Yesterday, Hudson Hall announced that they would not be producing Winter Walk this year.
This morning, a reader brought to Gossips' attention this article from Hudson Valley Pilot that appeared on July 15: "Sinterklaas, Rhinebeck's Annual Winter Festival Is Canceled for 2024, Leaving Its Future in Limbo."
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| The Sinterklaas Parade. Photo courtesy Sinterklaas. |
In both cases, the reasons given for canceling the festival in 2024 were similar: a shortage of funding and enough people and energy to make it happen.
Hmmm - is Winter Walk not the sort of pro-resident, pro-business, pro-tourist cross-cultural tradition that the City of Hudson ought to support with property tax dollars?
ReplyDeleteWhere is all the tourism, community, and events budget going... if not for the biggest event on Hudson's annual calendar that is open to all?
One would think so. Hudson has an event budget of $30k which it spends (wastes) on grants no bigger than $5k to niche events and parades that attract barely an audience.
DeleteI had brought up that line item to the mayor and council president, albeit at the time with a different purpose in mind. No matter, it became immediately obvious that DePietro had zero interest.
With Winter Walk gone now, maybe our city leadership likes to reconsider.