Teens get in free to Youth Ensemble Theater’s Canadia
“My greatest pain in life is that I will never be able to see myself perform live,” laments Kanye West. I agree that live performances hold great power. It’s one of the reasons I mention them so often in Kids’ Almanac: There’s just a special energy around a live production with you there as a witness.
Remember my recent mention of Youth Ensemble Theater (YET)’s performance of Canadia? YET director Amy Poux was so appreciative of your enthusiastic response to the show that she’s letting teens attend this weekend’s Canadia run at the High Meadow School for free! “Kids watching other kids is really great for our young actors, and it made a huge difference to them,” shared Poux.
YET performs this Saturday, April 13 at 7:30 p.m. and on Sunday, April 14 at 3 p.m. Saturday’s performance also includes dances created by youth in the Barefoot Dance Company. Tickets cost $10, and all teenage audience members get in free! Tickets are available at the door or online at https://canadiapac.eventbrite.com. To reserve a teen ticket, e-mail youthensembletheater@gmail.com.
The High Meadow School is located at 3643 Main Street in Stone Ridge. For more information about the Youth Ensemble Theater Summer Institute or yearlong program, visit www.youthensembletheater.com. To learn more about the Barefoot Dance Center’s summer and year-round programs, go to https://barefootdancecenter.com.
Comic Convention at Woodstock Day School
On Saturday, April 13 from 12 noon to 3 p.m., the Woodstock Day School presents Comic Convention. Special guests include Joe Sinnott (the legendary comic artist whom I mentioned in last week’s Kids’ Almanac), Ron Marz, Fred Hembeck, Richard Clark, David Rodriguez, Doug Hills, Jeff Bellio and Matthew Dow Smith. Check out the vendors, cosplay photo ops and a manga studio demo, too! Admission costs $5.
The Woodstock Day School is located at 1430 Glasco Turnpike in Woodstock. For more information, e-mail lkrause@hvc.rr.com or visit ulsterpub.staging.wpenginedayschool.org.
Accord Speedway opens for the season
One thing I love about spring is the opening up – not just the coltsfoot flowers in my yard, but places we like to go for family outings that are reopening for the season. This Friday, April 12 is opening night at the Accord Speedway! The spectator gates open at 5 p.m., and the first 50 general admission spectators will receive $2 off their admission. Hot laps are scheduled for 6:30 p.m., with racing starting at 7 p.m.
Tickets for regular shows cost $14 for adults aged 12 years and older, $12 for seniors 65 years and older and $3 for kids 11 years and younger. Family four-packs are available for $44 for two adults and two children and include $20 in food vouchers. Indoor reserved seating costs $20, and outdoor reserved seating costs $16. Bring your earplugs and enjoy some great racing around the “fast, quarter-mile banked Ulster County bullring.”
The Accord Speedway is located at 299 Whitfield Road in Accord. For more information, call (845) 626-1142 or visit www.accordspeedway.com.
Erica Chase-Salerno is on the lookout for the presence of wonder 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! 
