“If all the cars in the United States were placed end to end, it would probably be Labor Day Weekend.”
– Doug Larson
New York Renaissance Faire
Get thy “Forsooth!” and “Verily!” on and bring your kids, along with plenty of $1 and $5 bills, to the New York Renaissance Faire! Walking around the Faire feels like being transported across the centuries to the times of Leonardo da Vinci and Queen Elizabeth I. The period costumes, quaint shoppes with extra Es on the end of their names and excellent medieval-themed food make me want to trade in my Subaru for a mighty steed. Also, everyone speaks in an English accent and says “Thank thee,” instead of “Thank you.” I worked that into my Fairespeake and even called my son a “young knave” at one point.
But to me, the biggest reason to attend the Renaissance Faire is the wonderful entertainment. All day long throughout the Sterling Forest, on stages, random benches or just strolling the grounds, talented and engaging performers give us their all, and the tradition is to tip them at the end of each show. But my hands-down, top recommendation is Aaron Bonk, who is hilarious with the audience, and skilled with fiery whips and balancing swords, and not to be missed! My son also really enjoyed the live chess battles, and my daughter especially delighted at the Stewart & Arnold knife-throwing performance. The rides are all people-powered, which adds considerable charm, and my daughter couldn’t get enough of the Whirly Burly swing-mobile.
You can wear pretty much anything at the Renaissance Faire, but period clothing abounds. You can even visit the vendors there to get started on your own outfit: Everything from jewelry to suits of armor is available. Just like eating a huge turkey leg here is de rigueur, I think you should take a photo on the Kissing Bridge with your beloved, and watch the joust, which is held in the afternoon and evening. Come out for Time Travelers’ Weekend, where fairegoers are encouraged to come dressed in a costume from across the eras: September 3 is Fantasy Saturday, so dress in your “true” form, whether dragon or fairy; September 4 is Steampunk Sunday, where the fashion is basically Victorian-meets-steam-driven-industrial; and September 5 is Barbarian Monday, where you get to be a bad gal/guy.
The Renaissance Faire operates Saturdays, Sundays and Labor Day through October 2 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., rain or shine. Tickets cost $25 for ages 13 and up and $12 for ages 5 to 12; admission is free for children under 5 years of age, and group, military and senior discounts are available. The Renaissance Faire is located at Sterling Forest at 600 Route 17A in Tuxedo. For more information or discount coupons, call (845) 351-5171 or visit https://renfair.com/ny. To learn more about our family’s favorite performers, visit www.aaronbonk.com and www.facebook.com/stewartandarnold. See you anon!
My Way Matinée
Are the loud volume or dark setting of the cinema too uncomfortable for your family member to attend movies? Have you heard about My Way Matinée? The Regal Galleria Mall Stadium 16 in Poughkeepsie joins movie theaters around the country to offer lower sound and brighter lights on special dates with 10:30 a.m. children’s movie showtimes: Saturday, September 17 shows The Wild Life; Saturday, October 8, Storks: Find Your Flock; Saturday, November 12, Trolls; and Saturday, December 10, Moana. Tickets cost $6.50 each.
The Regal Galleria Mall Stadium 16 is located at 2001 South Road in Poughkeepsie. For more information, call (844) 462-7342, extension 481, or visit www.regmovies.com/mywaymatinee.
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1
Hudson Valley Renegades season wrap-up
Buy yourself some peanuts and Cracker Jack and get over to one more Hudson Valley Renegades baseball game this summer! It’s your last chance! The final three home games of the season take place at Dutchess Stadium this Thursday, Friday and Saturday, September 1 through 3, all at 7:05 p.m. against the Vermont Lake Monsters. The gates open at 5:30 p.m., and the Friday and Saturday games end with the most comfortable fireworks show that you’ll ever attend, because you have great seats with no one in your way for viewing these terrific pyrotechnics.
Renegades games are a budget-friendly family outing, and you just might score some terrific end-of-season deals on gift-shop swag. Tickets cost from $6 to $16, and special packages are available. Dutchess Stadium is located at 1500 Route 9D in Wappingers Falls. For tickets or more information, call (845) 838-0094 or visit https://hvrenegades.com.
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 3
New York Air Show returns to Stewart Airport
It’s a bird! It’s a plane! Whoa, so many planes! I’m talking a B-1 bomber, F-15 Eagle, AH-64 Apache helicopter and an M1A1 Abrams Tank, and get this: US Air Force Thunderbirds flying right overhead! It’s the New York Air Show, taking place rain or shine at Stewart International Airport this Saturday and Sunday, September 3 and 4; and there’s a lot to see, from ground displays on 50 acres to aerial shows from 12 noon to 4 p.m. Want to meet the Thunderbirds pilots, as well as jumpers and crews? They’ll be at the Takeoff Party at Angry Orchard at 8 p.m. on Friday, September 2 for $5 per person.
Did you come to the Air Show last year? They now allow sealed bottles of water on-site, up to one liter, and they have expanded the food vendors. Remember to bring a chair, sunblock and an umbrella, too. You can also rent seating for $15 on a first-come, first-served basis. Locals, be aware that Route 747 will be closed from approximately 3 to 4 p.m. on Friday, Saturday and Sunday to accommodate the Thunderbirds practice and shows.
Tickets cost $22.50 for adults and $11.25 for children aged 6 to 12 for day passes; Flightline VIP Club costs $169 on Saturday, $159 on Sunday; and Photo Pit access costs $139. Parking costs $15 in advance or $20 on-site; or ride your bike in and lock it along the fence for free.
Stewart International Airport is located at 1180 First Street in New Windsor. Angry Orchard is located at 2241 Albany Post Road in Walden. For tickets, a complete schedule or for more information, call (877) 766-8158 or visit https://airshowny.com or www.facebook.com/airshowny.
West Point hosts Music under the Stars
Stars & Stripes under the stars? Live cannon? Fireworks? Yes, please! End your summer with a bang at Music under the Stars by the West Point Band this Saturday, September 3 at 7:30 p.m. at the Trophy Point Amphitheater at West Point. Arrive early to stake out your seating; bring a picnic, bring the dog and make an evening of it! Remember to leave extra time for security at the entrance. The rain date is Sunday, September 4.
For directions to West Point, visit www.usma.edu/visiting/sitepages/directions.aspx. For more information, call (845) 938-2617 or visit www.westpointband.com.
Iroquois Festival in Howes Cave
We can erase the illusion of otherness by learning about each other’s cultures. Wish you could connect your family with New York Native American culture and traditions? Then you will want to attend the annual Iroquois Festival at the Iroquois Indian Museum held every Labor Day weekend: this Saturday and Sunday, September 3 and 4 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Festival is an authentic expression of Iroquois life, and all are welcome to participate, from beading and cornhusk dollmaking for the kids to music, dance performances, Native American art, storytelling, wildlife presentations and much more.
You may recall my enthusiastic review of this museum, because it’s history by the Iroquois themselves: a complete game-changer in terms of historic narrative. When our family visited the museum last month, the presenters were so excited about this Festival: It’s a real reunion for the Iroquois, and we’re all invited to join in the fun.
The Iroquois Indian Museum is located at 324 Caverns Road in Howes Cave. Make a stop at nearby Howe Caverns or Secret Caverns while you’re in the area! For more information, call (518) 296-8949 or visit www.iroquoismuseum.org.
“Ghost Hotels of Minnewaska” expedition
Curious about that large, flat, open area atop Lake Minnewaska? Do you believe in the existence of things that are no longer there? Then bring your curiosity and intrigue to “Ghost Hotels of Minnewaska” this Saturday, September 3 from 9:30 to 11 a.m. at the Minnewaska State Park Preserve. Kids from 8 to 12 years of age will learn about site founders the Smiley Brothers and the hotel culture of the time, and do a ghost walk-through of the space, followed by a hotel scavenger hunt.
This program is free and open to the public, but registration is required. You also need your Empire Passport or to pay the $10 per vehicle entry fee to get in. The 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/events/event.aspx?e=127-17231.0.
Civil War Weekend at Monroe’s Museum Village
The statement, “We talked the matter over and could have settled the war in 30 minutes had it been left to us,” is attributed to an unknown Confederate soldier about his meeting with a Union soldier during the US. Civil War. Make the past come alive and give your family some personal exposure to this explosive period in our nation’s history by attending Civil War Weekend at Museum Village this Saturday, September 3 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, September 4 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. In addition to touring the buildings in Museum Village, guests can meet Federal and Confederate troops in their encampments, see battle tactics, medical and daily life demonstrations, shop the merchants who followed the armies on Sutler’s Row, meet Harriet Tubman, hear President Lincoln deliver the Gettysburg Address and more.
Civil War Weekend costs $15 for adults, $12 for seniors and $10 for children ages 4 to 12 years. Museum Village is located at 1010 Route 17M in Monroe. For more information, call (845) 782-8248 or visit https://museumvillage.org.
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 4
All Dogs’ Day Hike at Olana
The dog days of summer are behind us, but don’t worry: The Olana State Historic Site invites you and your pooch to its All Dogs’ Day Hike this Sunday, September 4 from 12 noon to 2 p.m. Come out and explore these glorious grounds with our fur-friends! This dog-themed hike and information-sharing is open to the public of all ages and their leashed pups. The cost is $10 for non-members and $5 for members.
The Olana State Historic Site is located at 5720 Route 9G in Hudson. To register or for more information, call (518) 828-0135 or visit www.olana.org/calendar/dogs-day-hike.
New 5K run begins Hooley on the Hudson
Like the Celtic rock band Barleyjuice says, “Best part of bein’ an American [is] to be a Weekend Irish!” No matter what your heritage, everyone gets to be a Weekend Irish this Sunday, September 4 from 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. at Hooley on the Hudson. You can catch Barleyjuice and a host of other musicians and dancers performing live on three stages along the Rondout waterfront, as well as great food, activities, crafts and more.
And runners of all abilities will enjoy the “flat, fast and first-class” Hooley on the Hoof 5K kicking off the day at 9 a.m., with check-in from 7 to 8:30 a.m. The entrance fee is $30, or $20 if you register before September 2. Hooley on the Hudson and Hooley on the Hoof are located at the Rondout, on lower Broadway in Kingston.
For more information about the race, call (845) 214-6479 or visit www.hooleyonthehoof.org. To learn more about the festival, call (845) 338-6622 or visit www.ulsteraoh.com or www.facebook.com/hooleyonthehudson.
Hudson River Valley Ramble steps off
Needs some new ideas for exploring cool spots in the Hudson Valley? The Hudson River Valley Ramble has got you covered! This series of local events celebrates our area’s history, culture and landscape every weekend during the month of September.
This weekend, you could take a Hudson Valley Sunset Kayak Tour out of Saugerties for ages 12 and up for $45, including the kayak; take a Wilderstein house tour for ages 8 and up in Rhinebeck, home of Margaret “Daisy” Suckley, Franklin Roosevelt’s cousin and confidante, for $11 for ages 12 and up, free for children under 12; attend an extraordinary Innisfree Garden Wildflower Walk in Millbrook for $15 per person, kids 3 and under get in free; a sculpture garden tour at the Maurice D. Hinchey Catskill Interpretive Center in Mount Tremper for ages 6 and up; and much more! For more information and a complete schedule of events, visit www.hudsonrivervalleyramble.com.
Rainbow Kids group at LGBTQ Community Center
“What gender are you when you dream?” asks Dr. Johanna Olson, medical director of the Center for Transyouth Health & Development in Los Angeles. Is your child transgender or gender nonconforming? Perhaps you could use some outside support to help you remain present and connected to your child. Have you heard of Rainbow Kids? It’s a play and craft group for transgender and gender nonconforming youth at the Hudson Valley LGBTQ Community Center, with a separate gathering at the same time for supportive parents and caregivers. The next meetup takes place this Sunday, September 4 from 5 to 6:30 p.m.
Why go? Group co-founder Stephanie Ellis explains: “Research indicates that family support is a crucial factor for the long-term wellbeing of transgender and gender nonconforming people. Rainbow Kids is a safe place for transgender and gender nonconforming children and their supportive family members to come together and support each other in a society that can be unaccepting of their existence.” The materials fee for Rainbow Kids is $20 per family.
The Hudson Valley LBGTQ Community Center is located at 300 Wall Street in Kingston. For more information, call (845) 331-5300 or visit https://lgbtqcenter.org.
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 6
Spark video workshop for teens at Beacon’s Howland Library
Yes, it’s true! Your 14-to-19-year-old can earn cash making videos! Check out the Spark Media Project’s six-week filmmaking workshop for teens starting this Tuesday, September 6 from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. at the Howland Public Library. Spark’s FRAME program (Film, Radio, Art, Media, Entrepreneurship) is a paid job-training workshop that meets on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays through October 13, creating high-quality videos for the Cary Institute. In addition to gaining skills and building a portfolio, students receive a $100 stipend at the end of the session. A similar program is slated for Kingston starting November 1.
The Howland Public Library is located at 313 Main Street in Beacon. For more information, to apply or to become a sponsor, call (845) 485-4480 or visit https://sparkmediaproject.org/frame-workshop.
Erica Chase-Salerno cannot wait to take her first bite of a local apple! She can be reached at kidsalmanac@ulsterpublishing.com.
Join the family! 
