by JD Eiseman

Handmade Holiday Pop-Up Market. Poughkidsie hosts this annual pop-up gift boutique, featuring locally crafted items from Hudson Valley artisans and makers. The Village will be open for creative exploration. Take care of your holiday shopping, give your children some creative playtime, and support local businesses all in one go. $10/family. poughkidsie.com. Poughkidsie, 50 Springside Avenue, Poughkeepsie. December 4. 4-8pm.

A Christmas Carol: A Musical Experience. Interspersed with familiar music, this family-friendly musical based on Charles Dickens’ well known holiday story will delight all ages. Lunch with Santa at 12pm prior to the 2pm performances. Tickets for the lunch are $8 and reservations are required. Please e-mail beaconsantalunch@gmail.com . $12 for adults, $5 for students and seniors. Beacon High School, 101 Matteawan Road, Beacon. December 4, 7pm; December 5-6, 2pm.

Sinterklaas! The annual Sinterklaas! parade returns to Rhinebeck, honoring the children of the Hudson Valley as the bringers of light at this darkest time of year. The tradition of Sinterklaas comes all the way from the Netherlands, brought by the Dutch settlers who arrived in Rhinebeck over 300 years ago. Sinterklaas, the patron of children and sailors, finds a welcoming community in the Hudson Valley as organizers of this parade and all-day celebration recreate the story through the lens of modern-day America. The revived tradition is non-denominational and all inclusive—absolutely everyone and anyone who wants to be part of a community of hope for a joyous and peaceful world are all welcome. sinterklaashudsonvalley.com Rhinebeck. December 5.

Annual Monastery Craft Fair. The Monastery Christmas Craft Fair is a unique festival in the Hudson Valley, the only place where 10 varieties of artisanal vinegars are available for sampling and purchase.  These organic artisanal vinegars based on an ancient medieval monastic recipe are crafted from different types of wines and spices, as well as local pure apple cider. These monastery vinegars, depicted in the NY Times, Food Arts, and other local press, are the only ones produced in the Hudson Valley following this ancient method. There is also a wide selection of creches with figurines from all over the world as well as Christmas cards and postcards, monastic cookbooks, and food made at the monastery. Our Lady of the Resurrection Monastery, 246 Barmore Road, LaGrangeville. December 5 and 6, 10am-5pm.

Holiday Scavenger Hunt. Join in a fun-filled family adventure as you experience the elegance of Locust Grove as decorated for the holiday season. Follow the clues as you explore the historic mansion, searching for the unique gift in each room. When you’ve completed the hunt, return to the Visitor Center for cider, cookies, and a delightful performance of holiday stories by local storytellers. $8 admission/kids under 4 free. lgny.org. Locust Grove, 2683 South Road, Poughkeepsie. Sundays in December, 12-4pm.

Cajun Holiday Dance. Come dance, listen to live music, and meet friends new and old at a fun holiday party with Nyack-based Cajun music collective Krewe de la Rue to benefit the Beacon Food Pantry. Lessons in the basics of two-step and waltz. Gumbo, food, and refreshments served. Raffles, door prizes, fun gifts, and a special auction for the Beacon Sloop Club. $20 admission. beaconsloopclub.org. St. Luke’s, 850 Wolcott Avenue, Beacon. December 6. 3-7pm.

Alternative Heating Workshop. Alternative heating systems are becoming increasingly common as businesses hope to reduce heating bills and move toward renewable fuels. This session provides information on these alternate forms of heating. Certificates of attendance for municipal training credit are provided. Free. Farm and Home Center, 2715 Route 44, Millbrook. December 8, 6:30-8:30pm.

Save Energy, Save Dollars Workshop. The Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) and NYSERDA bring you this “Save Energy, Save Dollars” workshop. This free workshop provides energy saving tips and information on energy assistance programs to help residents who are facing higher energy costs. Advance registration is required. plvprograms@yahoo.com. 845-635-8460.Pleasant Valley Library, 1584 Main Street, Pleasant Valley. December 9, 6:30-8:30pm.

Quinn’s Presents G. Calvin Weston & Lucas Brode. Quinn's is excited to present the duo of drummer G. Calvin Weston (Ornette Coleman, Vernon Reid, Lounge Lizards, James “Blood” Ulmer, Marc Ribot) and Hudson Valley guitarist and electronic artist Lucas Brode, celebrating their new recording Flying Kites on 577 Records. There is no cover charge for this event but donations for the musicians are requested. Quinn's, 330 Main Street, Beacon. December 17, 9pm.

Gordon Parks: The Making of an Argument. This exhibition examines the making of a seminal Life magazine photo essay, the first by noted photographer Gordon Parks. Parks, one of America’s most significant social photographers, filmmakers, and writers of the 20th century, became the first African-American photographer to work for Life when he pitched a series of pictures about the gang wars that were then plaguing Harlem. Parks gained the trust of one group of gang members and their leader Red Jackson, producing photographs of them that are artful, emotive, poignant, and sometimes shocking. From this larger body of work, 21 pictures were selected for the photo essay in Life. This exhibition comprises 45 prints alongside contact sheets, issues of the original publication, and related ephemera that both contextualize the images chosen for the story and suggest the ways in which the editorial process shapes the narrative arc. Free. fllac.vassar.edu. Frances Lehman Loeb Art Center, Vassar College, 124 Raymond Avenue, Poughkeepsie. On view through December 13.

Holiday Art Show. The Tivoli Artists Co-Op will celebrate and display a wide range of artist creations, including hanging art and prints for sale. There will also be cards, hats and scarves, pottery, 3-D creations, tote bags, and all kinds of interesting things to delight everyone. All artwork in the show can be purchased during gallery hours or by special appointment. tivoliartistsgallery.com. Tivoli Artists Gallery, 60 Broadway, Tivoli. On view through December 20.

Adrift: Photographs by Carolyn Marks Blackwood. Rhinecliff-based photographer Carolyn Marks Blackwood's Hudson River photographs reframe segments of air, ice and water into vivid color fields, geometric abstractions, and flattened motifs. By removing perspective and context, her unmodified images seize ephemeral moments within everyday occurrences and heighten them into foreign, unfamiliar pictures. These large-scale images are presented in the lobby of the LUMA Theater. Free. Fisher Center, Bard College, 60 Manor Avenue, Annandale-on-Hudson. Through December 31.

Along the Mt. Beacon Incline Railway: Past, Present and Future. This exhibit explores the initiative to bring back the Mt. Beacon Incline through the lens of an historic narrative and an eye towards the future. Through the use of large format photography, digital video, animation, and artist renderings, the exhibit shows how the Incline's early origins shaped the City of Beacon and connected people to the Hudson River. riversandestuaries.org. Beacon Institute for Rivers and Estuaries, 199 Main Street, Beacon. On view through March 2016.

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