Nyack Jazz Week, The Turning Point Cafe, Piermont
The long awaited annual jazz and blues festival is back starting this Sunday, running through the end of the month. Presented by the Rockland County Jazz and Blues Society, the weeklong event features the upbeat, percussion-soaked style signature to big bands, plus the feel-good vibes of bebop favorites the Scott Wendholt Quartet. General admission to Sunday’s show is $25; society members, seniors, and students may attend for $20.
Dutchess Dragon Boat Race & Festival, HRRA Community Boathouse, Poughkeepsie
Cool off from a sweltering day by the Hudson while honoring Chinese traditions originating more than 2,300 years ago. Classic dragon boats are full of history, color, and bold detail, and this Saturday, racers will get to cruise in bright, contemporary versions of these cultural staples. Spectators will hardly miss out on the, er, boatloads of fun, and visitors can also truck-hop among local vendors and food trucks or take a stab at calligraphy with hands-on demonstrations. Be sure to stop by the big tent, under which you’ll find dragon face- and arm-painting, hands-on crafts, Chinese brush painting, puppetry, and storytelling. Float from station to station with live performances on the boathouse stage.
Cold Spring Film Society Summer Series, Dockside Park, Cold Spring
Continuing their free summer film series, Cold Spring presents western classic The Magnificent Seven, starring Yul Brynner, Steve McQueen, Charles Bronson, and Eli Wallach, this Saturday. Grab a warm blanket, a big bag of popcorn, and your cowboy boots and cuddle up for the film BBC calls “an exciting adventure with lasting stature.”
Terri Mateer in A Kind Shot, Bridge Street Theatre, Catskill
Poignant, funny, and unorthodox, Terri Mateer’s one-woman show will run over the weekend at local performing-arts staple Bridge Street Theatre. A former pro basketball player and model, among other things, Mateer tackles a slew of highly sensitive topics unapologetically and without fear. “Honest and affecting,” join Mateer as she delivers a performance well worth the $15, or just $10 for patrons 21 and under. Tickets go on sale at the door a half hour prior to performance.
Hudson Valley Chalk Festival, Walter Street Market, New Paltz
Now’s your chance to grab the family and stop by the trendiest art event of the summer. Walter Street Market will host 22 professional street painters and 17 local artists this weekend, plus loads of live music, free face painting, food, raffles, and an open chalk area for the kids, or you, should you decide to release that painfully repressed inner child. The event runs until dusk, allowing for plenty of time to explore.
