“August rain: the best of the summer gone, and the new fall not yet born. The odd uneven time.”
– Sylvia Plath, The Unabridged Journals of Sylvia Plath
Hey, area homeschoolers: Have you heard about the Center for Creative Education’s new Kingston Homeschool Hub? Students may attend full-day sessions or take single classes, with offerings such as Historical Songwriting with amazing local musician Debbie Lan, or Connecting the Dots computer coding and robotics with Stephen Sobierajski of We Connect the Dots, as well as Spanish, Art, Math, Drama and more!
Open to ages 6 to 14, each six-week session takes place on Tuesdays and Thursdays between 9:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m., beginning September 13. The cost per session is sliding scale – families determine what they can pay within the range provided: Two full days for ten hours cost $600 to $840; one full day for five hours costs $320 to $465; and $120 per single class. A ten-percent sibling discount is also available.
The Center for Creative Education is located at 15 Railroad Avenue in Kingston. For more information or to register, call (845) 338-7664 or visit https://cce4me.org/schedule/kingston-homeschool-hub.
FRIDAY, AUGUST 19
Arts Community benefit with live bands in New Paltz
Your kids love music, right? Whether listening to great tunes, or making melodies of their own, you and your crew will enjoy this weekend’s Friday Night Fundraiser in support of the Arts Community. The fun takes place this Friday, August 19 at One EPIC Place, kicking off at 5 p.m. with an open mic, jam session and a performance by New Paltz Rock, followed by shows at 7 p.m. by August on Sunday and at 8 p.m. by royGbiv. Donations are welcomed, with the event’s proceeds benefiting the Arts Community, a nonprofit organization providing local arts classes and experiences for children and adults.
One EPIC Place is located at 122 Main Street in New Paltz. For more information or to make a donation, call (845) 232-0402 or visit www.oneepicplace.com. To learn more about the Arts Community, visit www.theartscommunity.com.
Arm-of-the-Sea Theater performs in Saugerties & Hudson
It’s not a Hudson Valley summer without Arm-of-the-Sea Theater, amiright? These artists astutely amuse and educate us about our estuary like no one else, so gather your brood for all of the Arm-of-the-Sea that your heart desires this weekend.
Performances of Hook, Line + Sinker take place on Friday, August 19 at 8 p.m. at Tina Chorvas Waterfront Park on East Bridge Street in Saugerties, and on Saturday, August 20 at 1 p.m. at the Black Arts & Culture Festival at Henry Hudson Riverfront Park off Front Street in Hudson. The Rejuvenary River Circus is scheduled for Saturday, August 20 at 8 p.m. at Tina Chorvas Waterfront Park. And City that Drinks the Mountain Sky happens on Sunday, August 21 at 8 p.m. at Tina Chorvas Waterfront Park.
The Friday and Hudson performances are free; admission on Saturday and Sunday costs $10 for adults, $5 for children and $25 for a family of four. Tickets are available at the park entrance at each event, and remember to bring your lawn chairs and to arrive early for best seating.
For more information, call (845) 246-7873 or visit www.armofthesea.org/maskpuppetstheaterevents/79/the-2016-esopus-creek-puppet-suite-tina-chorvas-waterfront-park-saugerties-ny.
SATURDAY, AUGUST 20
Paint-&-juice meetup for developmentally disabled kids in Wappingers Falls
You know those paint-and-beverage meetups that are so popular right now? How about one designed with kids with developmental disabilities in mind? Join the Taconic Innovations Child Development Center for “Fruit Punch and Palettes,” happening this Saturday, August 20 at 2 p.m. A variety of materials will be available for participants to use, including paints, markers and crayons, to build their masterpieces.
The Taconic Innovations Child Development Center is located at 879 Route 376 in Wappingers Falls. For more information or to register, call (845) 849-3447, extension 5100, or visit www.taconicinnovations.com.
Chronogram Block Party in Kingston
If you like circus street performers, 3-D printers, free massages, live music, excellent food and an emphasis on all things local, then you and your family will have a great time at the Chronogram Block Party. Kingston’s Wall Street closes to cars between North Front and John Streets and transforms into an all-ages party paradise starting at 4 p.m. on Saturday, August 20. For a full lineup and more information, visit https://chronogramblockparty.com.
Take a Stand youth concert at Bard’s Fisher Center
Have your kids had the chance to hear live classical music yet this summer? How about a performance by young people – and with an emphasis on supporting social change through music? This Saturday, August 20 at 1 p.m., head to Bard College’s Fisher Center for the Performing Arts for a special Take a Stand youth concert experience (get it? as in, “Take a music stand”): the culmination of five days of exciting opportunities and hard work with inspiring musicians helping youth reach their fullest potential.
Part of the National Take a Stand Festival, this three-year project gives musicians ages 12 to 17 the chance to study and perform with youth from other parts of the country, as well as to receive professional musical instruction. Bard College is one of the partners in this endeavor.
This Take a Stand concert is free and open to the public, but reservations are required. The youth orchestra is conducted by Bard College president Leon Botstein, and pieces include work by Brahms, Saint-Saëns, John Williams and Astor Piazzolla. Bard College is located at 30 Campus Road in Annandale-on-Hudson. For more information or reservations, call (845) 758-7900, e-mail fishercenter@bard.edu or visit https://fishercenter.bard.edu/calendar/event.php?eid=131228. To learn more about the program, visit www.take-a-stand.org.
SUNDAY, AUGUST 21
Hurley Heritage Society Museum hosts Fun Family Day
Looking for something different to do with the crew this weekend? This one sounds great, and there’s even ice cream involved! Come on out to Fun Family Day this Sunday, August 21 from 1 to 4 p.m., rain or shine, at the Hurley Heritage Society Museum. Guests can watch the play at 2 p.m., Voices from the New Village, depicting life in Hurley in 1663; play games and other activities; and make your own sundaes! Admission costs $4 for ages 11 and up, $2 for ages 10 and under and is free for children aged 4 and under.
The Hurley Heritage Society Museum is located at 52 Main Street in Hurley. For more information, call (845) 338-1661 or visit www.hurleyheritagesociety.org or www.facebook.com/hurleyheritagesociety.
MONDAY, AUGUST 22
Honeybee observation hive unveiled at Olive Free Library in West Shokan
Have you heard all of the buzz about bees lately? How much do you and your family really know about these yellow-and-black fuzzbutts that we depend on so much? Fly over to the Olive Free Library this Monday, August 22 at 6:30 p.m. for the ribbon-cutting of the new honeybee observation hive. Built as an Eagle Scout project by high school senior Blake Overton, the exhibit includes live bees and an educational kiosk. Congratulations, Blake! Blake is a third-generation beekeeper and hopes to inspire and educate others to join in.
The Olive Free Library also hosts a monthly beekeeping support group, as well as an Intro to Beekeeping course every January to help new folks become backyard beekeepers in the spring. The Olive Free Library is located at 4033 Route 28A in West Shokan. For more information, call (845) 657-2482 or visit https://olivefreelibrary.org.
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 24
Free West Point Band concert at Vanderbilt Mansion in Hyde Park
Where can you enjoy fantastic live music in a luxurious setting overlooking a picturesque landscape? You don’t have to look very far: It’s free, and it’s all right here! Bring your blankets and lawn chairs and tap your toes to the tunes of the West Point Band at the Vanderbilt Mansion this Wednesday, August 24 from 6:30 to 8 p.m., in honor of 100 Years of the National Park Service (NPS). Like what you see? Come on back for more NPS birthday fun with Free Entrance Days in the National Parks: August 25 through 28, September 24 and November 11.
The Vanderbilt Mansion is located at 119 Vanderbilt Park Road in Hyde Park. For more information, call (845) 938-2617 or visit www.westpointband.com or www.nps.gov/vama/index.htm. To learn more about the Free Entrance Days, visit www.nps.gov/planyourvisit/fee-free-parks.htm.
THURSDAY, AUGUST 25
Free day at Storm King Art Center
Summer is wrapping up, so if Storm King was on your must-do list, how about spending time there on their final free day of the season? This Thursday, August 25 from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. is a free admission day at Storm King Art Center. A terrific experience for all ages, your whole family can get their Fitbit steps in strolling the grounds while taking in amazing (and often oversized) modern art.
My family likes to make a day of it: bring a picnic lunch, or have some nibbles from the on-site café. My kids also get a kick out of the elevator to access the tram, seeing the ground suddenly appear through the glass walls. Here are the sculptures that you can touch and physically interact with: Momo Taro by Isamu Noguchi, the peachlike bowl that you can sit in; Sit Down, a series of benches by Daniel Buren; Gazebo for Two Anarchists by Siah Armajani; and Beethoven’s Quartet, which you can strike with a mallet.
The Storm King Art Center is located at 1 Museum Road in New Windsor. For more information, call (845) 534-3115 or visit https://stormking.org.
One-month Mohonk Preserve pass free for Ulster residents
Nature is great. Free nature is even better. And if you’re an Ulster County resident, you will want to score your free one-month pass to the beautiful trails of the Mohonk Preserve. Your kids will thoroughly enjoy the hike to Duck Pond: perfect for new or very young hikers. Pick up your pass at the Mohonk Preserve Visitor Center at 3197 Route 44/55 in Gardiner from Thursday to Sunday, August 25 to 28 between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.; and at the Spring Farm Trailhead on Upper 27 Knolls Road in High Falls on Saturday and Sunday, August 27 and 28 between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Passes must be picked up in person and are valid through September 25.
For more information, call (845) 255-0919 or visit https://mohonkpreserve.org.
Special rides for special-needs kids at Dutchess County Fair
What keeps you or your crew from going to the fair? Too many people? Too many sounds? Your family members with special needs are going to be thrilled about Dutchess County Fair’s ThinkDIFFERENTLY Day on Thursday, August 25. The gates open an hour early at 9 a.m., and a sensory-sensitive hour of rides begins at 9:30 a.m. Help your peeps ease into the fair experience by attending ThinkDIFFERENTLY Day! I cannot wait for other fairs and festivals to do this on a regular basis.
Admission costs $15 for adults, and children under 12 get in free; ride tickets cost $5 for four, or $20 for 22; discounted tickets and additional deals as well as a full schedule are published on the website. The Dutchess County Fairgrounds are located at 6550 Spring Brook Avenue in Rhinebeck. For more information, call (845) 876-4000 or visit https://dutchessfair.com.
This week’s Kids’ Almanac is in memory of Highland teen Sara Pironi, #sarastrong, www.facebook.com/sarastrongfoundation. Erica Chase-Salerno can be reached at kidsalmanac@ulsterpublishing.com.
Join the family! 
