On Friday July 21, the Town of Caroga will conduct a special training program for children who are enrolled in the Town’s Summer Youth Program. It is anticipated that approximately 50 children grades 1-6 will participate.
The Adirondack Watershed Institute, the Town of Caroga’s Invasive Species Removal and Prevention Program, and the Canada Lakes Conservation Association are working together to provide training. This is the first time this unique program has been offered in the southern Adirondacks.
On Sunday, August 6, a new historical marker will be unveiled at Loon Lake, Franklin County, to honor the settlement of Blacksville and its founder, Virginia-born Brooklyn newsman and Black rights activist, Willis Hodges. The public is invited to attend.
Awarded by the Pomeroy Foundation at the request of educator Curt Stager, this marker honors a forgotten chapter of Adirondack history with ties to the Black suffrage movement and abolitionist John Brown.
In 1848, Hodges and other Brooklyn and Manhattan pioneers moved to remote Loon Lake in south Franklin County. Hodges and several in his party were among 3,000 poor Black New Yorkers who received forty-acre gift lots in Franklin and Essex Counties from the radical New York philanthropist, Gerrit Smith, in 1846 and ’47. Smith hoped to promote a Black migration out of cities, and to ease access to the ballot for voteless Black New Yorkers who could not meet a for-Blacks-only $250 property requirement. Most of Smith’s “grantees” would not migrate. Moving to the wilderness was impractical and unaffordable. But Willis Hodges and others in his party remained for several years in the vicinity of Loon Lake, where Hodges was said to have sheltered and guided self-freed enslaved people making for the north.
Following extensive flood damage to North Country communities earlier this week, the Clean Water, Clean Air and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act listening session scheduled for July 14 in Saranac Lake at North Country Community College has been postponed. As many community leaders across the region continue to focus on restoring critical roads, infrastructure, homes, and businesses, New York State will work to reschedule the session later this summer.
Old Forge, NY – The Old Forge Library, located at 220 Crosby Boulevard, has released a few events to suit a wide array of interests, including an outdoor concert performance by Jared Campbell, award-winning singer and songwriter, an ongoing schedule for the Old Forge Library’s Music in the Gazebo Series, a Wild Infusions Herbal Study, led by Jessica Maureen Hinsdill, and a Local History and Stories Series on Thursdays throughout the summer beginning at 5 p.m. Please see below for additional details on these events.
The Adirondack Railroad is offering three train rides, providing experiences that combine railway travel and exploration. The trains depart from Thendara, Utica, and Tupper Lake providing excursions to and from the Tupper Lake area throughout summer and fall.
The Adirondack Mountaineer and the High Peaks Limited transport passengers to Tupper Lake, from Utica and Thendara, encouraging visitors to discover Tupper Lake’s attractions, restaurants, shops and activities. The Tupper Lake Explorer provides a round trip journey from Tupper Lake to Sabattis.
The Adirondack Mountaineer departs from Thendara, New York at 9:30 a.m. on Sundays throughout the summer and fall, transporting passengers over rivers and streams and through evergreen forests to Tupper Lake. Travelers have the unique opportunity to spend a 4.5-hour layover in downtown Tupper Lake visiting the town’s local restaurants, shops, and attractions.
Bolton Landing, NY – The Sembrich staff has recently announced a roundup of events to suit a variety of interests including the following programs, The Girl in the Red Velvet Swing – Evelyn Nesbit and the Scandal, Murder and Trial of America’s Gilded Age, Alma Mahler and Her Charmed Circle, and “A Tribute to David Smith” with Hub New Music. See below for additional details about these events.
Road closures and traffic delays expected on July 23
The 24th Ironman Lake Placid will take place on Sunday, July 23. Ironman Lake Placid has established a community liaison, based on the importance and success of last year’s position, to assist businesses and community members with issues related to pre-event training, along with addressing specific race-day issues.
The community liaison is the primary point of contact regarding road closures, traffic delays, and any other inquiries or concerns. This position is expected to work closely with race officials and other local agencies to quickly mitigate any issues that arise.
Recognizing the potential temporary disruptions caused by hosting a large-scale event like Ironman Lake Placid, a task force was established after the 2021 event to uncover and address community concerns, improve safety and logistics, and establish ways to communicate more effectively with community members and participants. One important outcome was the establishment of the community liaison position to assist with addressing business, community, organizer, volunteer and participant concerns ahead of the race, along with mitigating specific race-day challenges.
Music lovers of all ages are welcome to enjoy a free concert series presented by the Town of Hague throughout the summer of 2023. The concert series will be held in the Hague Town Park on Wednesday evenings beginning in July and running through August. All performances will be about 2 hours in duration and begin either at 6 or 6:30 p.m. (Please see above photo for a full schedule of performances.)
The Town of Inlet is proud to celebrate their 47th Annual “Arts in the Park” on July 15 & 16. Nearly 60 artists and craftsmen, including some new vendors, will be at Arrowhead Park selling their wares. They will offer pottery, quilts, handmade/hand-embroidered apparel, soaps, floral designs, jewelry, wall hangings, wooden items, furniture, photography, lawn ornaments, wine, beer, and more. Vendors come from all over New York State, and many of the vendors will be demonstrating at their booths.
The Champlain Pathways art show, which benefits Champlain Area Trails (CATS), had a highly attended and successful opening at Keene Arts on Friday, June 30. The exhibit, featuring the work of four talented Adirondack artists, Kevin Raines, Rob Powell, Dan Keegan, and Steve Van Nort, and runs through Sunday, July 23, enables people of all ages to experience the beauty of the Adirondacks.
The “Champlain Pathways” exhibition features original works of art, including paintings and drawings inspired by the trails, waterways, mountains, and vibrant natural lands of the Adirondack Park’s Champlain Valley. While the four artists focus on Adirondack landscapes and nature, it’s fascinating to see the different and sometimes similar ways they illustrate the area’s beauty. A portion of all art sales will be donated directly to CATS to support its work to provide more hiking opportunities in the Champlain Valley.
It’s time to make plans to attend the 24th annual “An Evening with the Symphony,” the Concerts and the Cocktail Party. Some things will remain the same as past years, such as the events will take place on the last Friday in July. This year that date is July 28. Times are also the same: The free Family Concert will occur at 3 p.m., an interesting and educational 45-minute session with members of the RPO. The Cocktail Party will take place from 4 to 7 p.m. and at 7:30 p.m. the Symphony Concert featuring the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra will begin.
The Ausable River Association (AsRA) is launching the fifth year of their guided watershed tours in the Ausable watershed and beyond. These tours are free to the public and include paddling, hiking, and interpretive programs. Gear is available for tour participants to use when possible.
This year, ten trips will allow visitors to experience a variety of locations throughout the Ausable and its neighboring watersheds. Tours will include the return of popular programs from 2022 and some new additions based on popular requests. Birding and mushroom walks are back, along with a nature paddling trip on Lake Everest. New for 2023 are a tour of AsRA’s river restoration projects and more botany programs.
“It’s been a joy to play a role in getting so many people outside and learning. I’m looking forward to assisting with this program’s ten exciting tours this year” said Carolyn Koestner, GIS and Science Communications Fellow at AsRA.
AsRA’s free, guided watershed tours begin in mid-July with Riverwalking and will continue through the end of 2023. Tours are free, but pre-registration is required. Learn more about AsRA’s guided watershed tours program, tour dates, and registration on the Ausable River Association website, https://www.ausableriver.org/events/river-tours .
Camp to Empower Young Voices in the Tri-Lakes Area
North Country School will “Impactful Voices” 2023, a transformative weeklong theater camp for children in the Tri-Lakes area from August 7-12, 2023. This program offers young individuals an opportunity to explore their creativity, build confidence, and bring their voices to the forefront through the performing arts.
Thanks to generous support from the Essex County Arts Council’s Cultural Assistance Program Grant, “Impactful Voices” is open to students aged 13-15 from the Tri-Lakes area who have a passion for theater and storytelling. The camp aims to empower participants by providing a platform to create their own unique performance piece, from playwriting to set building.
“We are thrilled to offer Impactful Voices as a creative outlet for young individuals in our community,” said Courtney Allen, Theater Teacher at North Country School. “This camp is designed to inspire and amplify their voices, allowing them to express themselves through the art of theater.”
Before the camp officially begins, there will be two pre-camp meetings to brainstorm ideas and start developing characters and stories. All rehearsals and performances will be held at the state-of-the-art Walter Breeman Performing Arts Center (WallyPAC) at North Country School. The camp is free of charge, and lunch will be provided for all participants. Applications for the camp are due by July 15th and can be submitted through the online application form available at https://forms.gle/tqxeDGtsJiDy8iw5A.
“We encourage young theater enthusiasts in the Tri-Lakes to seize this incredible opportunity,” added Allen. “Impactful Voices will foster creativity, collaboration, and personal growth, leaving a lasting impact on the participants.”
The Adirondack region has long been known as a wonderful, wild vacation retreat and the inspiration for numerous artists, writers, and musicians. The plein air painters who come and take part in this event know that very well, which is what attracts them from all over the country. The Adirondacks is the largest protected area east of the Mississippi, yet it’s still within a day’s drive of most of the major cities of the Northeast. There are mountains, lakes, rivers, bogs, forests, farms, and small communities — a full variety of subject matter for artists.
Held annually the 3rd week in August, the 14th annual Adirondack Plein Air Festival will take place from August 14-19. A total of fifty juried artists have four-and-a-half days to paint outdoors in the scenic wonders of the Saranac Lake area. Spectators are encouraged to check out the creative process while enjoying the classic Adirondack surroundings.
KEENE VALLEY, NY– The Book & Blanket Players, sponsored by East Branch Friends of the Arts (EBFA), has been producing youth musicals-in-a-week summer theatre for 13 years in Keene Valley. This year the theatrical adventure continues with an original musical written by two high school students, Cooper Halloran, Olivia Marocco and Book & Blanket Players producer/director Kathleen Recchia.
The creative team has been meeting by Zoom once a week since October 2022 to develop this original musical. They began by going to the Robert Louis Stevenson source and reading the original novel. Then through lots of discussion and writing sessions between the two students in addition to the Zoom sessions all together their own plot and characters unfolded. When asked about the experience now that they have finished, Cooper, in keeping with the humor that he injected into the script answered “if you don’t like something that’s Olivia’s and Kathy’s, if you do like something, it’s mine.” While Olivia said, “It was a great experience. We learned a lot.” Recchia too learned along with the students and added, “We have our own plot twists, female protagonists and music! And are excited to share the full production with our friends, family and supporters.”
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