Please join us on Saturday, October 10, from noon to 4 p.m., for "Clermont to Clermont", a celebration highlighting the interactions between people and the river and the restoration of an historic riverfront trail at Clermont. A symposium will be part of the day's festivities at Clermont and in the Town of Clermont, the Historic Civic District and an exhibit will be available for public viewing. All of the day's activities are free and open to the public.

RIVERFRONT TRAIL RESTORATION CELEBRATION AND SYMPOSIUM

On Saturday, October 10, Clermont to Clermont: Riverfront Trail Restoration Celebration will bring together Clermont State Historic Site and the Town of Clermont in a day of fall festivities. Come bob for apples, join a sack race, or check out a working model of the Fulton/Livingston steam boat, on display throughout the day.

This family-friendly Quadricentennial event will feature period music and country dancing. Joanne Michaels, author of the beautiful book, Hudson River Valley Farms, will be present to sign copies of her books. Even the family dog will enjoy the view on a "Dog Walk and Talk" along the Riverfront Trail. Take a closer look at the diverse people that lived along the Hudson River in a symposium of historic talks then head down County Route 6 for a rare look inside the Town of Clermont Historic Civic District, which will be open to the public during the event. The celebration runs from 12 pm - 4 pm and is free to the public.

The activities will begin at noon with a ribbon-cutting ceremony to commemorate the Grand Re-Opening of the Riverfront Trail. To start things off "on the right foot," a Dog Walk & Talk, led by Curator of Education, Kjirsten Gustavson, will immediately follow the ribbon cutting.

As a special treat, 18th century living historians and musicians, Salmagundi Consort will raise the roof and your spirits performing music for English Country Dancing. Everyone is invited to try this lively and easy-to-learn style of dance.

Old-fashioned fun for kids will be available throughout the day, including bobbing for apples, crafts, and historic games. A "No-Hands!" donut-eating contest and a traditional sack race will offer a challenge for children (and parents, too).

Food and beverages will be available for purchase during the event.

SYMPOSIUM

A symposium reflecting the diverse history of the Hudson River Valley will feature Steve Comer, the only enrolled member of the Stockbridge-Munsee Mohican tribe living in the Tribe's original homeland, where he is a doctoral student in Anthropology. Mr. Comer will speak on the history and culture of the Mohican tribe, with an emphasis on their original discovery of Henry Hudson and Half Moon in 1609. Erik Kiviat, Executive Director of Hudsonia Ltd., a nonprofit environmental research institute based in the Hudson Valley will discuss the ecological history of the area. Peter Baker, David Clark, Ken Brockway and Jim Albrecht of Fulton's Followers will present their working model of the Fulton/Livingston steam boat. This meticulously-crafted interactive model of the engine and working parts will be displayed by its creators throughout the event. The model is a sneak-peak of the finished product to be exhibited at Clermont Visitor Center in 2010.

TOWN OF CLERMONT HISTORIC CIVIC DISTRICT

In addition to these delightful activities, the Town of Clermont Historic Civic District on Route 9 will open three beautiful buildings for tours from 12 pm - 4 pm. The Church built in 1854; Town Hall, which housed the Grange circa 1894; and the Academy Building circa 1834, the site of the oldest public school in New York State, which will feature an exhibit on the History of Agriculture in the Hudson Valley. Light refreshments will be available in the Academy and a docent will be on hand to answer any questions.

For more information about these events please contact Kjirsten Gustavson or Audrey Reifler at (518) 537-4240.

With the variety of events planned for the celebration at Clermont State Historic Site and in the Town of Clermont, we are sure that everyone will find something fun and interesting to do. We hope to see you soon!

Sincerely,
Audrey Reifler
Friends of Clermont