Mid-Hudson Woodworkers’ Show
Through his experiences with Wild Earth, our son has started whittling wood. I enjoy watching him work, seeing how focused he gets transforming sticks and branches into the shapes that he desires, like the chopsticks that he made recently. And this is not a hint, but I love the amazing wooden bowls that my father-in-law crafts. I still don’t get how he can make something round out of flat wooden chunks.
This Saturday’s sixth annual Mid-Hudson Woodworkers’ Show is a great way to help connect your family with fine woodworking. The show includes demonstrations of woodworking techniques, displays, sales and raffles of woodworking items, gifts for children and my personal favorite: a Make a Pen booth.
The Woodworkers’ Show takes place on Saturday, October 13 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Hurley Reformed Church. Admission costs $3, and children under 12 years get in free. The Hurley Reformed Church is located at 17 Main Street in Hurley. I suggest planning some extra time to stroll around the historic neighborhood after you take in the show. For more information, visit www.midhudsonwoodworkers.org.
Beacon Sloop Club hosts Pumpkin Festival
On Sunday, October 14, it’s the Beacon Sloop Club’s annual Pumpkin Festival. What makes this Festival different from other autumnal events, you wonder? First of all, it takes place right on the Hudson River at Riverfront Park, which means awesome views and a fun playground. Second, how about a free sail on the Hudson River? Yes, that’s right: free sailboat rides on the Club’s own Woody Guthrie.
My husband and I took a sailboat ride on the Woody Guthrie this summer, and I’ve been swooning over the experience ever since. There is really no other feeling quite like sailing on the Hudson. Warning: You may fall truly, madly, deeply in love with this river as a result of this boat ride. You just sign up at the Festival (get there early and sign up right away). Are you in your car yet, driving straight to Beacon? Well, how about this: enchanting stories shared by the legendary Pete Seeger? There will be music! Environmental displays! Free children’s activities! Pumpkins! Food!
The Pumpkin Festival takes place rain or shine from 12 noon p.m. to 5 p.m. Riverfront Park is located on Red Flynn Drive in Beacon, next to the Beacon train station. For information, call (845) 463-4660 or visit www.beaconsloopclub.org.
Dream Mandalas workshop for kids
Mandalas can be an empowering and effective tool for connecting with our inner landscapes, and I am thrilled to see an opportunity to create them being offered to children! On Saturday, October 13, artist Sadee Brathwaite facilitates a workshop for children ages 4 to 12 years on the creation and decoration of dream mandalas. Loosely translated from Sanskrit meaning “circle,” mandalas are round designs comprised of symbols and colors that reflect the person’s whole and innermost self.
Dream Mandalas takes place from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Kingston Library, and is a free program. The Kingston Library is located at 55 Franklin Street in Kingston. For more information, call (845) 338-5984 or visit www.deeplistening.org. The website for the Kingston Library is www.kingstonlibrary.org.
Fall Family Fun Festival at Ashokan
The Ashokan Center puts on some great events, and this weekend is its Fall Family Fun Festival. The fantastic family-friendly musical lineup itself is reason enough to come out: Jay Ungar and Molly Mason; Mike and Ruthy, who is Jay’s daughter; and Elizabeth Mitchell. But wait, there’s more! Activities include apple-cidering, blacksmithing, broommaking, hayrides and pumpkin-painting. Just exploring the Ashokan campus is enjoyable: Visit its 1885 covered bridge or the 1817 schoolhouse. If you’re looking to impress anyone visiting from out-of-town, or need something appealing to all ages, you’ll nail it with this Festival.
Ashokan’s Fall Festival takes place on Saturday, October 13 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission costs $5 for adults, $3 for children ages 5 to 12 years, and is free for children under 5 years of age. The Ashokan Center is located at 477 Beaverkill Road in Olivebridge. The Center is right down the road from the reservoir of the same name, so throw your bikes, scooters or rollerblades in the trunk and spend some time checking out in the gorgeous scenery after the Festival. For more information, call (845) 657-8333 or visit www.ashokancenter.org.
Join the family! 
