Nina will be teaching a lesson and a DJ'ed dance will follow.

Saturday, July 18th from 7:00 to 10:00pm. (Community Center)

Tank will be hosting Lindy Hop dances on the 4th Fridays this summer!

From Tank:

We just completed the installation of a new pollinator rock garden at the Field of Dreams!

A group of volunteers planted around 260 seedlings endemic to our specific area. Some of them host endangered pollinators that need one specific plant to survive. This garden will not make a big impact to pollinators on its own, but will serve as a visual demonstration of the plants, so people will be inspired to plant them in their own gardens. Framing the plants are four Eastern Redbud trees that were planted last fall with a grant from NYSERDA, thanks to Neil Bettez. See pictures of Installation Day here and here.

This garden is one of several garden projects in our region organized by The Understory, formerly Partners for Climate Action (PCA). These projects were funded by a Monsanto settlement with the New York State.

A huge thank you to our volunteers from the New Paltz Garden Club, Wild Ones Mid Hudson, Gardens for Nutrition, and Little Logan's Veganic and Biocyclic Farm. Also huge thank you to former supervisor Amanda Gotto, who helped launch this PCA grant project, and landscape designers Ashley Gammel and Marvin Warren. Special thanks to Angela Sisson of Wild Ones for her endless wisdom along the way.

From Ashley: 

If you would like to help maintain the garden, please contact Joanna at recreation@townofnewpaltzny.gov.

Melanie Gonzalez:

"This collection is a deeply personal exploration of photography as a fine art medium with themes of New York State and architectural landscapes over a wide range of locations. My double exposures, created in-camera (Rock and Shadow/Piedra y Sombra series) are like a living archeology of urban decay, floral and pastoral glee, and experimentation with scale, color, analog processes and print outputs.

Local landscapes will take your viewership through New Paltz, Hyde Park, Wallkill, and various other places that make the Mid-Hudson Valley region a sparkling gem in the 11th state it resides in. Distinct tropical landscapes celebrate my exploration of Hispanic Caribbean heritage, mixed with photographic assignments in Brazil, Italy, Egypt, the West Coast, and beyond.

My 18 years as a practicing photographer has brought you this exhibition today, an exhibit that I hope sparks joy, pieces together inspirations, and reflects on shared history."

Join us for photographer Melanie Gonzalez's garden spruce-up community event and photography print sale on September 3rd. Thank you, Melanie, for adding so much beauty to our Center this summer!

Thursday, September 3rd from 3:00 to 7:00pm (Community Center).

You've been seeing the signs around town, the stickers and buttons in the library. It's a two-month showcase of New Paltz's rich history, culture, and people. Check out the listings, choose your events. Lots of them are at our Community Center. Thank you to all of the organizers! Fireworks on the 4th!

https://www.revolutionary-newpaltz.org

Installation Day was a wonderful community event! Some pictures! here, here, and here.

We had a lovely evening at the Summer Solstice Potluck and Talk. In attendance were representatives from the New Paltz Garden Club, Wild Ones, Gardens for Nutrition, and Little Logan's Veganic and Biocyclic Farm. Former supervisor Amanda Gotto, who helped launch this PCA grant project, and landscape designers Ashley Gammel and Marvin Warren were also present. 

In her talk, Gammel explained how the plants grown for this garden are endemic to our specific region. Some of them host endangered pollinators that need one specific plant to survive. This garden will not make a big impact to pollinators on its own, but will serve as a visual demonstration of the plants, so people will be inspired to plant them in their own gardens.

This garden, as well as other new PCA gardens in Ulster County, are paid for by a Monsanto settlement with New York State. 

• Summer Solstice Potluck and Talk at the Field of Dreams / Sunday, June 21st, 5-7pm

Celebrate the summer solstice and Father’s Day with an outdoor community potluck, and enjoy some education on the side! After enjoying great community food, and conversation, you can learn about the pollinator garden coming to this site from Ashley Gamell of PollinateHV, a project of Partners for Climate Action (PCA). The New Paltz garden is one of seven other public demonstration gardens coming to the Hudson Valley this season. Gamell will share plant highlights, pollinator insights, and design strategies from PollinateHV's work at the intersection of pollinator conservation and ecological landscape design. This free event is a collaboration between PollinateHV of Partners for Climate Action, the New Paltz Recreation Department, Wild Ones Mid-Hudson Valley and New Paltz Garden Club.

RSVP to Joanna at recreation@townofnewpaltzny.gov. Or register below.

• Community Volunteer Planting at the Field of Dreams / Thursday, June 25th,  5-7pm

Volunteer to help plant the new pollinator garden at New Paltz's Field of Dreams Park. Please bring a trowel or soil knife and garden gloves to planting day.

RSVP to Joanna at recreation@townofnewpaltzny.gov. Or register below.

Another great dance hosted by Tank! These dances have been drawing enthusiasts from around the region. Learn what it's all about at Tank's classes most Thursdays.

From Tank:

Lesson will be taught ELEF style (Everybody Leads Everybody Follows) and will feature a switch move. All levels encouraged. There is something for everyone. 

Dear Gays, reBOP-BOP-BOP right to the HOP LGBTQIA+ Welcome!

$10 NOTAFLOF (No one turned away for lack of funds.)

Thursday from 7:00 to 10:00pm (Community Center)

See full flyer here, and in Spanish here.

Lisa taught a fascinating class on how to prepare and consume dandelion stems, cattail shoots, red clover, sorrel, and pine needles. She may offer another class in the fall. Be sure to sign up for our newsletter to be notified. 

Join Lisa Morganstern-Perl of Cornell Cooperative Extension for a World of Wild Edibles Walk. 

See full flyer and registration QR here.

Saturday, May 23rd from 11:30 to 1:30pm (Community Center).

Thank you Saints of Swing and Tank for the incredible evening! People came from all over our region - from Clifton Park to White Plains, from Wappingers to Wurtsboro. When you've got the Lindy Hop bug, it makes perfect sense to drive an hour to find a live swing band and dance floor! 

We are so lucky to have our resident Lindy Hop teacher Tank teaching here at the Center most Thursdays from 6:00 to 7:00pm. Try it out! 

_________

Join us for a swing dance concert at the Community Center this month! Saints of Swing will perform, featuring vocalists Marti Elkins and Dale DeMarco, and our resident Lindy Hop teacher Tank will teach a Frankie Manning solo jazz sequence to start off the evening. 

Light refreshments will be served. Board games for kids in the conference room.

$15 / $10 for New Paltz residents (cash or check)

See full flyer here.

Saturday, May 23th from 8:00 to 11:00pm (Community Center).