Above: Princesses in Liberty's 2014 Memorial Day Parade. Photo by John of Catskills Photography, submitted to the Watershed Post Flickr pool. This year, Liberty's parade takes place on Monday, May 25 at 10:30 a.m.
Ah, Memorial Day: a bittersweet tang, part remembrance, part celebration. The scent of gunpowder from ritual muskets mingling with the fresh blooms of late spring and a whiff of barbecue sauce. The unofficial beginning of summer brings a host of wonderful seasonal things bursting open at once.
Come out and imbibe the heady mix. Here’s our five county guide to the best of the Catskills this weekend, May 23 to 25.
DELAWARE COUNTY
Planning a feast? Maybe you should be. The Stamford Area Chamber of Commerce is hosting a Pre-Memorial Day Weekend Holiday Pop Up Farmers’ Market at Stamford’s historic railroad station. They’re firing up the grill to serve food during the event, so bring your appetite -- once sated, you can shop artisanal locavore fare and from pickles to pocketbooks. Thursday, May 21, from 3:30 p.m. until 6 p.m.
Above: The Fleischmanns Memorial Day Street Fair kicks off on Saturday, May 23 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Via the Fleischmanns NY Facebook page.
The village of Fleischmanns is hosting its annual Memorial Day Street Fair on Saturday, May 23, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. There will be music, sidewalk vendors, a bounce house, and retinue of Maple Princess touring Main Street in an antique car. On Monday, May 25, the village celebrates with a parade down Main Street at 9 a.m.
On Saturday, May 23 in East Meredith, the West Kortright Centre kicks off its 40th anniversary season with Red Baraat, a bhangra/funk band that combines Indian brass band and Bollywood traditions to make generate an infectious, danceable sound. 8 p.m.
Come walk in the footsteps of the rebellious colonists. The Delaware County Historical Association in Delhi will host a Revolutionary War Talk & Walk featuring facts and tales from Delaware County during the time of the fight for American independence, like the one about how over 200 patriot soldiers got lost on nearby Elk Creek. You’ll take a brief guided hike along DCHA's nature trail, which runs through the historic Frisbee Family cemetery and roughly follows the route the soldiers took 237 years ago. Saturday May 23, 2 p.m. Pre-registration is appreciated for the free event; call DCHA at 607-746-3849 or e-mail dcha@delhi.net.
The 2015 Memorial Day Weekend Community Yard Sale & Picnic on the Square in Hancock will take over the town, with yard sale immersion therapy, specials at local eateries and businesses, storefront art, special exhibits at the Hancock-Chehocton Historical Society, and more. That’s going on all weekend long. On Sunday, May 24, bring blankets, lawn chairs, and enthusiasm and come on down to the Town Square around 12 noon for a moment of remembrance for the patriots, then celebrate their memory with a good old fashioned cookout: chicken BBQ, dogs and burgers, refreshments, live music from the Gone Fishin’ Band, old-fashioned games for kids and adults -- a feast of community spirit.
Tay Tea is celebrating its 10th anniversary in Andes with a cocktail party on Saturday, May 23 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. On Sunday, May 24, from 2 p.m to 4 p.m., Tay is hosting a book signing with Laura Silverman, the author of the “Bergdorf Goodman Cookbook.”
The Andes Public Library is hosting a Party in the Park on Sunday, May 24 in Ballantine Park in Andes. Ice cream, cookies and cupcakes will be on hand. On Monday, April 25, the town hosts its annual Memorial Day Parade at 10 a.m.
Above: A tractor in Liberty's 2014 Memorial Day parade. Photo by John of Catskills Photography, shared in the Watershed Post Flickr pool.
In Deposit, the Deposit Historical Society Museum hosts its Annual Folk Art and Craft Fair on Saturday, May 23 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. with craftsmen's wares, good food, a 50/50 raffle and music by the West Branch Ramblers.
Learn to salsa in Roxbury to the strains of an 11-piece salsa band, Orquesta SCC on Saturday, May 23 at the Roxbury Arts Group while eating tapas from the Ate - O - Ate Gourmet Food Truck. Food at 6 p.m., dance lesson at 6:30 p.m., performance at 7:30 p.m.
Hobart, the Book Village of the Catskills, is having a town-wide sale on all books from Saturday, May 23 to Monday, May 25. Stop at one of the village's five independent bookstores, and then have a peek in the MURAL Art Gallery on your way home.
In Bloomville, Table on Ten is throwing a “Pie and Mash Dinner with Cider” on Sunday, May 24 from 6 p.m to 9 p.m., featuring small-batch cider made by Wayside Cider in Delhi, pie, mash and live music by the Catskill Casket Company.
In Margaretville on Monday, May 25 at 5 p.m., Middletown Judge Gary Rosa kicks off his campaign for the newly-created position of Delaware County Family Court Judge with a Wienie Roast and Fundraiser at Mike and Becky Porter's house at 133 Orchard St. in Margaretville.
They’ll be parading in both Colchester and Hamden on Monday, May 25 at 10 a.m. Take your pick, c’mon out and cheer them on.
GREENE COUNTY
Above: The Glengarry Bhoys play the East Durham Irish Festival this weekend. Photo by Lois Greenfield.
Cheer on the rubber duckies at the Tannersville Rubber Duck Race & Crazy Boat Race and Festival on Saturday, May 23. Five hundred rubber ducks are launched into Gooseberry Creek on Main Street at 11 a.m.; there are cash prizes for the first three ducks across the finish line. There’ll be an all-day festival with food, music and crafts, and a Crazy Boat Race on the Lake at 2 p.m. Build a boat and join the fun. Admission is free. Hours: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Want to freak your friends right out? Tell your friends you’re going to spend Memorial Day snowboarding, and then go do just that at Windham Mountain in Windham. They’ve hoarded some of the white stuff for the Memorial Day Endless Winter Rail Jam. Happening Saturday, May 23.
Have an Irish Memorial Weekend in East Durham at the 38th annual Irish Festival. Three music pavilions and a stellar lineup: the Narrowbacks, The Fighting Jamesons, Whittlin' Donkeys, McCelan Ave Band, Andy Cooney, and Celtic Cross, plus four bagpipe shows and four step dancing shows. In the Irish Heritage Family Park, they’ll have theatre, more music, dance workshops, rides and children's music. You can camp or park your motor home for free; call 518-634-2286 to reserve a spot. Saturday, May 23 and Sunday, May 24. Music starts at 11:15 a.m. on Saturday and 10:15 a.m. on Sunday.
SCHOHARIE COUNTY
The Schoharie Memorial Day Parade & Ceremony is happening Main Street on Thursday, May 21. They’ll be stepping off at 6:30 p.m. and gathering at the corner of Main and Spring for a ceremony afterwards.
Max V. Shaul State Park in Fultonham celebrates the start of the 2015 camping season with a Summer Kick-Off Jamboree on Saturday, May 23 from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. Plenty of local, live music, delicious food concessions and other vendors field games, as well as guided hikes.
In Gilboa, Catskill Outback Adventures will lead opening weekend guided paddles on the Schoharie Reservoir on Saturday, May 23. Kayaks and canoes will set out from Snyder’s Cove. Registration is required, and space is limited. Contact Michelle Yost at 518-589-6871 or at michelle@gcswcd.com.
The annual Sharon Springs Garden Party brings over 100 local artists and artisans, farmers and food purveyors to Sharon Springs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, May 23 and Sunday, May 24. See the full schedule here.
On Sunday, May 24, Heather Ridge Farm is hosting a Memorial Day Weekend BBQ from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. Feast on slow smoked pork, barbecued brined chicken and Heather Ridge Farm’s new farm made nitrate-free hot dogs, all raised right on the premises.
Middleburgh conducts its Memorial Day observances on Monday, May 25 at 4 p.m. at Memorial Park on Main Street. The Gettysburg Address will be read aloud, local scouts will sing and a wreath will be placed at the memorial.
SULLIVAN COUNTY
Above: Mysteryland USA brings a giant electronic dance festival to Bethel Woods Center for the Arts. Photo via the Mysteryland USA Facebook page.
In Sullivan County, Bethel Woods Center for the Arts is hosting the massive Mysteryland Festival, a huge electronic dance music and arts bacchanalia with elaborate “storybook” stages, art installations, camping, food vendors straight from Brooklyn and headliners like Empire of the Sun and Diplo. Friday, May 22 through Monday, May 25.
Nearby in Bethel, the Dancing Cat Saloon, the Catskill Distilling Company and Stray Cat Gallery & Antiques are hosting series of events in honor of the Mysteryland Festival, including a Thursday Night Musicians Gathering on May 21, an acoustic set on Friday, May 22, the Somerville Brothers Band on Saturday, May 23, a jazz brunch, a drum circle and a music show on Sunday, May 24, and a three-day “Art, Antique, Music and Everything Else Exposition” all weekend long.
At Morgan Outdoors in Livingston Manor, Joyce Garber will give a talk on hiking the Appalachian Trail as a woman in her 70s at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 23. Catch the Manor's Memorial Day parade: it starts at 10 a.m. on Monday, May 25.
Sullivan’s active American Legion and VFW posts are filling the county with parades and brief, poignant ceremonies throughout Sunday and Monday.
On Sunday, May 24, the village of Bloomingburg’s parade steps off at 1 p.m. V.F.W. Post 4947 will march in the parade and perform a cemetery service at the conclusion.
On Monday, May 25 Liberty, they’ll be marching through downtown at 10:30 a.m.. A service will follow at Veteran’s Cemetery.
In Wurtsboro, American Legion Post 1266 will sponsor the Memorial Day Parade to Veteran’s Park at 12:30 p.m. on Monday, May 25. At the conclusion of the service all are invited to a BBQ at 92 Pine Street, the American Legion Home.
Fremont Center will hold its Fremont Center Memorial Day Parade on Monday, May 25. There will be a memorial service at New Veteran’s Park at 9:30 a.m., then a march through Fremont Center to the baseball field.
Roscoe’s parade starts at 10 a.m. on Monday, May 25 with a ceremony following immediately afterward at the Roscoe Fire House.
ULSTER COUNTY
Uke Fest 2014 at the Ashokan Center brings ukulele enthusiasts to Olivebridge this weekend. Photo of ukuleles by pixelsuite, via Flickr.
On Thursday, May 21, the Hudson Valley Food Truck Festival is opening the summer food truck season with a Spring Fling at Cantine Field in Saugerties from 3:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. There will be live music and performers and, of course, a slew of food trucks.
The 3rd Annual Ashokan Uke Fest brings ukulele players and instructors to the Ashokan Center in Olivebridge from Friday, May 22 to Monday, May 25. Workshops, concerts, dancing, jam sessions and more ukuleles that you can count.
Above: The inaugural Craft Brew Boogaloo comes to Saugerties Saturday, May 23.
The brand new Craft Brew Boogaloo beer and food festival comes to Cantine Memorial Field in Saugerties on Saturday, May 23 from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. The Boogaloo, which is run by Radio Woodstock, will feature live music and 150 beers from 74 breweries, along with tasty local foods, food trucks, craft vendors and general merriment.
The Phoenicia Library in Phoenicia is hosting a free bubble show for kids of all ages at 12 p.m. on Saturday, May 23. On Saturday, May 23 and Sunday, May 24, the Graham & Co hosts the Phoenicia Flea. On Monday, May 25 at 10:30 a.m., Phoenicia will hold a Memorial Day parade followed by a commemorative service at the Eagle and a community BBQ at the American Legion.
The Catskill Mountain Railroad is hosting “patriotic train rides” in honor of Sgt. Shawn M. Farrell II and Pfc. Douglas L. Cordo on Saturday, May 23 in Kingston. Trains leave from the WestBrook Station adjacent to Herzog's in the Kingston Plaza. Kingston will hold a Memorial Day observance in front of City Hall at 1 p.m. on Monday, May 25, followed by a parade at 1:45 p.m.
In New Paltz, it’s time for the Quail Hollow Invasion of the Ulster County Fairgrounds. Impressive in quantity, stunning in quality, the Woodstock-New Paltz Art & Craft Fair gathers the vibrant energies and talents of 300 juried artists into a powerful burst of makerness. There’s something for everyone, and lovingly handmade music, food and wine besides. Saturday, May 23 through Monday, May 25.
Alternatively, or in addition to, the fairgrounds event, stop by the big honkin’ quirky Memorial Day Yard Sale at Unison Arts and Learning Center in New Paltz. Early birds can get the cream by paying $10 to be admitted at 8 a.m.; it’s free from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and you never know what you’ll find, since they bring out new stuff every hour and the friends of Unison are an eclectic bunch.
Mount Tremper Arts kicks off its summer season of dance, music and theater with a Garden Party in Mount Tremper on Sunday, May 24, starting at 5 p.m. The party will be held outdoors, across the grounds and gardens of Mount Tremper Arts, and will feature performances by the young theater collective GRANDMA and the solo percussionist Owen Weaver. Guests will nosh on slow-cooked BBQ and treats sourced from local markets.
Woodstock celebrates Bob Dylan's birthday on Sunday, May 24 at the Bearsville Theater with a concert featuring Happy Traum, Cindy Cashdollar, Jules Shear & Pal Shazar, Jerry Marotta, Marc Black, Sarah Fimm, The Stacks, Lindsey Webster, Eric Redd, Zach Djanikian, Tim Moore, Kyle Esposito, Sin City and more performers. Proceeds benefit Family of Woodstock’s Crisis Hotline and the John Herald Fund for musicians in need.
The Memorial Day parade and services in New Paltz will be held Saturday, May 30 at 6 p.m, followed by a service in front of the village Veteran’s Memorial at the fire house, complete with guest speaker.
Corrections: The village of Fleischmanns' annual Memorial Day Street Fair is on Saturday, May 23 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., not on Monday, May 25. Also, Heather Ridge Farm is located in Schoharie County, not Albany County.
