Saugerties hosts West Point Highlands Brass Quintet

The West Point Highlands Brass Quintet is performing at Saugerties Pro Musica on Sunday, February 16 at 3 p.m. Tickets cost $12, seniors get in for $10, students get in free. The concert takes place at the Saugerties United Methodist Church, located at 67 Washington Avenue in Saugerties. For more information, call (845) 679-5733 or visit https://saugertiespromusica.org.

Area events

Fun-a-Day reception at Art Riot in Kingston

I’m not saying that I love doing ab-building planks; I hate doing planks. But I will admit that I’m hooked. The daily practice continues to be transformative. And that’s precisely the idea behind taking up an activity and performing it daily. So when I heard about Art Riot’s Fun-a-Day reception for local folks who created an art piece every day during the month of January, I had to share. On Saturday, February 15 from 5 to 9 p.m., join the opening reception and view the diverse works and meet the artists behind them. The exhibition lasts through February 28.

Art Riot is located at 36 John Street in Kingston. For more information, call (845) 331-2421 or visit www.theartriot.org. To learn more about the Fun-a-Day project, visit https://artclash.com.

The Pirate, the Princess and the Pea in Rhinebeck

You could attend this weekend’s puppet performance of The Pirate, the Princess and the Pea because it’s at the Center for Performing Arts at Rhinebeck and it’s great, or because it’s a production of the Crabgrass Puppet Theatre and it’s great. Either way, it’s a win for your family. On Saturday, February 15 at 11 a.m., this show will enchant and amuse your crew. 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 https://centerforperformingarts.org. To learn more about the performers and to see preview of the show, visit www.crabgrasspuppets.com.

American Girl fans meet

I heard Rosanne Oslacky set up the March calendar for the Friends of Girls in American History’s “American Girl Club” for girls ages 6 to 12. Local American Girl enthusiasts are invited to participate in activities on Saturday and Sunday afternoons to “encourage the many attitudes and lifestyle skills from the past in a fun and playful atmosphere. It’s an opportunity for girls to step back in time into their favorite books, learn new skills and make friends.”

To reserve your child’s spot or to request a current calendar of events, contact Oslacky at (845) 427-2592 or friendsofgirlsinamericanhistory@yahoo.com.

Science

Going-out-of-business sale at Parent Teacher Store in Poughkeepsie

Our family loves our science experiments from the Parent Teacher Store in Kingston, and I’m sorry to report that the Poughkeepsie store is closing soon as well. In the meantime, merchandise is 50 percent off, so stop in and support them as you bid them a sad farewell.

The Parent Teacher Store is located in the Poughkeepsie Plaza Mall at 2600 South Road in Poughkeepsie. For more information, call (845) 559-0037 or visit www.parentteacherstore.com.

Reptile Expo returns to Mid-Hudson Civic Center

I had no idea that some of you Kids’ Almanac readers were Reptile Expo groupies until recently. In case any of you haven’t heard, the Hudson Valley Reptile Expo takes place on Sunday, February 16 from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Mid-Hudson Civic Center, located at 14 Civic Center Plaza in Poughkeepsie. This show features gators with showtimes at 10:30 a.m., 12 noon, 1:30 and 3 p.m. I also just learned about the Hudson Valley Reptile Rescue, which will provide animal drop-off services at the Expo.

For more information about the Reptile Expo, call (845) 616-5838, (845) 902-8952 or visit www.herpnerds.com. As a reminder, it’s Fee Free Day at the nearby FDR and Vanderbilt National Historic Sites, so you can make a day of it. Later, ‘gators!

Gem, Mineral & Fossil Show at New York State Museum in Albany

Sulfur is a fluorescent yellow: one of my favorite takeaways from our 4H group’s recent exploration of minerals. I had no idea; I thought that it just smells bad.

Do you love looking at, or even buying, crystals and other wonders of nature? On Saturday and Sunday, February 15 and 16 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., the James E. Campbell Gem, Mineral & Fossil Show takes place at the New York State Museum. Admission costs $5 each day, and children 12 and under get in free.

The New York Museum is located at 222 Madison Avenue in Albany. For more information, call (518) 474-5877 or visit www.nysm.nysed.gov.

Mad Science takes on air pressure at Kingston Library

Mad Science means interactive science fun, and that means that you want to be at Kingston Library’s Super Saturday event. On Saturday, February 15 at 10:30 a.m., experience “Up, up and Away,” a program about air pressure but with unforgettable and fun demonstrations.

The event demonstrates the power that lies dormant in the air around us. The children are introduced to Bernoulli and Otto von Guerike, to the vacuum pump and the Magdeburg sphere. They see air crush objects and defy the strength of the strongest people in the room. Even toilet paper will amaze them!

Mad Science will also introduce the students to common uses of air pressure. Mechanical devices and chemical reactions create vortices of expanding air that students can see, feel and hear. By using common objects, the emphasis is on the science present in everyday life. Garbage cans, soda bottles and even toilet plungers are used to demonstrate scientific principles.

Audience participation is stressed throughout the show. Volunteers assist with most of the demonstrations…even parents are included during this interactive presentation!

This program is free to the public and geared for school-aged children. The Kingston Public Library is located at 55 Franklin Street in Kingston. For more information, call (845) 331-0507, extension 7, or visit www.kingstonlibrary.org.

Astronomy Night at SUNY-New Paltz

Prefer your science up high in the sky? Want to be more like Almanac Weekly “Night Sky” columnist and astronomer Bob Berman? Here’s your chance. This Thursday, February 20 is Astronomy Night at SUNY-New Paltz, an event offered on the first and third Thursdays of the month, including a Planetarium Show in the Coykendall Building at 6:30 p.m. followed by time in the Observatory from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. if skies are clear.

Attendance at Astronomy Night is free, but advance tickets are required, which are available at www.newpaltz.edu/planetarium/shows.html. SUNY-New Paltz is located at 1 Hawk Drive in New Paltz. For more information, call (845) 257-3818 or visit www.newpaltz.edu.

Sports

Cross-Country Ski Clinics at Minnewaska

Did the 2014 Olympic skiing footage nudge you into wanting to get out onto our snow here? Unlike the Olympics, the Cross-Country Ski Clinics are open to skiers of all abilities, you don’t have to travel all the way to the Sochi mountains and they are free!

On Monday, February 17, Vic Izzo, Professional Ski Instructors of America member, former ski racer and high school cross-country ski team coach of 18 years, leads two clinics at Minnewaska State Park Preserve: 10 a.m. is the Classic Cross-Country clinic; 11:15 a.m. is the Skate Cross-Country Clinic. Each clinic lasts for one hour. Preregistration is required, and class size is limited.

Minnewaska State Park Preserve is located at 5281 Route 44/55 in Kerhonkson. To register or for more information, call (845) 255-0752 or visit https://nysparks.com.

Bounce! Trampoline Sports in Poughkeepsie

I’ve been hearing great reviews, and I can’t wait to check it out myself. Bounce! Trampoline Sports hosts its grand opening on Saturday, February 15 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pricing is $15 per hour, $22 for two hours during the grand opening, and the first $15 is donated to the charity of your choice: Boys & Girls Clubs of Kingston; Boy Scouts of America Hudson Valley Council; or Vassar Brothers Medical Center.

Bounce is located at 2 Neptune Road in Poughkeepsie. For more information, call (845) 206-4555 or visit https://bounceonit.com/poughkeepsie.

Sign up now for YMCA of Kingston indoor mini-triathlon

Just a reminder that Saturday, February 15 is the last day for early registration for the YMCA of Kingston indoor mini-triathlon, which takes place on Sunday, March 2. For more information or to register, visit www.ymcaulster.org.

Notes

Strengthening Families series in Port Jervis

I like the concept of this Strengthening Families series taking place in Port Jervis and wonder if we might have something like it up here. This free seven-week program involves communication tools for parents with their 10-to-14-year-olds; free childcare provided for children ages 3 to 9 years; and a family meal. The series begins on Wednesday, February 19 and continues weekly through April 2 from 5:45 to 8:45 p.m. at the Drew United Methodist Church, located at 49 Sussex Street in Port Jervis. The program is limited to ten families. For more information or to register, call (845) 858-3100, extension 12640.

“Public Education Now” forum at SUNY-New Paltz

Here’s an important forum to explore some of the current concerns around public education: “Public Education Now: Reform, Resistance and Solutions in New York State.” The forum takes place on Wednesday, February 19 at 6:30 p.m. in the Coykendall Science Building auditorium at SUNY-New Paltz, located at 1 Hawk Drive in New Paltz.

This panel discussion will address current educational policies and their effects on students, educators, parents and communities. Speakers will discuss the latest developments in resistance to these policies, as well as actions to reclaim public education for the public good. Topics of discussion include: excessive high-stakes testing; Common Core Learning Standards; teacher evaluation by student test score; student privacy; the unprecedented influence of private corporations in public education; standardization of teacher education; and financial costs to school districts and taxpayers, among other topics.

Speakers include Carol Burris, New York State Principals; Leonie Haimson and Karen Sprowal, Class Size Matters; Monty Neill, FairTest; Katie Zahedi, principal, Red Hook School District; Bianca Tanis, special education teacher; Ken Mitchell, Lower Hudson Council of School Superintendents; Julie Gorlewski, SUNY-New Paltz; Barbara Madeloni, teacher educator; and Diana Zavala, Change the Stakes. For more information, contact Dr. Nancy Schniedewind at (845) 257-2827 or schniedn@newpaltz.edu.

Day camps for winter break

For those of you with kids on vacation from school this week, keep these programs in mind for some unique ways to spend the day! Ashokan Winter Day Camp, https://ashokancenter.org; Wild Earth February Break Camp, https://wildearth.org; and Snapology Minecraft Camp, www.highlandculturalartsstudio.com.

Erica Chase-Salerno isn’t sure what the question is, but the answer is surely Lagusta’s Luscious Sea Salt Almond Slate. She lives in New Paltz with her husband Mike and their two children: the inspirations behind www.hudsonvalleyparents.com. She can be reached at kidsalmanac@ulsterpublishing.com.