Odd Couple
Sept. 5: Circo Comedia. Every comedy duo has its fool and its foil — Abbott and Costello, Lewis and Martin, even Bert and Ernie. The two yuksters behind the Doctorow Center for the Arts’ Circo Comedia are no exception. Straight man Jean Saucier astonishes with his balancing and cycling routines, while bumbling assistant Patrick Côté finds hilarious new ways to get in his way. Though they hail from French-speaking Montreal, the pair’s mind-bending, laugh-a-minute act is the type of family entertainment that needs no translation. 3:30 p.m. $7. • Rte. 23A, Hunter. 518-263-2063.
Down By The River
Sept. 6: Making A River: Interpreting the Hudson, Then and Now It’s sad to say, but kids who live alongside the Hudson often take its beauty and history for granted. (We know, we know: Back in the day, you old fogies walked 15 miles — uphill, nonetheless! — just to sneak a peak at the river’s vistas.) This Olana State Historic Site program aims to change the youngsters’ mind-set. Participants learn the legacies of 19th-century landscape painters Frederic Church and Thomas Cole and discover how the artists’ work connects to the present-day conservation movement. They then journey riverside to sketch the picturesque waterway themselves. Before leaving, guests receive a free copy of Hudson: The Story of a River by Robert C. Baron and Thomas Locker. 1-4 p.m. • 5720 Rte. 9G, Hudson. 518-828-0135.
Slumber Party
Sept. 12: Family Sleepover at the Longhouse Just because school’s back in session doesn’t mean you can’t fully enjoy the last vestiges of summer. That’s the way the folks at Mohonk Preserve are thinking, anyway. The preserve’s education team hosts this old-fashioned sleepover, held in the park’s Longhouse. Families grind corn, make fire, sing songs, and learn about Native American artifacts. At the end of the night, the group ventures under the stars to sleep in tents outside the Longhouse. Harvest dinner and breakfast included. Recommended for children 6-11. Reservations required. $50 per participant, $40 for members. • Rte. 44/55, Gardiner. 845-255-0919.
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Adventures in reading: A bookworm devours a literary treat at Children’s Book Day |
Photograph by Tom O’Connell/Historic Hudson ValleyMeet and Greet
Sept. 27: Children’s Book Day Is there a more appropriate place for a child to meet his or her favorite author than Washington Irving’s Sunnyside? We think not. More than 60 children’s book authors are on hand at this all-day event — including Jean Marzollo, author of the I Spy series; and Jules Feiffer, illustrator of the Phantom Tollbooth — to discuss their work and sign book copies. Also making appearances are larger-than-life versions of characters from the authors’ books, as well as magicians Carole Demas and Paula Janis of TV’s Magic Garden fame. 11 a.m.-6 p.m. $12, $6 ages 5-17, free under 5. • 89 W. Sunnyside Ln., Tarrytown. 914-591-8763.
Yo-Ho-Ho
Sept. 17: Pirate Read-aloud Ahoy there, me hearties! The Plattekill Public Library be hostin’ a read-aloud for all ye swashbucklin’ buccaneers. Dress like a pirate and listen up as ye hosts be readin’ The Castaway Pirates: A Pop-Up Tale of Bad Luck, Sharp Teeth, and Stinky Toes by Ray Marshall and Wilson Swain and A Pirate’s Quest (For His Family Heirloom Peg Leg) by Laura Sams, Robert Sams, and Heiner Hertling. Thar also be a treasure hunt — X marks the spot! (Shiver me timbers! That’s not all: Sept. 19 be International Talk Like A Pirate Day. Visit www.talklikeapirate.com for tips.) 6:30 p.m. • 2047 State Rte. 32, Modena. 845-883-7286.
