Edited by Pamela Doan ([email protected])
For a complete listing of events, see highlandscurrent.org/calendar.

COMMUNITY

MON 18
MLK Day Virtual Celebration
BEACON
11 a.m. – 1 p.m. via Zoom
Enjoy civil-rights, gospel and inspirational songs and a message from Rev. Ronald Perry, pastor of Springfield Baptist Church. The theme is “keep the flame alive” and the webinar, sponsored by the church and the Beacon Sloop Club, will benefit the Howland Public Library. Use Zoom ID 884-4809-2593 and passcode 764436 or call 929-436-2866 with ID 884 4809 2593# and same passcode.

MON 18
MLK Day Family Celebration
GARRISON
4 p.m. Desmond-Fish Library
845-424-3020 | bit.ly/DFPLmlkconcert
Gwen Laster and Damon Banks will perform a virtual concert. Register online.

SAT 23
Sandy Galef Town Hall
PHILIPSTOWN
10 a.m. Via Zoom | 914-941-1111
[email protected]
Call the assemblywoman’s office if you live in Philipstown and don’t receive an email with a Zoom link and phone number to participate.

TALKS

SAT 16
So You Want to Run for Office
POUGHKEEPSIE
2 p.m. Via Zoom
bit.ly/ddwc-run-for-office
The Dutchess Democratic Women’s Caucus will host this forum for women interested in running for elected office in Dutchess County, or working to get other women elected. Speakers include Elisa Sumner, Rebecca Edwards and Kenya Gadsden. Register online.

TUES 19
Future Forward
POUGHKEEPSIE
4 p.m. Via Zoom | scenichudson.org
A panel that includes Barbara Han, a disease ecologist with the Cary Institute; Stiles Najac of the Orange County Cooperative Extension; Hugo Jule-Quintanilla of Sustainable Hudson Valley; and Vic Barrett of Our Children’s Trust will present its ideas for addressing climate change in the region. The program is being presented in cooperation with Chronogram Media. Register online.
Future Forward

THURS 21
Confronting Racism and Bias
GARRISON
7 p.m. Philipstown Hub
philipstownhub.org/events
Register online to join a collaboration of community partners for a listening session. Moderated by Tajae Gaenor of CLUSTER Community Services, Jocelyn Apicello of the Ecological Citizens Project and Danielle Pack McCarthy of the Philipstown Behavioral Health Hub in cooperation with the Desmond-Fish Public Library, the Haldane PTA’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee and the Garrison School’s Antiracism and Equity Task Force.

THURS 21
Hudson Valley and the Union War Effort
COLD SPRING
7 p.m. Putnam History Museum
putnamhistorymuseum.org
Mark Forlow, the chair of the museum board, and Michael Barrett of the Burden Iron Works Museum will discuss the role of the iron works and the West Point Foundry in the Union effort during the Civil War. Cost: $10 (members free) 

ANIMALS & NATURE

WED 20
Panoramas of the Hudson River
BEACON
7:30 p.m. Sloop Clearwater
clearwater.org
Register to watch the second in a four-part online series by contributors to The Hudson: An Illustrated Guide to the Living River. Cost: $7 (free for members) 

THURS 21
Landscaping to Support Biodiversity
GARRISON
9:30 a.m. Via Zoom
845-265-2601 x10
putnam.cce.cornell.edu/events
The Constitution Marsh Audubon Center and the Putnam County Cornell Cooperative Extension will present this two-part webinar for landscape architects and designers. Cost: $80 

SAT 23
Owl Prowl
CORNWALL
7 p.m. Outdoor Discovery Center
120 Muser Drive | 845-534-5506 x204
hhnm.org
Learn about owls and their history, meet the Hudson Highlands Nature Museum’s owl ambassador and take a nighttime hike to call for owls. Registration required. Cost: $15 ($10 members)
Owl Prowl

SUN 24
Spotting Winter Birds
GARRISON
2 p.m. Desmond-Fish Library
845-424-3020 | desmondfishlibrary.org
Pete Salmansohn of the Putnam Highlands Audubon Society will teach participants via Zoom how to identify winter birds. Registration required. 

HEALTH & WELLNESS

TUES 19
Balancing the Immune System
GARRISON
7 p.m. Desmond-Fish Library
845-424-3020 | desmondfishlibrary.org
Somesh Kaushik will discuss maintaining balance and the immune system using Ayurvedic principals in this virtual workshop.

THURS 21
10 Signs of Alzheimer’s
BEACON
1 p.m. Howland Public Library
845-831-1134 | beaconlibrary.org
The local chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association will discuss the benefits of early detection and the differences between memory loss, normal aging, disease and dementia. Email [email protected] to register. 

LITERARY

the contradictionsTUES 19
Graphic Novel Book Club
COLD SPRING
7 p.m. Split Rock
845-265-2080 | splitrockbks.com
The group will discuss The Contradictions, by Sophie Yanow. 

WED 20
Reading with Writers
COLD SPRING
6 p.m. Split Rock
845-265-2080 | splitrockbks.com
Natalie Goldberg will join the group for its discussion of her book about writing haiku, Three Simple Lines.

THURS 21
Fiction Book Club
COLD SPRING
7 p.m. Split Rock
845-265-2080 | splitrockbks.com
The group will discuss Everything Under, by Daisy Johnson. 

Rae Armantrout
Rae Armantrout

SAT 23
Rae Armantrout and Heller Levinson
GARRISON
3 p.m. Desmond-Fish Library
845-424-3020 | desmondfishlibrary.org
In this Zoom presentation, Armantrout, who won the Pulitzer Prize for her 2010 poetry collection, Versed, will read from her latest collection, Conjure, while Levinson will read from Seep. Mary Newell will lead a discussion with both poets.

KIDS & FAMILY

WED 20
Learn to Knit
GARRISON
4 p.m. Desmond-Fish Library
845-424-3020 | desmondfishlibrary.org
Students in grades 6 to 12 can learn the basics. 

WED 20
Podcast Workshop
BEACON
6 p.m. Howland Public Library
845-831-1134 | beaconlibrary.org
Middle and high school students can learn all the basics for a podcast series that will launch in February. Email [email protected] to register. 

THURS 21
Jennifer Donnelly
COLD SPRING
3:30 p.m. Butterfield Library
845-265-3040 | butterfieldlibrary.org
Donnelly will lead an online reading and discussion of her most recent young adult novel, Poisoned, which is a retelling of Snow White. Register online. 

VISUAL ART

SAT 16
The Brick Show / RedGuardian / Relics of a False Future
BEACON
6 – 9 p.m. Clutter Gallery
212-255-2505
clutter.co
Bright artworks by Brandon Leach and Steven Usher will be on view. 

Mison Kim
Artwork by Mison Kim

SAT 23
Blue Like an Orange / Games, Guns and Glory
GARRISON
5 – 7 p.m. Garrison Art Center
23 Garrison’s Landing
845-424-3960 | garrisonartcenter.org
Elise Church’s still-life and interior paintings will run concurrently with Mison Kim’s exhibition of diagrammatic works on paper.

MUSIC

SUN 24
Alessio Bax and Lucille Chung
BEACON
8 p.m. Howland Cultural Center
howlandmusic.org
This four-hands piano performance by Bax and Chung will be livestreamed as part of a Howland Chamber Music Circle series. The program includes Debussy’s Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune and Stravinsky’s Petrushka. Cost: $20 donation 

CIVIC

TUES 19
City Council
BEACON
7 p.m. Via Zoom
845-838-5011 | cityofbeacon.org

TUES 19
School Board
COLD SPRING
7 p.m. Haldane School
845-265-9254 | haldaneschool.org

TUES 19
Dutchess Legislature
POUGHKEEPSIE
7 p.m. Via livestream
totalwebcasting.com/view/?id=dutchess

WED 20
School Board
GARRISON
7 p.m. Via Zoom
845-424-3689 | gufs.org

Behind The Story

Type: News

News: Based on facts, either observed and verified directly by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.

Doan, who resides in Philipstown, has been writing for The Current since 2013. She edits the weekly calendar and writes the gardening column. Location: Philipstown. Languages: English. Areas of expertise: Gardening, environment