Hudson Winter Walk Crashed by Zumba - Lance Wheeler Video

Hudson Winter Walk
Hudson, NY. On Saturday, December 1 the Hudson Opera House plays host to the 16th annual Winter Walk, a not-to-be-missed kick-off event of the holiday season and a night well-known for its quirky take on the holidays and for the diversity of entertainment provided.
At Winter Walk, Warren Street, Hudson's mile-long commercial district transforms into a festive thoroughfare with twinkling lights, brightly decorated shops, horse-drawn wagons, live reindeer, a Victorian gentleman on stilts, African drummers, carolers, hula hoopers and ballroom dancers, a knight in shining armor and his lady, as well as a legion of other characters and performers.
The festive evening starts at 5 pm with the ringing of the carillon atop the First Presbyterian Church and the sound of a trumpet fanfare, along with the Santa Parade, organized by the Hudson
Department of Youth, who usher Mr. & Mrs. Claus from the Hudson Opera House to City Hall where the popular couple listen to children's wishes and hand out free gifts. Winter Walk is very kid friendly, from Santa and Mrs. Claus, live reindeer and miniature horses to the wagon rides around Seventh Street Park as well as face painting stations, the ever-popular Tots the Clown, making balloon animals, and the always entertaining Roger the Jester will also be out on town. The evening can be memorialized with a free family portrait in Photographics Solution photo booth.
The holiday frolicking continues throughout the evening, with activities and performances both inside shops and on the street. A variety of music has always been the hallmark of Winter Walk. From jazz to classical, from harp to banjo, music is everywhere. As part of the tradition is the Coxsackie-Athens Community Band annual concert at the First Presbyterian Church just after the formal kick-off. The
Band concert is followed by the 15-strong Capital Area Flute Club. Sax-o-Clause, a perennial favorite, holds forth in his usual spot in the 400 block.
There's something for everyone, from belly dancers and the Can Can Girl to the Hudson Valley Performing Arts Center's ballet troupe, Hip Hop, and the Kuumba Latin Fever Dancers, to delicious food vendors. The businesses below Third Street have created The Eggnog Challenge which this year offers 10 different eggnogs created by restaurant chefs, neighborhood organizations, and art galleries. Walkers get to sample all ten eggnogs and vote on their favorites.
Since last year's Winter Walk, 32 businesses new to the Hudson business district, have taken up residence on Warren Street or nearby. Of the 32, seven are antique stores, four are food and beverage establishments, four are retail clothing/accessories stores, and four offer personal services. Also among the group of new-to-Warren-and-environs businesses are three real estate offices, three home furnishings/life style stores, and three art galleries.
The evening culminates in a fireworks display, launched from Promenade Hill at the foot of Warren Street at 8:15, marking the "official" end of Winter Walk, but many businesses-especially restaurants--stay open long after the event.