Hudson Jazz Festival

This riverfront town—a home-away-from-home for everything cool—just got even hipper with its very own Jazz Festival.

Eat, Sleep, Jazz. Repeat.

It was only a matter of time before Hudson became even hipper by putting together the Hudson Jazz Festival.  After all, the riverfront town has been written up in every major publication as ‘upstate’s Brooklyn’ – a home-away-from-home for everything cool.

Curated by Hudson-based jazz pianist Armen Donelian, the Hudson Jazz Festival treats jazz aficionados and world music fans to a banquet of masterful artists playing music from around the globe.

What to Expect at the Hudson Jazz Fest

This year’s Hudson Jazz Festival will be a doozy. The festival kicks off with some Latin Jazz as seven-time, Grammy-nominated drummer Bobby Sanabria and his Quarteto Ache perform on Friday evening. Don’t miss out Sanabria, one of the most popular Latin drummer/percussionists of his generation.

Saturday includes an afternoon of jazz solo piano immersion with Kirk Nurock, Lynne Arriale and Sullivan Fortner. Then, a free screening of The Modern Jazz Quartet: From Residency to Legacy.

Headlining Saturday evening is David Liebman, one of the top singers in Jazz and a pioneer of the free jazz movement. Liebman will be joined by Jay Anderson, a “flawless section bassist and a fleet full-toned soloist” (Los Angeles Times) as well as Jay Clayton and Jazz Festival curator, Armen Donelian, who has played with both Mongo Santamaria and Sonny Rollins.

In a nod to jazz’s next generation, Sunday at 11 a.m, local students are invited to a multi-generational, hands-on jazz improvisation workshop lead by Armen Donelian and saxophonist Marc Mommaas, co-founders of Hudson Jazzworks.

Finally, Sunday afternoon will feature the traditional sounds of Iraq as Amir Elsaffar, “one of the most promising figures in jazz today,” (Chicago Tribute) to the stage.

Hot Jazz, Spicy Treats and Cool Drinks

James Beard Award-winning chef Zak Pelaccio (of Hudson’s Fish & Game), will return this year adding extra spice to the festival lineup is with his Southeast Asian-inspired Backbar. Jazz lovers can delight in South Asian treats while sipping award-winning cocktails, beer and wine and enjoying world-class performances in an intimate, cabaret-style setting styled by Hudson-based designer Tom Taylor of Hudson Lodge.

“What a line up! Music doesn’t get any hipper than this.”

– NEA Jazz Master, Sheila Jordan

2019 Hudson Jazz Festival Lineup

Ticket Options

HUDSON JAZZ FESTIVAL WEEKEND PASS
Venture down the river with a Hudson Jazz Festival Weekend Pass! For $90, you will receive priority seating and access to every Hudson Jazz Festival performance and event!

HUDSON JAZZ FESTIVAL PERFORMANCE TICKETS
Hudson Jazz Festival tickets vary by performance. Screenings and workshops are free to attend with reservations, and performances range from $25 to $35.

People 25 and under may pre-purchase single tickets for $15 each using the discount code UNDER25.

Take Amtrak to the Hudson Jazz Festival

Experience these jazz performances via Amtrak to Hudson Station in Columbia County of the Hudson Valley. Don’t forget to use the Amtrak See New York and Save 15% discount!

Get picked up from Hudson Station, taken to your reserved NYTRAIN Enterprise Rent-a-Car and drop it off right at the station on your way home! Click here to reserve your car or call the Hudson office today at: 518-828-5492.

Where to Stay in Hudson

Looking for a getaway opportunity? Spend the night and experience all the Hudson area has to offer.

The Inn at 34 has put together a special Jazz Weekend Package including: Amtrak tickets at 15% discount,  Hudson Jazz Festival tickets at an exclusive 50% discount, your room at The Inn at 34 with a leisurely award-winning breakfast, concierge service, and complimentary pick up from Hudson Amtrak train station. Come to Hudson and walk to all the venues, no car necessary.  Call to reserve: 1-888-279-0365. Must be booked directly with the Inn at 34.

Or, book a room at Wm. Farmer and Sons—just up the street from Hudson Station!

Staying longer than the weekend? Spend your time experiencing rich history, cultural hotspots and amazing views with the New York By Rail itinerary, City of Hudson and Beyond. Read about the itinerary and other great places to visit here.

Hudson Valley Restaurant Week

Restaurant Week is coming back to the Hudson Valley!

Get ready for two weeks of fine dining. Hudson Valley Restaurant Week will be serving up some of your favorite dishes throughout the region for a fraction of the normal price. From March 16 to 29, you can check out new restaurants or visit your favorites for deals you won’t want to miss. This year, over 200 restaurants from seven counties in the Hudson Valley will be participating in Restuarant Week. Counties include Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan, Ulster and Westchester.

How does Hudson Valley Restaurant Week work? Throughout the two-week celebration, restaurants tend to have a prix fixe menu, although some still offer their regular menu. Prix-fixe menus typically offer three different options for each course.

Visit one of Poughkeepsie’s best restaurants, the Mill House Brewing Company, for lunch or dinner during restaurant week and experience the warm and welcoming environment while enjoying traditional American fare. After an incredible meal, don’t forget to grab a growler full of your favorite Mill House brew! Add a little spice to your palate at Baja 328 in Beacon during restaurant week for authentic Southwestern food and over 100 types of Tequila to choose from! Can’t decide what type of food you want? Blu Pointe in Newburgh has something for just about any craving. Whether you’re in the mood for fresh fish or a delicious prime rib, Blue Pointe has a menu and atmosphere perfect for you.

None of these restaurants suit your fancy? Don’t worry, there are over 200 others to choose from! This is a week you won’t want to miss!

Meal Pricing for Restaurant Week

Lunch is served at $22.95 and dinner at $32.95. No passes, tickets, or coupons are necessary, although reservations are highly recommended in advance.

Take Amtrak to Hudson Valley Restaurant Week

Experience these delicious deals via Amtrak throughout the Hudson Valley. Stations include Yonkers, New Rochelle, Croton-Harmon, Poughkeepsie and Rhinecliff-Kingston—Don’t forget to use the Amtrak See New York and Save 15% discount!

Discounted Enterprise Rent-a-Car

Get picked up from Yonkers Station and taken to your reserved NYTRAIN Enterprise Rent-a-Car. Click here to reserve your car or call the Yonkers office today at: 914-964-2004.

Get picked up from Croton-Harmon Station and taken to your reserved NYTRAIN Enterprise Rent-a-Car. Click here to reserve your car or call the Croton-Harmon office today at: 914-271-0100.

Get picked up from Poughkeepsie Station and taken to your reserved NYTRAIN Enterprise Rent-a-Car. Click here to reserve your car or call the Poughkeepsie office today at: 845-485-2222.

Get picked up from Rhinecliff-Kingston Station and taken to your reserved NYTRAIN Enterprise Rent-a-Car. Click here to reserve your car or call the Rhinecliff-Kingston office today at: 845-336-4700.

Smorgasburg

The largest weekly open-air food market in America with over 100 local vendors.

Smorgasburg

Don’t miss out on the largest food market with over 100 vendors! Since May 2011, Smorgasburg has gone on to be one of the most loved food markets in NYC and has launched dozens of small businesses and has attracted millions of visitors. The New York Times has dubbed Smorgasburg the “Woodstock of Eating.” Each weekend, Smorgasburg attracts 20,000-30,000 people to Brooklyn. Smorgasburg will take place from April through November on Saturdays on the Williamsburg Waterfront and Sundays in Prospect Park. Although they are currently closed for winter, they will be open again in April!

Details on Smorgasburg

Smorgasburg is free for all to attend and is open rain or shine. For those 21 years or older, Smorgasburg has a bar that serves beer, wine, and cocktails. The vendors at the market are all diverse in what they serve so expect a wide variety of food at affordable prices. For those with special diets, there are vendors with gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, kosher, and other options.

Smorgasburg in Other Places

In addition to their famous weekend markets, Smorgasburg has been a part of the concessions at Central Park SummerStage since 2010. Since August 2014, they have also operated a beer and food hall in Crown Heights, Brooklyn called Berg’n. In numerous places in NYC, everywhere you look, you can catch a glimpse of Smorgasburg.

Take Amtrak to Smorgasburg

Experience Smorgasburg via Amtrak to New York Penn Station in New York, NY—Don’t forget to use the Amtrak See New York and Save 15% discount!

Rent a car with Enterprise! Pick up your reserved NYTRAIN Enterprise Rent-a-Car right at the New York Penn Station. Click here to reserve your car or call the Manhattan office today at: 212-847-8120.

Immerse your child in a free, public festival that fosters a love of reading while meeting well-known authors and illustrators!

The Hudson Children’s Book Festival is returning to Hudson, NY for the 12th time this May! This special Festival was established in 2009 with the goal of creating, sustaining and nurturing a culture of literacy by partnering with local schools in the community. The festival also invites notable authors and illustrators to attend and speak about their work. The Hudson Children’s Book Festival is also proud to have exciting live performers at the festival, who include the children in their performances of child-friendly tunes or wacky science experiments. The Hudson Children’s Book Festival is one of the biggest book festivals in all of New York State!

Featured Author

The featured author, and the rest of the attending authors and illustrators, will be announced at a later date. To stay updated with the festival’s schedule, visit here.

The opportunity to meet some of the authors who you read with your children every night and experience fun-filled performances is sure to be a memorable experience for you and your children. All visitors get a free book! Give them a day of fun and learning at the Hudson Children’s Book Festival.

Check out the Hudson Book Festival’s Twitter page for updates on the special event and attendees.

Take Amtrak to Hudson Children’s Book Festival

Get to the fun via Amtrak to Hudson Station in Hudson Valley—Don’t forget to use the New York By Rail 15% discount!

Get picked up from Hudson Station and taken to your reserved #NYTRAIN Enterprise Rent-a-Car. Click here to reserve your car or call the Hudson office today at: 518-828-5492.

Powerhouse Theater

Top actors and their apprentices present 25+ new theater pieces at Vassar College. 

The Powerhouse Theater

Come join the annual Powerhouse Theater where every summer for six weeks, fully-produced plays, musical workshops, and readings of works-in-progress are performed. This event will run from June 19 through July 27. The box office for the 2020 Powerhouse Theater season will open in June 2020.

The History of the Powerhouse Theater

The Powerhouse Theater has a long history of putting on performances that people love. Since 1985, Vassar College and New York Stage and Film have worked together to create this unique collaboration. Every summer, this theater produces stories that then take root all over the country, inspiring others to do as those at Powerhouse have done; this theater is known for being where productions performed all over the country and world have had their start. Performances from the Powerhouse Theater have won the Pulitzer Prize and Tony Awards. Even Lin Manuel Miranda’s Hamilton traces its roots to the Powerhouse Theater.

The training program is not only beneficial to inspired and aspiring actors, but also offers free to the public viewings of their productions throughout the course of the summer.

Tickets

There are many ticket options for the Powerhouse Theater.

The Full Subscription is available for $229.50.

Matinee Subscriptions are available for $76.50.

Single tickets for the Mainstage are $45, $30 for the Musical Workshops, and $30 for Inside Look Workshops. Single tickets for the Readings Festivals and Training Company Performances are free. 

There is a special $20 Under 30, which allows anyone under the age of 30 to purchase tickets for the mainstage and workshop performances for $20.

There are also Student Rush, group tickets, and gift certificates available.

The box office is not open for the 2020 season at this time. 

Take Amtrak to the Powerhouse Theater

Experience the Powerhouse Theater via Amtrak to Poughkeepsie Station in Poughkeepsie, NY—Don’t forget to use Amtrak See New York and Save 15% discount!

Rent a car with Enterprise! Pick up your reserved NYTRAIN Enterprise Rent-a-Car right at the Poughkeepsie Station. Click here to reserve your car or call the Poughkeepsie office today at: 845-485-2222.