Geology hike at Mohonk Preserve this Saturday
We admire their scenic beauty, hike them, ride our bikes through them, but what do we really know about the geology of the Shawangunk Ridge? Here are two things that I just learned: The Gunks are older than the Catskills; and their geology is totally different.
Make your reservation for Mohonk Preserve’s “Geology of the Shawangunk Mountains” event on Saturday, November 3 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Participants will learn about the Ridge’s formation and the Ice Age during an easy five-mile hike along the Undercliff/Overcliff carriage roads.
This activity is free and open to youth and adults ages 14 and up. Youth must be accompanied by an adult. Reservations are required, and participants should bring a lunch. For reservations or more information, call (845) 255-0919 or visit https://mohonkpreserve.org.
Meet kids’ author David Goldin at Inquiring Minds in Saugerties & New Paltz this weekend
This is so cool, I can’t wait to tell you about it: Author and illustrator David Goldin’s new book is hot off the presses, Meet Me at the Art Museum. This story offers a whimsical-yet-informative tour of an art museum through the characters Stub, a museum ticket, and Daisy, a nametag.
Give your family an opportunity to meet Goldin in person and to participate in an art activity at both Inquiring Minds stores this weekend. On Saturday, November 3 at 2 p.m., Goldin will be at Inquiring Minds in Saugerties at 65 Partition Street, (845) 246-5775. On Sunday, November 4, he will be at Inquiring Minds in New Paltz at 6 Church Street, (845) 255-8300.
I think that this book makes a fantastic addition to our family library, as well as a great gift for children between 2 and 11 years old. To learn more about the book, check out this video link: https://vimeo.com/35988342. For more information about the author, visit www.davidgoldin.com. Connect with Inquiring Minds at www.inquiringbooks.com.
Steve Johnson’s Magic Variety Show at DCCC in Poughkeepsie this Saturday
I love the Dutchess Community College Family Festival Series because it books some terrific shows, and it’s free. On Saturday, November 3 at 11 a.m., Steve Johnson’s Magic Variety Show looks like a fantastic all-ages activity well-worth attending. I’m hoping that he does the ripped newspaper trick, where he tears the paper to bits, then opens it up into a miraculously restored sheet. How does he do that?
The Family Festival Series takes place in the James & Betty Hall Theatre at the Dutchess campus, located at 53 Pendell Road in Poughkeepsie. For more information, call (845) 431-8000 or visit www.sunydutchess.edu. To learn more about the performer, visit www.magicsj.com.
Live Your Dream Girls’ Conference at DCCC in Poughkeepsie this Saturday
I’m mentioning this event because it sounds so fabulous, and if you can’t squeeze it in this year, you’ll have it on your radar for 2013. It’s the Live Your Dream Girls’ Conference, sponsored by the Poughkeepsie chapter of the American Association of University Women and hosted by Dutchess Community College. Here’s the Conference mission: To provide a forum for girls from diverse backgrounds that will promote sisterhood, foster healthy decision-making, nurture a vision for the future and strengthen each girl’s confidence.
On Saturday, November 3 from 8:45 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., 100 seventh-grade girls will come together for empowering workshops designed to support and encourage healthy choices. The fee is $7 for the day. Transportation and lunch are available for participants who have preregistered.
The Dutchess Community College campus is located at 53 Pendell Road in Poughkeepsie. For registration forms or for more information, e-mail Cecilia Dinio-Durkin at womensworkbw@yahoo.com or visit www.aauwpoughkeepsie.org.
Treasure Island onstage at Center for Performing Arts at Rhinebeck this Saturday
Treasure Island is among Robert Louis Stevenson’s most famous works, and this weekend, your family can see it performed locally. On Saturday, November 3 at 11a.m., the Center for Performing Arts at Rhinebeck presents the Hampstead Stage Company’s performance of Treasure Island, teaching children “the danger of greed and the importance of helping others.”
Tickets cost $7 for children, $9 for adults and seniors. The Center is located at 661 Route 308 in Rhinebeck. For tickets or more information, call (845) 876-3080 or visit www.centerforperformingarts.org. To learn more about the performers, visit www.hampsteadstage.org.
See NYGASP’s Pirates of Penzance for free this Sunday at Bethel Woods
The second that I heard about this, I jumped on it: Bethel Woods Center for the Arts is offering free family shows! On Sunday, November 4, The Pirates of Penzance will be performed by the New York Gilbert & Sullivan Players. At 12:30 p.m., families can participate in a pre-performance art activity: decorating a gourd like a pirate head. Showtime for Pirates is 2 p.m.
Admission to this event is free, but you do need a ticket to get in. Just visit www.bethelwoodscenter.org and scroll down to Pirates of Penzance. After you register, they e-mail your ticket prior to the date of the performance.
Bethel Woods is located at 200 Hurd Road in Bethel. For more information, visit the website, or call (866) 781-2922. To learn more about the performers, visit https://nygasp.org.
“Superheroes and Heroines” day at Poughkeepsie Plaza this Sunday
Hudson Valley Parent (not affiliated with my own website, Hudson Valley Parents) has been putting together some terrific meet-ups lately, and this latest one might even help your kids get more mileage out of their Halloween costumes. On Sunday, November 4 from noon to 4 p.m., HV Parent presents “Superheroes and Heroines”: A day of super adventures! Children are encouraged to dress in a favorite hero costume and participate in a variety of educational games. Prizes will be distributed, and photographers will be on hand to take children’s pictures with visiting superheroes.
Participants must preregister at www.meetup.com/hudson-valley-parent. The event takes place at Poughkeepsie Plaza, located at 2600 South Road in Poughkeepsie. For more information, call (845) 562-3606 or visit www.hvparent.com.
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! 
