Hill and Hollow Music Presents

Clayton Stephenson, piano

Sunday December 1, 3 pm

American pianist Clayton Stephenson’s love for music is immediately apparent in his joyous charisma onstage, expressive power, and natural ease at the instrument. Hailed for “extraordinary narrative and poetic gifts” and interpretations that are “fresh, incisive and characterfully alive” (Gramophone), he is committed to making an impact on the world through his music-making.

Clayton Stephenson graduated from the Harvard-New England Conservatory (NEC) dual degree program in spring 2023 with a bachelor’s degree in economics at Harvard and a master’s degree in piano performance at NEC under Wha Kyung Byun. In addition to being the first Black finalist at the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in 2022, he received an Avery Fisher Career Grant in 2024, won the inaugural Nina Simone Piano Competition in 2023, and is a 2025 Sphinx Medal of Excellence honoree.

His program includes Beethoven Sonata No. 30 in E Major, op. 109; Bach-Busoni Chaconne in D Minor, BWV 1004; Stravinsky Trois mouvements de Petrouchka; Harold Arlen-Keith Jarrett “Over the Rainbow” and Gershwin Rhapsody in Blue. He will perform on a vintage 1925 Steinway Model D, a re-built nine-foot concert-grand from the “golden age” of the Steinway Company. More information HERE 

See Clayton Stephenson’s winning 2022 Cliburn performance of George Gershwin’s Piano Concerto HERE.

Seating is open with admission collected at the door: $20 general; $15 seniors; and $5 students.

Saranac Methodist Church, Route 3, Saranac

The Trains are Coming – to Au Sable Forks

Holiday Window Display on Main Street

Tuesday, December 3, 2024  to January, 2025

It all began in 2012, when local train collectors Lou Scavo and Karl Cokes set up their first installation of G-Model Trains (the largest of the model trains) over a decade ago. It occupied most of the ground floor of the Tahawus Building. It was early days for the building as the previously empty structure was just becoming newly established and re-imagined as a local community cultural center. 

Ten years later, in 2022, to celebrate the 10th anniversary of “Here Come the Trains,” Lou’s charming Tahawus window scene featured a Logging Train which made tracks over the holiday season. The Center’s Main Street Window was transformed into a miniature wonderland. 

In 2024, TWO train scenes are featured. And it is an Au Sable Forks community effort! Heidi Gero, Rebecca Uss family, Tammy Rose, all have been major contributors to the effort. Executive Director of Tahawus Center Craig Brashear has designed and constructed the two tiered foreground and distant scenes. 

Find out more about the Tahawus Cultural Center HERE.

Tahawus Cultural Center, 14234 Rt 9N, Main Street, Au Sable Forks

Adirondack Foundation launches Kindling Awards

Awards will support civic gatherings; deadline for nominations is December 20.

A new award opportunity aims to bring people together within local communities across the Adirondack region this winter.

Adirondack Foundation’s Kindling Awards will provide awards of $1,000 each for up to 30 nominees hosting community-driven gatherings, with an emphasis on non-traditional groups bringing people together. The events can be something already planned or something new, but must take place before May 2025. The deadline for nominations is Friday, Dec. 20, 2024.

Get full details HERE.

The Adirondack Kids Series #21

 The Most Marvelous-Moose Call Contest

Monday, December 2, 7 – 8 pm, free, via Zoom

Join the father-son writing team, Gary and Justin VanRiper, as they discuss the newest book in their famous Adirondack Kids series.

Gary & Justin will provide a brief overview of their work, followed by in interview with Mitch Teich of North Country Public Radio. The program will conclude with a Q&A session, giving you the opportunity to engage directly with Gary & Justin.

Register HERE.

BEGINNERS LOOM WEAVING PROJECT: FOR THE BIRDS!

Saturday, December 7, 2024, 10 am – 4 pm

Curious about loom weaving but don’t know where to start? Do you love birds? Want to learn to weave in one day AND walk away with a beautiful project that helps your backyard birds build their homes? We’ve got a class for you!!

This workshop will introduce participants to weaving by making a fun, quick fabric on a floor loom to be hung outdoors providing birds with various nesting material. Participants will go home with a finished weaving ready to be hung.

The course is appropriate for all levels of weavers, even complete beginners. The looms will be warped with cotton warping and odd pieces of wool yarn, roving, feathers, grasses and sticks will be available to add to your weaving. Students are encouraged to bring any additional material they would like to use.

Gail Huston, Weaving instructor

Beginners and up, Age 14+, $65

Register HERE.

Questions? Contact Tara Palen, Director of Education & Outreach, at tara@lakeplacidarts.org

Lake Placid Center for the Arts, 17 Algonquin Drive, Lake Placid

EARLY BIRD TICKETS AT $20 ENDS NOV 30

THE DRAG CHRISTMAS SPECIAL

Saturday, December 28, Doors at 6:30 pm, Performance at 7 pm

Tickets are $20 (if purchased before Nov 30) and $25 there after. Get tickets HERE. 

Get ready to sleigh this holiday season with the return of The Ausable Theater’s THE DRAG CHRISTMAS SPECIAL! Come and celebrate the most fabulous time of the year at Amos & Julia Ward Theater in Jay for a night filled with glitter, glamour, and holiday cheer. This event is the annual fundraiser to support the ongoing renovations of The Ausable Theater located in downtown Au Sable Forks, NY.

Tippy Gourley, the self appointed “Queen of the Ausable Valley,” returns as your hostess with special guests and performances by Red D’Licious, Mhisty Knights, Ali Cadabra, new comers Hudson River and Eloda Sarcasm, plus some surprise ‘local guests’ and a few others who might not have proper homes for the holidays.  Sound and projects by Echo.

This event is sponsored in part by New Vida Preserve.

Amos & Julia Ward Theater, 15 Parkside Road, Jay

The Wild Center Presents

Wild Lights

Tickets Now Available!

Dates for the 2024-2025 season are as follows: 

Fridays and Saturdays from November 29 to February 22

Open nightly during Holiday Week – December 26 to 31

Open nightly during Winter Week – February 14 to 22

The 2024-25 season features new immersive projection experience!

The Wild Center is excited to announce the return of Wild Lights, presented by Merrill L. Thomas, Inc., for its fifth season, with tickets on sale now. The evening experience transforms The Wild Center’s 115-acre campus into a winter wonderland, with thousands of bulbs and a variety of activities and displays. 

This family-friendly winter event offers a chance to experience The Wild Center in a new light, literally! Visitors can look forward to:

• New Immersive Projection Experience: visitors can explore Wild Lights like never before with indoor and outdoor immersive projection art installations by Echo, an Adirondack artist and co-founder of The Station in Onchiota. 
• Snack at the Mobile Sugar Shack: the shack will be converted into a food truck, serving hot and cold treats at The Wild Center’s patio space. 
• Wild Lights Light Lager: Raquette River Brewing’s festive creation will be returning and can be purchased at The Wild Center, as well as in-store and on tap at Raquette River Brewing Co. and other local stores.
• Forest Music: the looped trail with over 130 trees wrapped in colorful lights synchronized to a 10-track musical compilation from Whatever Penny entitled Songs for an Old Pine Forest.
• Lit Photo Ops: oversized neon bird wings that provide a perfect photo op and other new illuminated sculptures guide visitors through the different paths and trails.

More info and tickets HERE.

The Wild Center, 45 Museum Drive, Tupper Lake

Kick off the holiday season by creating ornaments during our December Family Craft Program!

Participants can make multiple ornaments using stencils, stickers, and other craft supplies! You can take your ornaments with you or add them to our special “Children’s Tree” in the Museum for others to admire.

Parental participation is encouraged, and supervision is required.

This program is free but requires a reservation. To register, call (518) 793-2826.

Chapman Museum, 348 Glen Street, Glens Falls

The Westport Library Presents

George Washington is the Only President Not to Blame the Previous Administration for His Troubles  

Historical Perspectives on the Election of 2024 by Connor Williams, American Historian

December 3, 2024 6 pm, FREE ($20 suggested donation to support the library)

Elections in the United States come with three guarantees.  They happen every four years.  They make about half the population jubilant.  And they make the other half worried. 

In the aftermath of the Election of 2024, many questions are circulating within our news media and within our minds.  Have political coalitions realigned?  How did one candidate “win” the election, and how did the other candidate “lose” it? Which parts of each campaign’s rhetoric could become real policy, and which were pure politics?  What do Americans really want from their leadership?  Will this election fundamentally change America, or will the country continue along familiar lines of party politics and political issues?  

Although history cannot answer these questions for our future, it can give instructive examples from our past.  Join American Historian and Westport resident Connor Williams for a lecture and conversation on what our nation’s past elections can teach us about its present and future ones.

Find out more HERE.

Westport Library Association, 6 Harris Lane, Westport