Crafts, ice-carving, whiskey and more on Dec. 1
St. Mary’s Episcopal Church opens its doors Saturday, Dec. 1, for its annual Holiday Fair, with crafts for sale in the Parish Hall and rarely seen historic documents exhibited in the church. The festivities, held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., coincide with the Cold Spring by Candlelight tours (which begin at noon).
The Holiday Fair features crafts, hand-knit and crocheted winter accessories; gifts; cards and photos; decorated Christmas wreaths and trees in several sizes; homemade pastries and other baked goods; soup, stew and a range of food specialties; and unique gift baskets ready to present to family and friends. Some of the finest baskets, a major draw in the past, are raffled off at the end of the day to lucky winners.
Fair sales can be brisk, so St. Mary’s advises shoppers to arrive early. Also in the hall, visitors can warm up with coffee, tea, or hot chocolate; listen to caroling; or join in a whiskey-tasting. Outside, ice carving will be demonstrated on the church’s great lawn. The rectory is a stop on the Candlelight Tour.
Made available at no charge, the history display allows glimpses of history made real, with numerous 19th-century documents, pictures and similar items relating to the parish, West Point Foundry, Cold Spring, and the Hudson Valley. Many show the close links between the foundry and St. Mary’s, since the same individuals guided both through some of the most tumultuous events of the mid-1800s. Copies of Around Cold Spring, a pictorial history of the village and Philipstown, and The Hudson River Valley Review will be offered for sale.
St. Mary’s is located in Cold Spring at 1 Chestnut St., by the traffic light — the intersection of Route 9D (Chestnut Street-Morris Avenue) and Route 301 (Main Street).
