The third weekend of Shout Out Saugerties, “Bust Out,” featured a robust series of talks, workshops and performances that showcased the works and professions of local creative people. With just three more days left of the festival, the month-long series will culminate on October 29 with a community discussion at 4 p.m. of the suggestions written throughout the month on the Saugerties Community Board outside of Lucky’s.
Billed as “Craft Masters of Marvel’s Spiderman” on the event line up, famed Saugertiesian cartoonist Joe Sinnott and accompanying Woodstock letterer Janice Chiang were probed for particulars on Friday about their career paths and storyboarding processes in a discussion led by Chris O’Leary at the Dutch Ale House. After a belly dancing seminar hosted by Amanda Newman and Ashley Enright at a dance studio on Partition Street, a slew of local and area stand-up comedians were featured at the Bella Luna Upstairs, focusing their jabs on local race attitudes and disasters of the national government.
The panel of Saturday’s forum entitled “Journalism, Capitalism and Democracy – How Do They Coexist?” hosted at the public library included NY-19 Congressional Candidate Jeff Beals, District 2 Legislative Candidate Chris Allen, La Vox editor Mariel Fiori and Ulster Publishing’s Geddy Sveikauskas. Primed with the observation by moderator Jeremy Russel’s observation that the United States had slipped to an abysmal 21st place on the Democracy Index, making it a “flawed democracy” according to the scoring system, the panelists launched into a two-hour discussion.
After jewelry making and ink transfer seminars on Sunday, the weekend culminated in a free concert at the Bella Luna pavilion, featuring a boisterous performance by Saugerties High metal band Porcelain Helmet, pop covers from high school students Kaia Dedek, Sophia Williams and Meghan Salamone, Big Distraction with Michael Bernier, Meredith Briggs, Dean DiMarzo, John Ferro, Walter Dominicis and the El Rancho Deluxo Band.
The final weekend of Shout Out Saugerties, “Chill Out,” will see an emphasis on health, and will feature appearances by two more of Saugerties’ legends: Barry Benepe and Linda Montano. At 2:30 p.m. in the community room at the Saugerties Library on Oct. 28, Benepe will discuss farmer’s markets and their relationship with the health of a community alongside two popular market vendors. At the Pop Up Gallery on Partition Street, renowned performance artist-healer Linda Montano will channel Bob Dylan in a performance entitled “Linda as Bob Will Sing in Your Ear” at 2 p.m. Activities include a workshop in knitting as a stress reducer, a yoga class with Selena Reynolds, the second of stand-up comedy events and a performance by Too Lazy Boys. On Oct. 29 at 4 p.m. at the Inquiring Minds Bookstore, a distinguished panel of writers will bring perspective to the complex plight of refugees, immigrants and migrants in a panel discussion.
For more information and a full listing of upcoming events, visit www.shoutoutsaugerties.org.
Join the family! 
