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Great Thanks to All and Happy 2010!
As we look back over this incredible year of commemoration, celebration and honoring of our great history and those great discoveries of Hudson, Fulton and Champlain, we must first cite the crown jewel of the Quadricentennial, Walkway Over the Hudson. On October 3, 2009, an unprecedented public-private partnership opened a renowned spectacle, the longest elevated walkway in the world, as a symbol to future generations of our commitment to New York’s environmental and economic future. “A park in the sky”, this new venue has already attracted thousands from around the world to experience the Hudson River from 212 feet above.
River Day, the signature event of the year, brought over 120,000 spectators on land and over 1500 boaters to join the festivities saluting and celebrating the flotilla during its 8-day, 120 mile nautical trip retracing that famous world changing journey. Whether cheering the flotilla, visiting the ships at dockside or hearing the tales told by the captains of the famous replica ships, nearly 100 events commemorated the River Day theme, demonstrating the power of the Hudson to serve as the centerpiece of the region’s $4.5 billion tourism industry.
One of those replica ships, the re-mastered “Onrust,” was unveiled and launched for the first time in June 2009 at the Great River Day Flotilla traveling its christening voyage up the river to commemorate the voyage of Henry Hudson 400 years ago. Thanks to NYS quad support and over 200 volunteers, this replica of the first ship built in America, will sail the Hudson and host educational programs onboard for years to come!
In New York City, the 400th was celebrated with the opening of the Dutch Pavilion in Battery Park, Harbor Day with festivals in all of the waterfront parks, historic vessel parades including the Onrust and the Half Moon, a Dutch commemorative beer competition, and the Macy’s Quadricentennial Fourth of July spectacle along the Hudson.
With great fanfare and thanks go to our historic partners from the Netherlands, we hosted the Royal couple, Prince Willem Alexander and Princess Maxima at the Governor’s mansion, Albany City Hall and finally, the 1609 Exhibit at the New York State Museum and Library.
More thanks to the HFCQ Commission under the leadership of Joan Kaplan Davidson who have brought to life an annual embrace of the historic sites throughout the Hudson and Champlain valleys in their inaugural Heritage Days. The Davidson team has launched an important quad legacy initiative to install more docks along the river and Lake Champlain to allow better access to our waterfronts.
Celine Paquette, Vice-chair of the HFCQ Commission led the way to completion of the Champlain Legacy Project of the refurbished Crown Point lighthouse and reappointment of the famous Rodin sculpture. The project opened in September at the double-park Festival of Nations with our Canadian and Vermont neighbors.
The Quad office and the DEC grant division worked closely with Captain “Chip” Reynolds to support a major “spruce-up” of the Half Moon, the replica ship of Henry Hudson. Other sponsorship projects included 350 mini-grants for special quad projects throughout the state, over 1500 community events, 17 City and 15 County quad grants to supplement their year-long celebrations and programs, and two documentaries covering our French and Dutch heritage.
More than 20,000 flags were delivered to the towns, villages, libraries, and schools where they signed on as the hundreds of Quad Communities, Quad Schools, and Quad Ambassadors who also received commemorative pins, bookmarks, stickers, and curriculum support materials.
Contributions to the auspicious year from the state agencies included the 400th Commemorative Curriculum from the NYS Board of education; DEC’s Estuary Action Agenda and Champlain Basin Plan and two Quad fishing piers; the Thruway, Canal, and Bridge Authority installed the 400th flags everywhere; MTA quad-branded their Metronorth trains and ferries; and Port Authority installed huge “Welcome to New York’s 400th!” banners in the airports.
Other notable and unforgettable events and projects sponsored by the Quad Commission and Office include the American Museum of Natural History Quadricentennial Sustainability Expo drawing 10,000 families, and the Quadricentennial StampExpo400, the largest show of its kind in the country. Co-sponsored events included the New York Botanical Garden’s Tulipmania, the Quadricentennial Ice Festival at Bear Mountain, 400 Years of History at Marist College showcasing authors of New York history, The FDR Four Freedoms Medals Award Ceremony, the H209 Conference at the Liberty Science Center, West Point Quad festivities, and the many great quad events from the Hudson Valley Greenway including the Quadricentennial legacy trail, the Great Hudson Sojourn and the Hudson Valley Ramble.
None of this would have happened without the vision and leadership of Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Pete Grannis, who championed legislation creating the Quadricentennial Commission when he served in the New York State Assembly. The DEC served as the home and operational base of the Quadricentennial office, including the mighty and now, weary quad team. Immeasurable thanks goes to Barbara Fratianni, Nicole Sama, and Carol Bissetta. This able team worked tirelessly throughout the Hudson and Champlain Valleys to coordinate and orchestrate the efforts of the countless volunteers, agency staff members and communities who made 2009 a once in a lifetime experience – celebrating our great 400 years of the Empire State’s history and looking ahead to a sustainable economic and environmental future for all New Yorkers.
Great thanks to all and a very fond farewell,
Tara Sullivan
Executive Director
Hudson-Fulton-Champlain Quadricentennial
Click here to view the final issue of "The Rising Tide"
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Dutch NY
LENAPE EXHIBIT GRAND OPENING NOVEMBER 2ND
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ELLIS ISLAND MONDAY NOVEMBER 2ND - GRAND OPENING
New York State First Lady Michelle Paige Paterson, Quadricentennial Commissioner Joan Davidson, NYS DEC Commissioner Pete Grannis, Dutch Consul General Hugo Gajus Scheltema, Ellis Island National Park Superintendent David Luchsinger, and other special guests from the American Indian communities on November 2, 2009 as we honor the great people who were in this region before Henry Hudson arrived. The exhibit opening, press reception and traditional ceremony of "Lenape: Ellis Island’s First Inhabitants at the Ellis Island Immigration Museum" will be held at 11:00 AM.
For transportation details, contact Ellis Island Cruises, run by Statue Cruises out of Battery Park, 877-523-9849. Tickets are $12 for adults.
StampExpo 400 !! September 25-27
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Dont miss this Quadricentennial Event at the Empire State Plaza Concourse!
The 2009 Hudson Fulton champlain Quadricetennial Stamp Exposition, sponsored by the New York Federation of Philatelic Societies is one of the final offical commissinoed events of New York State's year-long anniversary. There will be competitive philatelic exhibits, a national literature competition and cachet competition. Youth activities and souvenirs are also available. This is potentially one of the largest philatelic shows on the continent in 2009!
Dates and Times: Friday and Saturday from 10am to 6pm and Sunday 10am-4pm
For more imformation please visit : www.stampexpo400.org
Dutch Beer Competition! Sept 13th at Pier 84 NYC
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September 13th at Pier 84 in NYC
The Hudson Fulton Champlain Quadricentennial and Hudson River Park Foundation and the Hudson Valley Beer and Food Festival will sponsor a beer tasting and competition of a commemorative beer brewed to a 400 year old style of Dutch origin. Held from 2:30-4pm along with the Oyster Festival. The beer that will be breweed by a number of craft brewers from NYC, New Jersey and the Hudson Valley, is based on a 400 year old "grain bill" that was found in Heineken archives, Holand and provided to the Quadricentennial.
Hudson Vaely Beer and Food Festival, Inc. is organizing a panel of exper judges to taste the samples and select the winning "Dutch Commemorative Beer." Heineken, New York, will furnish the winner with a trophy. Following the contest, samples of the beer will be poured for the public to taste. PArticipating brewers will be available to discuss their beer.
Contact information:
Bill Woodring - bill4beer@aol.com
Nat Collins nat1@hvc.rr.com
River Day
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Please Click here to view the River Day photo gallery by Bill Smith
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THE GREAT RIVER DAY FLOTILLA
A NEW YORK STATE QUADRICENTENNIAL SIGNATURE EVENT FOR THE HUDSON VALLEY
Pride in New York’s great history and a commitment to a sustainable economic and environmental future for the Hudson River Valley were in evidence among the thousands of residents and tourists who turned out to welcome the fleet of New York heritage ships in its stately parade from the Statue of Liberty to Albany, following the course of Henry Hudson’s voyage 400 years ago.
An estimated 100,000 spectators on land and over 1500 boaters joined in the festivities saluting and celebrating the flotilla during its 8-day, 120 mile nautical trip retracing that famous world changing journey. Whether cheering the flotilla, visiting the ships at dockside or hearing the tales told by the captains of the famous replica ships, nearly 100 events commemorated the River Day theme, demonstrating the power of the Hudson to serve as the centerpiece of the region’s $4.5 billion tourism industry.
Starting with Governor David Paterson’s official launch of River Day with the Blessing of the Fleet, organizations including Battery Park, Cloisters, the Hudson River Museum, Marist College, FDR Home and Library, Mills Mansion, Vanderbilt Mansion, Bard College, Scenic Hudson and Clermont Estate mobilized staff and visitors out to watch the flotilla parade by. Hudson River Maritime Museum had a huge welcome celebration and West Point honored the flotilla with the highest 16 cannon salute
New Jersey towns, Yonkers, Dobbs Ferry, Irvington, Philipse Manor, Haverstraw, Croton and Ossining, Stonypoint, Peekskill, Garrison and Cold Spring, Highland Falls, Cornwall and New Hamburg, Tivoli, Coxsackie, Coeymans, Bethlehem, and Schodack-all had historic record numbers packed along the river bank to cheer, ring church bells, blast cannons, and sound sirens. Nyack, Tarrytown, Piermont, Newburgh, Beacon, Poughkeepsie, Hyde Park, Rhinecliff, Kingston, Catskill, Athens, Hudson, Castleton, and Renssalaer hosted the ships overnight, fed the crews, and looked after the ships.
Private porches and balconies, yards full of lawn chaired spectators declaring: This is better than TV!, countless barbeques, picnics and parties lined the riverbank.
School children by the busload, a class from Saugerties came out by boat to greet the Captain of the Half Moon with a special Quadricentennial flag honoring our 400th. Pete Seeger singing valley ballads, Jay Unger and Molly Mason, the CIA made a Quadricentennial cake, and the Half Moon cut a river-wide ribbon.
Among the flotilla participants there were; Captains’ of the Half Moon and the New Netherland Museum, Clearwater, Onrust and the New Netherland Institute, John J Harvey Fireboat, Governor Cleveland tug and the Canal Corporation, Woody Guthrie and the Beacon Sloop Club, the Naval Militia, the United States Coast Guard, Riverkeeper, Classic Harbor Lines, Manhattan By Sail, CircleLine, SeaTow, Water Taxi, North Cove Yacht Club, Discover Boating and our amazing safety boat, Launch 5. The crew and captains of these ships and boats loved the crowds as much as the crowds loved them-from Day One to Day Eight, they were always waving, singing and sounding deafening horns!
The backbone of the volunteer force of over 1000 people, came from all the wholehearted support of boat clubs, yacht clubs and marinas of the river who coordinated a boat ballet sending their memberships out in waves to escort the historic centennial journey.
The Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome joined the flotilla every good day making formation fly-overs reminding all of us on the ground of the famous first flight over water by Wilbur Wright 100 years ago up the Hudson River. A River Day wedding happened on day seven, after a double rainbow (without rain!) greeted the flotilla, followed by the second fireworks display over the water sponsored by Coeymans Marine Terminal.
The leading river environmental organizations; Scenic Hudson, Clearwater and Riverkeeper chose River Day as their backdrop to articulate their common goals for the coming Quadricentennial decade – a cleaner river, protected parklands, and a new generation of environmental leaders.
Could this passion and intensive nostalgia be turned into a sustainable valley event bringing along some economic sustenance and more environmental awareness? Shall we band together and model Seattle and countless other water-connected communities who have made an annual opening day the biggest day of the year?
The boaters say they have wanted to establish an annual opening day, the towns say they want to celebrate the river with their neighbors, and the local historians say that it is high time to have a valley- wide tradition set in stone for the next one hundred years!
River Day has launched the Quad events for the remainder of this auspicious year and made New York’s Quadricentennial a household word in the valley. Perhaps more importantly, River Day has shown that at the end of 2009, we will not say goodbye to the quad, but instead say “see you next June at River Day! “
And Bravo!, huge applause, and thank you to everyone in the valley who played a part in launching this great tradition.
Mutual Strangers - Arm-of-the-Sea-Theater
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Here are other locations where we'll be performing in the coming
month:
Aug 21 - Roxbury, NY - Mutual Strangers
Aug 27 - Warwick, NY - Mutual Strangers
Aug 28 - Yonkers, NY - Mutual Strangers
Sept 5 - Frenchtown, NJ - Turtle Island Medicine Show
Sept 12 - Central Park, NYC - Mutual Strangers
Sept 19 - Battery Park, NYC - Mutual Strangers
MORE ABOUT MUTUAL STRANGERS
Mutual Strangers is a fictional drama inspired by the events
surrounding the 1609 voyage of the Halve Maen (Half Moon) under the
command of Henry Hudson. Sent from Europe to find a northern route
to the Orient, Hudson and his crew endured storms, ice, and threat of
mutiny to eventually sail 150 miles up a river on the "unknown" North
American continent. The events that transpired on that river... the
encounters of European sailors and indigenous people, and the
information brought back to the Dutch East India Company...
foreshadowed the collision of cultures that would come to shape New
York State and a new nation.
Based on the logbook of first mate Robert Juet and from oral
traditions of the Lenape and Mohican peoples, the story is a coming-
of-age tale of two boys. Teme Gwitet is the grandson of a Mohican
sachem (or chief) living on the great river called Maheakanuk. John
Hudson is the son of Henry and a crewmember aboard the Half Moon.
"We try to convey something of the time period and the complex
interactions of First Contact between two peoples through the eyes of
these two boys," notes playwright and director Patrick Wadden. "We
found an immense amount of material for this story and have been
hewing it down to its essentials over the past month. I think the
show will offer a different perspective on the Quadricentennial."
CREATING THE SHOW
Arm-of-the-Sea artistic director Marlena Marallo created the large
masks, puppet figures and other visual elements. Dean Jones, the
company's music director, along with guest composer Dennis Yerry
designed the music and they perform it live while also doing many of
the character voices. Mr. Yerry, of Haudenosaunee (Iroquois)
ancestry, arranged several traditional songs for the show. Other
Native American artists who contributed voiceovers include Meghan
Corcoran, Kay Olan, Matoaka Little Eagle and Powhatan Swift Eagle.
Animating the dozens of mask and puppet characters are veteran
performers Carl Welden, Lily McNamara and Patrick Wadden.
SPONSORSHIP
Production of Mutual Strangers has been made possible by support from
the Jim Henson Foundation, Puffin Foundation, Hudson River
Improvement Fund, and the NYS Quadricentennial Commission... and by
public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts, a state
agency... and the National Endowment for the Arts, which believes
that a great nation deserves great art.
WALKWAY OVER THE HUDSON - Cruises and Water Taxi
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Friday October 2nd and Saturday October 3rd
On Friday, October 2nd and Saturday, October 3rd, Hudson Cruises will be conducting a “Water Taxi” service between Mariner’s Restaurant in highland and the floating dock at Victor C Waryas Park in Poughkeepsie free to the public. The ride will include a 20 minute tour of the region including an “Under the Walkway” excursion.
For dates, times and more information please click here.
TONIGHT Walkway Over the Hudson Cruise!!!
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TONIGHT- Illumination Cruise on the Hudson in celebration of the Walkway Over the Hudson!!
In celebration of the opening of the Walkway Over the Hudson State Historic Park Lantern Release and fireworks!
Date: Friday, October 2nd
Time: 5:30pm- 10:15pm
Departs: from Newburgh Landing
Cost: $35
Food and snacks for sale, a full stocked bar and beverages. You are welcomed to bring your own picnic dinner. No beverages brought aboard.
Contact Info:
845-220-2120
www.prideofthehudson.com
DEC Commemorative Quad Conservation Magazine Issue
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DEC Commemorative Quad Conservationist Magazine Issue
Natalie Merchant Commercial
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