This week, I am very pleased to have an in-depth discussion with one of the most active members of our community, Frank Waters. This is a great time of year to care about others and Waters is very involved with Kingston Midtown Rising as well as My Kingston Kids. It was inspiring to hear all the positive things he had to say about the direction Kingston is heading regarding tangible opportunities for personal growth, as well as activities for young people.
The competition was fierce last week in the fourth installment of the contest.
It was a Rockwellian winter night this past Friday as hundreds of local residents paraded through Historic Huguenot Street, carrying paper lanterns and children bundled in snowsuits and woolen onesies. The crisp outlines of the stone houses cast shadows on the ice-layered snow as carolers and eager children gathered around the Northern spruce on the Deyo House lawn for the seventh annual community tree-lighting ceremony.
It was our pleasure for this week’s FoK to speak with very active local musician, Beverly staffer and all around great dude Jared Ashdown on growing up here, as well as the arts and evolving pulse of the city.
The Sussin Family of 123 Patch Road in Saugerties once again invites the public to view its annual Christmas light show, which can be seen every night from Nov. 29 to Jan. 1, 5-10 p.m., weather permitting, with Santa usually making appearances Friday and Saturday nights.
This year, the Trot was named in honor of longtime Family of New Paltz director Kathy Cartagena, who passed away earlier this year. True to her spirit, the event garnered upwards of $40,000 and had so many participants that the organizers ran out of race bibs.
Each year, Gardinerites gather outside Town Hall for a Tree-Lighting Ceremony, preceded by a parade through the hamlet with a fire engine blaring carols over a loudspeaker and a performance by the students of Take the Leap Dance Company upon arrival.
This Sunday, December 8, from noon to 5 p.m. Saugerties will once again celebrate Holiday in the Village. It’ll be the culmination of a three-day seasonal village weekend.
On Friday, December 6 from 5 to 10 p.m., according to the Chamber of Commerce, Saugerties will have its First Friday Holiday Weekend Kickoff. From 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, December 7, will be the Village Shopping Day. And Sunday, of course, will be the parade and assorted special Holiday in the Village events.
Saturday, Dec. 7: Whereas the Dutch antecedent of this revered character employed a rather scary entourage of grumpuses to chastise naughty children with birch rods (and carry the worst ones off in a sack), our kids get to carry the branches themselves – transformed during Crowns & Branches decoration workshops into royal scepters. They’re designated kings and queens for a day, and tasked with bringing light into a dark time.
On the first two weekends of December, Phoenicia puts together the series of family-friendly holiday events that the hamlet has enjoyed annually for years, including parties, tree-lighting, theater, and caroling.