All phone numbers are in area code 518 unless otherwise indicated.  All addresses are in Hudson unless otherwise indicated.

Spontaneous Snowshoeing and Sledding – Snowshoeing and sledding will take place all winter long at public conservation areas in Columbia County, when conditions allow – To find out about spur-of-the-moment outdoor opportunities call John Horton at the Columbia Land Conservancy at 392-5252.

Wednesday, December 14

Upstreet Market, the mid-week market held on Wednesdays in Seventh Street Park during the summer months, has taken up residence in Fellowship Hall at Christ Church Episcopal – The Upstreet Market, has expanded into the Holiday Craft & Market Fair, offering unique food and craft items.  There will also be a table of “gently used” household items to benefit the church’s outreach program – Information at 917-561-5285 – 4 to 7 pm – Christ Church Episcopal, 431 Union Street

Bluegrass Wednesdays at Or Gallery & Tavern – Alternating between Taconic Ridge and Jim Wright & Friends – Information at 917-873-4503 – 7 pm – Or Gallery & Tavern, 35 South Third Street

Wednesday, December 14 through Saturday, December 24

Hudson River Exchange has opened its 12+ Days to Christmas Handmade Pop Up Shop, with items from some 20 regional makers and collectors – The exchange also features products from Small Batchery & Co. offering seasonal gift boxes of packaged food products including The Sweet Box, The Sauce Box, The Cured Box, and The Elixir Box – Information at 917-297-0197 – 12 noon to 5 pm daily – Hudson River Exchange, 514 Warren Street

Thursday-Sunday, December 15-18

TSL Films:

Notes on Blindness – In 1983, after decades of steady deterioration, writer and theologian John Hull became totally blind.  To help him make sense of the upheaval in his life, he began documenting his experiences on audio cassette.  This film is a poetic account of loss, rebirth and renewal, and the discovery of “a world without sight.”

Best Worst Thing That Ever Could Have Happened – One of the legendary musicals in the history of Broadway, Merrily We Roll Along opened to enormous fanfare in 1981 and closed after sixteen performances.  This film draws back the curtain on the drama of the show’s creation and tells the stories of the hopeful young performers whose lives were transformed by it.

Harry & Snowman – Follows the Cinderella story of Dutch immigrant Harry deLeyer and his transformative relationship with a broken down Amish plow horse named Snowman that he rescued off a slaughter truck…As told firsthand by Harry himself.

Mifune: The Last Samurai – A new film by Academy Award-winning filmmaker Steven Okazaki, explores the accidental movie career of Toshiro Mifune, one of the true giants of world cinema – In English and Japanese with English subtitles

The Handmaiden – From Park Chan-wook, the celebrated director of Oldboy, Lady Vengeance, and Stoker, comes a ravishing new crime drama – In Korean with English subtitles.

Portrait of a Garden – In a historical vegetable garden on a Dutch estate, the 85-year old pruning master and the gardener tend to the espaliers.  As they prune, the men chat about food, the weather, the world, and they share their knowledge of horticulture.  – In Dutch with English subtitles.

Information at 822-8448 or www.timeandspace.org – Time & Space Ltd., 434 Columbia Street

Friday, December 16

Artists & 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, musicians, filmmakers and their friends are all welcome. Please bring a dish to share or give a donation – This month will focus on a book discussion using the Julia Cameron book, The Artist’s Way.  The discussion will be led by well-loved Hudson artist, Dan Rupe.  “Spiritual Electricity” and “Basic Principles” are the first two chapters which will be referred to during the discussion.  Artists can relate the material to any part of their creative process.  Many attendees probably read the Julia Cameron book many years ago and have found varying degrees of success while implementing some of the artist tools.  Now, as a group and a community we will have the opportunity to share with each other our thoughts and process in relationship to these concepts.  Artists are also welcome to bring work to share with the group.  Information or questions by email  to [email protected] – The Potluck is held the third Friday of each month – 6 pm – This month we will meet at the Community Room, Hudson Area Library, 51 North Fifth Street, corner of Fifth & State Streets

The Spotty Dog Annual Christmas Spectacular – A musical performance celebrating the true magic of the season – With Brian Dewan, Stephen Bluhm, and Emily Ritz – A portion of proceeds will benefit the Hudson Children’s Book Festival – Information at 671-6006 or www.thespottydog.com/events – 7 to 11 pm – Spotty Dog Books & Ale, 440 Warren Street

Caveman / Eamon Hamilton – Information at 828-1562 or http://thehalfmoonhudson.com/events/ – 8 pm – The Half Moon, 48 South Front Street

Saturday, December 17

Hudson Farmers’ Market – Visit the market in its new winter home.   The market has moved to the former Elks Lodge at the southern end of Sixth Street (where Sixth Street meets Union)  The municipal parking lot next door provides plenty of parking – Familiar vendors from the summer market will be there, offering the usual array of greens, cookies, meats, eggs,  winter vegetables, cheeses, baked goods, flowers, prepared foods, and more. – Information at www.hudsonfarmersmarket.ny.com   10 am to 1 pm – Hudson Lodge, 601 Union Street

Open Studio Holiday Sale – Christine Hales Paintings & Drawings – Information at 965-4833 – 10 am to 5 pm – 605 Warren Street

The Metropolitan Opera production of L’Amour de Loin (Love from Afar) in HD – One of the most highly praised operas of recent years, Kaija Saariaho’s  yearning medieval romance had its premiere at the Salzburg Festival in 2000 and its Met premiere this season – Information and reservations at www.timeandspace.org or 822-8448 – 12:55 pm – Time & Space Ltd., 434 Columbia Street

A book celebration  – Meet Elaine Khosrova, author of Butter: A Rich History – “Edifying from every point of view—historical, cultural, and culinary.”  Information at talbottandarding.com or 828-3558 –2 pm – Talbott & Arding Cheese & Provisions, 323 Warren Street

Real People Real Stories –the winter edition – Last summer, inspired by the Moth Radio Hour, the Ancram Opera House presented an evening of local citizens sharing personal stories.  The presentation turned out to be a sell-out, standing-room-only event – The winter edition will feature stories that take place in the chill of winter – The storytellers are Jan Hanvik of Ancram, Ian Jarvis from Copake, Lauren Letellier from Hillsdale, and Peter Cipkowski, also from Hillsdale.  They will be sharing intimate details—humorous, profound, and mundane, –about their lives.  The performance is followed by a reception.  Information and tickets at ancramoperahouse.org or 329-0114 – 3 pm – Ancram Opera House, 1330 County Route 7, Ancram

Operation Unite’s Kwanzaa Festival – Presented in partnership with the Hudson Opera House – Draws celebrants from far and wide to pay tribute to African ancestors, and celebrate African-American culture and unity between family and friends – The Umoja Community Celebration begins with arts and crafts for children followed by drumming, dancing, and community performances, a candle lighting ceremony and the sharing of the Nguzo Saba—the seven principles of Kwanzaa.  Participants are invited to stay for a light Karamu supper and the giving of the Zawadi (gifts for children). – Free and open to the public – Information at 822-1438 or hudsonoperahouse.org – 3 to 7 pm – John L. Edwards Elementary School, behind 400 State Street

The annual Messiah Sing conducted by Gwen Gould – Presented by Classics on Hudson, in collaboration with the Hudson Opera House – Provides the audience with an opportunity to enjoy Handel’s Messiah and to sing one of four parts, accompanied by a five-instrument ensemble and four professional vocal soloists from the Bard College Graduate Vocal Arts Program – Scores will be provided – Suggested donation at the door –  Information at hudsonoperahouse.org or 822-1438 – 4 pm – Christ Church Episcopal, 431 Union Street at the corner of East Court Street

Claverack Free Library hosts a program for photographers, photo enthusiasts, travelers, and book lovers.  Author Joan Liftin of Philmont will present  her work and talk about her life both as a photographer and as a book editor for Magnum Photos and the United Nations.  She will show images from her new book, Marseille (Damiani), as well as her 2004 book, Drive-ins: A look at the culture of American outdoor movies (Trolley Press).  Both books will be available for purchase – Information at http://www.claveracklibrary.org or 851-7120 – 4 pm – Claverack Free Library, 629 Route 23B (at the intersection with Route 9H.) Parking is behind the library.

Grant & Twain – “ A true story of friendship and courage” – Reading of a new play by Elizabeth Diggs – “I think the most interesting personality I ever encountered was General Grant.  How and where he was so much larger than other men I had ever met I cannot describe.”—Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens) – To benefit the Spencertown Academy – Information at spencertownavademy.org or 392-3693 – 4 pm – Spencertown Academy, 790 Route 203, Spencertown

Mike Gamble, Otto Hauser, & Tyler Wood – Expect a solo or three, and then some duos, and then…guess what???– Information at 671-6006 or www.thespottydog.com/events – 8 pm – Spotty Dog Books & Ale, 440 Warren Street

Ballroom Thieves – This roots-music trio plays a mélange of acoustic styles, blending folk conventions with modern hymnals, classical textures, and Delta blues grit with rich harmonies.  They describe themselves as “a rock band disguised as a folk band.” – Guitarist Martin Earley, percussionist Devin Mauch, and cellist Calin Peters share lead vocals – Information at 828-4800 or helsinkihudson.com – 9 pm – Club Helsinki, 405 Columbia Street

Sunday, December 18

Exhibition Opening & Concert – The concert features If, Bwana (Al Margolis), the Council of Poetic Experimentation (Dan Andreana, Detta Andreana, Steve Roe, Donell Gibson), and Boy + Rocket (Sam Rosen) – Exhibition features Paintings by Al Margolis- on view through January 1, 2017 – Also on exhibit are gallery artists – Information at www.510warrenstreetgallery.com   or 822-0510 – 3 to 5 pm – 510 Warren Street Gallery, 510 Warren Street

Lettuce Rejoice! – Hedda Lettuce is back with her holiday spectacular– Hedda calls herself the “world’s first and premiere eco-friendly drag queen.”  Her annual holiday cabaret includes such favorites as “Here Comes Tranny Clause,” the classic song “Sleigh Ride,” turned into a gay  man’s quest for sex on Grinder, and “Do You Hear What I Hear?” rendered as “Do You Think That He’s Queer?” – Hedda, aka Steven Polito, is a six-time Drag Queen of the Year award-winner from HX Magazine.  She has appeared with Tyra Banks, Madonna, and Sarah Jessica Parker on such TV shows as Project Runway, Sex and the City, The Tyra Banks Show, and Ugly Betty – Sponsored by GayHudson – Tickets available at GayHudson.com – Information at 828-4800, helsinkihudson.com or GayHudson.com – 7 pm – Club Helsinki, 405 Columbia Street

Next Monday, December 19

Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol  – An adaptation of the beloved holiday classic, presented by Walking the dog Theater, and performed solo by David Anderson, the theater’s executive artistic director – Anderson performs the story exactly as Dickens wrote it, giving the audience not only the dialogue in multiple London accents, but the descriptive passages as well – Information and reservations at 392-2760 or www.camphillghent.org – 7 pm – Culture Hall, Camphill Ghent, 2542 Route 66, Ghent

Next Tuesday, December 20

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 – Club Helsinki, 405 Columbia Street

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

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