KidsOutAndAbout Weekly Newsletter |
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Sat, Jun 6: Rhinebeck Crafts Festival 2026
Fri, Jun 12: Yorktown Stage presents Willy Wonka Kids
Sat, Jun 13: Living History Event: Scots Day
Sat, Jun 20: Cider & Smoke at Harvest Moon Farm and Orchards
Sat, Jun 20: Hudson Valley Food Truck Festival - Barton Orchards
Tue, Jun 23: Pollinator Week at Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo
Fri, Jun 26: Summer Solstice Party at Hilltop Hanover Farm
Sat, Jun 27: Revolutionary Cider Celebration at Fishkill Farms
Sat, Jul 4: Red, White & Wild at Bailiwick
Sun, Jul 19: Beauty and the Beats at White Plains Performing Arts Center
Sat, Jul 25: June Farms Kite Festival |
Dear KidsOutAndAbout readers: One summer afternoon during a family camping trip in New Jersey when I was about 6 or 7 years old, a horse fly suddenly appeared next to my ear and started following me everywhere I went. I’m sure that, from its own perspective, it was just going about its business doing ordinary horse fly things, but to me it felt enormous, ominous, and purposeful. I can't remember if it
actually bit me, but I can still summon the hot panic of not being able to get away from its threatening buzz. To my small self, that fly wasn't a little distraction, it was a crisis with wings. The memory surfaced recently when my daughter Ella sent me the above photo, taken in Quintana Beach County Park, near Houston. The point was clear: Proceed, and you will be under attack, and not by any adorable Northeastern bugs you might be used to. No, these bugs were born in Texas. Beware. Sometimes that is exactly
how challenges feel, especially to kids: Problems loom much larger to them than they do to adults with decades of experience. A broken toy, a skinned knee, a mistake in front of the class, or a slight misunderstanding with a friend may be a fly in the ointment to us, but a Texas-sized monster to a child. The trick is to validate the feeling without validating helplessness. We stand beside them and say, Yes, I know, this feels huge. The bugs, even if they're not as large as they
think, are real. They watch us shoo them away and learn gradually to do it for themselves. If I had seen the sign above, my first instinct would have been to flee back to the safety of the car. And Ella said it was not exaggerating, at least not by much: The moment she stepped onto the property, giant mosquitoes descended, and they were hungry; even leggings soaked with OFF Deep Woods did not deter them. She assures me that the photo she got of the Bay-breasted Warbler was
worth all the bites on the backs of her knees. She knew better than to show me the damage. Clearly, the script has flipped.
—Debra Ross, publisher of KidsOutAndAbout.com, co-author of The Eclipse Effect: How to Seize Extraordinary Moments to Build Strong Communities
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KidsOutAndAbout.com: Discover more. Do more. Connect more. If you like my publisher's column, you can easily scroll through past columns in the "Notes from Deb" section of our site. |
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Families are invited to experience A Tribute to Demon Hunters: Family Friendly Live DJ Brunch at City Winery Hudson Valley on Sun, June 14 at 12:30 PM. Inspired by the hit Netflix film "KPop Demon Hunters", this high-energy brunch features K-Pop beats, a live DJ spinning soundtrack favorites, sing-alongs, dancing, trivia, and more. A fun, inclusive celebration for Hunters of ALL AGES. Tickets are limited. Please visit our website to get tickets today!
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Join us on May 31st for a special live event! We will be presenting “Tonight On Trampoline”, a guitar and vocal duet who will be singing songs from the G.O.A.T. band, the Beatles, and… singing these to our GOATS! So, GOAT SONGS TO GOATS!
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Join us at the scenic Barton Orchards in Poughquag, for our in-person Superhero 5k. Whether you join the Challenge or you select the 5K, we all will gather together on May 30th on the trail course to complete 3.1 miles together. This is a fun walk/jog/run and will cover terrain that at times can be on gravel, pavement, and grass. We aren't looking for your best time, we are looking for you to have a good time. Following the race join us for our first ever Superhero Rock Fest! Enjoy the sounds of local bands, savor delicious food and drinks and keep the party going with Sparrow's Nest!
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Join us at the Zoo in celebrating National Alligator Day and explore how Alligators shape wetlands, support biodiversity, and remind us of the importance of protecting wild spaces.
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All Aboard the Catskill Flyer. See the natural beauty of the Catskills from our railroad’s unique perspective aboard Ulster County’s scenic train. All trains are round trip from the Westbrook Lane Station located in the Kingston Plaza adjacent Uptown Kingston’s Stockade District. Join us as we travel through some of the oldest farmlands in the United States where we will cross the Esopus creek as we travel through the Hurley Flats and then start climbing Hurley Mountain. Our excursion is pulled by a 1951 Alco RS1 diesel locomotive. Passengers can enjoy the trip in our vintage coaches or on our open-air flat cars for the ultimate views on their ride.
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Muscoot’s weekly Farmers Market supports farmers and sustainable efforts in our area, featuring over 25 local vendors each week. Every Sunday until November 15.
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Welcome the spring breeze by creating your own decorative windchime. Use beads and found objects to design a colorful, one-of-a-kind piece that catches the light—and the wind. Recommended for ages 4+.
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- Community Craft Night - Marsh Sanctuary - B Road, Mount Kisco, NY, 5:00pm - 6:30pm on Friday, May 29, 2026
- Free Family Event in Irvington, NY – Robots, Arts & Crafts, Music & More - 25 North Broadway - Irvington, NY 10533, 11AM-2PM on Saturday, May 30, 2026
- Free Buddhist Temple Tours Upstate New York in Sullivan County Catskills - Kadampa Meditation Center New York - Sweeney Rd, Glen Spey, NY, 1:30PM on Saturday, May 30, 2026
- Kinderhook Farmers Market - Village Square - Kinderhook, NY 12106, 8:30 am - 12:30 pm on Saturday, May 30, 2026
- Nourishing our Neighbors: A Shavuot Mitzvah Project at JCC Rockland - JCC Rockland -
450 W Nyack Rd, West Nyack, NY 10994, 11 am - 12:30 pm on Sunday, May 31, 2026
- Farmers Market at Muscoot Farm - Muscoot Farm - 51 New York 100, Katonah, NY 10536, 9:30 am - 2:30 pm on Sunday, May 31, 2026
- Free Buddhist Temple Tours Upstate New York in Sullivan County Catskills - Kadampa Meditation Center New York - Sweeney Rd, Glen Spey, NY, 1:30PM on Sunday, May 31, 2026
- Free spring mini photo session with Shoott! - Hudson Valley - Shoott - Broadway, New York, NY, See link for times on Sunday, May 31, 2026
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Click here to discover Birthday party locations in the Hudson Valley area. From Arcades to Ziplines our Big List will help you think outside the box and plan the party of your kids' dreams! KidsOutAndAbout has dozens of ideas!
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The KidsOutAndAbout annual guide to summer camps in the Hudson Valley area is back! You can search by date, age, or categories like day/overnight, sports, drama, music, theatre, arts & crafts, technology, robotics, horseback riding, preschool, &
more. Our guide puts summer fun right at your…
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Looking for a thrilling family-friendly adventure in the Hudson Valley? Escape rooms are interactive, puzzle-packed experiences where you and your team work together to solve clues and complete your mission-all before time runs out! Whether you're escaping
a spooky cabin, cracking a high-stakes heist, or breaking a magical curse, escape rooms offer exciting, screen-free fun for kids, teens, and adults.
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Have a great weekend!
Debra Ross
Publisher, KidsOutAndAbout.com
Mom of Madison and Ella |
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