Children’s book author & illustrators visit Oblong Books in Rhinebeck
This weekend, Oblong Books & Music offers families a chance to meet with the author and illustrators of four different children’s books. Author Lesa Cline-Ransome and illustrators James E. Ransome and G. Brian Karas will appear at Oblong on Saturday, January 17 at 4 p.m. The featured books are: Freedom’s School, about two children entering school after freedom from slavery; My Name Is Truth, which follows the life of Hudson Valley-born slave, then preacher and orator Sojourner Truth; Whale Trails, Before & Now, which compares society’s views of whales in history and the present day, as narrated by a young girl; and A Poem in Your Pocket, which stars character Mr. Tiffin and his students experiencing a range of poetry styles.
Oblong Books & Music is located at 6422 Montgomery Street, Suite 6, in Rhinebeck. Reservations are requested. For more information or to register, call (845) 876-0500 or visit www.oblongbooks.com.
Sid the Science Kid visits the Egg in Albany
“I’m looking for my friends…I’m looking for you!” chants Sid the Science Kid as he arrives at school, and my head always bops along when I hear that beat. Sid will be looking for you at the Egg this Saturday, January 17 at 10:30 a.m. He and his friends Gabriela, May and Gerald will explore how the five senses of sight, smell, touch, taste and sound work in our bodies.
Tickets cost $18, and adults get in free when accompanying a child (one free adult per child). The Egg is located at the Empire State Plaza in Albany. For tickets or more information, call (518) 473-1845 or visit www.theegg.org.
SUNDAY, JANUARY 18
MLK Birthday Tribute at Woodstock Town Hall
Help the new generation connect with the life and work of Martin Luther King, Jr. by bringing them to an event like Woodstock’s 25th annual Birthday Tribute this Sunday, January 18 at 2 p.m. at the Woodstock Town Hall. The gathering includes reflection, celebration, education and song.
The Woodstock Town Hall is located at 76 Tinker Street in Woodstock. For more information, call (845) 679-2113.
Family Snowshoe Walk at Olana
Will this be the winter you finally tried snowshoeing with the family? On Sunday, January 18 from 1 to 3 p.m., the Olana State Historic Site invites beginners and families to a Snowshoe Walk along the carriage drives on the grounds. Participants may bring their own snowshoes or borrow from Olana’s limited supply, and registration is required. The cost is $10 for adults, $5 for children, and this program is open to all ages. A snow date is scheduled for Monday, January 19.
Olana is located at 5720 Route 9G in Hudson. For reservations or more information, call (518) 828-0135 or visit www.olana.org.
Shandaken Primitive Biathlon returns to Oliverea
What do you get when you blend snowshoes, black powder muzzle-loading firearms and the fresh, crisp air of the woods? Why, it’s the Shandaken Primitive Biathlon, of course. On Sunday, January 18 from 9 a.m. to 12 noon, the Upper Esopus Fish & Game Club invites participants ages 12 and up to join this year’s event, and anyone wearing 1800s attire gets one minute subtracted from his or her time.
Prizes are awarded for each age category, but there will also be an untimed woodswalk division for those who prefer simply to snowshoe and shoot the course. The cost is $18, or $12 for the woodswalk.
The Upper Esopus Fish & Game Club is located on Little Peck Hollow Road in Oliverea. For more information, call (845) 246-3954 or visit www.shandakenprimitivebiathlon.net.
Erica Chase-Salerno and her husband Mike live in New Paltz with their two children: the inspirations behind hudsonvalleyparents.com. She can be reached at kidsalmanac@ulsterpublishing.com.
Join the family! 
