Old Man Winter is in town and primed to lead the parade as Rosendale celebrates the sixth annual Frozendale Festival this Saturday, December 10. The holiday happening is kicked off at 10 a.m. with a special yoga class offered by Wolfgang at Open Space: just what the body and mind need to prepare for a full day of fun on Main Street, including shopping at all the best local craft, food and merchandise spots, listening to great music and entertainment and generating all-around goodwill in the community.
Shops and galleries will be open at 11 a.m. to welcome visitors and offer special holiday goods, such as candy canes and free ornaments at Soiled Doves, New York apple cider and cookies at the Alternative Baker and Lovebird Studio, singing bowl demonstrations and Tibetan tea at Vision of Tibet, hot cocoa in the famous and highly collectible Rosendale mugs at Town Hall and lots more.
Come check out the locally handmade gift items at Canaltown Alley, Enlighten Gallery and TRANSnDANCEnDRUM. A group show, “Ornamental Too,” will be exhibited at Roos Arts, and at Twisted Foods a $50 gift certificate will be raffled off for some lucky shopper. The Rosendale Library will hold a book sale and boutique from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m., while two free screenings of Mary Poppins will be held at the Rosendale Theatre (many thanks to Ulster Savings Bank), one at 12 noon and the second at 3:30 p.m. That last one will be a singalong for all MP aficionados who can never resist singing along, anyway.
From noon until 4:30 p.m., Santa and the elves will hayride around town, courtesy of the Chamber of Commerce. The merrymakers will depart from Bill Brooks Barber Shop approximately every half-hour. Meanwhile, villagers can bring their best macaroni-and-cheese dish to the Big Cheese throughout the day for a 4:30 p.m. bake-off. Special guest judges will present a $50 gift certificate to the winner.
Live music and performances are billed continuously from 1 to 5 p.m., including Carl Welden reciting “A Visit from St. Nicholas” (a/k/a “’Twas the Night before Christmas”), Voce Ensemble, Andrea Maddox, Emily Curtis and the Gypsy band Szelrosza at the Rosendale Café; Mexico beyond Mariachi at Open Space; a puppet show, Animals in Winter, at RedWing Blackbird Theater; a drumming workshop at TRANSnDANCEnDRUM Center with Fre Atlast; and Karl Kelbaugh and the Big Blues Brass Band playing all around town. Then at 5:30 p.m., everyone will meet to join Old Man Winter for a parade that will weave its way to the Keator Avenue bridge area, where a special “Light up the Trestle” ceremony will take place at 6 p.m.
For more information see www.facebook.com/FrozendaleDaze or contact Frozendale2011@gmail.com.
Join the family! 
