2011 Calendar of Events
Visit this page throughout the year as we update our calendar and include more events and more information about those events. We hope you’ll visit us at the Museum this year…and bring a friend…or two!
Sat., May 28, 12-4 PM-Opening: Museum Exhibit, “The Way We Were: 19th century artifacts from the museum’s collection.”
Sat., June 18, 12-4-Family Fun Day at the Pratt Museum. Parents may tour the house and visit our Civil War and 19th century clothing exhibits; view our 19th century quilts; or spend time at our new exhibit, “The Way We Were: Prattsville in the 19th and 20th centuries” with artifacts and photographs from the museum’s collection. Kids will learn about the Anti-Rent Wars of the 19th century and make masks that represent the costumes worn by the “Calico Indians” of those “wars.”
Sat., July 16, 12-4-Family Fun Day at the Pratt Museum. Take a walking tour of Prattsville’s historic Main Street. Kids paint a mural of your dreamscape for Prattsville in the 21st century.
Sat., July 9, 1-2 PM—LECTURE: Early Landscape Films of the Catskill Mountains by Iris Cahn. In the first ten years of cinema, more copyrights were issued in the United States for non-fiction or “actuality” films than for narrative titles. A vast number of these films showcased the beauty and attractions of America’s undeveloped landscapes, including the Catskill mountains. These early films, in which landscape was a primary subject, hawked America’s rugged beauty while announcing its end. Shot from suspension bridges, railroad cars and mountain gondolas, the motion pictures reveals views previously seen only by e18th century explorers or 19th century millionaires. These films personified American’s growing economic relationship to once inaccessible parts of the world. Familiarizing audiences with wilderness sites just beginning to support industries of electric power, tourism and shipping, the films tied into the forces of modernity which were, in turn, redefining the value of the landscape and the consumer. Iris Cahn is chair and associate professor at the Film Program at SUNY/Purchase College. Her doctoral research and publishing have focused on the landscape in early film, and on women film directors in silent film and the avant-garde. She also directs short films, which have screened at the New York Lincoln Center, Los Angeles, and Flaherty International Film Festivals.
Sat., Aug. 27, 11 AM-5 PM—EXHIBIT & ENCAMPMENT: The 3rd Annual “George W. Pratt Heritage Day,” curated by John Quinn will focus on the NYS 20th Milita, commanded by Colonel George W. Pratt, which was made up of many of Greene County, NY’s finest.
Date TBA-12th Annual Hudson River Ramble- www.hudsonrivervallyramble.com Take a guided tour of Pratt Rock with licensed guides Carol and Dave White. 11th Annual Hudson River Valley Ramble! Over 200 exciting events are being offered this year, including October TBA-8th Annual Lark in the Park-The Catskill "Lark in the Park" began in 2004 to recognize the centennial of the Catskill Park. Since its inception, the "Lark" has brought together hundreds of people and dozens of organizations that have participated in more than 200 events, all aimed at heightening awareness of the Catskill Mountain region of New York State. A second chance to take a guided tour of Pratt Rock with expert guides Carol and Dave White.
Sat., Oct. 8, 1-4 PM—Opening: Museum exhibit: “From River to Mountains: The Early Tanners,” a permanent exhibit of tanning in the Catskills that will focus on early tanners Jonathan Palen, William Edwards, B.G. Morss, Captain Aaron Bushnell, Zadock Pratt, Sr., and the museum’s namesake, Zadock Pratt, Jr. Exhibit script by noted author David Stradling. That “first wilderness” that was described as early as 1609 by Henry Hudson’s first mate Robert Juet in his log book as the “blew mountains,” changed greatly with the coming of each new industry to the Catskills, one of the earliest of which was the hide tanning industry. Early tanners like Palen, Edwards, and Pratt built roads through the wilderness. These roads eventually opened the territory to the migration of people from the valley towns along the Hudson River. Eventually, the work of these tanners would indirectly contribute to the creation of the Catskill Park and Forest Preserve.
Dec. 10, 11 & 12—Approximately 30th Annual Holiday Open House at the Pratt Museum: Blue Christmas. On Friday evening, Christmas caroling starts inside the museum and spills out onto the streets of Prattsville as the spirit of the holidays heats up; on Sat., visit Santa “Elvis”—that’s right, Elvis Presley dressed up in his Christmas suit of red and white as he sings Blue Christmas and other holiday favorites as only the “King” [of Rock & Roll, that is] can do; activities on Sun., TBA.
