Happening Next Saturday

On Saturday, May 2. the The Olana Partnership invites the public to celebrate the 200th birthday 0f Frederic Church with an afternoon of art, music, and nature activities at the Olana State Historic Site.  

The event kicks off at noon with the unveiling at the Frederic Church Center for Art and Landscape of a special 200th birthday gift from The Olana Partnership to Olana. 

Beginning at 1:00 p.m., there will be live music, reflecting the global influences that shaped Church's artistic vision, on the East Lawn.

• At 1:30 p.m.--Mariachi Music by Trovodores de América
• At 2:30 p.m.--Middle Eastern Music by El Asdiqaa
• At 3:30 p.m.--Ecuadorian Folk Music and Dancing by Andes Manta

Throughout the afternoon, there will be many activities for all ages and interests.

• Free access to Olana's historic interiors and free landscape tours
• Art and nature activities for all ages offered by 4-H, Cornell Cooperative Extension's Master Gardeners, Hawthorne Valley, and The Sylvia Center
• Refreshments for purchase by local food vendors
• Visits with friendly farm animals
• Free photobooth
• Free giveaways, from Stewart's Ice Cream, Bjorn Qorn, and Hudson Valley Seed Co.

The day will conclude at 5:00 p,m. with a special book talk by Victoria Johnson, author of Glorious Country: How Frederic Church Brought the World to America and America to the World, the first biography of Frederic Church, the publication of which coincides with the 200th anniversary of Church's birth. The talk will explore Church's far-reaching impact and global perspective, followed by a book signing. The program, which takes place in the Frederic Church Center for Art and Landscape, is free and open to the public. Seating is limited and will come on a first come, first served basis.

The birthday celebration is part of the broader Frederic Church 200 initiative, a year-long commemoration that offers a comprehensive reappraisal of Church as a prominent public figure concerned with the key issues of the 19th century, from new scientific thinking to slavery and the preservation of green spaces for the public good.

For those planning to attend the Hudson Children's Book Festival, which is happening on Saturday, May 2, nearby at Columbia-Greene Community College: Olana will be a stop on the free shuttle from Hudson.