Winter Solstice Celebration at Olana
Winter Around the World!
Saturday, December 16 | 1 PM – 5 PM
Olana State Historic Site
Celebrate the changing of the seasons during this special community day from 1:00-5:00 p.m. on Saturday, December 16th. Join us at Olana State Historic Site for a series of free opportunities to experience the Hudson Valley‘s beautiful winter landscape and explore some of the cultures and countries that inspired the artist Frederic Church and his family!
Did you know Church was deeply inspired by winters in Mexico, his travels to Jamaica and South America, and visits he and his family made to countries in the Middle East? Welcome the winter season and learn more about Olana’s global influence during this special community celebration!
- Enjoy free access to Olana’s historic interiors (2:00pm -4:00pm).
- Watch the sunset and purchase refreshments from Frankie’s nomadic bar and coffee shop and Bodega Aguila Real (1:00pm – 5:00pm).
- Bonfire
- Drop in for free activities and games led by Olana educators and partners.
- Listen to live music by Heard World Jazz.
- Games and activities (1:00pm – 5:00pm).
- Holiday Shopping at the OLANA Museum Store – double discount day for members (10:00am – 5:00pm).
- Visit with everyone’s favorite miniature donkey, Hank, back by popular demand (1:00pm – 4:00pm)!
SPECIAL EVENTS
1:00-2:00pm
Special Indoor Performances with Heard World Jazz
Join us for a series of short indoor performances in the main house with Heard World Jazz to start the day’s celebration. During each short performance, participants will get the chance to enjoy a live short performance from the main house interiors and take in Heard World’s vibrant sound incorporating influences from West Africa, Brazil, the Caribbean and beyond. Due to space constraints, each performance will be limited to 12 people and will include 2-3 songs. FREE; performances at 1:00, 1:15, 1:30 and 1:45
Registration Required and space extremely limited.
1:30-2:30pm
Bilingual Storytime with the Hudson Area Library
Kickoff our celebration of winter around the world with a special Bilingual Storytime at Olana! This story hour will be led by Sonia Cintron, who leads the Hudson Area Library’s weekly Bilingual Storytime for kids and their families. Join Sonia for lively tales of the season in English and Spanish and learn more about winter traditions throughout the world. Drop in on the East Lawn; no registration necessary.
2:00-4:00pm
Free Historic Interiors Access
Discover the global treasures of Olana’s Main House interior in your own time for free during this special community event. Enjoy free access to Olana’s historic interiors during this self-guided opportunity.
House entry will be available on a first come first served basis beginning at 2:00pm. Last house entry will be at 4:00pm.
3:00-3:45pm
Outdoor Performance with Heard World Jazz Band
Enjoy Heard World’s energetic and upbeat music around the bonfire for this special, free, drop in outdoor performance. Together for 15 years, Heard is a collective of musicians with a passion for world music, jazz and improvisation. Their vibrant sound incorporates global influences to get you up and dancing and is sure to warm you up during this winter celebration! Drop in on the East Lawn; no registration necessary.
4:00-5:00pm
The Science of Solstices with Whale of a Trail Adventures
Finish your Solstice celebration with a sunset and some science! As the sun sets over the Catskills Mountains, listen to Nature Sarah explain why the Earth experiences solstices as well as the various earth and atmospheric factors that go into making truly beautiful sunsets.
