Saturday, Jan. 4: In many cultures, the New Year is the occasion for the expression of hopes and resolutions. The Japanese express their desires with kakizome (“first writing”), the ritualized first calligraphy writing of the year.
Saturday, November 30: The Children’s Maritime Parade will wend its way down Broadway: giant puppets, grumpus heads, star lanterns, fish, flags, boat models, stiltwalkers, long rippling banners representing the River itself, Rip Van Winkle and of course Sinterklaas. The traditional Dutch antecedent of Santa Claus will make his voyage from Kingston (representing Spain) to Rhinebeck (representing Holland) on the Hudson River’s only solar-powered boat.
Saturday/Sunday, Nov. 23-24: This holiday market puts as much emphasis on activities as on showcasing a curated collection of handmade food and spirits, jewelry, ceramics, woodworking, kids’ and baby goods, clothing and health and beauty products from some 75 creators and small businesses.
Saturday, Nov. 2: The Chocolate Factory in Red Hook was founded in 1888 by William H. Baker – no relation to the older, more famous Walter H. Baker Company, but Red Hook’s Baker was not above exploiting the coincidence to promote his business, starting what became known as the Chocolate Wars. At the height of production, 20,000 pounds of chocolate were produced in Red Hook each day.
Saturday, Nov. 2: Are you a vegan or vegetarian who feels a little left out of the fun this time of year? Is your favorite part of Thanksgiving the presidential pardon for a couple of turkeys? The Catskill Animal Sanctuary is planning some festivities this weekend that will help get you into the holiday mood.
Saturday, Oct. 26: Meet rescued animals and enjoy pumpkin-painting, hayrides, vegan food vendors and more.
Saturday, October 5: The section of North Front Street between Crown and Wall Streets in Uptown Kingston will be transformed into a festive autumnal block party with curated vendors and entertainment.
Saturday/Sunday, Oct. 5-6: “Oktoberfest at Rhinebeck: A Family Harvest Celebration” will bring together a variety of attractions, all of them handcrafted in some fashion.
Saturday-Sunday, Aug. 24-25: Headliners include many of the world’s top military and civilian airshow performers, such as the US Navy Blue Angels, Royal Air Force Red Arrows and F-35 Lightning II Demo Team.
Saturday, Aug. 24: Browse through hundreds of superior-quality pieces of amethyst, citrine, quartz, pyrite, agate, ammonite, petrified wood and other fine stones as Aurora Minerals of Freeport brings in its Pop-up Crystal Trunk Show to Mirabai in Woodstock. Aurora is a leading purveyor of crystal, stone and fossil specimens whose client list includes the Harvard University Museum, the Smithsonian and the Museum of Natural History.