SUNDAY, OCTOBER 11
Forsyth Nature Center in Kingston hosts Fall Festival
Looking for a wonderful, simple festival for both adults and kids of all ages that celebrates fall without breaking the bank? Then head over to the Forsyth Nature Center Fall Festival, taking place this Sunday, October 11 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Forsyth Park. Admission is free, and families can enjoy a variety of children’s games, bouncy houses, wagon rides, live music, food, vendors and more. And of course, you can stop and visit your favorite animals at the Forsyth Nature Center, like Hooley the steer, peacocks and more.
Forsyth Park is located at 157 Lucas Avenue in Kingston. Parking is at Dietz Stadium at 170 North Front Street in Kingston. For more information, including sponsorships or to volunteer, call (845) 339-3053 or visit www.forsythnaturecenter.org.
Owleen Owl Hike at Olana
Which owl’s cry sounds like, “Who cooks for you?” Maybe you can find out the answer at this weekend’s Owleen Owl Hike! Owleen, which has got to be one of my most favorite event names ever, takes place at the Olana State Historic Site this Sunday, October 11 at 7 p.m., rain or shine. Bill Robinson of Wildlife Lectures will lead the group along the estate’s carriage roads and will even introduce you to one of his own owls. The program begins in the Wagon House Education Center, followed by the hike. Remember to bring a flashlight and good walking shoes. The cost of the walk is $10 per person, and all ages are welcome. Preregistration is requested. Olana is located at 5720 Route 9G in Hudson. For more information or to register, call (518) 828-1872, extension 105, or visit www.olana.org. To learn more about the facilitator, visit www.robinsonswildlifelectures.com.
Family Bonfire Night at Boscobel in Garrison
Did you make it to Boscobel this summer? Here’s a fun event to enjoy during the fall season, and the kids can stay up late since the next day is a school holiday! Family Bonfire Night at Boscobel takes place on Sunday, October 11 from 6 to 9 p.m. Admission includes live music by Tenbrooks Molly, marshmallows and roasting sticks while supplies last, a children’s glowstick play area and stargazing.
The cost is $13 per person, and children aged 2 to 10 years get in for $1. Boscobel is located at 1601 Route 9D in Garrison. For tickets or more information, call (845) 265-3638 or visit www.boscobel.org.
Haunted fun for Kids
We’re the Hudson Valley after all, so no stranger to ghosts or weird ephemera; but this time of year, it’s nice to know some less-scary options for the younger set. Here are two popular destinations with special dates for kids:
Headless Horseman hosts Children’s Days on Saturdays, October 10 and October 24, from 12 noon to 3:30 p.m. Activities include a hayride with scary storytelling, a corn maze, haunted gardens, country games, face painting, and more. The cost is $15 per person. Headless Horseman is located at 778 Broadway (Route 9W) in Ulster Park. For tickets or more information, call (845) 339-2666 or visit www.headlesshorseman.com.
Kevin McCurdy’s Haunted Mansion Kids’ Days take place on Columbus Day, Monday, October 12 and Sunday, October 25 from 12 noon to 3 p.m. Children can do pumpkin-painting, magic shows and trick-or-treating with friendly monsters. The cost is $12 for adults and $10 for kids ages 2 to 10 years, plus taxes and fees. The Haunted Mansion is located at 38 Sheafe Road in Poughkeepsie. For tickets or more information, call (845) 297-2288 or visit https://thehauntedmansion.com.
Coming soon: Win a field trip!
Calling all Hudson Valley students in grades one through 12! Here’s a chance to write about an area place that you love, and if you win, your class could receive a field trip there! Each submission must follow one of three supplied prompts; each grade level has its own word count requirements; and all entries are due by midnight on Monday, November 2. For more information, including a full list of rules, the writing prompts, past winners’ writings and more, visit www.teachingthehudsonvalley.org/grants/guidelines-aboutplace-2015.
Rosendale Theatre stages Tales of the Hudson Valley
Have you or your kids read Rip Van Winkle yet? How about The Legend of Sleepy Hollow? Maybe seeing a live theatrical performance will get the family excited to dig into these local classics! Or maybe you’re all already thrilled about the books and are looking for a live theatre experience! On Saturday, October 17 at 11 a.m., the Rosendale Theatre presents Tales of the Hudson Valley. This one-hour-long performance is adapted from these two legends and is accompanied by live music and sound effects: perfect for this time of year.
Admission costs $10, $9 for members, $5 for children 12 and under; families of four pay $20. Seating begins at 10:30 a.m. The Rosendale Theatre is located at 408 Main Street in Rosendale. For more information, call (845) 658-8989 or visit www.rosendaletheatre.org.
The British are coming!
Whatever your plans are for the weekend of October 16 through 18, I suggest spending some time in Kingston for the “Burning of Kingston” events. Revolutionary War reenactments take place in the same places where they took place originally; it’s like history comes alive.
One highlight is the Autumn Festival at the Senate House on Saturday, October 17 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Come kick it 18th-century style by learning how to press apple cider, barrel-smoke meat and dip candles, and kids can make dried-apple wreaths and cornhusk dolls, all while hearing 18th-century music. Stick around for some real excitement around 1:45 p.m. as American colonists flee the Senate House before the British come!
Admission to the Festival is free, and tours are available for $4 for adults, $3 for seniors and free for children age 12 and under. The Senate House is located at 296 Fair Street in Kingston. For more information about the Festival as well as a complete schedule of events for the Burning of Kingston, visit www.burningofkingston.com.
Fall festival at Ashokan Center
If you’ve been meaning to get to the Ashokan Center, here’s a fantastic family-friendly event to check out: On Sunday, October 18 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., you can press apples into cider, take a hayride, do some pumpkin-painting, make a straw broom, try some blacksmithing and enjoy crafting, as well as explore the grounds hiking nature trails and more, all while hearing live music by Jay Ungar and Molly Mason and Annie and the Hedonists.
Entry to the festival costs $5 and is free for children under 3 years. The Ashokan Center is located at 477 Beaverkill Road in Olivebridge. For more information, call (845) 657-8333 or visit https://ashokancenter.org.
Parkour classes in Kingston
Do you wish that exercise were actually fun? If so, then you might want to check out Kingston’s newest physical arts facility, the Jungle, because it’s host to Innate Movement Parkour, the Hudson Valley’s first company to focus exclusively on parkour teaching. Innate Movement Parkour founder and coach Dylan Johanson loves to get people of all ages, fitness levels and body types running, jumping, climbing and crawling around obstacles: the essence of parkour. “We have lost our functionality. For most of our species’ existence, we moved in these ways every day, out of necessity. However, our modern, sedentary lifestyle has taken these abilities away. We need to reclaim them.”
Innate Movement Parkour, LLC offers group and private parkour classes, as well as workshops, parties and events in Ulster County and throughout the Hudson Valley. For more information, call (845) 802-4717 or visit www.innatemovementparkour.com. The Jungle offers parkour, circus arts, gymnastics and athletic movement classes and is located at 881 Route 28 in Kingston. For more information, call (845) 481-4988 or visit https://jungle28.com.
Erica Chase-Salerno wears a different hat each day now! She lives in New Paltz with her husband, Mike, and their two children: the inspirations behind hudsonvalleyparents.com. She can be reached at [email protected].
