Hudson Winter Walk
For a quarter of a century Hudson has invited all to come and make merry during its annual Christmas Walk along the mile-long length of Warren Street. Visitors enjoy performances, art installations, family-friendly attractions, food, drinks and fireworks all the while popping into stores to do a little holiday shopping.
This year, on December 3rd, the town celebration is bigger and more festive than ever beginning at 5PM Saturday when the bells of First Presbyterian Church will chime 26 times in honor of this, the 26th anniversary of Winter Walk. The 7th Street Park will blaze with holiday lights and Santa will arrive at City Hall in a horse and carriage. The children of Harmony Project Hudson will welcome the jolly old elf with a song before he heads inside to hear the holiday wishes of tiny tots.
Any relationship can have its troubles though and even Santa, almost assuredly a workaholic, has had marital strife. Trixie Starr, aka Ms. Trixolina Clauzone, Santa’s bitter ex-wife, is back for Winter Walk. Sit on Ms. Clauzone’s lap and have a picture taken while being serenaded with carols by performer Ophelia Nightly.
Bitter wives aside, Christmas is all about warm, happy memories and many of these will be evoked at Hudson Hall at 327 Warrant Street where there is to be an exhibition of student art from area schools on the first floor with a chance to relax in front of the Hall’s cinema-size silver screen upstairs to view favorite holiday episodes of nostalgic television shows.
The Hall will also offer exhibitions of hip-hop with Kenold Dorce, music by the Mathew Bowe Trio, face painting by B. Boho Body Art Face Painting and a exhibition of upcycled items.
In addition to visiting Santa and having their faces painted, children will enjoy the Bailiwick Farm Petting Zoo, pony rides, horse-and-carriage rides and the gigantic Winter Bird puppet created by Camphill Hudson for Winter Walk. Trixie the Clown is on tap to create balloon creations sure to delight any young Winter Walker.
It will be a lively scene along the length of Warren Street where shop windows come alive with dance performances and live music. Inspired by the region’s railway tradition, artist Jack Dylan has recreated a bucolic scene of animated vintage train cars with a backdrop of the cat-like Catskill Mountains in the window of 441 Warren Street. Kathleen Vance and Daniel Aycock add to that feeling of nostalgia with their Winter Wonderland exhibition of miniature sculptures, paintings, drawings and photographs at 727 Warren Street. A large-scale sculptural installation by Thomas Broadbent featuring projected local wildlife is also located there.
Out on the street performers such as Roger the Jester, caroling groups (including the Haus of Extreme Drag Queen Caroling), the Hudson Festival Orchestra Brass, Sax O’ Claus, Seano’s Circus Theatricks, Julian’s Jugglers and more will entertain Winter Walkers.
The Tivoli Players will bring a cast of colorful characters from their work-in-progress, Curiouser and Curiouser, an adaptation of Lewis Carrol’s Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass, to entertain the crowds.
Lou Craft and Lindsay Herr (aka Lady Lou and Lady Lindsay) offer Winter Walkers the chance to see into their future (or hear a good fable) in Fortunes for the Future: Forthright and Fraudulent, a fun and quirky take on the art of the psychic at the Pocket Park across from 327 Warren Street.
The Pocket Park next to FINCH Hudson will be the setting for DJ Ronnie Rave, who creates rave-like experiences with lights, sounds and dance music. Walkers can also head over to the Spark Stage, 364 Warren Street at 6:30PM to catch a one-hour Winter Walk dance show by performance artist Davon and friends.
At 8 PM a fireworks display will draw the Winter Walk to its conclusion but those who want to support the annual celebration can also attend the special fundraising Chilly Dinner Buy tickets now for $100 at Hudson Hall. At evening's end, the dinner will honor Elena Mosley and Ellen Thurston, longtime Winter Walk supporters.
During Winter Walk, Warren Street and the side streets leading into it are closed to traffic. The streets are closed at 4:30PM and unauthorized vehicles will be towed starting at 4:45PM.
Parking is available in municipal lots on Union or Columbia Streets, the John L. Edwards Elementary School and in other city-owned lots including the public parking lot at the Consolidated Firehouse at 7th and Washington Streets and the waterfront parking lots at Henry Hudson Riverfront Park. All County lots are also available.
The Columbia Memorial Hospital parking garage at the top of Columbia Street is an option and paid parking is available at the Amtrak long-term parking lot on Front Street, across from the station.
