What To Do: Labor Day Weekend
What To Do: Labor Day Weekend: Here’s 17 ways to celebrate the end of summer for the whole family.
Tongue in Cheek: The Inflatable Art of Jimmy Kuehnle – Hudson River Museum: Bright, bouncing, inflatable sculptures that are an exciting art form and a witty commentary on our interests and enthusiasms. Made from vinyl-coated polyester fabric, Kuehnle’s creations inflate and deflate, pulsing and “breathing” like an organism, with intriguing names like You Lick Me, I Lick You (shaped like tongues), Hot Polyester Bladder Lung, You Wear What I Wear and Hello Bye. Massively scaled, the site-specific works are put in your way so that you ask yourself, “Is this space mine, or does it belong this extremely large creature blocking me?”(Pictured here: Jimmy Kuehnle, Punch Bubbles, 2016.) Wed-Sun: 12-5pm. Through 9/18. (511 Warburton Ave., Yonkers; www.hrm.org)
Renaissance Faire: A romp through Elizabethan England in Tuxedo Park complete with 16th Century games, rides, arts, crafts, food, music and dance . There’s also mime, magic, music, comedy and storytellers, pirates, fairies, pole dancing, piping, acrobats, aerialists, a fire circus, birds of prey, sword fighting, knife throwing and the big one … jousting. Check for theme weekends & special events. Sat, Sun, & Labor Day: 8/6-10/2: 10am-7pm. (600 Rt. 17A, Tuxedo Park; www.renfair.com)
Lime Rock Park Historic Festival: The east coast’s premier vintage racing and concours event presents three days of on-track racing. Including more than 300 cars and drivers, racing everything from pre-WWI racers to the best competition machines from the 1920s to the 1970s. How cool is that? Thurs-Mon, 9/1-5: check schedule. (60 White Hollow Rd., Lakeville CT: www.limerock.com)
CORNucopia at Philipsburg Manor: This novel corn festival offers an inspired bounty of corn-centric delicacies, demonstrations and hands-on, corn-related activities. Kids play games like Konk-a-Crow and Ring-a Cob in the CORNival area. There are also corn-shucking races, a mini maize-maze, and crafts. Plus house tours, cooking, barrel making and corn grinding demonstrations, bluegrass and folk music and English country dancing in the barn. Finally, for those with the corn munchies there’s cornbread, corn salsa and chips, corn chili, popcorn and sweet corn ice cream. Sat-Mon, 9/3-5: 10am-5pm. (381 N. Broadway, Sleepy Hollow; www.hudsonvalley.org)
Afternoon & Sunset Sails on the Schooner Soundwaters: Board the 80’ Tall Ship Soundwaters, the ship that Pete Seeger made famous, for a two-hour journey on the Long Island Sound. The Schooner Soundwaters sails from Boccuzzi Park in Stamford on Saturdays at 3-5pm and Sundays from 2-4pm from June 25 to September 25. Soundwaters also offers sunset sails on a varied schedule from Thursday to Sunday, June 23-Septbember 25. There are still tickets available for sunset sails every Sunday in September. (Bocuzzi Park at Southfield, 166 Southfield Ave., Stamford CT; www.soundwaters.org)
Marine Life Cruises at The Maritime Aquarium in Norwalk: The Norwalk Aquarium’s 63 foot research catamaran, Spirit of the Sound runs silently on electric power for its 2½-hour “study cruises” on the Long Island Sound. You will study marine biodiversity from the water’s surface to the bottom of the Sound. Cruise guides dredge up fish, crabs, mollusks and more. Sat & Sun in May, June and September and most days June 28 through Labor Day: check times. (10 N. Water St., Norwalk, CT; www.maritimeaquarium.org)
Sleeping with Wolves – Wolf Conservation Center: Camp out overnight with the 20+ wolves that call the WCC home! It’s cheaper than a trip to Yellowstone – and you’ll leave a much smaller carbon footprint. The evening includes a pizza party with Ambassador wolves Atka, Alawa, Nikai and Xephyr. Plus movies under the stars at Zephyr, Alawa and Nikai’s enclosure. Tents are provided for all campers as well as fireside snacks and a light breakfast. Friday nights and select Saturdays June through October: 6pm-8:30am. Plus Sat & Sun, 9/3&4 on Labor Day weekend. Pre-registration is required at www.nywolf.com)
Sheffield Island Lighthouse Cruises: Board the 45-foot C.J. Toth catamaran for a cruise to Sheffield Island on the Long Island Sound for a lighthouse tour, hike through Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge, picnic and beach front activities. Sat-Sun, 5/28-9/5: 11am, 2 & 3:30pm. On Labor Day weekend the ferry will run Thurs-Fri, 9/1-2: 11am & 3pm. And on Sat-Mon, 9/3-5: 1am, 2 & 3:30pm. Acoustic Wednesday Cruises: Wed, 6/22-8/31: 6:30-8:30pm. Clambake Tours: Thurs, 6/9-9/29: 6-9:30pm. Sunset Cruise: Fri, 9/2: 6:30om. (Sheffield Island Dock, Washington & Water Streets, South Norwalk, Ct.; www.seaport.org)
Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome: This “living” museum of antique aviation, offers one of the largest collections of early aero planes (1909 to 1939) in the world. And on weekends there are airshows, and bi-plane rides. The museum displays aircraft form the Pioneer Era, World War I and the Lindbergh Barnstorming era. Saturday airshows chronicle the History of Flight with Pioneer, World War I and Lindbergh era aircraft. The show features a 1909 Bleriot – the oldest flying aircraft in the United States. Sunday shows showcase a World War I dogfight and Barnstorming Aircraft. Museum & bi-plane rides run from June-October. Air shows run from mid-June- mid-October. Including Sat-Sun, 9/3-4 on Labor Day weekend. (9 Norton Rd, Red Hook; www.oldrhinebeck.org)
Pride of the Hudson River Cruise: See the majestic beauty of the Hudson River on this narrated river adventure that cruises from Newburgh down to West Point. You will take in the sights of Washington’s Headquarters, World’s End, Mt. Beacon, Bannerman Island, Storm King Mountain, Breakneck Mountain, the Catskill Aqueduct and Cold Spring along the way. 5/1-10/31: check times. On Labor Day weekend: Sat-Sun, 9/3-4: 1 & 4pm. (120 Front St., Newburgh; www.prideofthehudson.com)
Rye Playland Closing Day is Labor Day: There’s 42 carnival rides, entertainment in Kiddyland and the Music Tower Stage every day from Memorial Day to Labor Day at Rye Playland – except Mondays! Plus a beach nearby. There are kiddy rides like the Kiddy Coaster, Carousel and Whip. And rides for the whole family like the Gondola Wheel, Family Flyer and Bumper Cars. Thrill seekers will like the Sky Flyer, Dragon Coaster and the Playland Plunge. Also there’s fireworks every Friday night at 9:15 beginning on July 1. Gotta go once … www.ryeplayland.org)
Million Dollar Quartet – Westchester Broadway Theatre: The smash hit musical inspired by the famed 1956 recording session in Memphis that brought together Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins for the first and only time. Featuring a score of rock hits including “Blue Suede Shoes”, “Fever”, “That’s All Right”, “Great Balls Of Fire”, “Walk The Line”, “Whole Lot Of Shakin’ Goin’ On”, “Hound Dog” and much more. Tues, 7/21-Fri, 9/11: check dates and times. Labor Day weekend shows include: Thurs, 9/1: 11:15m & 6:15pm, Fri-Sat, 9/2-3: 6:15pm, & Sun, 9/4: 11:45am & 5:15pm. (Westchester Broadway Theatre, One Broadway Plaza, Elmsford; www.broadwaytheatre.com)
Local! Free Outdoor Yoga at John Jay Homestead: KVIS (Katonah Village Improvement Society) invites you for free al fresco Yoga hours every Saturday from June 11 through the Fall equinox. Bring your yoga mat, wear your sunscreen and plan to shop at the Farm Market. With Yoga instruction from O2 Living, Apogee Women’s Fitness Center and Quest Yoga Arts. In the event of inclement weather classes will be held in the John Jay Ballroom. And please tip the instructor. Sat, 6/11-9/24: 10-11am. (John Jay Homestead, 400 Jay St., Katonah)
Rascal Flatts & Kelsea Balerini – Jones Beach Theatre: Contemporary Country stars, Rascal Flatts has had 13 No. 1 hits on Billboard’s Hot Country charts. Including “Bless the Broken Road”, “What Hurts the Most”, “My Wish” and “life is a highway, I wanna ride it all night long …” They are joined by Kelsea (“Love Me Like You Mean It”) Ballerini. (1000 Ocean Parkway, Wantagh) Thurs, 9/1: 7:30pm.
Brewster Film Festival: Here’s a new one we found. We couldn’t find much info on the movies but the events are held in some interesting venues and there’s an emphasis on shorts, which are always fun. On Friday night, 9/2: 6-10pm you can get dinner and a movie at the Bull and Barrel Brew Pub at 988 NY 22 in Brewster. The lineup features four short including Molly that is being brought back by popular demand from a prior festival. The evening also includes a feature film, The Congressman, starring Treat Williams. You remember him from Hair, Prince of the City and Once Upon a Time in America. And on Saturday Night, 9/3: 6-10pm there’s a short film festival under the stars at Ryder Farm. 400 Starr Ridge Rd., Brewster. This event is FREE. Please check ahed by calling 845.279.4161 for more information. www.vobfilmfestival.com)
So Please You – Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival at Paramount Hudson Valley: The Paramount Hudson Valley presents this family-friendly comedy from HVSF that tells the story of a servant named Dennis who appears only once in Shakespeare’s As You Like It. His role? To announce that, “so please you,” there is a wrestler at the door! Zachary Fine and HVSF’s Conservatory Company’s original creation, a “tragical-comical, comical-tragical” tale revels in the classic art of clowning and showcases text from many of Shakespeare plays. Sun, 9/4: 2pm. (Paramount Hudson Valley, 1008 Brown St., Peekskill; www.paramounthudsonvalley.com)
Essex Steam Train and Riverboat Ride: Step into the past on this 2 1/2 hour journey through the “unspoiled Connecticut River Valley”. Start your trip at the historic Essex Station where the Valley Railroad Company’s steam engine pulls 20 vintage coaches past farms, ponds, waterfalls, and creeks. Pass through the “quintessential New England towns of Chester and Deep River” and tidal wetlands – bountiful habitats for cormorants, blue heron, egrets, and red-winged blackbirds. At Deep River Landing, you’ll board the Becky Thatcher riverboat for a 1¼- hour cruise along the Connecticut River. On the way you’ll pass the historic Gillette Castle, Goodspeed Opera House, and Haddam Swing Bridge. When you return the steam train will bring you back to Essex Station. Fri, 9/2 & Mon, 9/5 11am & 12:30, 2 & 3:30pm. (1 Railroad Ave., Essex, CT; www.essexsteamtrain.com)