“One must ask children and birds how cherries and strawberries taste.”
– Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
THURSDAY, MAY 7
Kingston Library hosts birding workshop for kids
Do you have children? Do you ever see birds? Perfect! Now, make some time to spend with Mark DeDea, who is an experienced birder, caretaker at Forsyth Nature Center in Kingston, president of the John Burroughs Natural History Society, captivating presenter and super-nice guy who doesn’t think that any questions are dumb, which is very lucky for me! He’ll be at the Kingston Library on Thursday, May 7 at 4:30 p.m. to discuss “Birds of Kingston” during this time of spring migration. In addition to creating a Birds of Kingston book, children will learn about optics, field guides and even the right type of birdseed. This event is free and open to the public, geared for children ages 6 to 13.
And mark your calendars for the fifth annual Kingston Library Chalk Walk, taking place on Saturday, May 9 from 12:30 to 2 p.m. This free event is open to all ages, and the chalk is supplied.
The Kingston Library is located at 55 Franklin Street in Kingston. For more information or to register, call (845) 331-0507, extension 7, or visit www.kingstonlibrary.org.
FRIDAY, MAY 8
Neil Young tribute concert at Bearsville
Families who love the music of Neil Young will want to attend this weekend’s Woodstock Soundout, a tribute concert to Young and a benefit for the Woodstock Day School. The event is hosted by Happy Traum – a veteran of the original Woodstock Soundouts, which date back to 1967 – and includes a great lineup of fellow musicians: A. C. Newman, Marco Benevento, Nicole Atkins, Larry Campbell, Simi Stone, Tim Sutton, the Woodstock Day School Ensemble and many more. The Woodstock Soundout takes place at the Bearsville Theater on Friday, May 8; the doors open at 7:30 p.m. and the show begins at 8.
The Bearsville Theater is located at 291 Tinker Street in Woodstock. Tickets range from $25 to $99. For tickets or more information, visit https://radiowoodstock.com.
LGBTQ-friendly prom night
Calling all LGBTQ youth and allies: It’s prom time! On Friday, May 8 from 7 to 10 p.m., young people ages 14 to 18 are invited to “Circles Prom 2015: Enchanted Garden.” For the location and to reserve your place for this event, call or text (845) 926-6682 or e-mail education@ppmhv.org. To learn more about Circles, visit www.facebook.com/circleshv.
SATURDAY, MAY 9
Cappella Treble Choir at Christ Episcopal Church
This weekend, come hear the dynamic youth voices in the Cappella Treble Choir’s performance, “The World is Full of Poetry,” a Mothers’ Day concert. The performance takes place on Saturday, May 9 at 4 p.m. at Christ Episcopal Church in Poughkeepsie and includes songs in Chinese, Hebrew, Italian, Latin and English. Admission is a free-will offering. For more information, call (845) 452-8220 or visit www.christchurchpok.org/upcomingmusicevents.html or https://cappellafestiva.org.
Poughkeepsie food pantry needs volunteers
Some of you ask for ideas for your kids to volunteer in the community, and here’s a good one: This Saturday, May 9 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the Lunch Box, come help sort food donated through the postal carriers’ annual drive. The Lunch Box is located at 29 North Hamilton Street in Poughkeepsie. If you are interested in helping, contact Carol Beck at carolann@dutchessoutreach.org. For more information about the organization, call (845) 454-3792 or visit www.dutchessoutreach.org.
Japanese Children’s Day in Milton
In Japan, Boys’ Day is honored on May 5 and Girls’ Day on March 3, both celebrating the health and happiness of children. You can participate in Japanese Children’s Day, a local version of these festivities, this Saturday, May 9 from 2 to 3:30 p.m. at the Sarah Hull Hallock Free Library. Activities include origami, calligraphy and watching kamishibai, a form of visual storytelling using a Japanese paper theater. This event is free and open to all ages.
The Sarah Hull Hallock Free Library is located at 56-58 Main Street in Milton. For more information, call (845) 795-2200 or visit https://miltonlib.org. After the Children’s Day event, stop at Frida’s Bakery & Café located nearby at 26 Main Street in Milton, for the delicious treats and the sweet playroom upstairs! Check it out at www.fridasbakeryny.com.
Join the family! 
