Join the Parade and our community CELEBRATION OF HOPE for a joyous and peaceful world. ALL WELCOME. ! An Old Dutch Tradition in the Hudson Valley SATURDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2019 RHINEBECK, NEW YORK Facebook.com/sinterklaasrhinebeck SinterklaasHudsonValley.com Facebook.com/sinterklaaskingston THINGS YOU The Spirit of Sinterklaas MUST DO AT He was Odin. SINTERKLAAS! And Good King Wenceslas. Père Nöel, Father Frost. 6 Then he was St. Nicholas. He became Sinterklaas. MAKE YOUR CROWN Be sure to get your STAR 1. for the Children’s Star Then Santa Claus. and Decorate your Branch for the Parade. Crowns & Branches in the Fire House— WELCOME! Celebration after the parade. He’s even been called more info on page 6. This is the celebration where CHILDREN are Look for them on sale at “Sandy Claws.” transformed into KINGS and QUEENS and honored as shops with the Sinterklaas He is Mother Teresa, Gandhi, “Stars for Sale Here” sign, and the bringers of the light at the darkest time of year. at the “Ask Me” table. the Dalai Lama and Schindler. Read more on page 12. But whatever name we have MAKE YOUR WISH 2. Kids and parents alike—visit the WISH LADY and The tradition of Sinterklaas comes all the way from the called him, he has always the PEACE DOVE. Details on page 6. been the same. Netherlands, brought by Dutch settlers who arrived WHY YOU NEED A He loves children, is generous, in Hudson Valley over 300 years ago. Sinterklaas, protects and honors the poor, the patron of children and sailors, finds a welcoming STAR brings blessings and gifts, At the end of the parade, GET YOUR STAR everyone will gather for the protection, food and clothing. 3. Read all about it in the blue box. community in the Mid-Hudson Valley as we re-create final ritual of the pageant, the moment you and your STAR He comes at the darkest time the story through the lens of modern-day America. have been waiting for. The Master of Ceremonies will call to remind us of the light. upon all those present to honor He is the good king, Our revived tradition is non-denominational and all our children, our hope for the VISIT THE GIANT FISH! future, our joy of today. the kind teacher; 4. DON’T MISS the Mermaid and her sea star. inclusive — everyone is invited to participate! The He will ask you to honor the he “flies” to those in need, Receive a pearl of wisdom and the blessing children. At that time you will young, the old, the in-between — absolutely everyone hold your STAR at the children’s the creatures all love him, of the bubbles. waist level elevating them, for a brief moment, on a sea of stars he comes with good intent. and anyone who wants to be part of a community of above everyone in the commu- His bag is really full of love nity. Then you will be asked to hope for a joyous and peaceful world are all welcome. stand again and raise your star and hope and caring... above your heads – thus placing He is humanity at its best. FIND THE FISH? you, the children and the entire 5. Throughout this book there many fish, Inside this book you will find more than a schedule to community in its proper place in the firmament—all of us as one although not as many as in the Hudson River. help you navigate the plethora of events and activities. and at peace under the stars. How many can you find? You will also find the history, the stories, and the details that will add to the richness of the experience COME TO THE PAGEANT for you and your family! 6. After the PARADE passes, follow along to the PAGEANT and the STAR CEREMONY. Remember to bring your STAR! sinterklaashudsonvalley.com • Sinterklaas 2019 3 THIS YEAR’S HONORED ANIMAL: THE STURGEON Longevity ~ Regal ~ Vitality ~ Deep Awareness ~ Luck ~ The Sacred Feminine ~ Endurance ~ Higher Self thethe MagicMagic ofof BelievingBelieving BIG FISH… BLESSINGBLESSING OFOF THETHE STURGEONSTURGEON Little Fish… “What“What isis youryour wishwish ?”?” askedasked thethe fish.fish. IfIf itit isis toto swimswim withwith meme -- thenthen comecome !! II amam Sturgeon,Sturgeon, ancientancient one.one. Ancient fish… ComeCome withwith meme ,, longlong bellybelly andand lowlow WhereWhere fertilefertile riversrivers flowflow FromFrom thethe waterswaters ofof youryour mother-mother- Newborn fish… BelowBelow thethe surfacesurface andand intointo thethe deep,deep, WeWe willwill swimswim withwith bodiesbodies brightbright -- And every one in between — EnterEnter thethe dreamersdreamers sleepsleep atat nightnight WhereWhere thoughtsthoughts maymay movemove inin those are our Hudson River fish--268 varieties The STURGEON and The Mermaid, synchronizedsynchronized time,time, of them! (and yes there is a shark, a dart and AndAnd wordswords areare formedformed inin ancientancient the MENHADEN the Sea Star rhyme-rhyme- a seahorse among them!) The Sturgeon, known as the dinosaur of the Hudson, is an and You… PressedPressed intointo prehistoricprehistoric rockrock ancient creature millions of years old. Some speculate that Water is the element of ItIt isis writtenwritten withwith ourour bonesbones And all are endangered if even one is neglected. Jonah’s whale was really a sturgeon. Known as a Royal Fish— dreams and the Imagination. ListenListen carefullycarefully !! “This“This isis youryour homehome !”!” meaning that no one can eat it or sell it if caught—it must be And so we asked the All of them are needed to make our estuary work! turned over to the King and Queen, so no one can profit from Mermaid—a creature of the Menhaden,Menhaden, BigBig Eye,Eye, Ladyfish,Ladyfish, EelEel its capture, and it is thus protected. Today, the sturgeon is imagination to team up with Shiner,Shiner, Walleye,Walleye, Pumpkinseed,Pumpkinseed, ShadShad protected by federal law and still it is the most endangered a Star Fish (a creature that Stargazer,Stargazer, Goldfish,Goldfish, Dace,Dace, andand ChubChub . species in the Hudson River. presents as both imaginary OpenOpen ourour eyeseyes BALANCE They are among the longest-lived of the fishes, living well and real) and together call We can be delighted by the appearance this year of a 14 foot sturgeon over 100 years, and they can grow to immense sizes! In June attention to the plight of Carp,Carp, Herring,Herring, Minnow,Minnow, RuddRudd 2018 a 14.1-foot-long female was seen leaping out of the water The Sturgeon and all Hudson leaping out of the River near Hyde Park and read all about it in all the River fish right down to the Alewife,Alewife, Sucker,Sucker, Snapper,Snapper, PikePike at Hyde Park. It seems mythical, but here have always been Stonecat,Stonecat, Redhorse,Redhorse, Pickerel,Pickerel, andand TroutTrout papers at the same time that we are unaware that the tiny stories from “old timers” of giant sturgeon that big. Of course, humblest of them all—the OpenOpen ourour earsears and humble Menhaden--a fish called “The Most Important Fish in no one believed them! Menhaden. the Sea” is also endangered. Sturgeon have bony plates covering the head and five rows of At its heart, Sinterklaas is an exercise in learning the power Salmon,Salmon, Kokanee,Kokanee, Rockling,Rockling, CodCod similar plates along the body. The tail fin’s upper lobe is longer Mummichog,Mummichog, Silverside,Silverside, Needlefish,Needlefish, One is seen leaping while the other goes unnoticed breeding, than the lower. The toothless mouth, on the underside of the of art to change the world. SmeltSmelt feeding, cleansing and nourishing the River and all its fishes. snout, is preceded by four sensitive tactile barbels that the fish This year we call on art AND drags over the bottom in search of invertebrates and “small imagination to encourage Madtom,Madtom, Lizardfish,Lizardfish, Moonfish,Moonfish, andand HakeHake fishes.” our children to take action OpenOpen ourour heartshearts in support of a real world Namely the lowly Menhaden—known as the “most important creatures. LargemouthLargemouth Bass,Bass, Schoolmaster,Schoolmaster, ScadScad fish in the sea” it is also the most expendable. Menhaden are filter feeders. They swim in vast schools of hundreds of Puffer,Puffer, Croaker,Croaker, Warmouth,Warmouth, ScupScup thousands of fish. Mouths agape as they feed, menhaden Stoneroller,Stoneroller, Butterfish,Butterfish, Tonguefish,Tonguefish, are living vacuum cleaners sucking up algae blooms that andand DrumDrum deplete inshore waters of oxygen and create biological OpenOpen ourour voicesvoices deserts in the sea. A single adult menhaden can clean four to seven gallons of water in a minute. Mackerel,Mackerel, Hogchoker,Hogchoker, Sleeper,Sleeper, SpotSpot The name menhaden is a corruption of Goby,Goby, Bluegill,Bluegill, Bowfin,Bowfin, JackJack “munnawhatteaug,” which means fertilizer in Catfish,Catfish, Pollack,Pollack, Pipefish,Pipefish, PerchPerch Algonquian. Native Americans taught the pilgrims to plant them with their corn, enabling colonists to OpenOpen ourour handshands toto healheal thethe waterswaters coax a crop from rocky New England soils. Bony Mothers,Mothers, Fathers,Fathers, Sons,Sons, andand DaughtersDaughters and smelly, menhaden have rarely been caught for food. But their oil greased the wheels of America’s —— GigiGigi Alvaré,Alvaré, 20192019 machine age after the Civil War, replacing whale oil as a cheaper alternative. Now they are the “fish oil” touted as a cure for most everything. And they are service ~ sacrifice ~ fertilizer ~ enricher ~ balance endangered, too. MENHADEN sinterklaashudsonvalley.com • Sinterklaas 2019 4 Sinterklaas 2019 • sinterklaashudsonvalley.com 5 CHURCH OF THE MESSIAH 6436 Montgomery Street UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 83 E Market St 11 3 RHINEBECK FESTIVAL DAY: DECEMBER 7 2:00pm, 3:00pm, 4:00pm • HORNS A PLENTY!• 2:00 Brasskill SAMUEL’S SWEET SHOP 42 E Market St 21 INTO THE LIGHT: FIRE HOUSE 76 E Market St 6 2:30 Giglio Band • 10:00am–4:00pm 3:00 Hungry March Band BEGIN your Sinterklaas Day .