Fine Arts & Festivals in the Great Northern Catskills

Hudson River Skywalk, a walking path on the Rip Van Winkle bridge, is viewed from artist Frederic Edwin Church’s Olana, and connects to the Thomas Cole historic site, on the Hudson River School Art Trail © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com

Where can you see Keith Urban, Rascal Flatts, Little Big Town, and Brooks & Dunn all in one place? At the Taste of Country Music Festival at Hunter Mountain, June 7-9! One of the Catskill’s premier summer festivals, country music fans flock to this three-day event each year. Camp out for the complete experience and you’ll be rewarded with special concerts, great food, and craft beer from a wide variety of amazing vendors.

If you prefer banjos and stand-up basses, the Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival is for you. Held at Walsh Farm from July 18-21, Grey Fox’s who’s who of bluegrass line-up boasts 40 bands playing on six outdoor stages over four days. It’s non-stop, family-friendly, toe-tapping fun. Combine your bluegrass experience with a visit to the Annual Catskills Irish Arts Week, held concurrently from July 14-20 in East Durham. It’s a week-long celebration of Irish culture that includes live music, traditional Irish dancers, workshops, lectures, art, and more.

A festival on two wheels, the 12th Annual Tour of the Catskills Pro-Am Bicycle Road Race will be held in Tannersville on August 3. One of the nation’s top cycling events, this Pro-Am race draws over 250 racers each year from throughout the world. Considered one of the toughest cycling courses in the country for amateurs and professionals alike, racers will give their all just to get through the ‘Devil’s Kitchen Climb,’ a grueling uphill portion of the course. Cheer the athletes on, or register and see if you have what it takes!

Rev up the fun and watch daring riders kick up the dirt and reach serious speeds at Diamondback Motocross of East Durham. With three Sunday race days this summer – June 16, July 7, and July 28 – there’s no excuse for missing this thrilling event. Landing big-air jumps and racing around tight corners, it’s an adrenaline junkie’s dream come true for riders, and a heartpounding spectacle for those on the sidelines!

The Catskill Region has long been a place where poets, painters, writers, and photographers have found artistic inspiration. The stunning natural surroundings and ample opportunities for reflective solitude make it a haven for creative minds. As a result, it also holds incredible appeal for those who appreciate the fine arts.

There is no better place to begin your Catskills arts and culture exploration than at the Thomas Cole National Historic Site. There, the former home and studio of Hudson River School of Art founder Thomas Cole still stands, now serving as a museum of Catskills art history and a working gallery and studio.

Exchange traditional for contemporary when you visit the LUMBERYARD Center for Film and Performing Arts. This modern-day studio and performance center is a wonderful place for audiences to enjoy unique theater, dance, and film productions, and a place for budding artists to hone their craft and blaze their own artistic path. Browse their upcoming events or learn more about their leading-edge artist-in-residence programs.

With so many incredible performance spaces and galleries to choose from, it’s easy to make the arts part of any visit to the Great Northern Catskills. Check the performance schedules of the Bridge Street Theatre in Catskill and the Orpheum Film and Performing Arts Center in Tannersville to find world class concerts, theater productions, and one-of-a-kind shows, or stop by a local art gallery to see breathtaking works by talented local artists.

What is it about the Great Northern Catskills that is so inspiring to artistic minds? Take a walk along the new Hudson River Skywalk to see for yourself! Hundreds of feet in the air, the mile-long Skywalk connects the homes of two famed Hudson River School painters, Thomas Cole and Frederic Church. Spanning a picturesque portion of the Hudson River, several outlooks along the path provide panoramic views of the water below and the surrounding mountains. It is a view that has inspired countless photographs, paintings, and written works, including the famous fable of Rip Van Winkle. While pets are not allowed, sketch books, cameras, and easels are encouraged!

Greene County Tourism, 800-355-CATS, 518-943-3223, www.greatnortherncatskills.com..

For more travel features, visit:

goingplacesfarandnear.com

goingplacesnearandfar.wordpress.com

moralcompasstravel.info

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/author/karen-rubin

travelwritersmagazine.com/TravelFeaturesSyndicate/

goingplacesfarandnear.tumblr.com/

instagram.com/going_places_far_and_near/

‘Like’ us on facebook.com/NewsPhotoFeatures

Twitter: @TravelFeatures

Hike in the Footsteps of Painters and Poets This Summer in New York’s Scenic Catskills

The view from Sunset Rock, a popular location for Thomas Cole, the father of the Hudson River School, America’s first major art movement © 2013 Karen Rubin/news-photos-features.com

Hit the trail this summer in the Great Northern Catskills of Greene County where the region’s storied history and rugged beauty are best experienced in the wilderness. Discover the land that captivated generations of painters and writers, and enjoy a hiking trip that unites art with nature, and adventure with family-friendly fun.

Known as the father of the Hudson River School of Art movement, Thomas Cole was a British expatriate who made the Catskills his home, muse and artistic study. Follow Cole’s artistic journey through the Catskills and experience far-reaching summit views and cascading waterfalls that are as pristine as they were when Cole painted them nearly 200 years ago.

His namesake peak, Thomas Cole Mountain, is the fourth highest peak in the Catskills, with panoramic summit views and multiple scenic overlooks. Located in the Blackhead Range Wild Forest, Cole can be hiked in tandem with Black Dome and Blackhead, making for the perfect Catskill Mountain day hike. The trailhead is located at the end of Barnum Road, just four minutes drive from the Sugar Maple Center for Creative Arts in Maplecrest.

Arts History and Hiking in the Great Northern Catskills

This summer, experience a series of self-guided, multi-faceted hiking excursions with Mainly Greene, a collaboration of four arts organizations in the Great Northern Catskills. On July 20, join Mainly Greene’s “Art on the Move” tour of the Catskills with the Catskill Pass as your guide, and check out some of the Hudson River waterfront’s top attractions, restaurants and shops. Download the Pass here and follow the enclosed map to receive special discounts at participating attractions, including the Port of Call Restaurant, Thomas Cole National Historic Site and Riverview Marine Services.

Kid-Friendly Hikes in Greene County

Summer in the Great Northern Catskills of Greene County offers untold adventure in the great outdoors. Find ample hiking options throughout the region, including kid-friendly hikes such as:

• RamsHorn-Livingston Sanctuary in Catskill offers a tranquil hiking experience along two miles of hiking trails. Trek by swampland with diverse birding habitats and glimpse Great Blue Herons, Bald Eagles and water creatures such as beaver, otter or muskrat. The Sanctuary offers leisurely walking experiences, picnic spots and paddling opportunities along RamsHorn Creek.
• Cohotate Preserve in Catskill offers two miles of hiking along the Hudson River waterfront. Perfect for families with small children, the loop winds around a pond, providing scenic wilderness and river views.
• Catskill Escarpment Loop in Haines Falls offers a moderate hiking circuit looping nearly five miles through some of Greene County’s prettiest scenery.  Highlights include Kaaterskill Clove, Sunset Rock – a favorite spot of Hudson River School artists – and Inspiration Point. Part of the 21-mile Escarpment Trail, this shorter loop offers a great day hike in the Catskills.

Awaken to Adventure in the Great Northern Catskills of Greene County, offering some New York’s most far-reaching summit views and scenic hiking trails. For more information about hiking in the Catskills and to start planning your Greene County vacation, visit www.GreatNorthernCatskills.com.

Greene County is located in the Great Northern Catskill Mountains and the verdant Hudson River Valley.  The region is home to five of the 10 highest Catskill Peaks and the Catskill State Park and is known as the nation’s first wilderness. Greene County is renowned as the home of Thomas Cole’s Hudson River School and the inspiration for Washington Irving’s literary legend, Rip Van Winkle, and was named in honor of American Revolutionary War General Nathanael Greene. This 705,500 acre wilderness offers diverse year-round outdoor recreation and celebrated cultural events.  Find more Catskills packages at www.GreatNorthernCatskills.com. 

See our features about hiking the Hudson River School Art Trail at:

www.examiner.com/eclectic-travel-in-national/karen-rubin

http://www.examiner.com/international-travel-in-national/karen-rubin

travelwritersmagazine.com/TravelFeaturesSyndicate

‘Like’ us on facebook.com/NewsPhotoFeatures

Twitter: @TravelFeatures