First Day Hike 2025
Various Locations
January 1
Ring in the new year with a hike, hosted by the NYS Department of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation. In the Hudson Valley, explore Minnewaska, Sam’s Point, Sterling Forest, Thacher State Park, Olana, and Little Stony Point. A complete list of locations is online.
45th Annual New Year’s Day Sale
Copake
January 1, 10 a.m.
On Main Street, Copake Auction’s premiere sale will feature 18th- and 19th-century furniture, mid-century modern pieces, folk art, stoneware, and more.
Bach at New Year’s: The Six Brandenburg Concertos
Troy
January 1, 3 p.m.
Head to the Troy Savings Bank Music Hall for an afternoon of melody presented by the Berkshires Bach Society. Grammy award-winning director Eugene Drucker will lead the ensemble.
Bingo at Patton’s Tavern
West Point
January 6, 6-8 p.m.
The Thayer Hotel kicks off its calendar with weekly bingo nights on Mondays (through February) at Patton’s Tavern.
Reduction Relief Printing
Kingston
Starts January 8, 6-8 p.m.
This five-week course at the Neighborhood Print Studio in the Pajama Factory will teach participants how to turn their art into a four-color reduction relief print. Open to all, 16 and up.
Sunday Brunch with Adam Lieber and Friends
Mt. Kisco
January 12, 12 p.m.
Head to Jazz on Main to spend the afternoon with Adam Lieber, a pianist and singer who is returning to the stage after a stint as a Westchester ER doctor. His performance will span genres such as jazz, R&B, pop, and rock, and is expected to feature surprise guests.
Winter Family Fun
New Paltz
January 17–20
Fun and frosty activities are on the agenda at Mohonk Mountain House, with snow tubing and ice skating, plus performances by magician Lindsay Noel and yo-yo master John Higby, and the “Brain Wash Gameshow” hosted by Eric Dasher.
Annual Wassail
Hillsdale
January 18
Little Apple Cider welcomes visitors to participate in its traditional wassail. Attendees will walk the grounds of the orchard to wake the tree spirits and ensure a bountiful harvest later in the year. Afterwards, sip cider (made on the premises) around a toasty firepit.
State Ballet Theatre of Ukraine: Swan Lake
Kingston
January 19, 3 p.m.
The Tchaikovsky classic features beautiful melodies, over 200 intricately designed costumes, and hand-painted sets that transports the audience to a different realm.
Wined Up Wednesday
Hudson
January 22, 5:30 p.m.
At the recently opened tasting room for Neverstill Wines, join owner Christy Counts for a complimentary educational session for vino enthusiasts of all levels. Register online to save a spot.
Albany Chefs’ Food & Wine Festival
Albany
January 23–25
At the Albany Capital Center, enjoy three days of food and wine events, from tastings and seminars to a slider competition and a grand reception dinner. Net proceeds will be donated to local nonprofit arts organizations.
Guster
Port Chester
January 25, 8:30 p.m.
Local radio station 107.1 The Peak presents an evening at The Capitol Theatre with alternative rock band Guster. The group will perform a mix of past hits and songs from their latest release.
Winter Salon
Nyack
Through January 26
The Perry Lawson Fine Art gallery presents its annual Winter Salon, a multimedia exhibition featuring the works of 25 regional artists, with abstract and realist paintings, photographs, sculptures, and prints.
24th Annual Westchester Wedding & Bridal Expo
White Plains
January 26, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
Getting hitched in the Hudson Valley? Stop by this expo at the Westchester County Center to shop for nearly every detail of your big day. Vendors offering planning, decorating, catering, and music services will be on-site, along with jewelers, floral designers, and tailors.
The Price Is Right Live!
Poughkeepsie
January 29, 7:30 p.m.
The live stage version of the classic television game show brings family-friendly entertainment to the MJN Convention Center. Audience members will be selected at random to compete in games and spin the wheel for a chance to win an array of prizes.
Winter Hoot 2025
Olivebridge
January 31-February 2
The Ashokan Center once again presents its popular three-day folk music festival at its Ulster County campus with a robust schedule of tunes, dancing, yoga, blacksmithing tutorials, and food and drink from local purveyors.
A Buzzy New Tool
New Yorkers with developmental disabilities and their caregivers have a new resource at their fingertips to help them navigate the state’s complex care and support systems. Launched in September, Abilibee is a free app that offers step-by-step guidance for transitioning through the state system, from early intervention to adulthood, for more effective advocacy and daily management. It includes a curated resource library, alerts for how and when to start planning for the next life stage, and a log to keep contacts and notes organized. Plus, daily check-ins track progress and well-being, and positive affirmations encourage holistic wellness.
Designed by Abilities First, a Wappingers Falls nonprofit that serves over 1,500 children and adults with intellectual and development challenges in the Hudson Valley, download the Abilibee app here. – Michelle Gillan Larkin
Hot Shot
Cheers to Hillrock Estate Distillery in Ancram on becoming a founding member of the Estate Whiskey Alliance (EWA), newly established by the University of Kentucky to promote local sourcing and sustainability in the industry. Hillrock is in good company with the likes of Maker’s Mark and Heaven Hill, and is the only U.S. distillery outside of Kentucky invited to join the inaugural organization. Later this year, Hillrock drinkers should notice an “Estate Whiskey Certified” label as they tilt the bottle, a pioneering EWA designation for whiskey that is produced entirely on the distillery estate with grains sourced from estate owned (or controlled) land. – Michelle Gillan Larkin
