Events & Activities In The Catskills & Hudson Valley | December 2024
Posted by Coldwell Banker Village Green Realty on Friday, December 6th, 2024 at 12:20pm
December in the Catskills and Hudson Valley is always a feast for the senses! There are holiday displays, there are makers’ markets with DJ’s, oysters, and incredible wares you won’t find in any shop, and there is always counter-programming for when the red, green, silver, and cheerful become way too much. While the wind blows and the landscape softens under drifts of snow, we’re doing things! Join us, the local experts in Upstate Real Estate as we tug on just a few of the strings that make up Upstate’s tapestry of a calendar this month.
Woodstock Holiday Open House
Where: Woodstock, NY
This is always a great time. Santa arrives at evening’s end in a conveyance that is different every year, and Woodstock’s best-kept secret. There’s music on the green (including the amazing kids from The Rock Academy), food and drink specials at all the restaurants, the shops stay open late, and this year, there will be a REAL unicorn.
Booked In at Scribner’s Lodge
Where: Hunter, NY
Book lovers rejoice! This is a full weekend of book talks and book lovin’. Author Georgia Clark will be there, celebrating her latest release, Most Wonderful—published by The Dial Press and set in The Catskills as will hosts and bookish influencers Morgan Pager (@nycbookgirl), Taylor Choi (@bookswithtay), and Nnenna Odeluga (@notedbynnenna). Plus, chef and author Alexis deBoschnek will create a special dinner at Fellow Mountain Cafe featuring recipes from her cookbook, To the Last Bite, followed by an exclusive Q&A with Alexis and Fellow’s Chef, Rachel Lauginiger. There’s more – check it out!
Always Patsy Cline
Where: Rosendale Theatre, Rosendale, NY
The Phoenicia Playhouse’s production of Always Patsy Cline, directed by Orvi Vargas is transferring to Rosendale this weekend. The musical tells the story of the iconic country singer’s enduring friendship with Louise Seger, an adoring fan who first met Cline in a Texas honky-tonk in 1961. 27 of Çline’s iconic songs are woven through the performance and accompanied by a live Honky-Tonk band.
The Nutcracker At Catskill Mountain Foundation
Where: Orpheum Performing Arts Center, Tannersville
Featuring the ballet stars of the future, this Greene County Nutcracker has become a fan-favorite in just a few short years.
Merry Monster Madness
Where: Clermont State Historic Site, Clermont, NY
Clermont has been home to people from around the world. This children’s scavenger hunt celebrates that tradition asking young participants to find “Merry Monsters” like the Swedish Tomte, French Lutins, Krampus, or the Belsnickel. The hunt ends with a snack and a craft!
An Open Studio With Winter Landscapes
Where: 5 Paradies Lane, New Paltz
This one-day open studio features the works of Peter Fairweather who has been drawing & painting landscapes in the New Paltz area for over 30 years. We’ve had his work displayed in our New Paltz office on occasion – this is worth a stop!
Handmade For The Holidays
Where: Wallkill River Center For The Arts, Montgomery
December 7th seems to be the day to make a day of it! This local artisan’s craft fair will help you fill the stockings and deliver unique gifts to friends and family without darkening the doors of any big boxes.
Manitoga In Focus: Welcome Winter! Forest Walk and Pine Tea
Where: Garrison, NY
Manitoga, industrial designer Russel Wright’s home and sanctuary, is a beautiful place to visit any time of year. Usually they close a bit earlier than this, but this year they’re offering one final event – an early winter walk (with forest bathing!) followed by foraged pine tea, snacks, and tours of the residence and Wright’s studio at Dragon Rock. Make reservations!
Hudson Winter Walk
Where: Warren Street, Hudson, NY
If you’ve ever been to Hudson the week before their Winter Walk, you might have some idea of what a big deal it is. Everyone is prepping with maniacal creativity and there’s a buzz in the air. During the walk, there’s music in the streets, unique performances, the shopping in the already beautiful shops that Hudson is known for is elevated by the time and effort each shopkeeper has put into their decorating. It’s joyous, it’s beautiful, and there are FIREWORKS!
Winter S’more Fun
Where: Taconic State Park, Copake Falls
Sometimes we forget about our incredible state parks when the wind starts to blow! This event invites us back to Taconic State Park which is celebrating it’s 100th year. As part of the Copake Falls Winter Walk, visitors will be treated to a fire, s’mores, and a chance to chat with park rangers about what the winter means for the plants and animals in the park.
Elverhoj: The Arts & Crafts Colony at Milton-on-Hudson
Where: Vassar’s Library, Poughkeepsie, NY
‘Tis the season of the sparkly and new, but sometimes it’s nice to take a breather, catch a moment of quiet, and learn something you didn’t know before. There are several arts colonies in the Hudson Valley and Catskills that are regionally famous, but Elverhoj, a 19th century Arts & Crafts Colony, is not quite a household name. Vassar has several connections to the colony and has amassed a collection that’s worth viewing whenever you need a few minutes of silence!
Athens Victorian Stroll
Where: Athens, NY
This is an all day event in the beautiful village of Athens. Businesses, community groups, and residents come together to create a special day filled with family-friendly activities, food, entertainment, and celebrations of Athen’s past. The day culminates with a tree lighting and carols at Riverfront Park. This is such a nice event - let it snow!
Christmas Crawl
Where: East Durham, NY
This Catskills Pub Crawl starts at the Blackthorne Resort where participants will board a bus (of course) that will take them on a hopsy spree around Greene County. The bus will return to the Blackthorn where there will be entertainment and a prize for best dressed – we’re not sure what they’re looking for here…flannel? Ugly sweaters? Or traditional?
The Wickhams: Christmas At Pemberly
Where: Ellenville, NY
Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice has been embellished again and again. Why? We all love. it. This December, Shadowland Stages has a sequel – an on-stage production in which the Wickhams are presumably tolerated at Pemberly to resultant chaos. If you’ve seen one too many Nutcrackers but want the theatre to be part of your season, we recommend this.
Party At The North Pole
Where: Mountain View Studio, Woodstock, NY
‘Tis the season for Children’s Theatre! Elberta the Elf, Noel the Polar Bear, Tom the Toy Soldier, and Ruby the Reindeer are ready to entertain the tots with their interactive show. It's packed with catchy tunes and Holiday Favorites. Get tickets ahead of time here:
Fantastic Cat
Where: Daryl’s House Club, Pawling, NY
Daryl’s House has the intimate, cozy feel of the Holidays year-round, plus fabulous music played by fantastic musicians who are right down on the floor with you! Fantastic Cat is December 14th's offering – watch the video below to see if you like their sound, but also read the self-introduction on their website to ascertain if you like their pithy snark! We love it! You’ll be clicking for tickets!
Craft Feast at Stissing House
Where: Pine Plains, NY
Stissing House is one of America’s oldest taverns. For one weekend they’ve invited craftspeople to showcase their beautiful wares, offering up a “Craft Feast”. Tickets are required!
The Fuller Market
Where: Kingston, NY
This is the weekend for craft/artisan fairs and The Fuller Building will be hosting artisans, makers, a DJ, and an oyster party. Need we say more?
The Holiday Who-Done-It at Staatsburgh State Historic Site
Where: Staatsburg, NY
This children’s event (ages 6-11) lets young people play detectives as they solve a history mystery at one of the Hudson Valley’s famous historic homes. The program lasts an hour and a half and ends with prizes (for those who solve the puzzle) from Oblong Books in Rhinebeck.
Unitard: Holiday On Thin Ice
Where: Kingston, NY
Unitard, a hilarious comedy trio will be filling the Unicorn Bar with laughter just when we need it most. Come, listen, and watch as they skewer social, political, and sexual mores via comic sketches and monologues.
Winter Solstice At Olana
Where: Hudson, NY
There may be no better vantage point in the Hudson Valley to admire the Winter sky from than the lawns of Olana. There will be free games, astrological readings, a DJ, and Hank the Donkey.
Woodstock’s Holiday Community Dinner
Where: Woodstock, NY
For decades this free community dinner was a staple on the Woodstock calendar. The pandemic took it off the roster for a couple of years but it’s back this year! Volunteer, donate, cook, or just attend for some great community spirit, conversation, and sharing.
Make A Mouse House: A Craft Workshop For Kids
Where: Staatsburgh State Historic Site, Staatsburg, NY
Children can hunt around the mansion for the hidden mouse houses, then make one of their own! How cute is this rodent sophisticate?
Monthly Star Party With The Mid-Hudson Astronomical Society
Where: Lake Taghkanic State Park, Ancram, NY
There’s an upside to the short days this time of year – stargazing! December’s monthly meetup of the Mid-Hudson Astronomical Society invites you to bring your own telescope or make a friend at the event who’ll share theirs with you!
The Lustre Kings
Where: Seasons At Windham Mountain Club
Rockabilly LEGENDS The Lustre Kings will be at Seasons on the mountain (Windham Mountain that is) from 3-6 PM for some après ski magic.
Broadway Arts Collective’s 2024 Broadway Breakout - Wicked
Where: New Paltz, NY
This is a “Wicked” good event! One of Broadway’s Elphaba’s, Donna Vivino, will be conducting a singing, acting, and dancing workshop for those with Broadway aspirations who are in 5th Grade through College.
A Complete Unknown
Where: The Orpheum Theatre, Saugerties, NY
We started out in Woodstock – we’ll basically watch anything about Bob Dylan, anytime. Upstate Films in Saugerties has some Christmas counter-programming opening on the 25th in the form of a remake of Nosferatu and James Mangold’s new biopic A Complete Unknown in which Timothée Chalamet plays Bob Dylan during his legendary transition from acoustic to electric in the mid-60s. Trade the fruitcake for popcorn!
Polar Plunge For A Purpose
Where: Earlton Hill Campground in Earlton, NY
This is a January event but we thought we’d share it now as you may need a couple of weeks to mentally prepare yourself in order to commit. The motto of this event, offered by the Capital Region’s YMCA, is “Freezin' For A Reason” – so catchy! If you’re brave enough to take the plunge you’ll be helping the YMCA offer their great programming to everyone in the community!
Leave A Comment