Sunday, September 3, 10am—3pm

How about participating in a fun day on the Sunday of Labor Day weekend? Join us for a Catskills Celebration at the Catskills Visitor Center, (suggested donation $5 per person, $15 per family) Bring friends and family to participate in activities that celebrate the many facets of the Catskills. Take an educational nature walk. Find and identify the creatures (macroinvertebrates) living in our streams. Create art with staff from the Thomas Cole Site. Listen to award-winning Native American music group Spirit of Thunderheart. Learn about reptiles with Herpetologist, Russ Walker. Take a stroll to the Esopus Creek with Justin Wexler to learn about native cultures of the Catskills.

Schedule of Events:

10am-Noon	Spirit of Thunderheart
10:30-11:15am	Nature Walk
11am-12:30pm	Identifying Macroinvertebrates
11:30am-12:15pm	Hiking for Kids
12:30-1:30pm	Birds of Prey Show with Ravensbeard Wildlife Center Due to illness, this program has been cancelled. Diversity of Reptiles will be happening instead, led by Russ Walker
1:30-3pm	Native History of the Catskills Walk with Justin Wexler of Wild Hudson Valley
1:30-2:15pm	Leave No Trace Family Walk
2-2:30pm	“Ebony Bear” Book Reading with local author Peg DiBenedetto

All Day Events:

Artists as Environmentalists: Join staff from the Thomas Cole House National Historic Site for self-directed art-making with oil sticks. Families will be invited to explore and draw what captures their interest around the Catskills Visitor Center. Free children’s art activity books and Take Action cards will also be available. There will also be the opportunity to view two of Cole’s Catskill Creek paintings on large banners and think about art and protection of the natural world today. 

Craft Activities will be set up and rotate through the day. Activities will continue as long as supplies last. Activities may include creating “binoculars”, butterflies, bird feeders, or coloring sheets. 

Lawn Games will include Connect 4, croquet, and cornhole.

Questions? Email info@catskillcenter.org or call (845) 688-3369

PROGRAM DESCRIPTIONS:

10AM-NOON

Spirit of Thunderheart is an all-native women’s drum group in the Hudson Valley. Lead drummer and singer Donna Coane, Debbie Fichtner, Brenda Martin, Mary Griffin and Melissa Jennings. Spirit of Thunderheart are three-time nominees for a Native American Music Award and two-time winners. They have three CDs:  Rising, Unity, and Tradition.

10:30-11:15AM

Nature Walk

This family-friendly walk around the Catskills Visitor Center’s Interpretive Loop will focus on the ecology of the Catskills. Participants will earn their 2023 Jr. Naturalist Badge during this walk.

11AM-12:30PM

Identifying Freshwater Macroinvertebrates

Take a look at macroinvertebrates (animals that can be seen with the naked eye that don’t have backbones) caught in Esopus Creek and learn how these small creatures can have huge impacts on Catskill streams.  Learn how to ID these fascinating creatures and how what you find gives a clue about the health of the creek.

11:30AM-12:15PM

Hiking for Kids

Join Maryellen Wander Eyer, children’s book author of Finding the Blaze, for a family event. There will be a discussion about what families should take in their backpacks for a hike, a reading from the book, and hands-on hiking skill activities. Finding the Blaze encourages children to hike through challenging places on the trail while telling a trail-tale. The book includes a hiking list and hiking journal. Autographed copies of the book will be available for purchase after the event and at the Catskills Visitor Center while supplies last.

12:30-1:30PM

Birds of Prey Due to illness, this program has been canceled. Diversity of Reptiles will be happening instead.

Staff from Ravensbeard Wildlife Center will introduce us to a few of the birds that cannot be released and now serve on the educational team. Meet the raptors of the Catskills! Learn about their natural history, habitat, unique hunting styles and the story of how they came to live at Ravensbeard. These birds are not pets and are wild in their hearts. Every bird of prey has been vetted to see if they will tolerate education. 

1:30-2:15PM

Leave No Trace Family Walk

Do you enjoy exploring the outdoors with your family? Are you wondering what you can do to make sure the natural places of the Catskills are protected for future generations to enjoy? Take a stroll around the CVC and learn ways that you and your family can enjoy the Catskills while Leaving No Trace. 

1:30-3:00PM

Native History of the Catskills 

For centuries, native people traveled through the Catskill Mountains on well-known paths and visited select locations for hunting elk, passenger pigeons and other game. Although they were forced out of the region over two centuries ago, their land management practices shaped the landscape in ways that are still visible today. Join us for a guided walk led by Justin Wexler of Wild Hudson Valley, who has spent the last 20 years studying the languages and culture of local native peoples. (this walk is geared toward adults and teens)

2:00-2:30PM

Ebony Bear Book Reading

Local author, Peg DiBenedetto, will read her book Ebony Bear. This book is loosely based on Peg’s own adventures with a bear in the Catskills. Copies of the book will be available for purchase along with signing by the author.

All Day Events:

Artists as Environmentalists: Join staff from the Thomas Cole National Historic Site for self-directed art-making with oil sticks. Families will be invited to explore and draw what captures their interest around the Catskills Visitor Center. Free children’s art activity books and Take Action cards will also be available. There will also be the opportunity to view two of Cole’s Catskill Creek paintings on large banners and think about art and protection of the natural world today. 

Craft Activities will be set up and rotate through the day. Activities will continue as long as supplies last. Activities may include creating “binoculars”, butterflies, bird feeders, or coloring sheets.