Tag Archive for "Westport" - The Adirondack Almanack

Westport, NY — Three events on May 9 and May 13 will commemorate Black freedom and abolitionist history in the Adirondacks, connect our history with current human rights issues, and celebrate artists and the arts that bring us into meaningful conversation with our past and with one another. The birthday of abolitionist John Brown will be observed on Tuesday afternoon, May 9, with the unveiling of A Memorial Field with Ren Davidson Seward at the John Brown Farm State Historic Site. Later that evening, choreographer Tiffany Rea-Fisher will screen her dance film,
Geography of Grace, at the Lake Placid Center for the Arts.

Thursday, April 27, 2023

Depot Theatre Academy first to perform Camp, A New Musical

Westport, NY — The Depot Theatre Academy is pleased to announce that the summer 2023 program will be the first to produce CAMP, A NEW MUSICAL since its award-winning Off-Broadway debut. Academy Junior (ages 8-11) and Senior (ages 12 and up) programs will run concurrently for a three-week program that runs from July 17-August 6, 2023, at the Whallonsburg Grange Hall. The program will culminate in three performances of CAMP, A NEW MUSICAL on Friday, August 4 at 7 p.m., Saturday, August 5 at 7 p.m., and Sunday, August 6 at 2 p.m.

Friday, April 7, 2023

Champlain Area Trails announces Grand Hike event for May 6

Westport, NY – Champlain Area Trails (CATS) will present their long-distance Grand Hike on an almost 14-mile walk through forests and fields. They will have three “oases” along the way, where hikers find snacks, water, portapotties, and a chance to mingle with other hikers.

This hike starts at the North McAuliffe Road Trailhead in Willsboro, NY. It ends at the new Mountain Dog Restaurant & Pub in Westport, NY, where hikers can join an “après hike party” featuring live music, drinks, food to purchase, an outdoor games area, and a post-hike celebration.

Wednesday, February 1, 2023

Adirondack area organizations welcome new hires

Several Adirondack area organizations recently welcomed an allotment of new staff, including Champlain Area Trails (CATS), the Adirondack Park Agency (APA), The Hyde Collection, Silver Bay YMCA, and the Trudeau Institute.

Trudeau Institute President Atsuo Kuki Leaves Position, Chief Administrative Officer William Chapin named interim director

Saranac Lake—Atsuo Kuki has stepped away from his role as president and director of Trudeau Institute, after serving in the role for six years.

Chief Administrative Officer William Chapin, a 9-year Trudeau veteran, has been appointed the Institute‘s interim director.

Thursday, November 17, 2022

Depot Theatre awarded $33,000 to support artists, housing, and arts-in-education

WESTPORT, NY —The Depot Theatre in Westport, NY was recently awarded grants from the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA), Cloudsplitter Foundation, and Stewart’s Shops in support of artists, artists’ housing, and arts-in-education.

The Depot has received three Regrowth and Capacity grants of $10,000 each from NYSCA. These grants will support the organization’s artists’ fees for both the main stage and the Academy summer youth program and the expansion of Academy arts-in-education programming.

The responsive funding of NYSCA is providing nearly 1,000 organizations with over $13 million in recovery support in FY23, as part of their historic FY23 $90 million in grant making and $150 million in multi-year capital support.

Wednesday, September 14, 2022

Adirondack Harvest Festival set for Sept. 24 at Essex County Fairgrounds

The Adirondack Harvest Festival will return to its one-day, in-person format on Saturday, Sept. 24 from noon to 5 p.m. at the Essex County Fairgrounds in Westport, NY. This will be the first time the event has fully returned to the Essex County Fairgrounds for one large, in-person event since 2019. The event will follow the same format as past festivals, with a large farmers’ market, local food trucks, local libations tent (beer, mead and wine), demonstrations and talks, kids’ activities, farm animals, and much more.

Tuesday, July 19, 2022

Depot Theatre announces cast of RED, show to run July 21- August 7

Westport, NY — The Depot Theatre in Westport, New York is pleased to announce the cast for its production of RED, a moving and compelling account of abstract expressionist Mark Rothko, one of the greatest artists of the 20th century.

Based on the real-life commission Rothko received in 1958 to create a series of murals for the Four Seasons restaurant in New York, RED is viewed through the lens of his youthful new assistant Ken. They challenge each other to ask big questions about art as they paint: What it takes to create it, and what its role should be in the world.

Tuesday, July 12, 2022

Ballard Park to host free live music summer concert series

WESTPORT, NEW YORK—Ballard Park, in the center of historic Westport, New York on Lake Champlain, will again host a seven-week live music concert series. The concerts take place each Thursday at 7 PM, commencing July 7, and run until August 18. Concerts are free to all, with open seating on a grassy hillside overlooking the Pavilion and Lake Champlain, with the Green Mountains of Vermont beyond.

Food is available for purchase from DaCy Meadow Farms, a local farm-to-table purveyor. Picnicking is encouraged. Blankets or low chairs are recommended. A voluntary raffle at intermission raises funds and earns the winner an enjoyable prize.

All are invited to enjoy a beautiful, outdoor summer evening listening to some of the finest musicians in New England and the Adirondacks. For more information and updates, visit https://www.ballardparkny.org/concerts. Ballard Park is located at 6466 Main St (Rt 9N/22) Westport, NY 12993.

Wednesday, June 22, 2022

Meadowmount School of Music Summer Program runs June 25–August 13

Meadowmount School of Music is a summer program for young string players founded by legendary violin teacher Ivan Galamian in Westport, NY, in the Adirondacks, that has helped mold some of the world’s most prominent musicians, among them Yo-Yo Ma, Itzhak Perlman, and Joshua Bell. This summer, “the original practice camp” marks its 78th year with its first fully in-person session since 2019 and two new leaders at the helm: Executive Director Mark Hayman, former Executive Director of Young Concert Artists; and Artistic Director Janet Sung, international violin soloist as well as Head of Strings and Violin Professor at the DePaul University School of Music and Artistic Director and Founder of Chamber Music Chicago (and a Meadowmount alumna) – both of whom were appointed in 2021.

Meadowmount’s 2022 session takes place June 25 – August 13. During that time, approximately 175 young violinists, violists, and cellists, aided by a roster of teaching faculty and guest artists pulled from the top ranks of the music world (see below), will engage in a program of intensive study and practice devised by Mr. Galamian to effect, in his words, “a year’s progress in seven weeks.” During those seven weeks, the school’s campus becomes an active concert hub, with three to four performances a week by the students, faculty, and guest artists in Meadowmount’s Edward Lee and Jean Campe Concert Hall.

Monday, April 25, 2022

Champlain Area Trails to host family-friendly Grand Hike, Brew Party on May 14

After a two-year hiatus, Champlain Area Trails (CATS) will present a “shorter” Grand Hike on May 14 through the fields and forests of Westport. This year’s hike will be a six-mile loop on Viall’s Crossing trails. The hike starts at the Essex County Fairgrounds and ends at the Ledge Hill Brewing Company right next to the fairgrounds. All are invited to attend a “brew party” at the conclusion of the hike that will feature live music by the Bionic Band from Saranac Lake, drinks, food to purchase from DaCy Meadow Farm, a kids’ area, and a post-hike celebration.

“We are so pleased to start this up again,” said Chris Maron, CATS Executive Director. “With so many uncertainties, we chose to keep it simple—to have it be an afternoon walk beginning at the Essex County Fairgrounds in Westport, going on a number of CATS trails, then on easy roads through Westport and ending at Ledge Hill Brewery which is right next to the fairgrounds. That makes for convenient parking for all those who want to enjoy our family-friendly trails and for those coming from farther distances.”

Sunday, April 24, 2022

Adirondack Harvest Festival returns Sept. 24, vendors and volunteers needed

Festival enthusiasts are encouraged to save the date for this year’s Adirondack Harvest Festival which will return to its traditional, one-day, in-person format at the Essex County Fairgrounds in Westport, NY on Saturday, September 24, 2022. The crowd-pleasing, family-friendly event is free and will follow the same format as past festivals. This year’s festival will feature a large farmers’ market, local food trucks, a beer tent, live music, demonstrations and talks, plenty of kids’ activities, farm animals, and much more.

Adirondack Harvest Festival organizers are actively seeking event sponsors, vendors, speakers and volunteers to make this community event possible a reality for generations to come. Those who wish to lend a hand at any of the above roles are encouraged to read more below.

Monday, July 6, 2020

Depot Theatre offers socially distanced kids camps

The Depot Theatre is pleased to announce that it has developed an alternate outreach and education program for in-person learning this summer.

The Depot Theatre Academy 2020 outreach and education program, originally set to be held inside the Whallonsburg Grange Hall as in past years, will be held outdoors, under a large, open-sided tent in the one-acre parkland behind Whitcomb’s, the Grange-owned building directly across the street. The dates for the junior program (ages 8-12) are July 13-24, and the senior program (ages 13+) dates are July 27-August 7, 2020.