A selection of events in and around the City of Hudson by Ellen Thurston.  All phone numbers are in area code 518 unless otherwise indicated.  All addresses are in Hudson unless otherwise indicated.

 

 

THINKING AHEAD TO MAY

The month of May seems to be all about new beginnings.  Please take a look at the last section of this week’s listings for some help in planning ahead for the month of May.

MEETINGS

Friday, April 22

Historic Preservation Commission Meeting – 10 am – City Hall

Next Monday, April 25

Hudson Industrial Development Agency Board Meeting – 3 pm – City Hall (tentative)

Columbia County Board of Supervisors Economic Development Committee Meeting – 5 pm – 401 State Street

Hudson Common Council Fire Committee Meeting – 5:30 pm – City Hall

Hudson Common Council Police Committee Meeting – 6 pm – City Hall

Columbia County Environmental Management Council Meeting – 6:30 pm – 401 State Street

Next Tuesday, April 26

Columbia Economic Development Corporation Board Meeting – 8:30 am – 4303 Route 9

Hudson Development Corporation Board Meeting – 12 noon – 1 North Front Street

Columbia County Board of Supervisors County Government Committee Meeting – 5 pm – 401 State Street

Next Wednesday, April 27

Columbia County Board of Supervisors Public Works Committee Meeting – 5 pm – 401 State Street

Hudson Common Council Public Works Committee Meeting – 5:30 pm – City Hall

Hudson Common Council Legal Committee Meeting – 6:15 pm – City Hall

ELLEN’S PICKS

Friday-Sunday, April 22-24

Films at TSL:

Streit’s:  Matzo and The American Dream – “Since 1925 the Streit’s matzo factory has sat in a low-slung tenement building on Manhattan’s Lower East Side.  While other matzo companies have modernized, Streit’s remains a piece of living history, churning out 40 percent of the nation’s unleavened bread on pre-War machinery as old as the factory itself….[F]ilmmaker Michael Levine captures the Streit’s saga and echos the American Dream.”

They Will Have to Kill Us First:  Malian Music in Exile – Islamic extremists have banned music in Mali, but its world famous musicians won’t give up without a fight.  This documentary tells the story of Mali’s musicians as they fight for their right to sing.

The Silence of Rothko – Painter Mark Rothko is best known for imposing canvasses that eschew representation in favor of pure color and texture.  This film visits Rothko’s studio in New York; the Museum di san Marco in Florence, where the works of Renaissance painter Fra Angelico are displayed; and The Hague, where the first major Rothko exhibit to be held in Holland in 40 years, is being installed.

The Bitter Tears of Petra Van Kant – Rainer Werner Fassbinder’s film is “an unforgettable, unforgiving dissection of the imbalanced relationship between a haughty fashion designer…and a beautiful, but icy, ingénue…”

The Dying of the Light – The projection of photochemical film faces an uncertain future in the digital age – This film explores the history and craft of motion picture presentation through the lives and stories of the last generation of career projectionists. “…a loving tribute to the art and romance of the movies…”

Information and schedule at www.timeandspace.org or 822-8448 – Time & Space Limited,

434 Columbia Street

Friday, April 22

Artist & Friends Community Potluck Dinner – To celebrate the artist community through monthly potluck dinners by sharing artwork and exploring creativity as a spiritual practice – Visual artists, writers, dancers, filmmakers and their friends are all welcome – Please bring a dish or a non-alcoholic beverage to share – Artists presenting this month are: Diana Devlin of American Dream Films, talking about her film projects, including Dreams and Wishes, a documentary about verbal and non-verbal communication, Chesterwood, American Dream Film, and many other film projects; Hudson filmmaker David MacDonald who will talk about his Woodstock documentary, Can’t Get There From Here; and Christine Hales, who will show her recent paintings exploring figuration/abstraction – If you would like to show your work at a future dinner, send examples to [email protected] along with contact information – The potluck dinner is usually held the third Friday of each month, this month being an exception – 6 to 9 pm – First Presbyterian Church, corner of Fourth & Warren Streets (Use the side entrance on Fourth Street)

Full Moon Walk – Celebrate the return of spring on a guided hike during the Pink Moon, which takes its name from ground phlox which begins blooming around this time.  Sponsored by the Columbia Land Conservancy – Information at 392-5252 or www.clctrust.org – 7 pm – Greenport Conservation Area, 319 Joslen Boulevard, Greenport

Rayland Baxter – Nashville-based Rayland Baxter is the son of Bucky Baxter, who played in Bob Dylan’s band.  He has appeared at the Newport Folk Festival and toured with the Civil Wars, Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, Kacey Musgraves, The Head & the Heart, Shakey Graves, and others – Visit www.raylandbaxter.com – Information at 828-4800 or helsinkihudson.com – 9 pm – Helsinki Hudson, 405 Columbia Street

Saturday, April 23

Hudson Farmers’ Market – The outdoor summer farmers’ market is open and ready for business in its usual location – Familiar vendors are in place and are joined by new ones – Come say hello and enjoy the spring bounty – (Next Saturday is the official ribbon cutting and opening ceremony) – 9 am to 1 pm – The parking lot at the corner of Sixth & Columbia Streets

ReStore’s Eco Fair – Making It Easier to Be Green – Columbia County Habitat for Humanity’s Eco Fair features representatives from local green companies and environmental organizations with information on the latest and greatest ways to be green.  Vendors include Minding Your Manor whose owner, Julie Ulmer, is an expert in organizing and de-cluttering your home, and Certified Document Security, which will offer shredding.  Fairgoers may leave up to three bags for free shedding.  Additional bags will be accepted with a donation to Habitat.  Cornell Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners will share the benefits of composting and the joy of using native plants.  They will also test pH levels for fairgoers who bring soil samples – Advice on using the correct energy-efficient light bulbs will be available – Music will be performed by singer-songwriter Abby Lappen from 10 am to 1 pm, and by Sweet Life Music Collective from 1 to 4 pm – Sweet treats will be available, and the ReStore will be open, offering a broad mix of new and well-used furniture, appliances, bath and kitchen cabinets, and building materials, all at discounted prices. – All proceeds benefit Habitat’s construction programs – Information at 828-0892 or [email protected] – 10 am to 4 pm – ReStore, 829 Route 66 (near the intersection of Routes 66 and 9H)

The Chancellor’s Sheep & Wool Showcase – Demonstrations in shearing, spinning, dyeing, knitting and weaving will illustrate how wool goes “from sheep to shawl.” – Herding demonstrations with the highly trained border collies of Wild Goose Chase take place in the historic sheep fold in the afternoon.  Members of the Elmendorf Spinners Guild will be at work all day.   Shoppers will be able to find richly-colored knitted and felted shawls, sweaters, and mittens in the Shopping Concourse, as well as an array of yarns, fiber supplies and craft accessories, jewelry, and pottery – The family band Dog on Fleas will perform, as well as the group Tamarack, playing traditional folk and Celtic music – Stories and crafts for children will be available all day. – Information at 537-4240 or e-mail to [email protected] – 11 am to 4 pm – Clermont State Historic Site, 1 Clermont Avenue, Germantown

Art Book Sale – 1,000 + contemporary art books, posters, ephemera, and a large pile of free stuff – Everything half price after 4 pm – Information at [email protected] – 12 noon to 6 pm – Retrospective Gallery, 711 Warren Street

HD live screening of The Metropolitan Opera’s production of Donizetti’s Roberto Devereux – Reservations and information at 822-8448 or www.timeandspace.org – 1 pm – Time & Space Limited, 434 Columbia Street

The Hudson River Consort performs The High Baroque, a seminal era in western classical music.  Works by both familiar and lesser-known composers of the late sixteenth to mid-eighteenth century—including Handel, de Boismortier, Bach, Corelli and Fischer—will be performed on period instruments and accompanied by the artists’ commentary. – Information and reservations at [email protected] – 5 pm – Beattie-Powers Place, Prospect Avenue & Bridge Street, Catskill

Exhibition Opening – Happy Medium: Kenneth Polinskie – Hudson artist Ken Polinskie is a master of hand papermaking and pulp painting, and has earned critical praise internationally for his highly charged and interpretive work.  His work uses nature as a metaphor to represent complex predicaments of the human condition, and animals, plants, and figurative subjects to create a personal visual folklore that examines myth, passion, puns and self-reflection.  In this solo exhibition, recent works in ink and gouache on handmade abaca and cotton paper will be shown for the first time – Information at 822-1438 or hudsonoperahouse.org – 5 to7 pm – Hudson Opera House 327 Warren Street

Skyscape Series:  Lyrid Meteor Shower with the Mid-Hudson Astronomical Association – Frederic E. Church painted Aurora Borealis (1865; Smithsonian American Art Museum) following his arctic exploration of the North Atlantic between Labrador and Greenland to sketch icebergs in 1859.  Dr. Willie Yee, president, and Joe Macagne, vice president of the  Mid-Hudson Astronomical Association will offer a presentation and 21^st-Century exploration of the night sky at Olana – Members of the Association will be present with various size telescopes to view the moon and stellar clusters – Participants are welcome to bring their own binoculars and a red flashlight – For ages six and up – Information and reservations at 828-1872 ext. 105 or go to www.olana.org/education/ — Walk-ins are welcome – 7 to 10 pm – Olana’s Wagon House Education Center, Olana State Historic Site, 5720 Route 9G, Greenport

Saturday-Sunday, April 23-24

15^th Annual Sean’s Run & Ride Weekend – The Sean’s Run organizing committee has spent 14 years combating underage drinking, impaired driving, and lax use of seat belts.  This event continues to grow with new amenities and features – Organizers have added a visual arts element with a program called Artists for Sean’s Run, and music, provided by the Berkshire Bateria will perform Brazilian beats before the start of the 5K run, “to get your heart rate up to race speed.” The Bateria will also be at the finish line, along with a generous food court

Saturday:  Sean’s Ride – 50 mile, 20 mile, and 10 mile scenic bike routes for bicyclists of all abilities; Special Needs Kids’ Run

Sunday:  Sean’s Run 5K & Meghan’s Mile for runners and walkers of all ages

Other activities include a Zumbathon, Battle of the Belts, and a Prevention Education Expo.

All activities start in Chatham – check the website for locations.   For further information and a full schedule go to www.seansrun.com

24 Hour Drone: Experiments in Sound and Music – Presented by Basilica Hudson and Le Guess Who? In collaboration with Second Ward Foundation and Wave Farm/WGXC FM – The program features expanded offerings, encompassing sound artists, film screenings, interstitial sound pieces, long-duration video, interactive art installations, on-site tattooing, hypnotherapy, light healing, and more.  Musical performances include Oneida, Innov Gnawa, Efrim Manuel Menuck, Noveller, Drums & Drones, Arone Dyer, and many more.  Plus videos curated by Second Ward Foundation, commissioned works by Wave Farm, and films on drone-based human expression presented by Kiln Films.  In collaboration with Wave Farm, the program will be streamed online in its entirety and will be broadcast live on WGXC 90.7FM on Saturday from 3 pm on Saturday to 11 am on Sunday – Paintings by Dylan Kraus, sound art installation by No Wave artist Barbara Ess, sculptures by Kris Perry and other works by Vita Rabinovich.  – Full lineup, schedule and tickets at basilicahudson.org/24-hour-drone-experiments-sound-music-2/ —

Saturday from 3 pm to Sunday at 3 pm – Basilica doors open at 2 pm – Basilica Hudson, 110 South Front Street;  Second Ward Foundation, 71 North Third Street

Sunday, April 24

A Special Screening of a performance of William Shakespeare’s Hamlet starring Maxine Peake, from Manchester, England’s Royal Exchange Theatre – Reservations and information at 822-8448 or www.timeandspace.org – 1 pm – Time & Space Limited, 434 Columbia Street

Deep Air: Interdisciplinary Arts Reading Series –Deep Air is a series of talks designed to navigate artistic practice as it relates to travel, ecology, history, and landscape topics.  This year the series focuses on the very broadest theme of travel, which Frederic Church did so much of in his lifetime, and artists continue to do to seek inspiration and enlightenment – This week artists Joan Retallack and Xaviera Simmons will present.  Annandale-on-Hudson-based Retallack and Brooklyn-based Simmons both take their audiences on trips.  Simmons takes us through landscapes with cinematic intent  and Retallack guides us through broken narratives and lost histories  – The presentation is followed by Q&A –Information and reservations at www.olana.org/education  — 1 to 3 pm – Wagon House Education Center, Olana State Historic Site, 5720 Route 9G, Greenport

On the House with Kat Dunn – A Hudson Wine Merchants free tasting –Enjoy Kat Dunn’s mixologic magic starring Brazilian spirit Avua Cachaca.  Kat will be riffing on Caipirinhas, serving up free cocktails and a whole lot of know-how.  Small bites, drinks, and a great chance to meet that cocktail from Ipanema – Information at 828-6411 – 2 to 4 pm – Hudson Wine Merchants, 341 ½ Warren Street

Climate Change and How to Solve It – A forum on climate change and local action for area residents, public officials and their families – Organized by the Columbia County Environmental Management Council representatives from Clermont, Germantown, and Livingston – Two presentations will start the event and set the stage for discussion and questions – Jan Storm PhD is an environmental scientist affiliated with the Citizens’ Climate Lobby;  Mark D. Lowery is a climate policy analyst for the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation – Information at 537-5416 – 4 pm to 5:30 pm – Kellner Community Activities Center, Palatine Park Road, Germantown

Pal Shazar will play songs and sign copies of her new book of portraits, You Don’t Know Me — She last performed in Hudson with her husband, Jules Shear, in the duo Shear/Shazar.  This will be a rare live solo performance – Books will be available for purchase and signing – Information at 671-6006 or www.thespottydog.com – 4:30 pm – Spotty Dog Books & Ale, 440 Warren Street

Sean Rowe – This Troy, NY native is a throwback to 1970s-era soulful rock poets like Leonard Cohen, Bruce Springsteen and Van Morrison.  He boasts an impossibly deep and rich baritone, a gift for melody, an innate sense of groove, and a knack for the perfectly hewn image to get across his haunting, brooding folk-rock and soul anthems.  Indie folk-pop duo The Sea The Sea will warm up the crowd and back up Rowe during his set – Visit seanrowe.net – Information at 828-4800 helsinkihudson.com – 8 pm – Helsinki Hudson, 405 Columbia Street

Next Tuesday, April 26

Helsinki Open Mic – Try out new material on the big Helsinki stage – Hosted by Cameron Melville and Ryder Cooley – Information at 828-4800 or helsinkihudson.com – Sign-up begins at 6:30 pm – Performance from 7 to 10 pm – Helsinki Hudson, 405 Columbia Street

Next Thursday, April 28

Thirteenth Annual Dining Out For Life, a benefit for the Alliance for Positive Health (formerly the AIDS Council of Northeastern New York) – Five Hudson restaurants–Baba Louie’s , Ca’Mea Ristorante, Helsinki Hudson, Mexican Radio, and Red Dot Restaurant & Bar–will donate a percentage of the price of your meal to the Alliance to help people in the region who are living with HIV/AIDS – The donation applies to both lunch and/or dinner, for those restaurants that are open for lunch – Local ambassadors will  greet you at the restaurant and give you a chance to enter a drawing for a pair of  jetBlue airline tickets – For information on participating restaurants visit allianceforpositivehealth.org  – Reservations are necessary!!

Next Saturday, April 30

21^st Annual Meeting of the Friends of the First Presbyterian Church – The Friends is a secular organization committed to preserving its 200-year-old church building as an iconic symbol of a thriving Warren Street, and irreplaceable part of Hudson’s history, and an active center of community life. – The Friends have accomplished a number of significant repairs and restoration projects, and now money must be raised to replace the leaking roof. – Come to the meeting and learn how you can participate in preserving the past and securing the future of Hudson. Lunch will be served following the meeting at a nominal cost and can be paid for at the door  – 11 am – First Presbyterian Church, 369 Warren Street (corner of Fourth Street)

How AIDS made The New York Times a Better Newspaper – A Reading & Book Signing – Under the executive editor, A.M. Rosenthal, The New York Times newsroom of the 1970s and 80s was a homophobic place.  Journalists known to be gay or lesbian were stalled and even demoted in their careers.  But in December 1990, when Times reporter and closeted gay journalist Jeff  Schmalz collapsed in the newsroom, all that began to change. – Dying Words; The AIDS Reporting of Jeff Schmalz and How It Transformed The New York Times will be the subject of a presentation by authors Samuel G. Freedman and Kerry Donahue.  Schmalz, a reporter with a secret, was on a fast track at the Times.  Expected to become one of the top editors on the world’s most important newspaper, his homosexuality was abruptly “announced” when a brain seizure became the first evidence that he had AIDS.  From that day until his death at the age of 39, Schmalz found his true calling—writing about HIV and AIDS. His work was the basis of a sea-change at the paper, sensitizing it as never before.  Today’s same sex wedding announcements and editorializing in favor of marriage equality all started with Schmalz’s words.  – Freedman is an award-winning journalist who currently writes a religion column for the Times.   Kerry Donahue is director of Radio Programming at the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism – The reading and book signing will be followed by a reception – Information at www.Hudsonarealibrary.org – 4 pm – Community Room, the new Hudson Area Library, 51 North Fifth Street (corner of State Street)

Churchtown Fire Company Annual Comedy Night – Featuring three hilarious HBO comedians – Hosted by local M.C. Greg Mosley –Dinner and snacks included in ticket price – Information and tickets at 965-6689 or 851-5194 – Doors open at 5 pm, Dinner at 6 pm, Show starts at 7;30 pm – Churchtown Fire Company, Route 27, Churchtown

15^th International Community Dinner & Cultural Festival – A family-friendly potluck meal of traditional and festive dishes prepared by members of diverse national and ethnic groups living in the local area—Asian, West Indian, Central and  South American, as well as European and African-American – News about community projects, activities for kids, and performances of music and dance from around the world – Admission by donation.  Please bring food from your kitchen to share (by 5:30 please) – Information at 672-7901 or 366-2551 – 5 to 8 pm – First Presbyterian Church, Corner of Fourth & Warren Streets

 

THINKING AHEAD TO MAY

The month of May seems to be all about new beginnings.

Sunday, May 1

A Community Discussion about the future of the City of Hudson’s North Bay with Mayor Tiffany Martin Hamilton and representatives from the Columbia Land Conservancy, the Hudson Conservation Advisory Council, and the Hudson Waterfront Advisory Steering Committee – 1 to 2:30 pm – Meet at the corner of Front & Dock Streets – Hudson

Thomas Cole National Historic Site official opening of the New Studio and the 2016 exhibition, Thomas Cole: The Artist as Architect – Catskill

Saturday, May 7

Hudson Children’s Book Festival – Open a book! – Hudson

North River Gallery opens a new space on Main Street in Chatham with an expansive solo exhibition of Modernist Landscapes by artist Tony Thompson – Chatham

American Dance Institute holds a Groundbreaking Ceremony for the new ADI Lumberyard performance facility – Catskill

Saturday-Sunday, May 7-8

Basilica Farm & Flea Spring Market comes to life – Hudson

Sunday, May 8

Mother’s Day – Celebrate the Mom!

Thursday, May 12

Greater Hudson Promise Neighborhood Community Cleanup – Front & Warren Streets, Hudson

Sunday, May 15

Opening of Olana State Historic Site’s 2016 exhibition, Capturing the Cosmos. – Greenport

Sunday, May 22

Opening of A Change of Place: Four Solo Exhibitions at the Jack Shainman Gallery – Kinderhook

Wednesday, May 25

Upstreet Market opens in Seventh Street Park, where it will be open every Wednesday during the summer months – Hudson

 

For more information on Columbia County events, visit www.columbiacountytourism.org

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