Kingston Model Railroad Club has two more weekends
If you happen to have train-loving guests visiting and you’re still getting along after the Thanksgiving meal, you’re going to want to take them to the Kingston Model Railroad Club Open House. These are the last two weekends they are open, they run until Sunday, December 2, but I wanted to let you know about it now because I think it’s such a cool thing for grandparents to be able to enjoy with children. Attendees will see a complete ‘O’ Scale railroad system in action, scale models of steam and diesel locomotives, old fashioned and modern trains, complete villages and scenery, a railroad museum, trolleys, a circus train, and Thomas the Tank Engine. Admission is $6 for adults and $2 for children under 12 years. The open house is located on Susan Street, just off of Pine Grove Avenue in Mid-Town Kingston. For more information, call (845) 334-8233 or email [email protected]. Happy 75th Anniversary, Kingston Model Railroad Club.
Gingerbread Festival in Marlboro
Charming is the first word I thought when I heard about Marlboro’s Gingerbread Festival, a chance to showcase local students’ gingerbread houses and honor small businesses. Many of us are shopping this weekend, and this sounds like a wonderful way to have a good time doing it. So visit Guarino Farms’ website and Facebook pages to see the map of gingerbread houses on display, and maybe you can see all of them with your kids. Who knows, perhaps they’ll be inspired to do their own. Guarino Farms’ festival takes place on Saturday, November 24 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. They are located at 626 Lattintown Road in Marlboro. For more information, call (845) 795-0037 or visit www.guarinofarms.com.
Handmade in the Hudson Valley
There’s a spirit of gift-giving, and there’s swapping presents. I want to feel as good about shopping for my gift as I do about giving it, but it doesn’t always happen that way. For anyone looking for a warm, inviting shopping experience, I suggest you check out CRAFTED: Handmade in the Hudson Valley. This holiday craft sale is in its third year and brings together a group of local artisans who are dedicated to their crafts and are nationally known, such as Jenny Lee Fowler, silhouette artist: “I only cut live and local a handful of times a year, so this is a great time to catch a sitting if you want the on-the-spot art experience from paper to portrait. Most sittings last five to ten minutes, and they last a lifetime.” Fowler added that kids usually love watching even if they don’t do a sitting — it’s like a magic trick. This event is not specifically geared for children but some kids would enjoy the chance for a cozy stop to meet local artists and watch demonstrations. And some of the products, like seeds for stockings, whimsical night lights, lamps, and silhouettes, are perfect gift ideas for kids. Here’s an added bonus: for each sale at CRAFTED, Hudson Valley Seed Library is donating a pack of seeds to a school garden or a community group in need. The more people who shop, the more seeds get donated. CRAFTED takes place on Saturday and Sunday, November 24 and 25, from 10 a.m. to 4p.m. CRAFTED is located at 167 Cottekill Road in Cottekill. For more information, visit https://craftedhudsonvalley.org or on Facebook.
Food for the Birds
If you are looking for an activity that has nothing to do with holiday shopping, or you just need some fresh air, then register for Minnewaska Nature Center’s Food for the Birds event. Participants will use pine cones to make a delicious bird snack that can be taken home and hung outside. After the craft, families are invited to do a relatively easy hike along Beacon Hill Carriage Road, where children can play a bird scavenger hunt game and look for raptors soaring around the cliffs. Food for Birds takes place on Sunday, November 25 from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. The event is free and open to the public but pre-registration is required, and there is an $8 parking fee per car. Minnewaska State Park Preserve is located at 5281 Route 44/55 in Kerhonkson. For more information or to register, call (845) 255-0752 or visit https://nysparks.com/parks/127.
Shows at Rhinebeck Center
Two shows this weekend at the Center for Performing Arts at Rhinebeck means making tough choices — why not see them both? The Nutcracker will be performed at 8 p.m. on Friday, November 23 and Saturday, November 24, and at 3p.m. on Sunday, November 25. Tickets are $20, and the show is presented by the Rhinebeck Dance Centre. On Saturday, November 24 at 11 a.m., magician David Garrity presents a show of illusion, including audience participation, and lots of laughs. Tickets are $7 for children and $9 for adults and seniors. This is a wonderful place to bring family and friends. The Center for Performing Arts at Rhinebeck is located at 661 Route 308 in Rhinebeck. For tickets or more information, call (845) 876-3080 or visit www.centerforperformingarts.org. To learn more about the performers, visit www.rhinebeckdance.com and www.magicalartist.com.
Erica Chase-Salerno gives thanks in New Paltz with her husband Mike and their two children: the inspirations behind hudsonvalleyparents.com. She can be reached at [email protected].
