Join the Parade and our community CELEBRATION OF HOPE for a joyous and peaceful world.
ALL WELCOME.
!
An Old Dutch Tradition in the Hudson Valley
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2016
KINGSTON, NEW YORK
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2016
RHINEBECK, NEW YORK
SinterklaasHudsonValley.com
Facebook.com/sinterklaasrhinebeck
Facebook.com/sinterklaaskingston
The Spirit of
Sinterklaas
He was Odin.
And Good King Wenceslas.
Pere Noel, Father Frost.
Then he was St. Nicholas.
He became Sinterklaas.
Then Santa Claus.
He’s even been called
“Sandy Claws.”
He is Mother Teresa, Gandhi,
the Dalai Lama and Schindler.
But whatever name we have
called him, he has always
been the same.
He loves children, is generous,
protects and honors the poor,
brings blessings and gifts,
protection, food and clothing.
He comes at the darkest time
to remind us of the light.
He is the good king,
the kind teacher;
he “flies” to those in need,
the creatures all love him,
he comes with good intent.
His bag is really full of love
and hope and caring...
He is humanity at its best.
6
THINGS YOU
MUST DO AT
SINTERKLAAS!
1. MAKE YOUR CROWN
and Decorate your Branch for the Parade.
Crowns & Branches in the Fire House—
more info on page 6.
2. MAKE YOUR WISH
Kids and parents alike—visit the WISH LADY
and the PEACE DOVE. Details on page 6.
3. GET YOUR STAR
4. VISIT THE OWLS!
Read all about it in the blue box.
Natural: Live Owls in flight!
Mechanical: Owls in a Giant CooCoo Clock.
Mystical: The Owl Queen of the Night.
ENJOY
THE
DAY!
5.
Discover all the magic, music and
special performances inside and out.
Browse the schedule in this book!
COME
TO
THE
PAGEANT
6.
After the PARADE passes follow along
to the PAGEANT and the STAR CEREMONY.
Remember to bring your STAR!
WELCOME!
This is the celebration where CHILDREN are
transformed into KINGS and QUEENS and honored as
the bringers of the light at the darkest time of year.
The tradition of Sinterklaas comes all the way from the
Netherlands, brought by Dutch settlers who arrived
in Hudson Valley over 300 years ago. Sinterklaas,
the patron of children and sailors, finds a welcoming
community in the Mid-Hudson Valley as we re-create
the story through the lens of modern-day America.
Our revived tradition is non-denominational and all
inclusive ­— everyone is invited to participate! The
young, the old, the in-between —­ absolutely everyone
and anyone who wants to be part of a community of
hope for a joyous and peaceful world are all welcome.
Inside this book you will find more than a schedule to
help you navigate the plethora of events and activities.
You will also find the history, the stories, and the
details that will add to the richness of the experience
for you and your family!
Be sure to get your STAR
for the Children’s Star
Celebration after the parade.
Look for them on sale at
shops with the Sinterklaas
“Stars for Sale Here” sign, and
at the “Ask Me” table.
Read more on page 13.
WHY YOU NEED A
STAR
At the end of the parade,
everyone will gather for the
final ritual of the pageant, the
moment you and your STAR
have been waiting for. The
Master of Ceremonies will call
upon all those present to honor
our children, our hope for the
future, our joy of today.
He will ask you to honor the
children. At that time you will
hold your STAR at the children’s
waist level elevating them, for a
brief moment, on a sea of stars
above everyone in the community. Then you will be asked to
stand again and raise your star
above your heads – thus placing
you, the children and the entire
community in its proper place in
the firmament—all of us as one
and at peace under the stars.
sinterklaashudsonvalley.com •
Sinterklaas
2016
3
THIS YEAR’S HONORED ANIMAL: OWL
Wisdom • Mystery • Insight • Intuition • Night •
BLESSING OF THE OWL
When the coolness of night comes
Let go the burdens of the day.
270 degrees of vision in either direction
opens understanding of all possibilities.
Open your wings and silently fly in quiet darkness
To where you hear in the depths of the earth
The answer to your longing.
Your shoulders are strong.
Let me alight there
And whisper my wisdom for all time.
— Gigi Alvare, September 2016
4 Sinterklaas 2016
• sinterklaashudsonvalley.com
Transition • Silence • Solitude • Watchfulness • Listening • Fearlessness • Foresight • Secrets • Dreams
T
he Owl can see even in the
darkest times. With 270
degrees of vision, they can see
things from all sides.
This year we look
at the Owl from the
mystical, the natural
and the mechanical
sides as we host
LIVE OWLS in
flight, the Owl Queen
of the Night and her
companion Mouse, and a
Giant Coo Coo Clock.
The Natural
There are 216 different species of Owls.
They live on every continent except Antarctica. They live in all kinds of habitats.
Snowy Owls live in the snowy tundra,
while Burrowing Owls make their homes
in prairies and deserts. The largest Owl in
the world can be 33 inches long, while the
smallest is only five inches!
The senses of Owls are so incredible they
seem supernatural. An Owl’s enormous
eyes are so sensitive that they can see in the
dark. Since their eyes are so big, they cannot
roll them in their sockets like humans can.
Instead, they have to turn their entire heads.
Owls can swivel their heads 270 degrees!
Owl hearing is also so sensitive that they
can hear mice in total darkness. The Great
Gray Owl can hear and pounce on a mouse
that it heard moving around under a foot of
snow!
Owls can fly without making a sound.
A special soft fringe on the edges of their
feathers enables their silent flight.
The Mystical
O W L S AY I N G :
Tradition says the Owl appears during
times when it is necessary to gain clarity in
the darkness. The Owl can see that which
others cannot, which is the essence of true
wisdom. Where others are deceived, Owl
sees and knows what is there.
When an Owl shows up in your life, pay
attention to the winds of change. Call on
the Owl’s wisdom when you have to assess
a situation or are going through confusing
times. The Owl, symbol of the Goddess,
represents perfect wisdom. Since Owls can
see in the dark and fly noiselessly through
the skies, they can bring messages through
dreams. The Owl is the bird of mystical wisdom and ancient knOwledge of the powers
of the moon. With wide-open, all-seeing eyes,
Owl looks upon reality without distortion.
The Owl was a sacred symbol of Athena,
goddess of wisdom. Her Owl companion
was said to tell her what happened during
the night, contributing to her great wisdom.
The Celtic goddess Arianrhod shape
shifts into a large Owl, and through the
great Owl-eyes, sees even into the darkness
of the human subconscious and soul. She
is said to move with strength and purpose
through the night, her wings of comfort and
healing spread wide to give solace to those
who need her.
Within the Cherokee nation, the Owl
reached the ultimate level of sacredness and
purity. The Owl, along with the cougar, were
the only creatures that did not fall asleep
during the seven days of Creation, and that
is the reason why they are nocturnal. They
are also sacred because of their human
characteristics. The Owl has large round
eyes situated at the front of its face, just
like a human. She can also close each one
individually.
A wise old Owl sat on an
oak. The more he saw, the
less he spoke. The less he
spoke, the more he heard.
Why aren’t we like that
wise old bird?
O U R W I S E O N E S S AY :
We have some wise ones in our
community. They share their wisdom
with you:
Care & help those different from
yourself — -reach out to the “others”
with a helping & loving hand to lift up
everyone.
—Barbara Kraft
Volunteerism is the lifeblood of a
community. I encourage young people
to contribute to their communities. Their
skills, talent and dedication to a cause
will make a difference. They will be
enriched with new friendships and new
learning experiences and be rewarded
with the gratification of serving their
fellowman. There is no greater reward.
—Sally Mazzarella
Be kind to all.
—Louis Turpin
From her grandmother to her mother in
her autograph book:
If the string is in a knot,
Patience will untie it.
Patience will do many things.
Did you ever try it?
—Nancy Kelly, Town Historian
And from the eldest, 95 years old!
The Mechanical
Why did we make a Giant Coo Coo Clock?
Well, it’s because they are the only bird
that stays up all night to keep the time! And
they fly silently, so they don’t wake us up.
Although it is rare to see an Owl during the
daytime, sometimes you are lucky enough
to see one --Like TODAY at Sinterklaas!
Our purpose should be to enjoy life, to
make it better, and to reward those who
are helping to improve things. And that
includes all of you.
— Robert J. Johnson,
father of our own Owl Queen of
the Night, Cait Johnson.
We send a Hoot to Christina Baal for her knowledge and talent in preparing this
page for your enjoyment. And to all the Wise Elders in our Community.
sinterklaashudsonvalley.com •
Sinterklaas
2016
5
RHINEBECK FESTIVAL DAY: DECEMBER 3•
•
6
BEGIN your Sinterklaas Day . .21.
BEAR BEAUTY CONTEST at Samuel’s
FIRE HOUSE 76 E Market St
10:00am
Dress your favorite bear up in anything you wish, meet other bears, and
maybe win a prize. All children and adults are invited to submit entries! Many
categories! Many honors!
Find Your Way!
On the next page you will see a
handy map of all the Sinterklaas
venues in the Village. Match the
numbers from the schedule to the
numbers on the map to find
your way!
•
Ask Me 1
Ladies!
Have questions? Want to
buy Official Sinterklaas Stars,
Hummingbirds, Flowers, tote
bags, and more? The Ask Me
Ladies can help. Find their booth
HOT MEALS!
•
•
•
And the Churches are serving :
4
19
Third Evangelical
Lutheran Church
11:30-4:30pm
Church of the Messiah Parish Hall
11:00am–5:00pm
Reformed Church
4:30–8:00pm
•
Get a Keepsake of the day from
Sinterklaas PhotoBooth 18
in front of CVS. Have your
children’s picture taken while
sporting their crowns and branches!
For Your Convenience
•
14
6 Sinterklaas 2016
ALL DAY LONG, hosting jesters,
puppets & stories — fit for our Kings
& Queens! BE SURE TO GET YOUR
OWL MASK WHEN YOU ARRIVE.
Noon
Opening Ceremony
Words Before All Else
with Jeanne Fleming, Creator of
Sinterklass with the Owlettes, Pocket
Lady, Owl Queen of the Night, Polar
Bear, First Owl, and the COO COO
Clock Model
HOOTENANY
with Reggie Harris
and Betty and the Baby Boomers
by famed
storyteller Jonathan Kruk. Hear the
legend of St. Nicholas and Dutch New
York, Hanukkah Stories, and the Wise
Old Owl Tale.
13
•
The Beekman Arms
PUPPET THEATER
2
1:30 Leela Puppet Theater
A Boisterous Rajasthani
Marionette Circus
2:00 Roger the Jester, Mad Cap Fun!
2:30 Ivy Vine Players, Grian MacGregor
3:00 Tom Hanford Puppets:
Wassail, Wassail! Songs
and Stories of the Season
3:30 Storycrafters
4:00 Hungry March Band
4:30 Leela Puppet Theater
Visit the ILLUMINATED BOOK
On display in the Beekman Arms.
Created by Nadine Robbins,
Grace Gunning, and Molly Ahearn
with help from James Gurney,
Richard Prouse, and Andy Neal.
• •
• Baby Changing Station at
Waddle and Swaddle (new
location: Montgomery Row,
next to Paper Trail)
• Find Porta Potties in the
Municipal Parking lot.
BEEKMAN
ARMS
6387 Mill St (Rt 9)
CROWNS & BRANCHES
WORKSHOP
Children are at the heart of the
Sinterklaas story: they are
KINGS & QUEENS of the Day and we
honor them in the Parade and the
Pageant. Make sure they get a chance
to make their crowns and adorn their
branches for the evening events!
• CHILDREN: Before you leave the
workshop be SURE to visit the
WISH LADY
. Make your wish
for your family, your community
and the world. Tie them in your branch.
• ADULTS be sure to place YOUR wishes
in the Peace Dove!
• Parents: PURCHASE YOUR STARS so
you can participate in the Children’s
Star Celebration following the Parade.
• Grab a flag for the Parade
STORYTELLING
Fun food all over town.
Visit Our Local Restaurateurs
10
•
2
10:00am–4:00pm
8
All Afternoon
Face Painting
Iconic Hair! 7 W Market St
1:00-3:00
•
MUSIC with Maggie 22
Smoky Rock BBQ 6367 Mill St (Rt 9)
• sinterklaashudsonvalley.com
•
THE THIRD EVANGELICAL
LUTHERAN CHURCH 10
MUSIC & THEATER
31 Livingston St.
2:00 Caprice Rouge Balkan & Klezmer
2:30 Bard College Georgian Choir
3:00 Svitanya
3:30 Grumpus Magic by Andy Weintraub
4:00 Raspberry Hill Fiddlers
STORYTELLING IN
MUSIC & DANCE at
REFORMED CHURCH
SANCTUARY
corner of South St. & Route 9
•
19
1:30 Winter Song Fest: Students of the
graduate Vocal Arts program of the
Bard College Conservatory of Music
2:00 Storycrafters
2:30 HOOTenany with consummate
musician and storyteller
Reggie Harris along with
Betty & the Baby Boomers
3:00 Zuleikha Internationally acclaimed
storydancer accompanied by
Fode Sissoko on Kora
3:30 Vassar Devils, a cappella
CHURCH OF
THE MESSIAH
6436 Montgomery St
•BINDLESTIFF FAMILY CIRKUS
•
4
24
at UPSTATE
Kairos, A Consort of Singers
1:00pm INTO THE LIGHT:
A Holiday Spectacular Presented by
The Vanaver Caravan & The Arm of the Sea
Theater. A Holiday story of a Young Girl’s
Journey throughout the World searching
for the Light. Features Giant Puppets and
international music and dance!
1:30 PM Vassar Devils
ONE-RING SINTERCIRKUS PARIS, THE HIP HOP JUGGLER
Interactive stunts, witty comedy, and world
class jugglingt.
Starring Ringmistress
Philomena & Mr.Pennygaff.
•
St.
STORYTIME 6420 Montgomery
Readings &
OBLONG BOOKS Book Signings15
•
•
12
2:00 PM Molly Jeanne, singer/songwriter
2:30 PM Improv Students from
Mary Ward & Co,
acting & improv studio
1:00 Mother Bruce Join author Ryan T.
Higgins and his newest “Bruce’ story
New This Year!
THE OWLERY
Featuring LIVE OWLS
UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
83 E Market St (across from Town Hall)
1:30 PM Live Owls all afternoon from
Talons!
3:30 PM Half Moon Theater Junior
Chorus
3:45 PM Orchestra Now, Bard College.
Discover the new virtuosic
talenst in your own backyard.
4:30 PM Community Music Space’s
Ole’Factory Brass Band
•
TOWN HALL 76 E Market St 20
MAGIC, MUSIC & DANCE
perfect for ages 3 and up
1:30pm, 2:30pm, 3:30pm
11
Methodist Church Parish Hall
83 E Market St
FILMS 6415 Montgomery St
1:00pm, 2:00pm, 3:00pm
2:00pm, 3:00pm, 4:00pm
SINTER UNDERGROUND
Afternoon FLIGHTS of FANCY with the
2:30 PM Talons!
3:00 PM Prana, Overtone SIngers
4:00 PM Gospel & Folk with
Reggie Harris
along with Betty &
the Baby Boomers
4:30 PM Talons!
Hosted by the unforgetable
Mrs. Beekman (our own Cindy Kubick)
THE OWLLEY WAY
•
(in the Courtyard on E. Market St.)
Visit the 16
COO COO CLOCK!
2:00 PM Kairos, A Consort of Singers
3:30 PM Talons
3:00 The Doll People’s Christmas Join
authors Ann M. Martin & Laura Godwin
for their latest in their bestselling Doll
People series!
12:00-5:00pm
All the children are invited to
walk through the giant Coo
Coo Clock to see and hear its
workings. The Coo Coo Clock
was created especially for
with her Mouse
Sinterklaas by artist
Receive Wisdom
Paul O’Connor.
Words.
THE OWL
QUEEN
OF THE NIGHT
1:00pm Dog on Fleas
1:30pm Giglio Italian Band
2:00pm Mid-Hudson Mexican
Folkloric Group
2:30pm Hungry March Band
3:00pm D’AMBY Dance
3:30pm Rhinebeck Dance Center
4:00pm Hudson River Ramblers with
Jonathan Kruk and Rich Bala
4:30pm Solas An Lae, Irish Dance
In the FOSTER’S PARKING LOTpresented by the Bindlestiff Family Cirkus:
TOY THEATER•
3 BIGTINY
• Hungry March Band
• Batala New York
• Bond Street Stilt Band • King’s County Pipe
Band
• Faeries of the Forrest
•
Pokingbrook Morris
• Half Moon Theater
Dancrs
Junior Chorus
• Giglio Italian Band
LIBERTY
LOUNGE
6417 Montgomery St
9
PUPPET SHOWS
downstairs in the magical, underground
12:30-5:00 Continual performances
• Chinese Theater Works
• Shadow Plays & Stories, Ron Sopyla
• Holiday Punch & Judy
Liz Joyce & A Couple of Puppets
•
3:00pm Jonathan Kruk Storyteller
In the Bar at LIBERTY
2:00 3:00
9
T McCann Band, Irish Music
Caprice Rouge,
Eastern European Music
ALAKAZAM
THE HUMAN KNOT
•
7
HOME SPUN
MERRY-GO-ROUND
ALL
AROUND
TOWN
Roaming the streets for your entertainment…
Plus…
THE POLAR BEARwith his Trainer
& Musical Sidekick Sing a song & watch
the bear transform.
THE POCKET LADYSinterklaas’
• Pocahontas 1859 Hand
Pump Fire Truck
• Roger the Jester
• Svitanya
• The Velo Rouge
MOTHER HOLLY Become a member
of the Parliment of Owls. Hear stories of
creatures large & small.
OUR OWN GRUMPUSES Dancing all
Symbol of Generosity. Find her with her
“Pocket Lady Pal” just about anywhere
around town. Go inside her beautiful
cape and see what secret surprise she
has in store just for you!
around town.
THE CHINELOS Traditional dancers in
spectacular costumes from the state of
Morelos, Mexico.
sinterklaashudsonvalley.com •
Sinterklaas
2016
7
…AND
INTO
THE
NIGHT
CHILDREN’S STARLIGHT PARADE & GRAND FINAL PAGEANT
•
WASSAIL
E
CHILDREN’S
STARLIGHT
ERYON
Bring your Crowns & Branches, STARS & Flags!
•
EV
rade
a
P
e
h
t
w
o
l
Fol
ant
e
g
a
P
e
h
t
to
• •
Reformed Church
•
6:30 pm
•
An explosion of sound
Forefathers of Funk
4
•
lical
Third Evange
Lutherchan
Chur
Find more
10
Parking
MUSIC!
Information
on
the website
N STREET
LIVINGSTO
TALONS!
Live Owls
Here
Oblong 15
Books
s
8 Foster’
Lot 7
Balloons
Iconic Open Air
Hair
Fun!
16
The
See the
GIANT
Coo Coo
Clock
1
Beekman
2 Arms
Smoky BBQ
Music
• sinterklaashudsonvalley.com
OUTE 9
PUPPET
Theater
22
in the
Courtyard
14
PGrAanRdAFinaDEle
PAGinAthEeNT
Samuel’s Photo
Beauty Booth
Bear
Contentst
18
21
6
in the
Fire House
12
11 USIC &
M
EAST MARKET
CROWNS
&
BRANCHES
OWLS
STREET
Extra Cool
Acts Here
TOWN
20 HALL
&
Music
Dance
Parking at the
Reformed
Church 19
Sanctuary
MUSIC!
REET
H ST
SOUT
•
Sinterrt
is
nde
d
U
o
h
Met rch ground
u
Ch
Municipal Lot
17
STREET
Ask Me
Ladies
OWLLEY
WAY
CENTER STREET
Upstate Films
24 CIRKUS
Have Questions? Need
help? Look for the
Ask Me Ladies!
8 Sinterklaas 2016
•
MILL STREET /R
for SInter
behind the
Starr Library!
Liberty
Lounge
Toy Theater
tion &
Informaerklaas
t
Sin
Swag!
Parade
Assembles
Here
On The Lam Band
• • •
•
• •
••
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
9
WEST MARKET
NEW!
Parkinklagas
••
•
Montgomery
13 Row
With the Dixieland sound of the
Two lots
at the Dutchess
County Fairgrounds:
one at Mulberry &
Platt Street Lot and
another Mulberry
Street & Fair Cross
Way (at Mulberry
Street entrance to
Fairgrounds).
the Messiah
Into The Light
REET /ROUTE 9
y23
Librar
at LIBERTY For Adults.
Parking
3 Church of
MONTGOMERY ST
17
SINTERKLAAS DANCE
immediately following the Parade. ALL
are requested to walk along at the
end of the Parade to be a part of the
Children’s Star Celebration featuring •
Fire Juggling • The Blessing of the Owl
On the Lam Band • The Peace Dove.
EET
GARDEN STR
••
ET
at
Highway
Depart.
E
STR
Parkthine g
OAK
•
•
8:00–11:00pm 9
in the Municipal Parking Lot
KEY TO THE MAP
Dapson
5 Funeral
More Home
Quickstep with John Kirk, Trish
Miller & Ed Lowman. Great for
Families!
STAR CEREMONY
In the Dapson-Chestney Parking
Lot. Walk two blocks west from
the traffic light. Led by the
Northern Dutchess Hebrew School,
J.A.N.D. and Temple Emanuel.
1. “Ask Me” Ladies (get information)
2. Beekman Arms
3. Church of the Messiah
4. Church Of Messiah Parish Hall
5. Dapson Chesney Funeral Home
6. Fire House (Crowns & Branches)
7. Foster’s Lot
8. Iconic Hair
9. Liberty Lounge & Public House
10. Lutheran Church
11. Methodist Church
12. Methodist Parish Hall/
SinterUnderground
13. Montgomery Row
14. Municipal Lot: Site of the Parade Grand
Finale & Pagaent
15. Oblong Books
16. Owlley Way in the Courtyard
17. Parade Route •••••
18. Photo Booth by CVS
19. Reformed Church Sanctuary
20.Rhinebeck Town Hall
21. Samuel’s Bear Beauty Contest
22.Smoky BBQ Music
23.Starr Library
24.Upstate Films: Bindlestiff Family Cirkus
20
7:30-9:00pm
HOEDOWN in Town Hall
14PAGEANT & the Children’s
5:30pm 5
HAVDALAH Candle Lighting
WITH MAX
•
Parade begins on West Market St. and
proceeds through the Village & continues
to the Municipal Lot for the Star Pageant.
See the map below
for the route.
9
Living Nativity
9
Meet in front of Liberty. Join a
Raucous tour of the town’s watering
holes with song and dance!
PARADE
17
Stars!
Bring your
5:00pm
7:30pm
6:00pm
Rhinebeck High School,
45 North Park Rd.
CHILDREN’S STARLIGHT PARADE
Who’s Who in the Parade
• HEAR, HEAR!
Uncle DeWitt’s Bell heralds the way.
• SINTERKLAAS with his white horse.
• THE HOLDERS OF THE LIGHT
2016 Hewitt Family — Jesse, Bridget,
Claire, Thomas, Allison, Jack and Peter
• THE SEVEN SISTERS
Stars from the cosmos that
look down on us from afar
and allow us to look up and
dream.
FOLLOW THEIR LEAD! Rhinebeck Rotary Club &
Interact Club: Partners, Marshals & Puppeteers! Thank you for your support!
• THE POLAR BEAR!
Sing to him and watch
him dance.
• ALL THE KINGS’ HORSES the
Hobby Horse Brigade.
• GRANDMOTHER EARTH on whom
we all live. She’s the mother of us
all, the Guiding Spirit of the Parade
reminding us to take care of her.
HONEYBEE • HUMMINGBIRD
FOX • HORSE• THE CROW
GOOSE • BEAR • TURTLE
• THE 4 SEASONS The moods of
• THE PARLIAMENT OF OWLS.
• THE CHINESE LION. For good luck.
• A SWARM OF BEES. Community.
• THE PENGUINS. Visitors from the
Grandmother Earth. We especially
honor Winter this time of year.
• THE HONORED ANIMAL
THE OWL. WISDOM!
Find the story on page 3.
arctic.
• THE ABBOTS BROMLEY
HORN DANCE
• THE GRUMPUSES
are Sinterklaas’ wild sidekicks who
carry out his judgment on the
children—either switches for the bad
or candies for the good. But, our
Grumpuses are people you know in the
community who are candy men, there
for joyous revels and to delight the
children.
• THE SNOW KING & QUEEN
from the celestial realm.
• THE STAR CHILD who brings us
the Sinterklaas Star each year.
• THE CRESCENT MOON
• THE OWL QUEEN OF THE NIGHT
and her Mouse
• HONORED ANIMALS
FROM THE PAST:
The most ancient Dance ever recorded.
There are 12 characters representing
a deer hunt. The pattern of the dance
mimics the way in which a deer walks
though the woods—in a figure 8
pattern—to the accompaniment of a
haunting slip jig.
• THE CAROUSEL
A child’s Toy Box writ large!
• THE BLUE DOG
Some things have no explanation!
• ST. GEORGE AND THE DRAGON
A cosmic play of Good and Evil.
• THE TURTLE.
On whose
back the Earth was formed.
CREATURES FROM THE FARM
•
The sheep, the cows, the llamas, the
rams. They join their wild brothers.
• THE TWIN SERPENTS:
LUX AND LUMEN
• WILD WOMEN—If you have Wild
Men (The Grumpuses) you have to
have Wild Women and thanks to Abby
Saxon we do have a fantastic gaggle!
• MUSIC OF ALL TRADITIONS:
Klezmer, Bagpipe, Dixieland, Irish,
Didgeridoo, Balkan, Ukrainian,
Samba, African, Bolivian, Mexican &
Indonesian.
• CHINELOS. Whirling reminders of
Mexico and its
Holiday Traditions.
• THE POCKET LADY
Our symbol of generosity
• THE PEACE DOVE Our
wish for the world. The night ends with
a wish for Peace in the world so that
we will all live in community with each
other, enjoying and celebrating our
differences, hoping for Joy for All in
this, our precious World.
BE SURE TO JOIN THE PARADE AFTER
IT PASSES BY! BRING YOUR STARS!
sinterklaashudsonvalley.com •
Sinterklaas
2016
9
A little Sinterklaas History
The Tradition of
Sinterklaas Day
Many people ask: what is this celebration
that happens early in December? Why have
a special interest and pride in this time of
year?
The answer: we are honoring the Hudson
Valley’s Dutch heritage by recreating
customs that the settlers from Holland
brought to the Hudson Valley. The Dutch
people who came to Rhinebeck over 300
years ago brought a celebration with them
that was already a deeply rooted part of
their traditions.
The ritual was simple enough. Each year
on December 6 (that’s the Dutch tradition,
ours in the first Saturday in December), a
town resident dressed up as Sinterklaas (that
is, elegantly garbed in a bishop’s tall hat, red
cape, shiny ring, and jeweled staff ). Mounted
on a white steed, this Sinterklaas would ride
through town knocking on doors late at night.
He would be accompanied by his long-time
sidekick, the Grumpus. Also known as Black
Peter, the Grumpus — a wild looking halfman, half-beast character — rattled chains
and threatened to steal away the naughtiest
children in his big black bag. And for those
“less bad” he had switches for exacting lesser
punishments! And for the good children —
Sinterklaas and the Grumpus would deliver a
bag of goodies.
Over the years, as towns developed and
houses grew closer together, Sinterklaas’
ride turned into a Parade that still happens
in Holland to this day, and is the most
popular of all Dutch holidays.
Who was Sinterklaas?
At the start, Sinterklaas was a real person
named Nicholas, born in the 4th century
in Myra, Asia Minor. As a grown man he
became a bishop. Little else is known about
him—except that he loved children.
A story is told about Sinterklaas to
illustrate this point: Three little boys
10 Sinterklaas 2016
dined at an inn and, after eating their fill,
informed the innkeeper that they could
not pay their bill. To exact payment, the
innkeeper chopped them up into little bits
and cooked them in a stew.
Nicholas heard about the awful deed
and came to the inn to find pieces of the
boys boiling away in the pot. He told the
innkeeper that if he, Nicholas, could find
one little piece of each boy that was good,
he would perform a miracle and bring all
three back to life. Now, what child does not
have at least one little piece of good in him?
And, so Sinterklaas returned the boys to
life and took them into his care.
There is also the story of the three
sisters: Once upon a time there were three
beautiful daughters of a poor peasant. The
first was very blonde, the second had raven
hair, and the third auburn. When they grew
up they fell in love with three pleasant
young men. But the sisters could not
get married because they had no dowry.
That made them very sad. One night,
as Sinterklaas was out riding, he looked
through a window and saw the three lovely,
but sad sisters. When he heard why they
could not marry the young men they loved
he went back to his palace and gave the
Grumpus three little bags. Each contained
a hundred golden ducats. He asked the
Grumpus to drop the little bags into the
girls’ shoes, and an hour later they were
rich. They married the three nice young
men and lived happily ever after!
To this day, children leave a carrot in
their shoes hoping to attract Sinterklaas’
attention and rewards.
How this kindly 4th-century bishop
made his way from Asia Minor through
Italy, Spain and all of Northern Europe
where he is still honored today is hard to
say, but by the 11th century he had become
the patron saint not only of children and
unwed maidens, but of sailors and the City
of Amsterdam as well.
• sinterklaashudsonvalley.com
His association with Amsterdam goes
back to the time of the Spanish Inquisition,
which had spread to Holland in the Middle
Ages. Rumor had it that a Nicholas was
Bishop of the Cathedral in Amsterdam.
When the Spaniards came from Spain to
trade with the Dutch, they also smuggled
in adults and children whose lives were
threatened by the Inquisition against Jews
in Spain. Nicholas took in all the children
no matter their faith.
Today in Holland
There is not a
single family
in Holland
that does not
in some way
or another
honor the old
“Bishop” and
his servant the
Grumpus with
a party, a small get-together or by going to
somebody’s else’s house to celebrate. There
may be many presents, or just a few—
tables laden with traditional candles and
cookies—or just a pot of hot chocolate. The
house may be teeming with children, or
have perhaps just a few grown-ups around
the dining room table—but the Sinterklaas
spirit is everywhere.
Every December Sinterklaas arrives
in Amsterdam by boat. He comes from
Spain where he lives throughout the year..
We reenact this journey, in our bi-coastal
celebration, with Kingston playing the
role of Spain and Rhinebeck the role of
Holland. Our Sinterklaas makes his way
in a Children’s Maritime Parade in the
Rondout of Kingston, boards the Tugboat
Cornell, sailing off to reappear a week later
in Rhinebeck.
In Holland he is traditionally greeted by
a group of Grumpuses and a million people
come out to see his arrival and triumphant
parade through the streets of the city. The
rest of the country watches on TV. It is far
and away the most wonderful and exciting
festivity in the land!
St. Nicholas, Sinterklaas,
and Santa Claus in the
Hudson Valley
When the early Dutch
settlers came to America,
they brought with them
their venerated old
bishop, St. Nicholas, and
their favorite holiday,
Sinterklaas. Indeed,
after landing in the
New World, the Dutch
explorers, led by Henry
Hudson, built their first
church on the island of Manhattan in 1642,
dedicating it to Sinterklaas. When the British
took control of New Amsterdam in 1664, they
adopted the Dutch recognition of Sinterklaas
and merged it with their own observance of
the Winter Solstice, Father Christmas—the
merry, roly-poly, Falstaffian figure in high boots.
Eventually, these two old gentlemen, both
commemorated in December, merged into one.
Over the next few generations, Sinterklaas
found his way into American literature. In 1809,
the writer Washington Irving (who lived in the
lower part of the Hudson Valley) created a jolly
Sinterklaas for his popular Knickerbocker Tales.
Then in 1822, a Dutchess County man, Henry
Livingston, Jr. wrote a lighthearted poem –“A
Visit from St. Nicholas” (until recently wrongly
attributed to Clement Moore) which featured
a jolly old elf, his descent down a chimney on
Christmas Eve, and a sleigh drawn by eight tiny
reindeer (like Odin’s flying horse!). The Father
Christmas image stuck, but he acquired an
English name—Santa Claus—a direct derivation
from Sinterklaas.
And to bring things full circle Rhinebeck is
now home to Leopold Quarles von Ufford, who
for 40 years was the Dutch Ambassador and
played Sinterklass around the world.
America, a country of invention and
opportunity, a land where everyone could write
their own life’s story, added the latest chapter to
a tale that had begun in ancient times with Odin,
a mythical figure
embodying the
archetype of The
Good King, who
rode through the
night in the land
of the reindeer
on his flying white horse doing good deeds for
children.
DUTCH TREATS!!
Did you know that “cookie” is a Dutch word? And that
the first chocolate in America came from Holland?
Not only did children in New Amsterdam
(NYC) love the Dutch tradition of Sinterklaas,
they also quickly came to love another
tradition the Dutch brought to the New World:
cookies!! The Dutch word was “koekje,” and
meant “little cake.” The Dutch brought the
“koekjes” to America in the 17th century and
the word became “cookie.” Much like Sinterklaas became Santa
Claus. The first cookies were created by accident. Cooks used
a small amount of cake batter to test their oven temperature
before baking a large cake. Almost immediately the Dutch
knew they had discovered something very, very good. Before
long, special cookies were being made for the Dutch’s favorite
holiday—Sinterklaas. These cookies are called Speculaas. Find
recipes at sinterklaasrhinebeck.com
CHOCOLATE LETTERS
At many Dutch Sinterklaas Eve parties, the
last surprise to be found in Sinterklaas’ special
burlap sack, are chocolate initials—the first letter
of each person’s name.
There will be one for each person—the first given to the
youngest child, then on up to the oldest person present. These
letters are popular throughout the Sinterklaas season. The tasty
treats may be found in shoes, left by Sinterklaas as he makes
his rounds checking on children. These letters make special
little Sinterklaas remembrances to enjoy with a cup of coffee or
tea. The letters, in brightly colored boxes, are sold from around
October 15th through December 6th only. Unsold letters aren’t
marked down, rather, they are returned to the manufacturers to
be melted down for other chocolate treats.
The custom of edible letters goes back to medieval times
when, at birth, children were given a runic letter, made of
bread—as a symbol of good fortune. Schools in the Middle Ages
used bread and chocolate letters to teach the alphabet. When
the letter was learned and could be written well, a pupil could
eat it up! Letters became associated with Sinterklaas in the 19th
century, when a sheet was used to cover St. Nicholas’ presents. A
bread dough letter, placed on top of the sheet, identified which
gift was for which child.
During the 1800s, advances in cocoa bean processing led
to the production of chocolate letters.
The Netherlands is the only place with a St. Nicholas
chocolate “initial letter” tradition.
sinterklaashudsonvalley.com •
Sinterklaas
2016
11
MAKING THE CELEBRATION OUR OWN
Transforming the Story
Today we create our
own version of the
SINTERKLAAS myth and
enact it in our own way,
for our own time.
We focus on the Good
King, the Noble Soul, the
one who brings light out
of darkness, befriends
the children and all the
creatures, and inspires
our souls.
We continue the tradition
of making Sinterklaas a
touchstone—one through
which we can come
together in community,
putting aside what
divides, to focus on what
brings us together—our
humanity, our love for
children, our hopes for
the future.
Good children, bad children; naughty
or nice; coal or presents. Judgments and
contrasts abound.
Right alongside the Sinterklaas legend
there is a more ancient story of the
Bel Snickle, the Grumpus, the Rupelz,
Shab, the Krampucz. A sort of scary
character—who comes out of the woods
and who stands in marked contrast with
the kindly Sinterklaas, the Good King. A
leftover from a harsher time. And even
though he is played by someone from the
neighborhood, and even though he does
not REALLY cart children away in his black
bag or punish them with the birch rod that
he carries, he is still there—a reminder that
if you are not good, well…punishment will
follow.
In Rhinebeck, we turn that tradition
upside down by turning a negative symbol
into an empowering one.
CROWNS AND BRANCHES
What is the meaning of the Crowns and
Branches that are made by and carried by
the Children in the Parade?
Since St. Nicholas loved children so
much, it makes sense that on his Name
Day, that children—who at all other times
of the year are the least powerful people
in the society—are turned into the most
powerful for just this one day. Children
are crowned Kings and Queens with
Crowns and Sceptors (Branches) of their
own making in a bustling and beautiful
workshop!
In Rhinebeck, the birch rod—the
indispensable instrument of medieval
education—is transformed by imagination
and art into a symbol of empowerment and
love. It becomes the Branch—the Royal
Scepter—a symbol of creative power in the
hands of today’s children.
And so, on this day in Rhinebeck
children are raised up from being those
least powerful to the most powerful! The
rods are turned to Royal Scepters and
the Children are crowned royalty for one
glorious day!
Having seen the Wish Lady, each child
will leave the workshop with something to
carry in the Parade and to take home.
STARS
MAKE THE DIFFERENCE
What are the STARS that every family will
carry in the Parade? What is their purpose?
The Stars are what make Rhinebeck’s
celebration unique from all other
Sinterklaas celebrations. These STARS
make families, friends and relations the
12 Sinterklaas 2016
• sinterklaashudsonvalley.com
active myth makers of our community and
its future, for these are no ordinary stars!
From the moment you take possession
of your STAR, you assume a key role in
a community ritual. On Sinterklaas Day
hundreds of your neighbors, friends, and
family will join in an illuminated pageant
through the heart of Rhinebeck.
You will carry your STAR in your own
way—perhaps close to your chest and
cradled with care, or held aloft dangling
freely in the winter breeze. A gathering
constellation will light the path for the
many children who, adorned with their
Crowns and Branches of their own creation
are the honored Kings and Queens of the
Day.
You and your star play an important role
in the pageant.
After the evening’s festivities are over,
you take your STAR home with you to
grace your hearth throughout the dark
winter with the vivid memory—like a
burning ember—of when we all came
together to celebrate our children, our
community, our lives and each other.
And then, as custodian of your
communal STAR, you can bring it back
next year, adding to an everexpanding universe of stars,
helping to build our special
Sinterklaas tradition.
THE HAVDALAH
Right before the Parade
begins a special ceremony
takes place at the foot of the
hill on West Market Street.
Led by Rabbi Yael Romer
and the children and folks
from the Jewish Alliance of Northern
Dutchess and Temple Emmanuel, this
beautiful Jewish Ceremony marks the end
of the Jewish Sabbath and opens up the
secular time of The Sinterklaas Parade.
The Havdalah Ceremony is a weaving
together of all those in the community in
a web of interdependence, symbolized by
intertwined candles.
Be sure to get your
STAR for the Children’s
Star Celebration after
the Parade. Look for
them on sale at shops
in town, and at the
“Ask Me” table.
THANK
YOU.
Beyond the Beyond
$5000 +
Medical Aesthetics of the
Hudson Valley
Robert Duffy
Infinity & Beyond
$2,500+
Benson Frost Foundation
Kirchhoff Construction
Rhinebeck Rotary
Thomas Thompson Trust
The Universe
$1000-$2499
Albert Shahinian Gallery
Beekman Arms
Douglas Baz Photography
ENTA-Education Network
for Teachers & Artists
Jeanne Fleming and
Wonderworks
Hudson Valley Federal
Credit Union
The Klock Foundation
M. Suzy Morris Costume
Design
Mid-Hudson Valley Federal
Credit Union
Omega Institute
Richard Prouse Stage
Scenery
Renee and Craig Snyder
Sunflower Natural Foods
Market
thegallery@rhinebeck
ThinkingPartners
Illiana Van Meeteren
Walmart
Williams Lumber & Home
Centers
Winter Sun &
Summer Moon
The Super Nova
$500 – $999
Rhinebeck Farmer’s Market
Access International
Properties
Carolyn Marks Blackwood
Cale Communications
Charny & Associates
Enjoy Rhinebeck
Feeney Enterprises
JTD Productions
Sarah Drew and Dal
LaMagna
Paper Trail
Tricia and Foster Reed
Rhinebeck Bank
Rhinebeck Village Place
Florence and A. Robert
Rosen Family
Foundation
Ruge’s Subaru
Tatiana Serafin
Stewart’s Shops
Al Boutin and Lindy Wright
It took a Village, a Town, a Valley, and 2,500 Stars!
We all know that Sinterklaas was NEVER just one person—
he is only the NAME we give to a certain spirit of generosity, love
and sense of community that sustains us at the darkest times and
lights us up with wishes for peace and good will toward all. Here
are his local embodiments called by their more familiar names...
(list up-to-date as of noon November 17, 2015)
Thank you for lighting up our Universe!
The Galaxy
The Milky Way
Brian and Kimberly Orcutt
Heinz Sauer
A.L Sitckle Variety Store
Aroi Thai Restaurant
Assemblymember Kevin
A. Cahill
Atelier Renee Fine Framing
Raina Kattelson and Bob
Butscher
Wally and Carla Carbone
Dr. Tom’s Tonics
Mike and Cecily Frazier
Grand Cru Beer and
Cheese Market
Jen and Ali Hammoud
Haven Spa
Hudson Valley Ceremonies
Hummingbird Jewelers
Sandra Keipura
Kingston’s Opera House
Office Building
LeClerc’s Martial Arts
Robby Long
May Lum
Maya Kaimal Fine Indian
Foods, LLC
Micky Haggerty Attorney
No Sugar
Oblong Books and Music
Olde Rhinebeck Inn c. 1745
Oliver Kita Chocolates
Paula Redmond Real
Estate
Rhinebeck Architecture
Rhinebeck Department
Store
Kiki Steele
The Terranova Family
Julie and Louis Turpin
Ulster Tourism
Leopold Quarrels Van
Ufford
Vicki L. Haak, CFP
Village Center Complex
Waddle and Swaddle
Linda and Andy Weintraub
Wendy Bush Lyons, Esq.
Al and Aida Wilder
William Gottlieb Real
Estate
Sally and Mike Mazzarella
John, Suellen and
Sam Pomichter
Andrea Loukin and Michael
Kaye
Bailey Pottery Equipment
Betsy Jacaruso Studio
Nancy and David Boehm
Bogush & Grady, CPAS LLP
Boitson’s Restaurant
Buns Burgers
Heather Cassano
Central Hudson Gas &
Electric Corporation
Clear Yoga
Color Page
Susan B. Cummings-Findel
Darryl’s Boutique
Dr. Victor Zelek
Edward J. Haas
Anne Moehle Ferrara
fiberflame
Ronnie Citron Fink and
Ted Fink
Fraleigh & Rakow
Insurance
Hammertown Rhinebeck
Herzog’s
Jill Welch and Paul Higgins
Iconic Hair
Ivy Ridge Asset
Management LLC
Jeff Ackerly
Berkshire Hathaway
Scott and Laurel Kemp
Dacie Kershaw
Kingston Plaza
Ramon Lascano
Liberty Public House
The Lynch Family
Gretchen & Mark Lytle
Katherine Malaga
Evan and Diane Meltzer
Merriweather’s
Kate Karikassis &
David Migdal
Montgomery Row
Roger and Cheryl Norton
On the Hill Antiques
Peter Amendola and Jerry
Pagliari
Phyllis Palmer
Susan Ragusa
Rhinebeck Animal Hospital
Rhinebeck Bagels
Rhinebeck Convenience
Stores
Rhinebeck Motel
Rhinebeck Phone Repair
Rondout Savings Bank
Ryan & Ryan Insurance
Brokers, Inc
Maggie Salamone and Meg
Savona’s Trattoria
Sue Sie
Smoky Rock BBQ
Staley Real Estate
Cricket Lengyel &
Andrew Stewart
$250 – $499
$125 – $249
The Storefront Gallery
The Courtyard
The Rondout Inn
Thomas F. Cingel, DDS
Twin Ponds Flowers
Van Norstrand & Hoolihan,
CPA’s, PC
Zimmer Brothers Jewelers
Star Clusters
$75 – $124
Jill Lundquist and Doug
Baz
Terence Boylan
Milne Antiques and
Interiors
Thomas Ostrofsky
The Pelosi Family
The Manor Road
Halloween Dance Crew
Gail and Rich Bennek
Ariadne Civin
Peter Dolese
Sarah Hill and Guillermo
Fesser
Georgia and Jeff
Louise Kalin
Felicia Keesing and Family
Elaine Collandrea and Erik
Kiviat
The Palmer-Nathan Family
The Quackenbush Family
Debbie and Hector
Rodriguez
Christine Archambault and
Mary Alice Scully
Jay Weiss
Amy Novatt and Ron
Whitmont
Be A Star
$20 – $74
The Buehler Family
Dennis and Valerie Conners
Dod and Dorothy Crane
Linda and Ed Faber
Larry and Jane Garrick
Susan and Steven
Gausepohl
Hudson Valley Pottery
Cynthia and Michael Keller
Brin Magee
The Mahoney Family
Ann McGrath and
Steve Mosto
Nola!
The Phelan Family
Jeanette Provenzano
Don Schneider
Laura Shulkind
Donna Siegmann
Ed and Cathy Sullivan
Laureen and
John Swanwick
Emma Taylor
Jane Taylor
Allyson Urie
Jonathan Wechsler
Debra Wollens
HOW IT
ALL
HAPPENS
Sinterklaas is truly
an event that takes a
community. Actually
it takes a really BIG
community of friends and
neighbors, near and far,
who love the magic that
happens in the telling of
this very special story, in
our own voices, filled with
LOVE and reverence for
the time of year and for
the children of the world.
What’s the nitty gritty
of it all? Its a lot of people
working many hours,
VOLUNTEERING ­— some
of us all year long — to
coordinate, schedule,
promote, make, build,
assemble, borrow, poster,
print, phone, deliver,
monitor, cook, feed, clean,
create, and . . . well the list
could go on.
And the BIGGEST
CHALLENGE of all is to
raise the funds it takes
to produce this big,
complicated and growing
event. We need your help.
DONATE WHAT YOU
CAN. BUY A STAR. BE A
FRIEND AND SUPPORTER
OF SINTERKLAAS.
sinterklaashudsonvalley.com
sinterklaashudsonvalley.com •
Sinterklaas
2016
13
It truly takes a whole HOST of folks to come together in a beautiful way to make Sinterklaas happen.
It includes everyone, those who donated time and money for sure and all those who sat in meetings,
answered millions of questions, made extraordinary suggestions, cut a branch, served up tea, and
everyone who comes to the event. Sinterklaas forms a close and sweet community as it gathers steam
throughout the year. We thank all of you who form this creative community!
Here are some who deserve special mention! We thank…
SWAP! And the Bantas for our Star
Party at the Beekman Arms. Betsy
Jacaruso Gallery for the Grumpus
Hideout! Connie Bathrick and the
Courtyard for the Clock! Liberty
Public House for our fabulous After
Party! And Ruby Star for the bird’s
eye views. Phoebe Melley of Foster’s
for opening the heart of our Village
(the White Corner!) and forging an
ephemeral Town Green for all our
performers and folks to gather. Our
Vaudeville House and Cirkus Tent:
DeDe Leiber and Upstate Films.
COUNTY County Executive Mark
Molinaro, Dutchess County Sheriff
Butch Anderson and Kirchhoff
Construction for extraordinary
support!
VILLAGE & TOWN
The Village Board, Mayor Heath
Tortarella for all you do! Howie
Traudt and Scott Cruikshank for true
advice and extraordinary help. Sgt.
Pete Dunn for his conscientious,
caring and good work! And the
Rhinebeck Fire Department for
inviting us into your home! The Town
Board, Elizabeth Spinizia, Supervisor,
and the Town Recreation Committee
for the Hoedown. The Rhinebeck
Chamber of Commerce
OUR ADDRESS:
We thank Connie
Bathrick and the Courtyard for a
home for the Coo Coo Clock.
A CLEAN, WELL LIGHTED
SPACE Our greatest gratitude to
PARTNERS The Rhinebeck Rotary
and Interact Club for Puppeteers and
Parade Marshals. Thank you, Rotarians!
We can’t do it without you!
CAPED WONDERS Keepers of
the Flame George and Phebe Banta!
Holders of the Flame 2016 The
Hewitt Family: Jesse, Bridget and
their lineage: The Cruikshanks 2015!
The Stickles, 2014
STAMINA!
Elena Erber who
designed ALL our graphics,
including this beautiful book!
UP IN THE AIR! IT’S A BIRD!
the United Methodist Church and
Pastor Nikki Hutt Edleman for our
Celebration Space, Workshop, Sinter
Underground and beautiful environs
for the Owls and Sweet Music!
THOSE SAME OLD KIDS ON
THE BLOCK! Peter Criswell,
BIRDS OF A FEATHER:
THE SWAP TEAM!
Great
SPECIAL thanks to Pat D’Antonio
and thegallery@rhinebeck for our
wonderful Green Room and Window
on the world. Thanks to your
hospitality, we settled in!
OWL=WISDOM Sally Mazzarella,
OUR NEWEST SISTER!
Nancy Karimi! Welcome to the club!
SHE NEVER STOPS DANCIN’
The indefatigable Martha Tobias!!
Matthew Fass and Terrance McCorry.
Lindy
Wright, Jill Lundquist, Mel Dean,
Nancy Karimi, Debby Franke Ogg,
Diana Devlin, Dorna Schroeter and
Joanne Gelb.
ENDURANCE: AFTER 9
YEARS: THE MADWOMEN
OF THE SINTERKLAAS
HOOT! HOOT!….. Bea Lambert
COMMITTEE: Endless energy, the for the fantastic and truly magical
extraordinary TEAM: Lila Pague, Pat
Sexton, Elena Erber, Lindy Wright,
Sarah Bissonnette-Adler, Martha
Tobias, Joanna Hess, Tricia Reed,
Jill Lundquist, Joanne Gelb, Suzy
Morris, Dorna Schroeter, and Nancy
Donskoj who kept the fires burning
all year long.
HEART & SOUL Doug and Jill-we want you back with us soon.
“WE CAN END THIS RIGHT
NOW” LINDY OVER THE TOP
HAT! ! The Amazing, multi-
talented Great Leader of the Crowns
and Branches Workshop and wearer
of many hats and so much more:
the thoughtful and committed,
Joanna Hess.
HABITATION AND A STAGE!
Richard Prouse, Barry Cohen and
Roberto Rossi!
MAGIC WHEN YOU NEED IT!
The fine Sarah Bissonnette-Adler
and her MOM Susan!
GIRL WITH A TRUCK!
Becky Holt
14 Sinterklaas 2016
OWLS! And Lauree Ostrofsky, our
Gorgeous Crescent Moon!
ALL THE HELPERS AT THE
CROWNS AND BRANCHES
WORKSHOP! Joanna Hess,
Coordinator, The Incredible Crowns
& Branches assistants: Jeniece
Schroeter, Maribeth Feinberg, Karen
Hinderstein, Becky Holt, Cait Johnson,
Kate Kennedy, Colleen Lalonde,
Gretchen Lytle, Linda McAteer, Mary
Yankjitis, Joanne Mrstik, Faith Palmer,
Carole Schaad & Granddaughters,
Tina Stanton, Mia Tsang and Gagana
Yaskhi
BEAR UP! Thanks to Steven
Michael Pague for stepping up to
the paws were not put on pause.
And his trainers Kate Brehm and
Roseanne Fox and Major Ursa! Julia
Haines, his accompanist.
TALONS!
Thanks to the amazing
and skilled Laurie Schumacher
of Talons! for the beautiful birds
who flew to music in the sacred
space. And her go-between, Dorna
Schroeter and her able assistant,
Matthew Rymkiewicz.
• sinterklaashudsonvalley.com
Thanks to the Rhinebeck Farmer’s
Market for bringing TALONS! and
the amazing Flying Owls to our
children!
To those who swoop in at the end
and make it work: The Rhinebeck
Rotary and Daytop.
Howie Traudt, Scott Cruikshank,
Jordan Matthews, Lila Pague, and
Father Richard McKeon, Nancy Kelly,
Louis Turpin, Barbara Kraft, and
Robert J. Johnson.
THE JOY OF COOKING!
Colleen Bloxham, yes!!!!
THE COO COO CLOCK! Special
thanks for Paul O’Connor for the
creation of our centerpiece—The
Clock! And Jordan Matthews for the
soundscape!
THE OWLETTES!! Leighann
Kowalsky Choreographer and the precious
Owlettes themselves: Cooper Foraker, Mia
Goodwin, Riley Goodwin, Drew SweeneyCuyler, Maura Sweeney-Cuyler, Magnolia
Kondrat-Wilson and Grace Leedy (big
sister Owlette)
QUEEN FOR A LIFETIME…
OUR QUEEN BEE! Lila Pague
OUR OWL QUEEN OF THE
NIGHT AND HER COMPANION
MOUSE Cait Johnson and Terry
O’Keefe. You show us we can all
get together and love one another
right now.
LOCATION, LOCATION,
LOCATION!! Celebration Spaces:
We thank the Rhinebeck Fire
Department for their generosity for
the Crowns and Branches space!
We thank Primrose Hill School and
the United Methodist Church for the
NOW WE CAN REST
READ ALL ABOUT IT!
Suzanna Hermanns of Oblong Books
for her excellent contribution to the
program!
OUR PAPARAZZI
Doug Baz for his 28 years of
wonderful photographs that make it
possible for us to tell the story.
SINTERKLAAS CRAFT FAIR
presented by the spirited and joyful
Gelbs, David and Joanne, and all the
artists, crafts people, bakers and
helpers for the Fair! Special thanks
to Lindy Wright and
Dorna Schroeter.
THE WISH LADIES Women of
Wisdom and Delight.
THE POCKET LADY AND
HER PAL Liza Jane Norman who
created the magnificent costume
and Carla Carbone who gave it life!
ALL THOSE WILD
GRUMPUSES! HAPPY
BIRTHDAY WALLY!
Mike Bloxham, Wally Carbone , Kurt
Fisher, Chris Gilbert, Clifford Hart,
Jamyang Lodoe, Robby Long, Bruce
Lubman, Harlan Matthews, Terrance
McCorry, Steven Pague, Mark Perez,
Stephen Robin, John Schmitz, Andy
Weintraub, Bob Wills, and Steven
Young. And Grumpus Emeritus:
Dodd Crane, David Gelb, , Richard
Prouse, Richard Kopyscianski,
Arun Lahiri, Heinz Sauer and
Ricky Aldrich. And their illustrious
choreographer, Martha Tobias,
who tamed and trained the wild
beasts!
THE HOOTIN’ OF THE
OWLS! And Super HOOT to
the 500 kids in the Chancellor
Livingston School who made Owl
pictures !
THE WILD WOMEN!
Abby Saxon, the Wildest!
THE ASK ME LADIES
Dorna
Schroeter, Queen! Diana Devlin,
Laureen Swanwick, Jill Lundquist,
Joanna Hess, Gwen Bardon,
Karen Graham, Aida Wilder,
Ana SanJuan, Kiki Steele, Mary
Burns, Joanne Leffeld, Sarah
Olson, Marianne Neifeld, Karil
Davidson, Kari Feuer, Jen LaBelle,
Cecily Frazier, Marie Dynes, Karil
Davidson, Barbara Kahles, Gillian
Eames, and Susan Bissonnette.
BEAR BEAUTY
for the Bear
Beauty Contest. We could not
BEAR to lose you! Samuel’s John
Traver, keeping up the tradition
begun by Sarah Chaneles and
Kathy Varadi. In memory of our
dear Ira Gutner.
CROWNS AND BRANCHES!
Becky Holt, Sharon Rushton and
their courageous crew.
THE BOOK The stellar team
who made the Illuminated Book:
Nadine Robbins, Molly Ahearn,
Grace Gunning, Richard Prouse,
Andy Neal and James Gurney!
THE ART TEACHERS at
Rhinebeck High School, Cynthia
Baer and Kathy Giles and the Art
Students for their gorgeous and
original paintings.
SNOW KING, QUEEN,
AND STAR CHILD OUR
ROYALTY! Emily Houpt, Victor
Zelek and Louisa Zelek.
ALL DRESSED UP! The utterly
talented and relentless Suzy
Morris creator of the Snow King,
Snow Queen, Star Child, the
Owlettes, the Owl Queen of the
Night and her Mouse, the NEW
gorgeous Sinterklaas Robe, those
crazy Kukeri and all the rest! And
her co-conspirator Bea Lambert.
HOLY HOLLY!
Mother Holly!
Rebecca Singer and William
Eadie and Cait Johnson, Ania
Aldrich, Terry O’Keefe.
STAGING!
The immensely
talented Richard Prouse whose
staging gives to our airy nothing
a local habitation and a name.
And Barry Cohen who makes
sense of it all. And the Village of
Red Hook for the loaner!
HE’LL ALWAYS BE THE
DRONE OF DISTINCTION
David Gelb. We will let him live!
And his Noble Queen Joanne
Gelb!
JUST CALL HIM AL
Al Boutin…Lindy’s wingman.
TRAVELLERS (TO MFTA)
Lindy Wright, Suzy Morris, Joanne
and David Gelb
KINGSTON CREW! Susie
Linn, Nancy Donskoj, B.C. Gee,
Kevin Godbey, Linda Harrington,
Deborah Mills Thackerey, Rob
Sweeney, Gloria Waslyn, Ann
Loeding, A.S.K., Color Page,
Feeney’s Shipyard, Hudson River
Maritime Museum, Kingston
Library, Old Dutch Church,
Savonna’s Trattoria, Ulster County
Tourism, Walmart, WDST and the
City of Kingston.
THE CHURCHES The United
Methodist Church, The Church
of the Messiah, the Reformed
Church of Rhinebeck and the
Third Evangelical Lutheran
Church — folks filled with love
and generosity in their hearts:
Pastor Nikki Hutt Edleman, Rev.
Richard McKeon Jr., Fr. Luis
Perez and Pastor William Ryan
Starkweather, and Anna Pavord,
Liz Irwin and the every gracious
and generous Bonnie Reyero.
YASHA KOAH The Jewish
Alliance of Northern Dutchess,
Rabbi Yael Romer, Kimba Baker
and Temple Emanuel for a
beautiful and moving Havdalah.
And the Dapson Chestney Funeral
Home for hosting this meaningful
ceremony.
THE LIVING NATIVITY! The
Reformed Church gives it life!
BEEKMAN ARMS AND IT’S
LEGS Brenda Catalano and
Gail Haskins who climbed up on
the chairs--and the Bantas for
keeping the Hearth burning.
COLLECTION AGENT!
Welcome back Johanna Bard!
YUM! All those who donated
food for the hundreds of
performers and volunteers.
Thank you to Colleen Bloxham
and Johanna Bard for keeping
this army running with good food!
Aroi Thai Restaurant, Rhinebeck
Bagel, Bread Alone, Bubby’s
Burritos, Cinnamon, CJ’s Italian
Restorante, Foster’s Coach House
Tavern, Gaby’s Café,Grand Cru, Le
Petit Bistro, Liberty Public House,
Matchbox Café, Maya Kaimal Fine
Indian Foods, Osaka Japanese
Restaurant, Pete’s Famous
Restaurant, Pizzeria Posto, Village
Pizza of Rhinebeck, Smoky
Rock BBQ, Samuel’s Sweet
Shop, Sunflower Natural Foods
Market, Terrapin Restaurant,
The Rhinecliff, Warren Kitchen &
Cutlery.
THE STARR LIBRARY
for its
warm welcome to creatures great
and small, human and puppet!
Steven Cook and the Board of
Trustees.
MASKERS!
And to Nan
Jackson at the Starr Library
for the Coloring Workshops
and Joanne Gelb for putting it
all together. Thanks to all who
colored the 500 beautiful owl
masks for the children!
RE-SOUNDING PRAISE!
Omega Institute’s Ken Kuter and
Skip Backus for letting us hear!
And JTD Productions for the
same in the venues!
THE REAL DEAL
Jonkheer
Leopold Quarles von Ufford
for giving us authenticity and
connecting us to our heritage.
And to Mr. Briggs. Love you always.
OUR OWN SPECIAL
SINTERKLAAS! In Kingston:
Henk Dijk who returns from
Holland each year to join us! And
in Rhinebeck: Scott Cruikshank,
local hero!
THE PUPPETEERS
Alex Kahn
and Sophia Michahelles whose
vision and dedication to the
work is unmatched anywhere,
who hosted the workshop and
taught so many in the skills of
pageant puppetry and who made
that magnificent Horse and the
Fox, Crow, Bear, Goose, Turtle,
Hummingbird, the Bees…and now
the OWLS!
PARADE VOLUNTEERS
All
those who animated puppets!
Now you are 300 strong!!
AND ALL THE ARTISTS
AND PERFORMERS!
AS ALWAYS to Ania Aldrich
and Gigi Alvare for the original
work and setting us on the path.
And special thanks to Gigi for
channeling the Blessing of the
Owl. We know it was not easy.
TO MY son Jordan who is alive
and well and very funny and
becoming a man.
AND ESPECIALLY to our
patient, long-standing, and
supportive husbands: Al Boutin,
Steven Michael Pague, Bernard
Greenwald, Peter Muste, David
Gelb, Doug Baz, Donald Corrin,
Albert Shahinian, Foster Reed
and Harlan Matthews who play
greater roles than anyone could
ever imagine.
Sinterklaas is an ever astonishing
achievement and shows what a
community can do working and
dreaming together. Thank you
again to the greater Rhinebeck
community for the privilege of
being allowed to do the work.
The world is in a sorry state
these days in so many ways,
sometimes one wonders how to
go on..what is the right thing to
do? On Halloween night a friend
told me that the Dalai Lama was
very recently asked “what can
we do to make the world a better
place?” He lit up and immediately
answered “Festivals! They
bring people together in joyous
celebration.”
May our Sinterklaas festival serve
to bring peace and joy to the
world!
—Jeanne Fleming,
Designer and Coordinator,
SPEAKING FOR All of Us at
Sinterklaas!
THE SINTERKLAAS
COMMITTEES
THANK YOU ALL!
Steering Committee:
Lila Pague, Chair
George & Phebe Banta
Kimba Baker
Jessica Bard
Sarah Bissonnette-Adler
Colleen Bloxham
Ronnie Citron-Fink
Stephen Cook
Meg Crawford
Diana Devlin
Kathy & Tom Dressel
Pastor Nikki Hutt Edeleman
Joanne Engel
Elena Erber
Joanne & David Gelb
Sue Hartshorn
Suzanna Hermans
Joanna Hess
Becky Holt
Emily Houpt
Cait Johnson
Alex Kahn
Marybeth Kale
Richard Kopyscianki
Ken Kuter
Dede Leiber
Peggy & Bruce Lubman
Doug Baz & Jill Lundquist
Sally Mazzarella
Rev. Richard McKeon
Sophia Michahelles
Suzy Morris
Fr. Luis Perez
Joseph Phelan
Richard Prouse
Foster & Tricia Reed
Andrea Rhodes
Rabbi Yael Romer
Ana Sanjuan
Abby Saxon
Dorna Schroeter
Helen Seslowsky
Pat Sexton & Peter Muste
Dan Shornstein
Rev. William Starkweather
Martha Tobias
Mayor Heath Tortarella
Lou Trapani
John Traver
Julie & Lou Turpin
Livia & Bill Vanaver
Linda & Andy Weintraub
Aida Wilder
Piper Woods
Lindy Wright & Al Boutin
Mary Yankajtis
Kingston Sinterklaas Committee
Nancy Donskoj, Co-Chair
Susan Linn, Co-Chair
Karen Berelewitz
B.C. Gee
Kevin Godbey
Linda Harrington
Felix Olivieri
Deborah Mills Thackrey
Jacque Roland
Rob Sweeney
Gloria Waslyn
Jeanne Fleming
Hudson Valley Community Productions
118 La Bergerie Lane
Red Hook, NY 12571
845-758-5519
[email protected]
sinterklaashudsonvalley.com
sinterklaashudsonvalley.com •
Sinterklaas
2016
15
POSTER GALLERY
Sinterklaas is announced in a
most unusual way­—by beautiful
paintings hung in all the trees at
the center of town. Here is a small
sampling of the 150 paintings —
especially the equine images —
made by our high school students,
the Senior Citizens Artists’ Program
at the Reformed Church, the Art
Teachers and many other painters
from around town! Be sure to visit
EVERY one as you enjoy the day.
16 Sinterklaas 2016
• sinterklaashudsonvalley.com
recycled/recyclable