Memories of Winter Walk: Part 1

On December 7, Winter Walk will once again fill Hudson's main street with revelers, ushering in the holiday season. Gossips has learned that this year Hudson Hall will be commemorating Winter Walks past, present, and future, and that prompted Gossips to ask some people who have been associated with Winter Walk in different ways over the years to share their favorite memories of Winter Walks past. One of those memories will be shared here every day, from now until December 7.

We begin with Carole Clark, whose childhood memories of department store windows along Fifth Avenue lavishly decorated for the holidays were the inspiration for Winter Walk. In 1997, Carole Clark, a member of the original Hudson Opera House board, was the proprietor of Charleston, Hudson's first farm-to-table restaurant, at 517 Warren Street (now Baba Louie's). It was in the restaurant that the event was first conceptualized.

Photo: Pinterest|Mount Merino Manor

Winter Walk, originally called Winter Walk on Warren Street, was created in response to a need shared by the Warren Street business community and concerned Hudson residents to inspire Columbia County residents and regional neighbors to come to Hudson. At that time, Hudson was denigrated even by Hudsonians who lived in the city's "suburbs." People thought that Hudson had nothing but antique shops selling old stuff and that the streets were dangerous. Antique dealers, then the vast majority of retailers, complained that their holiday sales were low, even though they invested great effort in decorating their windows. Indeed, the holiday windows were amazingly artful and sumptuously gorgeous. Warren Street sparkled in December.

The challenge was to inspire people to visit the city, enjoy the holiday windows, and venture into the shops, which would offer hospitality in the form of complimentary food and drink. I presented the idea of sponsoring a holiday stroll to the Hudson Opera House Board of Directors, and a committee was promptly formed to create the event. I envisioned a "country" winter walk, with horse-drawn carriages and strolling carolers. Neighboring shop owners, who were my customers and friends, were very enthusiastic and wanted to participate. Everyone got into it. The shop windows were better than ever--dazzling!

Inspired by my childhood memory of the animated windows in the department stores on Fifth Avenue in New York City and a gifted choreographer and dancer Abby Lappen, who worked part-time with me, I envisioned Hudson's windows activated to the delight of passersby. Abby had created a series of evening of "Bar Dances" in my restaurant, Charleston, which were an enormous success. She was excited about the windows idea and gathered a large group of volunteers to work with her. I'll never forget the first Winter Walk, when I dashed out of the restaurant kitchen in my apron, with my camera, and saw the crowds of people gathered in front of the windows, amazed and exhilarated by the performers. Exclamations of "It's not real . . . Yes, it is. It's a real person!" were heard from adults as well as children.

The dancers/mimes were indeed magical. People thronged into the shops, impressed with their extraordinary beauty and "hospitality."