Founders’ Day Will Be a ‘Fair to Remember’

On Sat., May 22 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., the annual Founders’ Day festivities will be held at the Gen. John Hathorn historic site located at 21 Hathorn Rd. in Warwick. The Friends of Hathorn along with six other local nonprofits have planned a fun “May Fair” of the games and amusements of the 18th century. It’s free. It’s fun – while still following COVID safety protocols.

“This year will be a special one – we wanted to offer the community something relaxing, fun, and safe to help with our COVID year recovery. The outdoor games and activities will give everyone a chance to find a few hours of simply being together and looking toward the future. We know now, in a small way, what those who experienced the long years of the Revolution and its smallpox epidemics must have felt like to finally be turning the corner,” stated event coordinator Sue Gardner.

Activities will include a special Maypole in Warwick colors to celebrate the children, teachers, and school staff who have been through such a difficult time.

“The colors of purple and gold for our school also evoke what we are all feeling now— purple for somberness and mourning, and gold for light and hope for the future. They are woven together in our days this Spring especially,” Gardner continued.

The day features a Robin Hood puppet show by Brad Shur of Paper Heart Puppets; a Lenape foods demonstration by Susan McLellan Plaisted of Hearth to Hearth Cookery; the 5th New York Regiment of Revolutionary War reenactors’ kite flying and many types of games.

The event will also include “Dough Babies” a raucous “public house” game described in the book Under Old Rooftrees as happening in Baird’s Tavern involving lobbing clumps of dough at the wall.

Partner organizations include the Warwick Historical Society, the Friends of Sterling Forest, the Warwick Valley Community Center, the Warwick Center for the Performing Arts, the Minisink Chapter of the DAR, and the 5th NY Regiment.

The event sponsors providing funding include The Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area, the Albert Wisner Public Library, Carrie Gifford, and the owners of the Hathorn property, Arek Kwapinski and Sylwia Kubasiak who have once again been generous in their support by allowing use of their properties for this event.

This event will be held rain or shine, unless lightning is present. Check website for weather updates.

Visit bit.ly/HathornFoundersDay or email hathornhouse@gmail.com for more information.