On Saturday, December 7 the Hudson Opera House plays host to the 17th annual Winter Walk, a not-to-be-missed kick-off event of the holiday season and a night well-known for its quirky take on the holidays and for the diversity of entertainment provided. At Winter Walk, Warren Street, Hudson’s mile-long commercial district transforms into a festive thoroughfare with twinkling lights, brightly decorated shops, horse-drawn wagons, live reindeer, stilt walkers, African drummers, carolers, hula hoopers and ballroom dancers, as well as a legion of other characters and performers.
The festive evening starts at 5 pm with the ringing of the carillon atop the First Presbyterian Church and the sound of a trumpet fanfare, along with the Santa Parade, organized by the Hudson Department of Youth, who usher Mr. & Mrs. Claus from the Hudson Opera House to City Hall where the popular couple listen to children’s wishes and hand out free gifts. Winter Walk is very kid friendly, from Santa and Mrs. Claus, live reindeer and miniature horses to the wagon rides around Seventh Street Park as well as face painting stations, the ever-popular Tots the Clown, making balloon animals, and the always entertaining Roger the Jester will also be out on town.
The holiday frolicking continues throughout the evening, with activities and performances both inside shops and on the street. A variety of music has always been the hallmark of Winter Walk. From jazz to classical, from harp to banjo, music is everywhere. As part of the tradition is the Coxsackie-Athens Community Band annual concert at the First Presbyterian Church just after the formal kick-off. The Band concert is followed by the 15-strong Capital Area Flute Club. Sax-o-Clause, a perennial favorite.
There’s something for everyone, from belly dancers and the Can Can Girl to the Hudson Valley Performing Arts Center’s ballet troupe, Hip Hop, and the Kuumba Dance & Drum ensemble to delicious food vendors. The evening culminates in a fireworks display, launched from Promenade Hill at the foot of Warren Street at 8:15, marking the “official” end of Winter Walk, but many businesses—especially restaurants–stay open long after the event.
Snow date: December 14.
Winter Walk is produced and presented by the Hudson Opera House, a multi-arts center and major downtown anchor, housed in an 1855 building that was once City Hall.
