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11TH ANNUAL WINTER WALK KICKS OFF HOLIDAY SEASON IN HUDSON, NY

On Saturday evening December 1, 2007 from 5 to 8 pm the Hudson Opera House presents the eleventh annual Winter Walk, the hip street festival that kick-starts the holiday season in historic Hudson, NY. Always held on the first Saturday in December, this festive holiday celebration is now in its eleventh year and still going strong.

Hudson’s main commercial street becomes a fantastic wonderland on Winter Walk night. Many of the beautifully decorated store windows are animated by dance, mime or storytelling. On the street, a lumbering snowman and a walking grandfather clock meet Victorian carolers, clowns, and African drummers. Although the usual face painters and balloon animals are present, Walkers will also see mammoth parade puppets leading the Santa Parade, a Gingerbread Witch, elves of all sizes, and even fireworks. Mr. & Mrs. Santa Claus greet children in City Hall. Live reindeer, Roger the Jester, a brass quartet, a bagpiper and a stilt-walking toy soldier all vie for attention. This fantastic mélange draws thousands of delighted visitors to join in the fun.

The main action is from 5 to 8 pm, but in the afternoon things start gearing up at 4th Street and below. Winter Walkers are urged to start early for a sample of what’s to come. Many Hudson restaurants are open for lunch, as well as dinner. The newly renovated historic County Courthouse at Union and 4th Street is offering tours between 3 and 5 pm to celebrate the building’s 100th anniversary. From 1 to 4 pm, visitors can take part in family activities at the new Hudson Valley Arts Center studio by walking down City Hall Place and through Ca’Mea’s garden.

Below Third, the Shiloh Baptist Church Choir sings on the steps of the church at 4 pm, Santa pays an early visit at Tanzy’s and the Robert Jenkins House (D.A.R.) at 113 Warren is decorated for a Victorian Christmas open house. A number of exhibitions are also open below 3rd, and the live reindeer Buffy, Heidi and Maychill await visitors at 3rd & Warren from 4pm on.

At 4:45 the carillon rings at the First Presbyterian Church to announce the beginning of Winter Walk, and at 5 pm the switch is thrown to light up 4,000 lights on the Hudson-Athens Lighthouse, visible from Waterfront Park. Then the action starts as the opening ceremony at the Hudson Opera House kicks off the Department of Youth Santa Parade to deliver Mrs. & Mrs. Claus to City Hall. Suddenly the street is filled with an eclectic mix of merrymakers.

Among them are Kinko the Clown and that wacky tourist, Aunt Florence, both from the Bindlestiff Family Cirkus, as well as that old favorite Saxophone Santa at Vince Mulford Antiques in the 400 block. It is rumored that Shrek and Spiderman will show up to help the Friends of the Hudson Area Library read stories to children at Brian Herman’s office at 541 Warren. Jack the Bear is coming for sure.

A major feature of Winter Walk is choreographer Abby Lappen’s window installations, where department store mannequins come to life to the delight of young and old alike. Ms. Lappen has a unique new approach this year. Consult the schedule for times and places.

This year for the first time the Department of Motor Vehicles (6th & Warren) will vibrate to the rhythms of various dance companies, arranged by Dance Curator Elena Mosley. Dancing at the DMV will be the Albany-Berkshire Ballet, World of Dance, Hip Hop Afro-fusion, and Kuumba Dance & Drum featuring Carlos Osorio with Cumbia Dance.

The popular Sternfeld Dance Studio dancing doll will be twirling away at Kosa on the corner of Fifth & Warren, and on the opposite corner Hudson’s own Diata Diata Folkloric Theater, beats the drum to keep walkers moving.

At 5:30 the Hudson Valley Academy of Performing Arts presents Degas Comes to Life and Little Match Girl at the PARC Foundation Gallery at 330 Warren Street across from the Opera House.

Walkers get a chance to dance too. At 433 Warren Street Ron Tritto and his partners from Learntadance will be giving ballroom dancing demonstrations and providing mini-lessons for the faint of heart.

There are plenty of art exhibitions for the viewing, and a unique, not-to-be-missed light installation by artist Rudie Berkhout at Historical Materialism (601 Warren).

Kids will want to visit Stephen McKay and Abel Ramirez’ Winter Walk Funhouse at 554 Warren. Roger the Jester, Tots the Clown and her balloon animals, and face painters from Ichabod Crane offer plenty of enticements.

Many musicians from the region, ranging from folk to jazz to classical are regular performers in Winter Walk shops and restaurants. Downtown at Ciao Bella Jimmy Dell pays a tribute to Frank Sinatra starting at 7 pm. At the Hudson Valley Arts Center, stop in and hear the Michael Moore Ensemble.

In the 300 block, Shilly Shally, a group of fire performers, will perform on the half-hour courtesy of Marx Home, and the new emporium Spalon features the street performer Zack Powell as Rent-a-Rocker, a one-man band playing Christmas Rock.

At 5th and Warren, a fire pit and roasted chestnuts courtesy of Alan Hamilton, offer comfort and warmth. Further up Warren at 609, the crepe machine at LeGamin will move outside for the occasion providing sweet crepes-to-go.

New this year, Upstage Productions presents a storybook window featuring The Heroes and Heroines of the Forest at Eustace & Zamus, 513 Warren.

The intrepid C. Ryder Cooley and Todd Chandler will perform a new piece in the upstairs performance space of the Opera House. Twilight Shanteys and Aviary Songs features live music performance, video projection and installation. This unique performance is not to be missed.

Walkers will find plenty of ideas for holiday shopping, a wine tasting, a cheese tasting, a number of authors’ book signings, and much, much more. All that is required is warm clothing, sturdy walking shoes, and a friendly smile.

Winter Walk often continues past the official closing time of 8:00 p.m. when fireworks are seen atop Promenade Hill, at the Western end of Warren Street.

Warren Street from 2nd to 7th and adjacent alleys are closed to traffic for the three hours of Winter Walk, allowing pedestrians to traverse the street with ease, or to hop on a free trolley provided by the City of Hudson.

Last year this popular event drew thousands of attendees from Hudson and Columbia County, as well as visitors from Greene, Albany, Dutchess, Ulster Counties and beyond.

Visitors to the City are warned to arrive early to secure a parking spot. Municipal and county lots can be found on Columbia Street between Third and Fourth and between Fifth and Sixth, on Union Street at Sixth Street, and on Warren Street at two spots between Third and Fourth.

Winter Walk is produced and presented by the Hudson Opera House, a multi-arts center housed in an 1855 building which was once City Hall.

The event is made possible with support from two Grand Sponsors: AirTran and Taconic, as well as the City of Hudson, the Columbia Hudson Partnership, Columbia County Department of Tourism, Columbia Magnetic Imaging, Hudson Development Corporation, Hudson River Bank & Trust Foundation, Mid-Hudson Media, and Weaver Trolley. Contributors include Ca’Mea Restaurant, Columbia County Chamber of Commerce, Hudson Home, O&G Industries, Shallo, Galluscio, Bianchi & Fucito, and Swoon Kitchenbar. Other donors and supporters are listed in the official Winter Walk program and on the Opera House website.

For more information call the Opera House. A snow date of Saturday, December 8 has been established.

Winter Walk Grand Sponsors
The Hudson Opera House is pleased to introduce its two Grand Sponsors for the 11th annual Winter Walk: AirTran Airways and Taconic Farms.

AirTran Airways
AirTran Airways, headquartered in Orlando, Florida, launched its service out of Stewart International Airport in Newburgh, NY, in January 2007. The airline now offers low fares from the Hudson Valley region to 56 destinations nationwide with nonstop service to Atlanta, Tampa, Orlando, and Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.

“AirTran Airways is delighted to be a grand sponsor of the Hudson Opera House’s Winter Walk,” said Tad Hutcheson, vice president of marketing and sales for AirTran Airways. “We are proud to take part in one of the Hudson Valley’s most renowned events and look forward to helping New Yorkers ring in the holiday season wherever their travels may take them.”

A Fortune 1000 company, AirTran offers more than 700 affordable, daily flights. With 9,000 friendly crew members and America's youngest all-Boeing fleet, AirTran Airways provides XM Satellite Radio and Business Class seating on every flight. For more information and free online booking, visit http://www.airtran.com.

Taconic
Taconic Farms, Inc., headquartered in Hudson, New York, was founded in 1952 as a family-owned business in New York’s Hudson River Valley. Since then, the company has grown to become one of the largest and most respected laboratory rodent providers in the world.

Taconic is pleased to be a corporate sponsor of the Hudson Opera House’s 11th annual Winter Walk, one of the finest and most eagerly-awaited holiday traditions of historic Hudson.

“Taconic has always been committed to supporting the communities in which our 800-plus employees live and work,” said Taconic CEO Sam Phelan. “As a major employer in the Hudson and Germantown area for more than 50 years, we are especially pleased to support Winter Walk, a holiday tradition that promotes community spirit and is a fun-filled event for all families. It is a testament to the Hudson Opera House that Winter Walk is now celebrating its 11th year.”

Winter Walk is produced and presented by the Hudson Opera House, a multi-arts center housed in an 1855 building which was once City Hall. The Opera House offers a wide variety of workshops, classes, performances and exhibitions in the building that is currently undergoing restoration.

For more information call the Opera House at 518-822-1438.

photo above left by Patricia Decker, Still Photo, 2004.