Wawarsing Wassail this Saturday, Festivals of Light this Sunday in Ellenville
The Ellenville area is the place to be for those looking to be a part of the first annual Wawarsing Wassail, an Old World holiday celebration. Round up your children for wassailing (another word for caroling) all over the town, beginning with free kids’ cookie decorating and cider from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. [this Saturday?] at Cohen’s Bakery, located at 89 Center Street in Ellenville.
From 12 noon to 2 p.m., children can make snowman holiday cards and get free candy canes at Arts WAVE at 12 Market Street in Ellenville. From 12 noon to 3 p.m., Santa and his helpers will be cruising around Napanoch on a firetruck, visiting with kids along the way. From noon to 4 p.m., kids can stop in Norbury Hall on Center Street in Ellenville to see Santa and Mrs. Claus, as well as enjoy free refreshments and live music. At 5 p.m., head over to Lippman Park on Route 209 in Wawarsing for the tree-lighting, caroling and more free refreshments.
The festivities close with a 7 p.m. showing of the uncut 1934 Laurel and Hardy version of Babes in Toyland (a/k/a March of the Wooden Soldiers) at the Shadowland Theatre, located at 157 Canal Street in Ellenville. Tickets cost $8 for adults and $5 for seniors and children, and reservations are available at the Shadowland box office or by calling (845) 647-5511.
Wawarsing Wassail is also an opportunity for giving: Bring scarves, hats and gloves to Cohen’s Bakery for the DUSO Foods drive, and drop off a new toy at Norbury Hall for the toy drive. For more information, call (845) 647-7800.
On Sunday, December 2, return to Ellenville for the “Festivals of Light” multicultural holiday party. The Vanaver Caravan will perform holiday songs from around the world, and I heard that the international dessert table is pretty great. “Festivals of Light” takes place from 3 to 5 p.m. at the Ellenville Public Library and Museum, located at 40 Center Street in Ellenville. For more information, call (845) 647-5530 or visit https://eplm.sharepoint.com. To learn more about the performers, visit www.vanavercaravan.org.
Trolley trips with Santa in Kingston this weekend
I recently learned that it used to take five hours to travel by horse from Ellenville to Kingston: the amount of time that it would take today to drive clear across the state to Rochester. I can only imagine the changes brought about by the development of the trolley.
Your family has a special chance to ride the trolley with Santa and his elves this weekend, December 1 and 2 from 12 noon to 4 p.m. Bundle up and enjoy the ride from the Trolley Museum of New York to Gallo Park. Active military personnel and their families are admitted free; everyone else pays a modest fee.
The Trolley Museum is located at 89 East Strand on the Rondout in Kingston. For more information, call (845) 331-3399 or visit www.tmny.org.
“Enjoying Animals Safely” workshop this Saturday at Kingston Library
Colder weather might mean fewer zoo visits, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t spend time with some special animals. On Saturday, December 1, Jan Berlin leads “Enjoying Animals Safely,” a fun, interactive workshop for children as part of the Kingston Library’s Super Saturday Series. Find out how to read animal body language and learn the four most important rules for staying safe. Animals will include a dog, a frog, a dove, a tarantula, a millipede, a rat, a toad and an opossum. Berlin is director of Everything Animals Resource Center, Inc. and is a certified teacher with 30 years of classroom experience, as well as an extensive background of working with people and animals.
“Enjoying Animals Safely” takes place on Saturday, December 1 at 10:30 a.m. and is free and open to school-aged children. The Kingston Library is located at 55 Franklin Street in Kingston. For more information, call (845) 331-0507 or visit www.kingstonlibrary.org. To learn more about Berlin’s organization, visit www.everythinganimalsresources.org.
Join the family! 
