A Victorian Ghost Story, Hudson Valley Pottery Tour + Sister Sparrow
Step inside the Octagon House, visit Hudson Valley pottery studios, catch Sister Sparrow and explore a weekend of film, music and local discoveries.
October has a few good surprises left.
We’re stepping inside one of the Hudson Valley’s most extraordinary Victorian houses for an immersive ghost story, visiting local pottery studios to meet the artists behind the work, and heading to Uptown Kingston for a trip back to 1777.
The Woodstock Film Festival is already underway, with screenings continuing through Sunday—including a Little Feat documentary and special live performance at Bearsville. And Saturday night, Sister Sparrow & The Dirty Birds bring a Catskills-grown voice and big, soulful sound to Colony.
Looking ahead: candlelit stories at Clermont and the hypnotic desert blues of Malian guitarist Vieux Farka Touré at Assembly in Kingston.
And On Our Radar, there’s an offbeat Kingston art space, a century-old traffic light with its own exhibition and a honey tasting that sounds surprisingly fun.
Go find something good. We’ll bring the soundtrack.
Explore the Hudson Valley
An immersive Victorian ghost story and a chance to go behind the scenes at local pottery studios.
Step Inside a Victorian Ghost Story
Some ghost stories are told about old houses. This one unfolds inside one of the most extraordinary homes in the Hudson Valley. At Irvington’s eight-sided Armour-Stiner Octagon House, visitors move through ornate Victorian rooms as a haunting tale comes to life around them.
The Lady in White is inspired by a 1956 story by author Carl Carmer, who lived in the house for three decades. It follows a young woman grieving a love lost in a Hudson River steamboat disaster, and a mother who keeps searching for her daughter. The 75-minute immersive performance blends live storytelling, local legend and the house’s remarkable architecture.
After the performance, visitors can explore Remember You Must Die, a temporary exhibition of historical art and objects associated with remembrance and mourning. Non-flash photography is permitted, making this one of October’s most atmospheric interiors to discover.
Why we’re circling it: An unforgettable building, an eerie Hudson River story and a performance you experience by walking through the rooms where the story was imagined. It’s a very different kind of historic-house visit.
Go Behind the Studio Doors
You can admire a finished piece of pottery in a gallery. Seeing where it was made is something else entirely.
The 10th annual Hudson Valley Pottery Tour opens the studios of local ceramic artists for two days. Meet makers, watch demonstrations, discover how different artists work with clay and browse pieces you can purchase directly from the people who created them.
The self-guided route includes studios in Shokan, Stone Ridge, High Falls and Accord. Choose a couple of stops or make a day of it; the tour website has addresses and directions.
Why we’re circling it: It’s an unusual chance to see the creative process up close—not just the finished product.
This Weekend
Kingston goes back to 1777, Sister Sparrow comes home to Woodstock and independent film takes over the Hudson Valley.
Kingston Goes Back to 1777
If you hear musket fire in Uptown Kingston on Saturday, you may have wandered into the 18th century.
The Burning of Kingston commemorates the British attack on New York’s first capital during the Revolutionary War, bringing history into the streets with encampments, presentations and reenactments.
Saturday features colonial camps from 10 AM to 5 PM, a new short play at 2 PM and street battle reenactments from 3 to 3:30 PM. The broader program also makes room for stories that are too often left out of Revolutionary War history.
Organizers say events are free unless otherwise noted, with some advance registration required. The battle demonstrations include loud cannon and gunfire effects.
Why we’re circling it: There’s nothing quite like learning a city’s history while standing in the very streets where it happened.
Sister Sparrow Brings the Soul Back Home to Woodstock
Some voices stop you in your tracks. Arleigh Kincheloe has one of them.
Raised in a musical family in the Catskills, Kincheloe went on to lead Sister Sparrow & The Dirty Birds, a band known for mixing powerhouse soul vocals with rock, blues and a full-throttle live show.
They’re returning to Woodstock for a Saturday night at Colony, with Matt Witte opening. Whether you’ve followed the band for years or never seen them live, this is a good chance to hear what all the excitement is about.
Why we’re circling it: A Catskills-grown voice, a terrific live band and a Saturday night in Woodstock. That’s our kind of hometown show.
Independent Film Is Taking Over the Hudson Valley
The Woodstock Film Festival is underway, bringing independent features, documentaries, shorts and conversations with filmmakers to screens across the region through Sunday.
For music fans, we’re especially interested in Little Feat: The Documentary on Sunday, October 18, at 5:45 PM at Bearsville Theater.
After the screening and a Q&A with director Jesse Lauter, band members Scott Sharrard and Tony Leone are scheduled to play a special three-song set.
There’s more to discover all weekend, from shorts and documentaries to independent features and filmmaker conversations. Check the festival schedule for available screenings before heading out.
Why we’re circling it: Independent films, the people who make them and a Little Feat documentary with live music right in Bearsville. That sounds very Radio Woodstock.
Plan Ahead
Candlelit stories at Clermont and the desert blues of Vieux Farka Touré at Assembly.
After Dark, Clermont Has a Few Stories to Tell
The Hudson Valley has its share of old houses with stories. At Clermont, you get to hear some of them after dark.
Legends by Candlelight turns a visit to the historic mansion into a Halloween evening of ghost stories, lantern-lit grounds, jack-o’-lanterns and a tour through decorated rooms. There are treats at the Visitor Center and marshmallows around a bonfire, too.
Tours depart every half hour, with limited capacity. Reservations are required by phone—there are no online ticket sales or walk-ins.
Why we’re circling it: A little local history, a little Halloween atmosphere and a Hudson River estate after sunset. Much better than another generic haunted house.
The Hendrix of the Sahara Comes to Kingston
Some guitarists play an instrument. Vieux Farka Touré makes it speak an entirely different language.
Nicknamed the Hendrix of the Sahara, the acclaimed Malian musician blends West African rhythms, hypnotic desert blues and electrifying guitar work into a sound that’s entirely his own.
The son of legendary musician Ali Farka Touré, Vieux has built a remarkable career carrying his musical heritage forward while creating something unmistakably new. His Kingston performance is also a benefit for the Ali Farka Touré Foundation, adding another layer of meaning to the evening.
Why we’re circling it: Extraordinary musicianship, a sound you don’t hear every day and an intimate Hudson Valley performance supporting a meaningful cause.
On Our Radar
An offbeat Kingston gallery, a century-old Beacon landmark and a tasting that is anything but ordinary.
Not your typical gallery. Kingston Pop Museum brings art, music and pop culture together in a creative space on Broadway. Its current exhibition, A Night of Acid Jazz, features work by Neil Jarmel, Edward Berkise and Stetz, with a closing reception this Sunday and live music by Wage Slave Revolt.
Why it’s on our radar: A gallery that blurs the lines between visual art and music sounds like a place worth discovering.
672 Broadway, Kingston · Closing reception Sunday, October 18, 4–10 PM · Regular hours Thursday–Saturday, 4–8 PM · Explore Kingston Pop Museum
How many traffic lights get their own art exhibition? Beacon’s famously unusual Dummy Light is celebrating its 100th anniversary, and local artists are marking the occasion at Howland Public Library. Alongside their interpretations of the landmark, the Beacon Historical Society has contributed vintage photographs and stories from the light’s history.
Why it’s on our radar: We love a town that turns a century-old traffic signal into a community art show.
Howland Public Library, 313 Main Street, Beacon · On view through November 1 · Check library hours · Visit Howland Public Library
Think all honey tastes the same? Hudson Valley Bee Supply is hosting a Global Honey Tasting this Saturday, inviting participants to discover how honey changes depending on where it comes from and what flowers the bees have been visiting. It’s a sweet way to learn something new, close to home.
Why it’s on our radar: Because a guided tasting of honey from around the world is not your ordinary Saturday plan.
600 Sawkill Road, Kingston · Saturday, October 17 · Check the organizer’s site for time and availability · Honey tasting details
Curated each week by the Radio Woodstock team.
This weekend: step inside the Octagon House, meet the makers on the Hudson Valley Pottery Tour, experience Kingston’s Revolutionary War history, catch Sister Sparrow at Colony or discover a new favorite film at the Woodstock Film Festival.
And looking ahead: put Legends by Candlelight at Clermont and Vieux Farka Touré at Assembly on the calendar.
If you find yourself somewhere in the Hudson Valley thinking How did I not know about this?, send it our way at promotions@radiowoodstock.com.
Those are exactly the places we’re looking for.
We’ll see you next Thursday.