There wasn’t any snow for the Snow Moon Festival in Saugerties this past weekend, February 3 to 5. There was plenty of activity, though, from entertainment and crafts for kids to arts and crafts displays to outdoor races and competitions. Some events that were scheduled for Friday and Saturday were rescheduled because of the wind and cold, which may also have affected attendance; but the organizers felt the Festival was a success despite the subzero temperatures on Friday night lingering into Saturday morning.
The Festival is loosely based on the annual Winter Carnival in Lake George, with three days of events, special foods and a celebration to enliven the otherwise dark days of winter, said Kelly Myers, one of the organizers of the event, and a former Town supervisor. The name comes from Indian lore, as tribes named the moon based on the heavy snows of February. The name Hunger Moon was also used to describe the moon’s appearance at a time when food stored after autumn harvests was running low and heavy snow made hunting difficult.
Several of the families organizing the event had attended the Lake George winter festival and saw it as something that would brighten Saugerties in the February chill. The Saugerties version, however, was designed to provide activity and entertainment in a village setting; the Lake George event takes place outside the center of town. The aim was also to raise money for local food banks, Myers explained. Another important purpose was to help local business during a period that is often slowed by the weather and general lack of activity.
Over the three days of the Festival, local businesses, organizations and individual volunteers contributed to a weekend of sports, music, arts and vendors. While the amount of money raised for the food banks had not been calculated as of Sunday afternoon, a VIP reception that kicked off the event on Friday, February 3 raised some $800, with many other events still to go.
Crafts for kids and adults included construction of flowers from art paper at the Saugerties Library, and several local businesses offered opportunities for creativity. Kids and adults at the Surgeries Public Library made paper snowflakes to mount on sticks to be carried in the parade, which was originally scheduled to take place on Sunday, but was moved to Monday because of the extremely cold weather. Atonement Lutheran Church and the Exchange Hotel also offered crafts activities for kids.
Crafts on a more adult level – though kids were welcome – were offered at the Saugerties Methodist Church on Washington Avenue. Instructors taught decoupage techniques: the application of colored paper to glass bottles using special glues to create lanterns. The finished product, topped with a cover containing strings of lights, glowed beautifully.
More active offerings included a 5K run, which was scheduled for Sunday, but was moved to Monday because of the record low temperatures over the weekend. Outdoor drinks on the verandas or sidewalk in front of the establishment were planned for the Dutch Ale House, Mirabella’s and Salt and Fire Rooftop. They were moved inside because of the cold.
The freezing weather reduced the number of participants; a wagon ride had almost no takers, compared to the rides Ray Mayone offered in better weather, with passengers lining the street for blocks. Horses were out of the question for the rides provided by Sauer Farms because of the cold, so the wagon was pulled by a pickup truck, but few people wanted to brave the elements.
Cold also froze Kelli Bickman’s paints, she said, slowing her work on her mural, which will be installed on the wall of 241-243 Main Street. The mural features Rocky, a tiny saw-whet owl who was found in a Christmas tree set up at Rockefeller Center in New York City two Decembers ago. The owl was treated at Ravensbeard Wildlife Center in Saugerties before being released to the wild, and was celebrated around the country and even overseas.
The mural, still a work-in-progress, was unveiled on Saturday at the Newberry Artisan Market on Market Street. The Artisan Market also offered a live broadcast and dancers in its front window.
While many events were offered for free, some carried a pricetag. A showing of Puss in Boots at Upstate Films, the former Orpheum, cost $3. Tickets for a demonstration of hypnotism cost $8 for advance purchases or $10 at the door. Decoupage lanternmaking went for $24; materials are expensive, and part of the admission price would go into funds for the food pantries.
Several of the crafters at the Atonement Church decoupage workshop were organizers of the Festival. While the cold weather may have reduced the number of participants, the event went off well, according to Miriam Adams. The Festival successfully raised money for local food banks, so it was a success in that sense. It also provided a template for winter festivals that would smooth the process in the future.
Paul Sachar, another of the founders, said that the first venture of any organization is often a learning experience, and the event grows over time. The initial event that the group planned was the parade, “and it grew from there.” While the experience of Lake George’s Winter Carnival was a model, the reliably colder winters there make events on the frozen lake less risky – although this year’s cold snap froze the Esopus Creek enough to make it usable for activities. On the plus side for Saugerties, where the event was in the village center, was the involvement of so many people and businesses. Local restaurants were full; people patronized the Main Street shops and got to know Saugerties, Sachar said.
Myers also cited the enthusiasm of the volunteers who came to planning meetings and put in the time to make the event a success. Working with the volunteers led to new friendships and new contacts, she said, adding that she was impressed with their willingness to contribute their time and effort to the festival.
In addition to Miriam and Eric Adams, Myers and Sachar, the Festival was organized by Sue and Victor Sachar and Paul and Cheryl Van Schaack.
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