Area Food Bank Awareness Event
Checking out a food bank event can be helpful to learn more about the relationships between food banks and food pantries, to donate money or non-perishables, or simply to pick up some food. You and your family can be a part of Feeding Our Families this Saturday, April 8 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., at 199 Stop & Shop stores across the tri-state area, along with area food banks and food pantries. Since food banks’ greatest needs stretch from January through August, this event is a chance to help these organizations replenish their inventory and to raise awareness about food security. Feel free to stop by any time during the day, or sign up for a volunteer shift from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., or 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. The closest Stop & Shop locations to our area are Dutchess County, in Hopewell Junction, Hyde Park, Poughkeepsie South Road and Poughkeepsie Burnett Boulevard; Orange County, in Monroe, Newburgh and Washingtonville. And Rockland County, in Nanuet, New City, Orangeburg, Pomona and West Haverstraw. Unable to volunteer? Visit us and donate on April 8th! For more information, to donate, or to volunteer, call (845) 534-5344, or visit http://foodbankofhudsonvalley.org/feeding-our-families, or learn more at http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/Food-Drive-NBC-4-New-York-Telemundo-Stop-and-Shop-Feeding-Our-Families-415902193.html.
Greene County Youth Art Exhibit
Let’s celebrate the artistic directions of youth in Greene County this weekend! Round up your crew and head over for Outside the Lines at the Greene County Council on the Arts! This exhibit features work from pre-kindergarteners through 12 graders from public, private, and home schools throughout Greene County, including Cairo-Durham, Coxsackie-Athens, Catskill, Greenville, Hunter-Tannersville, and Windham-Ashland-Jewett. In addition to paintings, drawings, collages, photographs, and mixed media works, a new flat screen television plays short films and videos by students. This exhibit is free and open to the public Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Saturday, 12 p.m. to 5 p.m; and the exhibit remains on display through Saturday, April 15. Green County Council on the Arts Gallery is located at 398 Main Street in Catskill. For more information, call (518) 943-3400, or visit www.greenearts.org.
April 6
Young Adult Job Fair
It’s the rallying cry by parents of teens everywhere: when are you getting a summer job? Easy, start here! At the Young Adult Job Fair happening this Thursday, April 6 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at SUNY Ulster’s Kingston Campus, your teens ages 16 to 24 can write and print resumes online and apply for a variety of jobs. With more than 50 employers on site, remember to dress well, and prepare to be interviewed! SUNY Ulster’s Kingston Campus is located at 94 Mary’s Avenue in Kingston. For more information, call (845) 340-3170 or visit http://www.ulsterworks.com/youth-and-young-adults.
Zentangles!
Finally, a terrific technique for those of us who are artistically challenged yet can’t resist those tempting twirls of pen and ink. I’m talking, Zentangles! Thursday, April 6 and April 13 from 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., you and your kids ages 12 and up can register for Basics of Zentangle at Arts Mid-Hudson. If you could use more relaxation, relief from stress, or you just desire to create something small and beautiful, check out Zentangles. The choices of costs for the class are: $38 for class only; $46 for class plus a full Zentangle kit consisting of 5 Zentangle tiles, a Sakura micron pen, pencil, tortillion and bag; or $41 for for class and Zentangle tiles, only.
Arts Mid-Hudson is located at 696 Dutchess Turnpike, Suite F in Poughkeepsie. To register or for more information, call (845) 454-3222 or visit https://interland3.donorperfect.net/weblink/weblink.aspx?name=E231621&id=50.
April 7
Gustafer Yellowgold at Woodstock Library
I am about to make young-person gift-giving easy for you: just buy any Gustafer Yellowgold album or DVD, and your recipient will be delighted! That’s it! Want to hear some of what I mean? Or are you are already a fan, like our family is? This Friday, April 7 at 7 p.m. at Woodstock Public Library, you and your crew can hang out with Gustafer Yellowgold music, all created and performed by Morgan Taylor. This live performance is free and open to the public of all ages and features the latest album, Gustafer Yellowgold’s Dark Pie Concerns. Hand-drawn images, unique music, and wonderful stories, I feel light and free like a kid again every time I hear his music. Check it out for yourselves! Woodstock Public Library is located at 5 Library Lane in Woodstock. For more information, call (845) 679-2213 or visit http://www.woodstock.org/event/gustafer-yellowgold-2/?instance_id=11555. To learn more about the music, visit http://gustaferyellowgold.com.
April 8
Spring Fever Family Day and Book Fair
Looking for signs of spring with your sweeties? Beginning to broach those bits about the birds and the bees? Well, it’s 2017 — we’re talking bee hotels, now! This Saturday, April 8 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., head over to Spring Fever Family Day and Book Fair at Family Partnership Center cafeteria. You and your crew can build shelters for critters, learn about nature, and check out gardening books for all ages, plus hear from local author Jerrice Baptiste! Workshops for 3rd through 5th grade include Pollinator Power! at 10 a.m., Urban Farming Fun at 11 a.m., and Eat the Rainbow at 12 p.m. Sessions for pre-kindergarten through 2nd grade include All About Worms! at 10 a.m., Weird, Wonderful Water Birds at 11 a.m., and Attracting Garden Visitors at 12 p.m. Spring Fever Family Day is free and open to the public of all ages, but registration is requested for planning purposes. Family Partnership Center is located at 29 North Hamilton Street in Poughkeepsie. For more information, to register, or to make a donation to the Poughkeepsie Farm Project, call (845) 516-1100 or visit https://www.farmproject.org/spring-fever-faPmily-day-and-book-fair.
Easter Bunny Express
Peter may have hopped down the bunny trail, but this Easter season, you and Flopsy, Mopsy, and Cottontail can ride in style, thanks to the Catskill Mountain Railroad! The Easter Bunny Express takes place on Saturday, April 8 and April 15 out of Kingston and lasts about one hour, including an Easter egg hunt and photo with the Easter Bunny. Departures are scheduled for: 10:30 a.m., 12 p.m., 1:30 p.m., 3 p.m., and 4:30 p.m. Tickets cost $18 for adults, $16 for seniors and military, and $12 for children. Westbrook Lane Station is located at the Kingston Plaza shopping center in Kingston. For tickets or more information, call (845) 688-7400 or visit http://cmrrevents.com/wordpress/easter-trains.
Bear Mountain Easter Egg Hunt
What do bears, baskets, and bunnies have in common? Why, the Easter Egg Hunt at Bear Mountain Inn, of course! This Saturday, April 8, you and your kids can enjoy a free egg hunt at 10 a.m. or 12 p.m. Then take a break for lunch, or stroll through the exhibits at Trailside Zoo, or just relax with a walk around Hessian Lake! The egg hunt is free, but the park entry costs $10 cash per vehicle. Bear Mountain Inn is located at 3020 Seven Lakes Drive in Bear Mountain. For more information, call (845) 786-2731 or visit http://visitbearmountain.com.
Sugaring Off: 18th Century Style
Maybe you haven’t been able to get to Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Hamilton: An American Musical yet, but this event might help. Sugaring Off: 18th Century Style takes place this Saturday, April 8 from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Senate House State Historic Site, which hails from the same era as George Washington’s Revolutionary War years. Hands-on demonstrations include making maple syrup, cooking jack wax candy, seeing a reenactment of a military raid on the sugar bush, and period music by Mark Rust features instruments families can try to play themselves. Admission costs $4 for adults, $3 for seniors, and free for children. The Senate House State Historic Site is located at 296 Fair Street in Kingston. For more information, call (845 )338-2786 or visit http://senatehousekingston.org/event/sugaring-off-18th-century-style-2.
Family Day At KTD
Calling all spiritual seekers, or families interested in seeing if they’re seekers, or somewhere in between. On Saturday, April 8 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Karma Triyana Dharmachakra (KTD) presents its monthly Family Day with Lama Lodro Lhamo and Lama Kathy Wesley. This month’s theme is Miracles. These Buddhist teachings are appropriate for Buddhists and non-Buddhists alike, all are welcome, with exposure to the arts, storytelling, and activities for children and adults, as well as environmental education and Tara Dance. The cost is $10 for a vegetarian lunch, or bring your own. Registration is requested for planning purposes. KTD is located at 335 Meads Mt. Road in Woodstock. For reservations or more information, call (845) 679-5906 extension 3 or visit https://kagyu.org/event/family-day-lama-lodro-lhamo-lama-kathy/?instance_id=24.
Origami Spring Foldfest
This time of year, I see lots of elliptical eggs and round matzo balls, but today, I present to you a square! On Saturday, April 8 from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Kingston Library, origamist extraordinaire Anita Barbour presents Origami Spring Foldfest – Blossom, Butterfly, and Bee. Children ages 5 and up, along with teens and adults are all welcome to learn these special folding techniques, and to keep their work for themselves or to give as gifts. Anita’s other two spring origami workshops are Modular Origami for Greeting Cards on Saturday, April 29 and Crested Birds on Saturday, May 13, all 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., and all three of these origami workshops are free and open to the public. Kingston Library is located at 55 Franklin Street in Kingston. For more information, call (845) 331-0507 extension 7 or visit http://www.kingstonlibrary.org.
April 9
Activist (story) Hour
Have you been to any Activist (story) Hour events, yet? The April Activist (story) Hour takes place this Sunday, April 9 from 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Inquiring Minds Books in New Paltz and features local legend Fre Atlast this month. Designed to nurture open hearts and minds, to widen cultural experiences, and to amuse and engage our youngest citizens, Activist (story) Hour is geared toward children ages 2 to 6 years and is free and open to the public of all ages. Inquiring Minds is located at 6 Church Street in New Paltz. For more information, call (845) 255-8300 or visit https://www.facebook.com/events/323457954723221.
Watershed afternoon at Maritime Museum
Hudson River Maritime Museum is a wonderful way to learn about the area we live in! Come on by this Sunday, April 9 at 1 p.m. for an afternoon all about the Hudson Valley Watershed. First, families will watch a short film, then they can make a mini-watershed! What kinds of animals live in our watershed? What kinds of plants do we see? Bring your crew, and let’s find out more! Hudson River Maritime Museum family programs are free for HRMM members, included in the cost of admission for non-members at a rate of $7 for adults, $5 for seniors and children, $20 family rate, and free for children 4 and under as well as active duty military families. Hudson River Maritime Museum is located at 50 Rondout Landing in Kingston. For more information, call (845) 338-0071 or visit http://www.hrmm.org/family-programs.html.
Cool Spring Break Activities
When school is out, cool is in! Why not treat your kids to some unique, fun, hands-on learning this week?
Wassaic Project Ceramic Intensive takes place Monday, April 10 through Friday, April 14 for children ages 10 to 14 years. Projects include pinch pots, coil building, and slump molds. $150. 37 Furnace Bank Road in Wassaic, (917) 748-4801, http://wassaicproject.org/ceramics-intensive-for-youth.
Spring Break Earth Camp teaches environmental science and conservation and is held at Red Hook Public Library from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. this week. Grades 3 to 5 meet Monday, Wednesday, and Friday; grades K to 2 meet Tuesday and Thursday; and grades 6 to 8 can come on Friday at 5 p.m. for a pizza party and to watch A Bug’s Life. Free, registration is required. 7444 South Broadway in Red Hook, (845) 758-3241, http://redhooklibrary.org.
School Break Camp at The Outdoor Discovery Center of the Hudson Highlands Museum gives kids the chance to explore and play outside, meet resident animals, and enjoy nature activities and games. Monday, April 10 through Friday, April 14, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., for ages 6 to 9 years. $48 per day. 120 Muser Drive in Cornwall. (845) 534-5506 extension 204 or visit https://www.hhnm.org/school-break-camp.
Skate Into Spring gives your kids a chance to spin around the ice with the Easter Bunny at Mid-Hudson Civic Center’s McCann Ice Arena. Monday, April 10 and Tuesday, April 11 from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. for all ages. $12 per person includes skate rentals, face painting, and hot chocolate. 14 Civic Center Plaza in Poughkeepsie. (845) 454-5800, http://www.midhudsonciviccenter.org/mccann-ice-arena.php#.WOHAgogrJhE.
Scenic Hudson offers hands-on nature programming for children from kindergarten through 8th grade from Tuesday, April 11 through Friday, April 14 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Free, but reservations are requested for planning purposes. 8 Long Dock Road in Beacon. (845) 473-4440 extension 265, http://scenichudson.org/events.
Wild Earth Spring Break Camp provides nature immersion, adventure, and creativity for ages 5 to 11 from Tuesday, April 11 through Thursday, April 13 from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Stony Kill Road in Accord. (845) 256-9830, https://wildearth.org/youth/3-day-spring-break-day-camp.
Tea Time
I share lots of history events with you here in Kids’ Almanac, but today, I am thrilled to tell you about a bit of local history that spans from the 1600s to present day — introducing Hugo the Huguenot! Author Jennifer DuBois Bruntil is a direct descendant of one of the first European settlers in New Patlz, and she wrote this charming children’s book to help tell the story of his immigration. The rhyming verse flows and helps the listener make meaningful connections with the text: “What is Hugo’s story? It’s quite a tale to tell, I’ll tell you and you’ll not forget, you shall remember well.” The illustrations are filled with gorgeous scenery and attentive details, such as Native American longhouses. I hope you get a copy of this terrific book at the fun afternoon planned this month!
On Saturday, April 22 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., Historic Huguenot Street hosts Tea Time & Historic Story Hour in Deyo Hall, with a focus on Native American stories, a reading of Hugo the Huguenot, Native American-inspired crafts, and a raffle. Children are encouraged to bring a doll, teddy bear, or action figure to have tea with. And get those kids’ creative juices flowing because your budding writer is encouraged to submit an original Native American Munsee Girl story or poem from the perspective of Manveht, a young Native American woman. Some background about Manveht is available to peruse at http://www.huguenotstreet.org/an-esopus-girl-story. Submissions are due Saturday, April 15. A winner will be selected from the 7 to 9 year and 10 to 12 year age groups, and their stories will be read at the event. Tea Time costs $25 for general admission, and $20 for children under 13. Deyo Hall is located at 6 Broadhead Avenue in New Paltz. For reservations or more information, call (845 ) 255-1660 or visit http://www.huguenotstreet.org/calendar-of-events/2016/12/7/tea-time. To learn more about Jennifer’s wonderful new book, visit https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/652098140/hugo-the-huguenot.
Erica Chase-Salerno is eating peanut butter straight from the jar. She can be reached at kidsalmanac@ulsterpublishing.com
Join the family! 
