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.