And over to the east ...

Vermont is also celebrating its version of the Hudson-Fulton-Champlain Quadricentennial with many events planned this year, including an 11-day International Waterfront Festival in Burlington from July 2-14, "featuring music, comedy, film, theater, writers, dancers, new technology, lake ecology, and special events."

Here's more:

Look forward to world-class, multi-faceted Native American and Franco-American showcases, dynamic history forums, invigorating lake walks and waterfront activities, headline music concerts, and fireworks extravaganzas. On Saturday, July 11th a mammoth parade and day-long celebration will culminate in a stunning pageant and international fireworks spectacular.

In case you'd like to visit our neighbors to the east, the Vermont Quad event Web site has the details: www.celebratechamplain.org

8,000 Years of Native American History and Culture

Five experts on the Native American influence in the Hudson Valley will be part of the conference "Before Hudson: 8,000 Years of Native American History and Culture" Friday (May 1) and Saturday (May 2) at Historic Huguenot Street in New Paltz. It takes place from 6 to 9 p.m. on Friday and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday. Speakers include Dr. Robert Grumet, scholar and author, Native Americans of the Hudson Valley; Dr. David Ostreicher, leading authority on the Lenape; Tom Lake, anthropologist and Hudson Estuary naturalist; Dr. Joseph Diamond, Department of Anthropology, SUNY New Paltz; and Marc B. Fried, local author and historian.

The conference is $50 for both days or $20 for Friday only. A student rate is also available. More information about the conference can be found at www.huguenotstreet.org by clicking on “Before Hudson” or by calling 845-255-1660.


Here is more from the press release:

In our Quadricentennial year, as much attention is focused on the founding of New Netherlands and the arrival of the earliest Europeans, this conference shines a light on the Native Peoples who were here to greet Hudson and the Europeans that followed him.

Historic Huguenot Street is known as the site where twelve French-speaking Protestants and their families founded New Paltz in 1678. Less known is the fact that this National Historic Landmark District was valued and lived on by Native Americans long before them. The site has been described as one of the richest for Native American artifacts in the Mid Hudson Valley.

May events in Ulster County

Ulster County has released its list of Quad-related events for May. There are some interesting things to do here – a Native American festival, the Kingston Fair, paintings and photos in The Great Tulip Scandal exhibit, historic stone house tours, and more.

Here are the details:

Friday, May 1

"The Esopus Native American Peoples," records and artifacts related to the original inhabitants and contact with the Europeans, will be on display at the Huguenot Historical Society, in New Paltz, through October 31. Also scheduled on May 1 and 2 is a conference entitled "Before Hudson: 8,000 Years of Native Esopus Culture." Key-note speaker, the renowned Lenape expert, Dr. Robert Grumet, will open the conference on Friday evening. Includes demonstrations of native crafts.

Saturday, May 2

"Celebrate: The 1909 Hudson-Fulton Celebration," opening at the Hudson River Maritime Museum, in Kingston, and on view until October 31, features archival photographs, artifacts and souvenirs from the original 1909 Hudson-Fulton Celebration. The monumental event celebrated the discovery of the Hudson River by the English navigator and Robert Fulton's first successful American steamboat and was held in the fall in New York City, which hosted its largest ship parade ever, as well as every port city along the river.

A second exhibit, "The Changing River," also opens on May 2 at the museum. Funded by a grant from the Department of Environmental Conservation, it features dioramas of various species indigenous to the area as well as satellite photographs showing local topography. An interactive computer station with a visual "time-travel" site comparison, using photographs of long-ago and actual present-day river sites, allows viewers to witness the evolution of the River over time.

"The Great Tulip Scandal" at Arts Society of Kingston is curated by Lynne Friedman and runs through May 30, with the opening reception from 5-8 pm on May 2. As current events attest, greed can compel people to take unreasonable risks and put their money in iffy investments. Nothing new in that: in 1636-37, investors in the Netherlands went nuts over tulips. At the height of the boom, a single tulip bulb was equal in value to the worth of a common worker's wages for half a year. What accounted for the power of this innocent-looking botanical? The paintings and photographs in this show, which depict tulips and other aspects of traditional Dutch culture, might shed some light on that question. During the opening, there will be a reading of excerpts from Crazy About Tulips by Lew Gardner.

"Hudson-Fulton: Take Two" at Friends of Historic Kingston (FHK), which runs through October, is another art show taking a look back at an historic event. Memorabilia from the 1909 Hudson-Fulton Celebration served as the inspiration for works created by 10 artists in a variety of media including painting, sculpture, photography, fiber arts, metal, jewelry, prose and poetry.

The original memorabilia, culled from FHK archives and Jack Matthews' photo collection, are also displayed, enabling visitors to link the contemporary works with their source. Participating artists are Michael Asbill, Susan Basch, Francois Deschamps, Aliyah Gold, Ken Gray, Arthur Hash, Casey Kurti, Sara Pfau, Cozette Phillips and Sean Sullivan. Opening reception, 5-8 pm.

More memorabilia from the Hudson-Fulton Celebration of 1909 will be exhibited at the Hurley Heritage Society, along with artifacts of the colonial Dutch, in a show that runs through October 31. Specially commissioned sculptures will be exhibited on the grounds. The society will also be hosting a garden tour, plein-air paint out, plant sale and Dutch Tea on May 2, between 11 am-4 pm. The tour is $20 ($18 in advance). Call 845-331-4852. Rain date is May 3.

Sunday, May 3

A Native American Festival at the Senate House State Historic Site, in Kingston, will explore the culture of the indigenous peoples of the Hudson Valley with performances, demonstrations and talks, 11 am-4:30 pm.

Tuesday, May 12

A lecture entitled "American Indians in the Time of Henry Hudson" will be held at the Kiersted House in Saugerties, at 7 pm. Sponsored by the New York Council for the Humanities and the Village of Saugerties.

Saturday, May 16

"Take Me to the River," photographs by Tom Sobolik, are displayed at Cabane Studios Fine Art Gallery and Photographic Studio, Phoenicia. The show runs through June 21 and the opening reception is on Saturday, May 16, from 6-9 pm.

Sprint Tide Festival at the Hudson River Maritime Museum will feature a performance by Arm-of-the-Sea entitled "Mutual Strangers: Henry Hudson & the River That Discovered Him." Arm-of-the-Sea harnesses the transformational energy of mask and puppet theatre to re-imagine, from multiple points of view, Hudson's voyage up the river that bears his name. Also music, food, children's activities and educational displays.

Tour nine historic stone houses in Saugerties, from 11 am to 5 pm. Tickets are $20 ($10 in advance). Available at Smith's Hardware, Hudson Valley Guild Booktrader and Muddy Cup/Inquiring Mind, all in Saugerties. Torrential rain date, May 17.

More historic stone houses can be toured at Historic Huguenot Street, during its May Day: Colonial Street Festival, from 11 am-5 pm. Site of a colonial village established by French-speaking Huguenots and the Dutch, Huguenot Street celebrates the traditional European rite of May Day.

Town of Rochester holds a Spring Heritage Day from 10 am to 3 pm, with exhibits on Henry Hudson's voyage in 1609 and the evolution of farming in the Rondout Valley. A scale model of the Half Moon will be displayed, and there will be demonstrations of heritage crafts and children's activities.

Sunday, May 17

"Historic Hudson Valley Characters," songs and stories of Henry Backus, the "Saugerties bard," and other legends, are performed by Rich Bala at the Dutch Arms Chapel in Saugerties, 3-5 pm.

Wednesday, May 20

Arm-of-the-Sea performs "Mutual Strangers: Henry Hudson & the River that Discovered Him" on the lawn of the Kiersted House in Saugerties at 7 pm. Rain date May 27. Meanwhile, 45 carousel horses decorated by artists in themes related to the Quadricentennial are displayed on the sidewalks of the village of Saugerties. They will be on view until Sept. 12, when they will be auctioned off.

Sunday, May 24

The Kingston Fair, held at Kingston Point Park, from 9 am to 4 pm, features performances by musicians, artisans and their wares, and large wooden shoes planted with tulips.

An exhibit of Impressionist paintings by Hudson Valley artist Louise M. Kamp (1867-1959) opens at the Saugerties Historical Society, from 12 to 3 pm. The exhibit runs through Sept. 6.

Book, wine release marks Quad

A wine, Hudson River Valley Red 2008, produced by the award-winning Hudson-Chatham Winery is being released as part of a licensing effort tied to the Cider Mill Press release of The Hudson River Valley Reader, which celebrates the 400th anniversary of the exploration of the Hudson River by Henry Hudson. You can read more about it at the Hudson Valley Wine Goddess blog.

A weekend of Quad events

Reminder -- two Quad-connected events in our area this weekend that look well worth checking out:

Before Hudson: 8,000 Years of Native American History and Culture, a conference and exhibit from Historic Huguenot Street, will shine a light on the people who were here to greet explorer Henry Hudson and the Europeans that followed him to settle the region. The exhibit is based on recent archaeological finds at Historic Huguenot Street that have helped broaden the understanding of Native American presence on the site. Many of these discoveries were made by the Archaeological Field School conducted during summers at Historic Huguenot Street since 1998.

The exhibit opens on Friday, April 24 at 6 p.m. in the DuBois Fort Visitor Center on Huguenot Street in New Paltz. The opening is free and open to the public. More details here.

And ...

Here comes the annual Chancellor’s Sheep & Wool Showcase at Clermont State Historic Site, which is the first in a series of 2009 celebrations at the museum in Germantown honoring the Hudson-Fulton-Champlain Quadricentennial celebration. The former Livingston estate has a strong Quad connection as one of its owners, Chancellor Robert R. Livingston, was a partner of Robert Fulton's steamboat project. During the showcase, you can listen to steamboat expert Travis Bowman explain the connection between Merino sheep and the first sailing of the Fulton steamboat in 1807.

The showcase takes place on Saturday, April 25 from 11 a.m.-4:30 p.m. More details here.

Hudson River photo contest winners

What beautiful images in the March edition of the Poughkeepsie Journal's Hudson River photo contest!

The two winning photos are stunning. Robert Rightmyer of Poughkeepsie won first-place for his "highly colorful, well-framed image" of the Rondout area in Kingston. Dan Seifort of Poughkeepsie won honorable mention for his "moody, highly technical" black and white image of the Mid-Hudson Bridge taken in the fog. You can see both photos (and others entered in the contest) at the HudsonHappenings.com site.

Quad deals

Here's some tasty Quad-related news: 26 restaurants, in Kingston, Saugerties, New Paltz, Woodstock, and Mount Tremper, are offering a $16.09 meal special during Ulster County’s Quadricentennial Celebration of Henry Hudson’s 1609 voyage. Here are a few sample deals listed in the press release from the Ulster County Quad Arts Committee:

The Holiday Inn in Kingston, located on Washington Avenue, is serving a traditional Dutch dinner. The current menu: split pea soup; sweet and sour pot roast with egg noodles and Dutch-style coleslaw; and Malva pudding, a cake made with apricot jam, topped with caramel sauce and whipped cream. Diners should also check out the 10 artist-designed banners painted in Quadricentennial themes on display in the hotel through May.

New World Home Cooking, located at 1411 Route 212 in Saugerties, is serving a sweet pea and leek brown-rice risotto. The item has been selling briskly, according to management. The restaurant has attracted a following for its “global peasant food,” and on Friday nights it features live music without a cover.

The Steel House, located in Kingston’s Rondout district, is offering two $16.09 specials: a large individual pizza and a pitcher of beer or soda, and eggplant rollatini with pasta. Located in a former foundry, the restaurant has a waterfront patio and outside tiki bar. It serves New Italian cuisine, including brick-oven pizza, as well as steak varieties.

A block away, Savona’s Trattoria is offering a choice of any pasta on the menu with a free glass of wine or dessert. The casual dining room serves Italian classics at reasonable prices and features a wide selection of Italian wines.

Peekamoose Restaurant and Taproom, located on Route 28 in Big Indian, is emphasizing Hudson Valley ingredients in its Quad special. Sample entrees it has served so far are shad roe and an organic vegetable plate, with roasted shitake mushrooms, artichokes, asparagus, peas, lightly wilted pea shoots, and Quinoa grain with homemade ricotta cheese. Located in an old farmhouse, the restaurant has a tree-trunk chandelier and is decorated with natural and found objects; there’s a bar with a deck and a nightly bonfire.

Other participating restaurants are Mariner's Harbor, Rosita's Mexican Restaurant, Mezzaluna Café, Ship to Shore, Dolce Café, Hoffman House Tavern, Portobello Ristorante, Terra Nova 4 Seasons, Elephant Wine & Tapas, Roudigan’s Steakhouse, Frank Guido’s Little Italy, Armadillo Bar & Grille, and Ship to Shore in Kingston; Gilded Otter Brewing Co. and Village Tea Room in New Paltz; Café Tamayo, Café Mezzaluna Bistro, and Gisiano’s Restaurant in Saugerties; Bread Alone Café and Bakery, Landau Grill, Oriole 9, and Violette in Woodstock; and Catskill Rose Lodging and Dining in Mount Tremper.

Another business offering a Quad special is Woodstock-based Jarita’s Florist, which is selling a $16.09 floral arrangement. Quad discounts on lodging are offered at the Holiday Inn and Rondout Inn in Kingston, Moondance in New Paltz, The Inn at Stone Ridge, The Grouse House and the Smythe House in Saugerties, and Pinegrove Ranch and Family Resort in Kerhonkson.

In the photos above, Adam Glinert from New World Home Cooking serves up a Quad special, and Peekamoose Restaurant and Taproom serves up its roasted beet “tartar” special at the April 2 Ulster County Quadricentennial kick off at the Holiday Inn in Kingston.

Hudson-Fulton: Take Two

Memorabilia from the 1909 Hudson-Fulton celebration was the inspiration for 10 artists whose exhibit of new work opens on May 2 (a Saturday) in the Friends of Historic Kingston Gallery.

“Hudson-Fulton: Take Two” features painting, sculpture, photography, fiber, metal, jewelry and prose, inspired by 1909 memorabilia drawn from Friends of Historic Kingston archives and the John F. Matthews Collection. The items from 1909 are included in the exhibit so that visitors can link the artifacts with the contemporary works

The new pieces include a tattooed Henry Hudson (see image), a flag constructed from second-hand clothes, an installation of stickers, and a felt Half Moon.  A text piece features interviews with captains from various vocations about the challenges of leadership. The artists are Michael Asbill, Susan Basch, Francois Deschamps, Aliyah Gold, Ken Gray, Arthur Hash, Casey Kurtti, Sara Pfau, Cozette Phillips and Sean Sullivan.

Artist and Friends of Historic Kingston Board Member Ken Gray came up with the idea for the exhibit as the preservation organization’s contribution to the 2009 Hudson-Fulton Quadricentennial Celebration. Gray is also the exhibit curator.
     
“Hudson-Fulton: Take Two” can be viewed in the FHK Museum Gallery on Saturdays and Sundays, from 1-4 pm. through October.  Admission is free.  The Friends of Historic Kingston Museum is located on the corner of Wall and Main Streets in Kingston's Stockade National Historic District.  Call 845-339-0720 or visit www.fohk.org.    
 

 
     

Hudson Valley Short Video Competition

Scenic Hudson and the Poughkeepsie-based Children’s Media Project are co-sponsoring an "I Love Hudson Valley Short Video Competition" as well as a series of workshops to help contestants hone their skills.

All entries must be filmed in the Hudson River Valley (Manhattan northward to the cities of Albany and Troy). Winners will see their work reach a wide audience. The winning videos will be featured on YouTube, at www.scenichudson.org and with 17,000 Scenic Hudson members who keep connected with Scenic Hudson via e-mail. Online viewing of the winning short videos will be promoted further through newsletters and other publications.

Here is Scenic Hudson to explain the rest of it:

Videographers and filmmakers age 10 and older are invited to submit works (not longer than 90 seconds) to Scenic Hudson’s video competition. Entries must be received by Tuesday, June 30, 2009. Visit www.scenichudson.org/videocontest for more details.

Theme of the contest
The goal of the competition is to find innovative, creative and personal expressions of why contestants love the Hudson River Valley. The short videos should highlight distinct places – including Scenic Hudson parks up and down the Hudson – as well as the unique personalities and hidden gems that make the region a great place to live, work and have fun.

Children’s Media Program workshops – for youths and adults
Basic Camera Youth Workshop – Saturday, April 25 10 a.m.–2 p.m.
Scenic Hudson’s Esopus Meadows Preserve, Esopus, Ulster County
Age 10–17 years
$40 tuition
Participants should bring a lunch.
Loaner video cameras will be available for the class.
Hands-on training with video camera’s manual functions and using basic composition principles to improve images. Learn how interesting angles and shots can tell an effective visual story, practice with handheld and tripod cameras, and receive feedback from instructors and peers. Bring a video camera or use those provided. Material shot during workshop may be edited during follow-up Basic Editing Workshop.

Basic Camera Adult Workshop – Sunday, April 26 1–5 p.m.
Scenic Hudson’s Esopus Meadows Preserve, Esopus, Ulster County
Age 18 and up
$40 tuition
Participants should bring a lunch.
Loaner video cameras will be available for the class.
Hands-on training with video camera’s manual functions and using basic composition principles to improve images. Learn how interesting angles and shots can tell an effective visual story, practice with handheld and tripod cameras, and receive feedback from instructors and peers. Bring a video camera or use those provided. Material shot during the workshop may be edited during follow-up Basic Editing Workshop.

Basic Editing Youth Workshop – Saturday, May 16 10 a.m.–2 p.m.
Scenic Hudson’s Esopus Meadows Preserve, Esopus, Ulster County
Age 10–17 years
$40 tuition
Participants should bring a lunch.
Hands-on training in how to import footage onto a computer and perform basic editing using iMovie and Final Cut Pro. Instruction also will help those editing with other programs. Using footage shot in the Basic Camera Workshop, learn to capture footage, trim footage and arrange clips into a sequence. Basic titles, transitions and effects will be covered. Practice exporting a basic edit and burning it to a DVD. Workshop is a good follow-up to Basic Camera Workshop.

Basic Editing Adult Workshop – Sunday, May 17 1–5 p.m.
Scenic Hudson’s Esopus Meadows Preserve, Esopus, Ulster County
Age 18 and up
$40 tuition
Participants should bring a lunch.
Hands-on training in how to import footage onto a computer and perform basic editing using iMovie and Final Cut Pro. Instruction also will help those editing with other programs. Using footage shot in the Basic Camera Workshop, learn to capture footage, trim footage and arrange clips into a sequence. Basic titles, transitions and effects will be covered. Practice exporting a basic edit and burning it to a DVD. Workshop is a good follow-up to Basic Camera Workshop.

Before Hudson

Before Hudson: 8,000 Years of Native American History and Culture, a conference and exhibit from Historic Huguenot Street, will shine a light on the people who were here to greet explorer Henry Hudson and the Europeans that followed him to settle the region. The exhibit is based on recent archaeological finds at Historic Huguenot Street that have helped broaden the understanding of Native American presence on the site.  Many of these discoveries were made by the Archaeological Field School conducted during summers at Historic Huguenot Street since 1998.     

The exhibit opens on Friday, April 24 at 6 p.m. in the DuBois Fort Visitor Center on Huguenot Street in New Paltz. The opening is free and open to the public. The exhibit will be available for viewing through the end of the year. Daily schedules and other information can be found by calling 845-255-1660 or visiting www.huguenotstreet.org.
 
The exhibit will be accompanied by a conference of the same name on Friday, May 1 and Saturday, May 2 that will bring together leading experts in the history and culture of the Lenni Lenape, including Dr. Robert Grumet, an acknowledged expert who is currently with the McNeill Center for Early American Studies at the University of Pennsylvania.
 
Here is some background on the exhibit from Historic Huguenot Street:

The native inhabitants of this area have been known by many names. Prior to the arrival of Europeans, small groups of Native Americans occupied the area around what is now New Paltz. The Waoranecks and Warranawankongs are the bands most associated with Ulster County. The Dutch came to call these people collectively the Esopus.  They were members of the Delaware Nation that encompassed most of present-day Delaware, New Jersey, southeastern New York, eastern Pennsylvania, and a small part of southwestern Connecticut. The Delaware Indians are also referred to as the Lenape or Lenni Lenape.  Another term, Munsee, refers to the language used in the northern areas occupied by the Delaware Nation.
 
Susan Stessin-Cohn, Archives Specialist at Historic Huguenot Street, is the driving force behind Before Hudson.  This is not the first time that Stessin-Cohn has led the organization into a new area of exploration and discovery.  She is also the curator of the popular Missing Chapter online exhibit that explores the lives and history of African-Americans in the Mid Hudson Valley.  For Stessin-Cohen, both projects are part of a mission to better understand the French-speaking Huguenots who founded New Paltz in the context of the other peoples who were part of their lives.

Chancellor’s Sheep & Wool Showcase

Here comes the annual Chancellor’s Sheep & Wool Showcase at Clermont State Historic Site, which is the first in a series of 2009 celebrations at the museum in Germantown honoring the Hudson-Fulton-Champlain Quadricentennial celebration. The former Livingston estate has a strong Quad connection as one of its owners, Chancellor Robert R. Livingston, was a partner of Robert Fulton's steamboat project. During the showcase, you can listen to steamboat expert Travis Bowman explain the connection between Merino sheep and the first sailing of the Fulton steamboat in 1807.

The showcase takes place on Saturday, April 25 from 11 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Admission is $8 per vehicle. Raindate is April 26. The Clermont site is located off Route 9G at the Columbia-Dutchess county border, just north of Tivoli.

Here is more information about the day's events from the museum:

Watch skilled sheep sheerer Fred DePaul demonstrate three centuries of sheep sheering traditions and technologies. See wool spun into yarn and thread by the Elmendorph and 1st Sunday Spinners then compare it to techniques of 200 years ago as demonstrated by the women of the 1st Ulster County Militia. See the yarn woven into cloth by the Trinity Weavers before you try out fabric stamping, stenciling, and natural dyeing techniques with the museum’s staff.

Greet herds of sheep and visit with llama on the grounds of Clermont. Hands-on activities for children abound including the opportunity to make fashion forward felted-bead necklaces in brilliant colors. Special children’s tours with a “Spot the Sheep” scavenger hunt are available in the historic mansion throughout the day—let your child bring home a sheepy souvenir from the experience. Join the well-known children’s author Hudson Talbott as he reads from his newest book River of Dreams at 3:30pm.

The whole family will enjoy the Celtic music of the David Godding Band and light-hearted dancing at 12:50 and 2 p.m. Hear steamboat expert Travis Bowman explain the connection between Merino sheep and the first sailing of the Robert Fulton steamboat in 1807. The artisan’s concourse will present craftspeople and purveyors of unique and curious goods to tickle your fancy with a variety of craft supplies and finished goods. Dazzling colors spring forth from every booth! Many of the Showcase’s best deals can be found at the Chancellor’s Silent Auction, an event to support the Friends of Clermont, who sponsor the Showcase.

In case of rain, please call ahead. The rain date is April 26. For more information on the Sheep & Wool Showcase, vendor registration, or volunteering as a knitting teacher, please contact Kjirsten Gustavson at 518-537-4240, or visit www.friendsofclermont.org.

Clermont State Historic Site features the mansion, formal gardens, scenic Hudson River views and miles of hiking trails. The Friends of Clermont is a private, non-profit educational corporation, founded in 1977 to support and supplement the museum education and historic preservation programs at Clermont State Historic Site. Designated a National Historic Landmark in 1973, Clermont is one of six historic sites and 12 parks administered by the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation in the Taconic Region.

All aboard!

The New York State Museum’s historic Day Peckinpaugh, a 259-foot, 1921 canal boat, will lead a two-month tour along the Hudson River and Champlain Canal as part of this summer’s Quad events. The Half Moon (a sailing replica of Henry Hudson's ship), historic barges and other large working boats will also participate in the tour during August and September.
According to the museum's press release, the tour will stop at 15 ports from Burlington, Vt. to New York Harbor, and visitors will be able to come on board to view exhibits on 400 years of maritime progress and advancement.
The tour is organized by the Erie Canal National Heritage Corridor, in conjunction with the State Museum, Saratoga National Historical Park and the New York State Canal Corporation. More information will be at the museum’s Web site.