Turning artist attentions outward is the point. Serious Laughs is the first installment of the newly minted Four Seasons of the Hudson Valley Festival, a yearlong series of festivals in Kingston and Poughkeepsie made possible by a grant from the New York State Council of the Arts. It’s part of an initiative spearheaded by governor Andrew Cuomo, who earmarked millions with the intent of expanding arts offerings in New York state communities to stimulate economic development, creating new jobs and cultural tourism. The funds are specifically intended to help revitalize downtown Kingston and Poughkeepsie, as well as their waterfronts, and to highlight the invaluable contribution that the arts make to quality of life in Dutchess and Ulster Counties.
Spring and summer installments will be held in Kingston; fall and winter festivals will be held in Poughkeepsie. Each has a theme, and following the comedy festival in July will be a celebration of American music, heritage, independence and history: an expanded Fourth of July extravaganza, including the Hudson Valley Philharmonic and a sky-lantern release that will fill the night sky with small, glowing hot-air balloons. Based out of the Bardavon in fall, the harvest festival will feature another large-scale visual arts element that will dovetail with scheduled performances at the venue, headliners to be announced.
Dozens of performances, exhibits and events will be staged in the neighborhoods, parks, riverfronts, businesses and community centers of both cities. “All exhibits will relate to some live performances, and will branch off into the parks or other venues. That’s the whole concept: to take what we do normally and expand it into the streets, take it up another level to make it reach more people and have more of an impact,” said Silva. l
The Four Seasons of the Hudson Valley Festival begins with Serious Laughs: Art | Politics | Humor, April 1-May 12 at UPAC, located at 601 Broadway in Kingston. Comic headliner Kathy Griffin will perform on Sunday, April 21; and Lewis Black on Sunday, April 28. Tickets for all UPAC shows can be purchased in person or by phone at (845) 339-6088; or through Ticketmaster at (800) 645-3000 or www.ticketmaster.com. For more information on this and upcoming installments of the Four Seasons of the Hudson Valley Festival, visit www.bardavon.org.
