We are lucky to live in the Hudson Valley if for no other reason than the sheer variety of small and cultured towns and villages that make up the area. One could easily go to a different one each weekend for the entire summer and still have an array of new and different ones to fill up the autumn season as well. This week I would encourage everyone to go to a town you haven’t been to in awhile. Maybe you are thinking, “Oh, no, I have been to them all. I have seen all there is to see.” I am myself an avid user of the Hudson Valley. This past weekend I went to Saugerties, Tannersville, Phoenicia and Arkville. Yet as I pulled together this week’s Top 10, I was astonished to see that Marlboro has two of our top 10 picks this week and for good reason. The two events selected in this town sound amazing and well worth the drive from any other point in the Hudson Valley. So yeah, I haven’t been to Marlboro in years and I just might take the drive. I hope you consider it as well! Here is our Top 10 happenings for August 17-23.
One FULL weekend. Mazzstock Music Festival: 3 Days, 2 Stages, 1 Love, No Worries with camping and live music on August 18 at 7 p.m. through August 21 at 10 p.m. at the Legendary Mazzstock Field, 35 Hampton Road, Marlboro. A diverse lineup including Alpha Male Gorillas, Skydaddy, Junket, Madame Gazelle, Platinum Moon, Aqua Cherry, Nonstop to Cairo, Uncle Stump, DJ Finner Fresh and so many more. PLUS campfire jams, flow artists, live artists, vendors and La Mazzstock Famiglia! Tickets are now available at www.mazzstock.com go to the website for the full line-up.
— Zac’s pick
Exploding with fun! 18th Annual Woodstock Day Saturday, August 20. “A day of gratitude” includes a grand finale of fireworks at Andy Lee Field, Woodstock. Activities start at 3 p.m. and fireworks begin at 9 p.m. (the rain date is August 27). The day will feature music, fun and games. Go to https://www.volunteersday.org/ for more information.
— Lynn’s pick
First ever. Brooklyn Cider House’s first annual Fermentation Festival! Twin Star Orchards, 155 N Ohioville Road, New Paltz on August 20 from 1 to 5:30 p.m. Enjoy the myriads of rich, fermented flavors and reap the gut benefits as you taste and shop the market of local makers, from cider and beer to cured meats and cheeses to kimchi and pickles. Makers include: Brooklyn Cider House, Indian Ladder Farms Cidery & Brewery, Hudson North Cider Co., Metal House Cider, Graft Cider, Treasury Cider, Brooklyn Brewery, SingleCut BeerSmiths, Nostrano Vineyards, Hana Makgeolli, Forthright Cyder & Mead, Coppersea, Cooper’s Daughter Spirits, Laughing Gut Kombucha, Calmbucha, Wellborn Coffee, Fruition Chocolate Works, Bobolink Dairy, Gary’s Pickles, Inner Love, Kimchee Harvest, K-Kimchi, La Salumina, and more! For more information go to: https://www.twinstarorchards.com/upcoming-events.
— Pam’s pick
Putting out fires. 18th Annual Antique Fire Engine Muster, August 20, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Volunteer Firemen’s Hall & Museum of Kingston, 265 Fair Street, Kingston. Antique, vintage and new fire apparatus and emergency vehicles. Free hot dogs and soda, silent auction w/ 75 baskets. Child’s battery-powered firetruck raffle. Raffles for ten child’s sand pails filled with goodies. Closing parade to start at 4 p.m. For more information, call Bill Knowles (845) 443-3905 or email vfmuseumofkingston@gmail.com
— Elizabeth’s pick
Poetry in Motion. The Woodstock Mayapple Writers’ Retreat, an annual summer retreat/peer workshop for mid-career writers will hold a Poetry Reading August 22 at 4 p.m. at the Woodstock Library, 5 Library Lane. It will feature Norma Bernstock, Joyce Kessel, and Robert E. McDonough. The Reading will be held on the Library Lawn (weather permitting), and inside if it’s rainy. It is anticipated that the event will be streaming on Zoom — email ivy@woodstock.org for the link. The Reading is free and open to the public.
Hey Mr. DJ! DJ Majic Juan Live! Friday, August 19, 9 p.m. to midnight at Pearl Moon, 52 Mill Hill Road, Woodstock. Funk & Dance. No Cover.
— Angela’s pick
Feel the Love. Summer of Love Festival presented by Sweat! Saturday, August 20 from 12 p.m. to 12 a.m. at The Falcon, 1348 Route 9W, Marlboro. An all-day music and performance fundraiser festival benefiting LGBTQIA+ performers and the Newburgh LGBTQ+ Center. Live music and DJs on three stages. Art exhibits and installations. Indoor and outdoor dining over the waterfalls. Free entry and parking. For more information and a list of performers go to https://www.liveatthefalcon.com/.
— Genia’s pick
Farm Fresh. Go to your local farmer’s market. Right now there is so much local produce including corn, tomatoes, blueberries, peaches, lettuce, peppers, eggplants — really too much to list! Support local. Eat local. Go to the HV1 calendar on our website at https://calendar.hudsonvalleyone.com/events/ and use the keyword farmers market to get a complete list of when your nearest farmers market is happening.
At home. A Sense of Place exhibition at Kleinert/James The Byrdcliffe Forum, 34 Tinker Street, Woodstock. The exhibition remains on view now until September 25. “A Sense of Place” features the work of ten ‘Woodstock Master’ artists: Nancy Azara, Jenne Currie, Donald Elder, Yale Epstein, Mary Frank, Heather Hutchison, Portia Munson, Judy Pfaff, Joan Snyder and Hongnian Zhang. During the Covid crisis, Byrdcliffe adopted a virtual presentation policy for many of its formerly physical talks. These programs were conducted via Zoom allowing both participating artists and audiences to do so from their respective homes or studios. This effort was called the Byrdcliffe Forum. The ten ‘Woodstock Master’ artists appeared in dialogues. Each appeared with an interviewer of their choosing, in ‘live’ presentations that were also recorded and posted to the Woodstock Byrdcliffe Guild’s YouTube channel, where they remain. As part of the exhibition, a short clip reel from the Zoom videos will be on view in the gallery. For more information, see www.woodstockguild.org or call 845-679-2079.
Feeling Jazzy. 13th Annual Hudson Valley Jazz Festival. Many locations throughout the Hudson Valley from August 18 to August 21. Featuring many of the great jazz musicians that call Hudson Valley home. Events will be taking place in Sugarloaf, New Paltz, Bearsville, Kingston, and Warwick. Go to: https://www.hudsonvalleyjazzfest.org/ for a list of all the performers and where to find them.
Join the family! 
