special place amidst the hearts and hands that shaped this region of New York.” As a staple of all these lectures, this event will feature displays of historical artifacts allowing the audience to visibly and tangibly view the region’s past.