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Autumn Glow Festival

**Tickets at https://www.autumnglowfestival.com** Step into a dazzling and whimsical world of light with over 1,000 Chinese lanterns, all handmade by artisans with decades of experience. Each unique piece holds a story of its own that will be told to visitors to help contextualize their experience even more. The Autumn Glow Festival’s unique luminescent night walk brings the culture and craftsmanship of traditional Chinese lantern festivals to Schenectady, celebrating the diversity of our region. It's a truly unforgettable experience, and the perfect fall activity for families and friends. About the lanterns: Modern LED lights are embellished by traditionally hand-crafted lantern frames made from small pieces of classically made Chinese silk cloth and steel wire. All lanterns are created by artisans, who have over 20 years of experience in their trade and bring magical folkloric creatures to life. The lighting of lanterns can be traced perhaps as far back as the Han dynasty (202 BCE-220 CE) in China. Originally, lanterns were primarily round in form, and when lit, they paid homage to the full moon. Glowing lanterns thus celebrate the changing of seasons and the cycles of nature. They were also used in Chinese history to commemorate imperial, Buddhist and Daoist deities. Seasonal celebrations developed into quite festive events, and their accompanying dances and dramas inspired craftsmen to create lanterns in a variety of animal and other playful forms. Lantern festivals in China are regionally diverse, but they are always occasions when families and friends reunite and gather together. Date: September 6th - November 3rd Days: Fridays, Saturdays*, and Sundays Time: 6:30pm - 10pm (last entrance at 9 PM) What to Expect: The walk is around 45 minutes long, and the experience is enhanced with live performances, seasonal food and drink options, a bounce house, sugar painting demonstrations, a dinosaur ride, wish jars, and a lighted scarecrow competition, created by local artists. Location: 1100 Main Street, Rotterdam Junction, NY 12150 Mabee Farm Historic Site Age requirement: All ages welcome Price: $16.99-$26.99 *blackout dates are Saturdays September 7, 14, 21, and October 5.  

Howlin’ at the Moon featuring Belle-Skinner

Howlin' at the Moon showcases regional music from a variety of genres, providing an authentic musical experience for both audience and musicians. Music traditions are meant to be fluid and evolving, and Howlin' nurtures regional musical talent while providing opportunities for cross-pollination. All in a 1760 Dutch Barn that inspires and reminds us of our place within history! Belle-Skinner is a dark nostalgic singer-songwriter based in New York. With a hauntingly beautiful, lilting soprano and innate sense of melody she crafts tales of songbirds, sirens and desert nomads – nuanced and layered stories which bridge the gap between past and present. Though her influences cover a broad range of genres – from French chansons and Russian folk to contemporary alt-pop and rock – her voice often draws comparisons to the likes of Joni Mitchell, Kate Bush, Jeff Buckley, Mary Hopkin, and early St. Vincent. Opening for acts such as Mitski, Cautious Clay, Haley Reinhart, Ondara, Rhett Miller (Old 97s), Sean Rowe, Saint Saviour (Groove Armada), and Bill Ryder-Jones (Arctic Monkeys), she has performed at venerated venues like The Linda Performing Arts Center, Proctor’s Theatre, The Bluebird Cafe, Bowery Ballroom, Caffe Lena, and the Roundhouse Theatre in London. She has been a finalist in numerous prestigious songwriting competitions including Telluride Troubadour Competition, Rocky Mountain Folks Festival Contest, The Great American Songwriting Contest – and most recently the 2022 and 2023 Grassy Hill New Folk Competition at Kerrville Folk Festival, as well as winner of the 2022 Tarrytown Music Hall Rock the Hall Competition. Opening the night is host Everest Rising, a tightly-knit quintet influenced by bluegrass, Americana, rock, jazz and more. Together they create progressive acoustic music that is unique, powerful, and comfortably familiar. With a wide dynamic range, Everest Rising’s material spans from heartfelt laments to all out jams, all executed with instrumental finesse and thoughtful story-telling. As this summer’s host of the Howlin’ at the Moon Concert Series, Everest Rising aims to support an authentic musical experience for both audience and musicians. Admission is $10 at the door (cash only). Beer and wine available for purchase.