Putnam & Dutchess Weekly Events 12/4 – 12/9
Hi All! It’s December and the gifting holidays are almost here! Make sure to check out our guides for the best toys out there! We have a PACKED weekend in our house and around our area so get out there and enjoy the season!
Friday December 4th
Mid-Hudson Children’s Museum, Poughkeepsie
Celebration of Lights – Event features special Storytime reading of the Nutcracker with special guests, the Snow Queen and dancers from the New Paltz School of Ballet. Activites include ornament making, holiday tree decorating in Upper Landing Park, and riverfront viewing of the Fireworks! $8 MHCM members/$12 non-members. 5:30pm to 7:30pm
Main & Garden Street, Poughkeepsie
Celebration of Lights Parade – The parade will commence at 6:30pm on Main Street and Garden Street and proceed to the evening’s first Christmas tree lighting on Main, near Market Street. Santa Claus will arrive on a City of Poughkeepsie Fire Engine. The parade will proceed down Main Street to Clover Street where the parade will convene at Dongan Square Park for the second Christmas tree lighting. Then at 7:15, Poughkeepsie River District Business Association and Legion Fireworks will present the area’s only winter fireworks display along Poughkeepsie’s waterfront. At this time the third tree will be lit at the center of the Walkway over the Hudson. Walkway Over the Hudson will open its eastern gate to those interested in viewing the fireworks from high above the Hudson River. Walkway members can watch the fireworks display for free while nonmembers will be asked to pay a donation of $5 per person. Check at www.walkway.org for more information. Following the parade at 8PM the Bardavon will screen Miracle on 34th Street.
Charles Coleman Blvd, Pawling
Tree Lighting – Santa & Mrs. Claus arrive with their reindeer to light the tree. Join the festivities! Enjoy choral music, hot chocolate and cookies and the festive charm of an old-fashioned village Christmas. Holiday sales and specials continue all season.
Village of Millbrook
Tree Lighting & Santa Visit – Two holiday traditions are combined for a wonderful evening. The tree lighting ceremony takes place at the bottom of Franklin Avenue from 6-6:30 pm Afterward, enjoy a family hayride through the beautifully decorated Village streets. Then continue on to the firehouse where Santa Claus & Mrs. Claus greet children & distribute gifts. Refreshments are served courtesy of the Auxiliary of the Fire Company. Children pre-school through 3rd grade may sit on Santa’s lap & receive a gift.
Saturday December 5th
Fishkill Town Hall, Fishkill –
Children’s Holiday Workshop – Kids can make a snow globe, evergreen arrangement, bead ornament, card and more. Refreshments will be served, too!
Schlathaus Park, Wappingers
Tree Lighting – Come and join a fun, old-fashioned, family event with refreshments, Christmas carols and gifts for the kids. And, of course, the guest of honor, the Jolly Old Elf himself, Santa Claus.
LaGrange Town Hall
Tree Lighting – Join us for caroling with the Girl Scouts, music by the Arlington High School Holiday Brass Choir and hot chocolate and cookies by the LaGrange Ladies Fire Auxiliary. Santa will arrive on a LaGrange Fire Truck.
Stanford Town Hall
Holiday Light Parade – Parade of lighted floats and vehicles; lighting of the town’s holiday tree. Visits with Santa and gifts for kids. Refreshments at firehouse.
Glenedia Ave, Carmel
Holiday on the Lake – Enjoy a full day starting with Pancake a breakfast at the firehouse, followed by holiday themed events throughout the day ending with the Light parade and tree lighting.
Putnam Lake
Light Parade – Watch dozens of entries ranging from fire trucks to oil tanker to pick up trucks with floats. The parade route will be on Haviland Dr from the Castle to the Firehouse.
Poughkeepsie Plaza, Poughkeepsie
Santa’s Arrival – Santa arrives on a firetruck at the Poughkeepsie Plaza courtesy of the Arlington Fire District and the Croft Corners Fire Company at 10am! Visit Santa in his Santa Workshop located between Marshalls & JoAnn Fabrics! Enjoy some coloring, crafts, face painting and a Lego activity with Brick Kids from 10am-12pm!
Sunday December 6th
Vanderbilt Mansion, Hyde Park
Christmas Open House – The National Park Service is pleased to offer a day of free admission to the Vanderbilt Mansion in Hyde Park, New York on Sunday December 8th from 11 AM to 4:00 PM. Enjoy refreshments at the Visitor Center, discounts in the Museum Shop, and a visit to the mansion to learn about the Vanderbilt’s holidays. Dress in your finest holiday clothes, bring your camera and pose for your holiday photo in front of the Mansion’s Christmas tree.
The Elmendorph Inn, Red Hook
Christmas Open House – Dutch Christmas Open House – our favorite holiday celebration of the year, featuring Red Hook’s talented student musicians, community caroling, hot mulled cider and cookies, and freshly baked bread straight from the beehive oven.
Brinkerhoff Farmhouse, Hopewell Junction
Christmas Open House – Enjoy music and the sweet smell of mulled cider being warmed over the 1750 kitchen hearth during its Open House! The house will be decorated as in the early 19th. century and a lighted Xmas tree stands to greet everyone entering the center hall. Take a walk through the period furnished rooms and stop to enjoy the seasonal cookies and enjoy of a sip of egg-nog. A punch bowl for wassail will be available for all to imbibe. The event is for all the family. Children will be able to sit at the desks in the 1820 one room school house and visit the ice house museum to learn how ice was gathered and stored for keeping milk fresh in the summer months. Take a look at the recently arrived blacksmith shop and possibly meet the blacksmith. Santa with his red sleigh is expected to be in the grounds between 2 and 3PM, when visitors can take pictures sitting with him in the sleigh. This annual event is free and open to all.
Tuesday December 8th
Mid-Hudson Children’s Museum, Poughkeepsie
P is for Presents – The alphabet’s presents have gotten mixed up and we can’t tell whose gift is whose! We’ll have to open them up and sound it out to solve the mystery. After we solve the ABC mystery we’ll use letter stamps to make our own alphabet gift wrap.
Wednesday December 9th
Mid-Hudson Children’s Museum, Poughkeepsie
Gingerbread House Making – This is a yearly tradition at the children’s museum! A local baker creates lovely gingerbread houses just for us and we supply all the decorations you need to plan out and create your own perfect house! $20 for members, $25 for non-members (per house).
