Catskill Mountain Thunder Motorcycle Rally
The biggest motorcycle party of the season starts tonight at 5pm in East Durham during the kickoff of the annual Catskill Mountain Thunder festival. Shows, vendors, tattoos, fireworks, several long, scenic rides, a pig roast, and sinister-sounding events like the "Globe of Death" and "Spaghetti Wrestling" are planned for the weekend-long motorcycle rally. Wear leather and you could be walking the catwalk. Wear a bikini and no doubt you'll end up onstage or draped over a two-wheeled vehicle. To see a promo for the weekend, click here, but be warned -- there's definitely some nearly-nude gyrations in store if you do.
5pm Thursday through Sunday evening, Blackthorne Resort, East Durham, Greene County.
Last Science Cafe of the season
Throughout the summer, the West Kortright Center has been hosting monthly Science Cafes – folksy, informal chats with a guest scientist. It's a great idea, and we hope they keep it up. Tonight, they're hosting the last cafe of the season. In this case, the “science” part is a bit of a stretch: This week's topic is parapsychology. (Don't be fooled by the Ghost Hunters' fancy twiddly instruments – they're about as scientific as the Ministry of Silly Walks.) Local psychic and medium Diana Friedell, who's the guest speaker, notes that she's “not an expert on the science side of things and is therefore not prepared to debate with skeptics.” But relax, Mr. Wizard, this should be a good time.
6pm Thursday, West Kortright Centre, East Meredith, Delaware County.
Sharon Springs Harvest Festival
Teeny-tiny Sharon Springs is currently enjoying its 15 minutes of fame, thanks to the Fabulous Beekman Boys, whose goat-farming, cheese-making exploits have been chronicled on reality TV and the New York Times book review section. What that means: If you know any of the town's 547 residents, you might want to secure a parking space for this weekend's sumptuous three-day Harvest Festival early. Hope they'll have enough Blaak-cheese-and-onion-jam tart for an army of starstruck flatlanders. And if you like your Harvest Festivals just a little less fabulous, the Farmer's Museum in Cooperstown is having one too, with bluegrass, wagon rides and BBQ chicken.
Friday through Sunday, various locations in Sharon Springs, Schoharie County.
This weekend, the foodies will be coming upstream, all the way from the West Village, to dine on chef Patrick Connolly's "French-inspired" cuisine on the grounds of a real, working farm. Originally from Boston, Connolly runs the kitchen at BoBo, which specializes in infusing a certain Middle Eastern flavor into everything it serves. The menu, which costs $75, will include Catskills foods like Neversink honey and locally-raised chickens.
6pm Saturday, Neversink Farm, Claryville, Sullivan and Ulster Counties.
