Mark your calendars and come to the 7th Weekend of Wallkill (WOW) on September 23 and 24. Vision of Wallkill invites all neighbors and residents from beyond to this fun, family-friendly community event taking place on or near the Wallkill Public Library Lawn. Free admission to the public, WOW is a celebration to welcome the Fall season starting on Friday night and culminating on Saturday. Friday’s events kick off at 5 pm with the Lego Building Contest and Harvest Storytime at the Wallkill Public Library, followed by a Harvest Egg Hunt on the library lawn. Health enthusiasts and those new to yoga are invited to reserve a 6:30 pm spot for a free 40-minute Restorative Yoga session at the Shawangunk Town Hall. End the night with light refreshments and mingle with new yogis, artists and art gazers of the “Beauty of Wallkill” Art Show and Plein Air Silent Auction in the Town Hall lobby. Learn more about the Plein Air artists and preview their artwork before Saturday’s Silent Auction on VOW’s website.
From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., the lawn at the Wallkill Public Library will be bustling with Saturday’s Harvest Fair where everyone can participate in the various contests. Now is the time to get yourself or your teams ready for these friendly competitions including the Best Apple Pie, Floral Centerpiece Design, Wizard Costume for kids of all ages, Dog Costume, Team Trivia and Remote-Control Car Race. Bring your own remote-control car or rent one for $1 a race. Children are encouraged to wear their Wizard Costume as they complete the Wizard Scavenger Hunt by visiting areas and participating in activities including the Wizard Academy Show, Science Corner and painting patterns on a magical stone with Wallkill Rocks. Back again this year and part of the scavenger hunt for the children to visit is fingerprinting with the Ulster County Sheriff’s Department, Touch–A–Truck, a Petting Zoo with sheep, goats, donkey, pot-bellied pig, cow and rabbits. Near the Petting Zoo, children can ride a pony. Parents, come to the VOW tent for discounted tickets for the pony ride.
A crowd favorite last year and back for 2022, the Ulster County’s Dive Team will perform rescue maneuvers in their mobile dive tank and may even play underwater Tic Tac Toe with spectators. Try the basics of Pickleball, a sport gaining popularity across the nation, at the demonstration at 11 am. The entire day will be a shopper’s delight with many of Hudson Valley craft and food vendors present, so be sure to stop at the ATM before heading to the Hamlet of Wallkill.
WOW will also be a day to meet and greet community partners. See the beautifully hand-crafted quilts on display at Wallkill Reformed Church and shop sustainability at the Golden Rule Thrift Shop. Both locations are in the hamlet, not on the library lawn. Back on the lawn, visit the Wallkill Loaves and Fishes Food Pantry tent and enjoy a free ice cream and the Wallkill Woman’s Club for tickets for either the Billy Goat Bingo game or the raffle baskets. Listen to local historian Bob Mooney at 2 pm under the main event tent for a presentation about Marion Borden, a visionary who, along with her family, helped shape Wallkill’s special history. Winners of the various contests, including Dog Costume, Apple Pie Baking, Floral Design, Lego Building, Plein Air Paintings and more, will be announced at 2:30 pm. End the evening at Popp Pavilion along the Wallkill River with a steak dinner sponsored by the Wallkill Lions Club. (Contact a club member for tickets.)
If you are a student in need of community service hours, we need you and will work with your schedule.
Make Weekend of Wallkill an annual tradition and share on Facebook and Instagram your “WOW” moments with #visionofwallkill and #weekendofwallkill. Contest rules, entry forms, vendor applications, Plein Air artists, a full list of WOW events and other upcoming events are available on VOW’s Facebook page or website: visionofwallkill.com. If you have any questions or would like to volunteer for the event, call/text 845-527-6230.