“Blueberries is one of the great forces o’ good in the world.”
– James A. Owen, Here, There Be Dragons
FRIDAY, AUGUST 12
RCAL benefit screening of The Peanuts Movie at Headless Horseman in Ulster Park
Did you catch The Peanuts Movie the first time around back in November? Written by the son and grandson of Charles Schultz, the film has the same overall feel as the cartoons, and it’s a fun way to engage a new generation with Charlie Brown, Lucy, Snoopy and the rest of the gang. You can take your crew to see The Peanuts Movie this Friday, August 12 at 6:30 p.m. at the Headless Horseman while supporting a great cause at the same time: the Resource Center for Accessible Living (RCAL). Attendees can enjoy raffles, snacks and a showing of The Peanuts Movie, with a donation of $5 per person. Bring a blanket or chair for this outdoor movie under the stars.
Headless Horseman is located at 778 Broadway in Ulster Park. For more information, reservations or to donate to the raffle, call (845) 331-0541, extension 20, or visit www.rcal.org.
SATURDAY, AUGUST 13
Sunflower Art Festival in Gardiner
Whoa, clear your calendar for this one: a community event inspired by and held in memory of Esther Sanzo with lots of children’s activities and musical performances on two stages all day, including Lindsey Webster, the Mike + Ruthy Band, Connor Kennedy and more. The Sunflower Art Festival takes place rain or shine this Saturday, August 13 from 10 a.m. until dusk at the Tuthilltown Spirits Distillery. The Esther’s Kids Art Tent is open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., including a kids’ music jam hour at 10 a.m., free community yoga for teens and adults at 10 a.m., hayrides, face-painting, arts and crafts and free peaches and juices.
Admission is free with a suggested tax-deductible donation of $10 per person and free parking, and proceeds from the raffle and sponsorships benefit St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital. The Tuthilltown Spirits Distillery can be located via GPS at 20 Grist Mill Lane in Gardiner. For more information, call (212) 684-1110 or visit www.sunflowerartfestival.com.
Hampstead Stage Company performs Aladdin at Center for Performing Arts at Rhinebeck
“Like so many things, it is not what is outside, but what is inside that counts,” advises the merchant in Aladdin. Give your crew the opportunity to see this show in a new way, performed by the Hampstead Stage Company for 50 minutes with two actors and lots of audience participation. Aladdin takes place this Saturday, August 13 at 11 a.m. at the Center for Performing Arts at Rhinebeck. Tickets cost $7 for children and $9 for adults and seniors.
The Center for Performing Arts is located at 661 Route 308 in Rhinebeck. For tickets or more information, call (845) 876-3080 or visit https://centerforperformingarts.org/saturday-morning-family-series/item/aladdin. To learn more about the performers, visit https://hampsteadstage.org.
Join Great Hudson River Estuary Count at Beacon’s Long Dock Park
You’ve been taught not to count your chickens before they hatch, but counting fish? That’s another matter entirely! Rally your kids to join the Great Hudson River Estuary Count this Saturday, August 13 from 10 a.m. to 12 noon at sites along the Hudson River from Saratoga to Brooklyn – including Scenic Hudson’s Long Dock Park, where the program is free, and all supplies are provided. The numbers of fish species found and their distribution help researchers assess the overall health of the Hudson River; 47 species were counted over the past four years. Long Dock Park is located at 8 Long Dock Road in Beacon. For reservations or more information, call (845) 473-4440, extension 238, e-mail Kate Brill at kbrill@scenichudson.org or visit https://scenichudson.org. To learn more about the count and other site locations, visit www.dec.ny.gov/lands/97891.html.
Sports story time at Morgan Lake Park in Poughkeepsie
Did you know that Morgan Lake has a PokéStop and a Gym? And it’s the perfect tie-in for this week’s Story Time theme: sports. On Saturday, August 13 from 11 a.m. to 12 noon, Morgan Lake Park is the place to be for stories and sports games. Remember to bring a blanket or folding chair. This gathering is free and open to the public.
Morgan Lake Park is located on Creek Road in Poughkeepsie. For more information or updated event information during inclement weather, call (845) 418-0016 or visit www.facebook.com/morganlakepoughkeepsie or www.morganlakepark.org.
Blueberry Festival in Ellenville
Guess the berry described here by Robert Frost: “And after all really they’re ebony skinned: The blue’s but a mist from the breath of the wind.” That’s right, blueberries! Get your fill of these sumptuous spheres at the Blueberry Festival taking place rain or shine this Saturday, August 13 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. along Canal Street in Ellenville. Enjoy a pancake breakfast, children’s activities, a blueberry pie contest, live music and blueberry excellence from more than 185 vendors. For more information, call (845) 647-4620 or visit www.ewcoc.com.
“Puzzle Me a Story” at Hudson’s FASNY Museum of Firefighting
Super Saturdays at the FASNY Museum of Firefighting give your kids a fun and interactive connection with firefighters, educating them about safety but also inspiring them to be first responders. Bring your 3-to-5-year-olds to this weekend’s Super Saturday, “Puzzle Me a Story…with Firefighter Jerry!” taking place on Saturday, August 13 at 10:30 a.m. Children will hear the exciting story, Firehouse, then help Jerry complete a puzzle, which the kids can take home afterwards. If you are a Columbia County resident, the program and museum admission are free for you that day. For everyone else, adults cost $7, children aged 3 and older cost $5 and children under 3 get in free.
The FASNY Museum of Firefighting is located at 117 Harry Howard Avenue in Hudson. For more information, call (518) 822-1875 or visit www.fasnyfiremuseum.com/content/events_and_programs/super_saturdays.
SUNDAY, AUGUST 14
Beacon Sloop Club Corn Festival
When the stalks are as high as an elephant’s eye, that means that corn season is upon us. And what better way to celebrate this magnificent vegetable than at the Beacon Sloop Club’s annual Corn Festival? This fun event takes place rain or shine this Sunday, August 14 from 12 noon to 5 p.m. at Pete & Toshi Seeger Park and features hot, fresh sweet corn, homemade chili, free children’s activities, live music and more, right on the Hudson River. Admission is free.
Pete & Toshi Seeger Park is located at 1 Flynn Drive in Beacon. For more information, call (845) 463-4660 or (845) 255-6436 or visit www.beaconsloopclub.org.
Community String Ensemble concert at Ellenville Public Library
Want to add a dash of classical music to your kids’ auditory experience this summer? Take a break from radio shows, podcasts and videos and enjoy a live chamber music concert. The Music Institute of Sullivan and Ulster Counties, Inc.’s Community String Ensemble presents “Birds, Bears and a Summer Afternoon” this Sunday, August 14 at 3 p.m. at the Ellenville Public Library & Museum. The program includes musicians of varying ages and abilities performing a variety of classical music: an ideal concert for all ages and all levels of interest.
TheEllenville Public Library & Museum is located at 40 Center Street in Ellenville. For more information, call (845) 647-5087 or visit www.facebook.com/misucatskills, https://misucatskills.org or https://eplm.sharepoint.com.
Rosendale Theatre presents Swing Kids & Vanaver Caravan
It don’t mean a thing if it ain’t got that swing, right? Channel your inner Duke Ellington and come to the Rosendale Theatre for Swing Kids and the Vanaver Caravan’s SummerDance on Tour! this Sunday, August 14 at 3 p.m. You can see the 1993 film Swing Kids, about the rebellion by a group of young swing dancers against the Nazi regime, as well as a live performance by swing-dancing youth from the Vanaver Caravan. Tickets cost $12 for adults, $10 for members and $6 for children.
The Rosendale Theatre is located at 408 Main Street in Rosendale. For more information, call (845) 658-8989 or visit www.rosendaletheatre.org or https://vanavercaravan.org.
Artists’ Soapbox Derby returns to Kingston
This election year, let’s consider taking a break from our respective soapboxes and start riding them instead! The 21st Kingston Artists’ Soapbox Derby takes place this Sunday, August 14 in the Rondout, at the corner of Broadway and Spring Street. Check-in and assembly happen at 10 a.m., and cars roll at 12 noon. Contest divisions include Kids 13 and under; Rondout Reject, a/k/a Horse’s A** award; Reduce, Reuse, Recycle; Blast from the Past; and Coveted People’s Choice Award. Entries cost $45 for adults and $40 for youth 13 and younger. Past derby entries can be entered again, but they are not eligible to win.
In addition to the race, attendees will enjoy live music, food and vendors. For more information or to register, visit https://kingstonartistsoapboxderby.com or www.facebook.com/kingstonartistsoapboxderby.
TUESDAY, AUGUST 16
Special Needs Picnic in LaGrange
If you have any experience with special needs, then you know the world of societal “can’ts” that come with the territory: cautions and discouragement, often well-intentioned, from participating in various activities, designed to head off challenging or uncomfortable situations, either socially or physically. What if, instead, we approached those conversations with a can-do attitude, such as “What can I do to help make this work for you?”
Here’s one example: Dutchess County’s fourth annual Special Needs Picnic taking place this Tuesday, August 16 from 12 noon to 1:30 p.m. at Freedom Park. Admission to this event is free, and activities include live music, dancing, recreational activities, the Mid-Hudson Children’s Museum’s Imagination Playground and face-painting. Families can also meet a K-9 officer, a therapy dog, get an up-close look at a Department of Public Works truck and firetruck and connect with local services from Abilities First, Taconic Resources and the Mid-Hudson Regional Hospital. Registration for this event is required, and space is limited.
Freedom Park is located at 212 Skidmore Road in LaGrange. For more information or reservations, or to be an event sponsor, call (845) 475-3578 or visit https://molinarofordutchess.com/dutchess-county-to-host-4th-annual-special-needs-picnic.
Erica Chase-Salerno is munching blueberries right now. She can be reached at kidsalmanac@ulsterpublishing.com.
Join the family! 
