Day of the Dead Cross-Cultural Workshop in Poughkeepsie
Looking to add another meaningful dimension for your family during this Halloween season? From 3:30 to 5:00 p.m. on October 20, stop by the Mid-Hudson Heritage Center at 317 Main Street in Poughkeepsie for El Día de los Muertos: The Day of the Dead Cross-Cultural Workshop. Learn about traditions from Mexico and Central America and take a look at traditional altars honoring deceased loved ones, as well as vibrant paintings by Eduardo Guzmán Valueras. Traditional food and drinks will also be available. For more information, call (845) 213-1114 or visit https://midhudsonheritage.org.
Long Reach Arts exhibit closing reception at Mill Street Loft in Poughkeepsie
Now, you’re out here anyway, and when’s the last time your kids got to see some real art in a real gallery? Make some time to visit the Mill Street Loft’s Gallery at 45 Pershing Avenue in Poughkeepsie from 5 to 7:00 p.m. on October 20. It’s the closing reception for the Long Reach Arts group’s exhibit, “syn-co-pa-tion,” and there will also be an artist panel discussion. For more information, including some of the work being shown, which could make a nice preview for children, call (845) 471-7477 or visit www.millstreetloft.org.
Sleuth Pro at Poughkeepsie’s Cunneen-Hackett Theatre hosts Open MIC Night
I think about this all the time: How can we connect with our teens? Sleuth Pro presents Open MIC Night for poets, musicians and vocalists. This could be such an inspiring event for your teens to listen to, and maybe even participate in.
Open MIC takes place from 8 p.m. to 12 midnight on October 20 at the Sleuth Pro Art Studio, upstairs at the Cunneen-Hackett Theatre Building, located at 12 Vassar Street in Poughkeepsie. Admission is free. For more information, call (845) 705-9995 or e-mail sleuthprolyrics@hotmail.com.
Bird-feeding workshop at Minnewaska this Sunday
I have been completely consumed with bird-related things lately. I’m up to speed on mockingjays now, having just devoured the awesome Hunger Games series. I brought an injured cedar waxwing I found on my road to a wildlife rehabilitation healer (I will definitely be writing about this fantastic resource in Kids’ Alm@nac). And after decades of wondering and culling through hundreds of sample bird sounds, I have finally determined that the funny, familiar trill that I have heard since childhood belongs to a blue jay, of all things!
Before last week, I had no idea that blue jays made any calls other than “Jay-Jay.” My husband is relieved not to hear me say “Wait, listen – there it is!” anymore, only to be followed by silence from the treetops. Thank you for solving the mystery, Wild Earth!
If you are looking to strengthen your family’s connection with some feathered friends, reserve your spot at the “Food for the Birds” workshop on Sunday, October 21 from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Minnewaska State Park Preserve. Participants will use pinecones to make a delicious bird snack that can hang right on a tree in the yard. After the craft, join in on an easy hike where children can play a bird scavenger hunt game and look for area birds, such as raptors soaring through the cliffs.
This program is free, but preregistration is required, and the park entrance fee is $8 per vehicle. Minnewaska is located at 5281 Route 44/55 in Gardiner. For reservations or for more information, call (845) 255-0752 or visit https://nysparks.com/parks/127.
Murphy Midtown Center in Kingston hosts Model Train and Railroad Hobby Show this Sunday
What do Tom Brokaw, Tom Hanks, Neil Young, Joe DiMaggio and Michael Jordan have in common? Their love of model trains. Are you or is someone in your family an avid model train fan? The Model Train and Railroad Hobby Show takes place this Sunday, October 21 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The show includes train exhibits and displays, raffles, vendors and even a Kids’ Corner play area. Admission costs $6; children under 12 get in for $1.
Want to round out the day by taking a ride on the real thing? Halloween train and trolley rides are available right in Kingston! Visit https://catskillmtrailroad.com and www.tmny.org for more ride information, and remember: Show attendees receive a $1 discount off their trolley rides that day.
The Model Train and Railroad Hobby Show takes place at the Murphy Midtown Center, located at 467 Broadway in Kingston, next to Rite Aid Pharmacy. For more information, call (845) 481- 4198 or e-mail kingstonmts@aol.com.
Children’s author/illustrator Durga Bernhard at Inquiring Minds in Saugerties this Sunday
Whether Earth, Sky, Wet, Dry is a familiar refrain in your family’s storybook collection or you are encountering it here for the first time, Durga Bernhard’s word rhythms partnered with strong, vibrant art make this book of nature opposites pleasing to both the eye and the ear. But so do the rest of her books. Hear and see the work of this local author and artist for yourself, and meet her in person at Inquiring Minds in Saugerties on Sunday, October 21 at 2 p.m. This reading and signing is free and open to the public, and children are welcome.
Inquiring Minds is located at 65 Partition Street in Saugerties. For more information, call (845) 246-5775 or visit www.inquiringbooks.com. To learn more about the author, visit https://durgabernhard.com.
Three-day Jack o’ Lantern Carving |event at Long Dock Park in Beacon
Has your family carved your pumpkins yet? Here’s an idea: From Wednesday, October 24 through Friday, October 26 from 3:30 to 7 p.m., you and your family can participate in the free Jack o’ Lantern Carving event at Long Dock Park in Beacon. Scenic Hudson creates some beautiful nature spaces, and it comes up with such fun activities to do there! On Friday night, all of the pumpkins will be lit up – can you imagine how cool that will look? The pumpkins are free, but quantities are limited, so reserve your spot early. Also on Wednesday, as part of Scenic Hudson’s Artober series, participants will make lanterns out of recycled quart jugs.
Long Dock Park is located on Long Dock Road in Beacon, behind the Beacon train station. As a reminder, there’s a playground structure right down the road at Riverfront Park if your family wants one more playtime opportunity before heading home. Parking is limited at Long Dock Park, so families are encouraged to carpool, bike or take mass transit.
For more information or to RSVP, call (845) 473-4440, extension 271, or e-mail alocatis@scenichudson.org. To learn more about this great organization, who won Hudson Valley Magazine’s 2012 awards for Best New Park and Best Way to Practice Yoga, visit www.scenichudson.org.
Erica Chase-Salerno lives, loves and laughs in New Paltz with her husband Mike and their two children: the inspirations behind hudsonvalleyparents.com. She can be reached at kidsalmanac@ulsterpublishing.com.
Join the family! 
