For Pine Plains’ Bicentennial year, Community Day promises to be tremendous fun.
On Saturday, September 9th, from a pancake breakfast at the Firehouse starting at 9:00 a.m., to music at the Back Bar Beer Garden in the evening, the day offers non-stop activities and entertainment — all free of charge — in celebration of our town and community.
There’ll be plenty of area history mixed in. If you need to work off the pancakes, you can meet at Evergreen Cemetery to help clean graves of revolutionary and civil war soldiers starting at 10:30. At 11:00 the Graham Brush House opens with tours, fiddling, and refreshments. Thayer Durrell will present historical monologues there at 11:30 and 2:30.
Stop by for free lunch bites from local restaurants between 12 and 2, and check out over a dozen local community groups at display tables on the American Legion lawn. Watch your kids enjoy the bouncy house, the dunk tank or play games behind the bank, and visit the kids’ zone in The Stissing Center to handle a reptile or make a corn husk doll.
There will be music! The High School Chorus will sing at the American Legion, Brandon Stoner and Bob and the Boys will play on The Stissing Center office porch (next to formerly Rosey’s). Half Pint, the Stanfordville Swingers, and the High School Jazz Quartet will also perform at the American Legion. The Red Barn Band will start playing at the Back Bar Beer Garden at 6 p.m.
Sarah Chase, who books the musicians, said, “I look for local musicians from Pine Plains and surrounding towns—that’s the most important criteria. Besides that, I try to have a variety of musical styles represented.” She encourages “anyone who is a musician who would like to play next year, please feel free to contact me at sarahlyonschase@gmail.com.”
Planned by an all-volunteer committee, the day is sponsored by the Town of Pine Plains and The Stissing Center, along with local businesses. Communications committee member Beth McLiverty says, “Start early and enjoy a wonderful day exploring local shops, enjoying a free lunch, lots of great music, fun free activities all day for kids and adults with some history at the Graham Brush house, where a time capsule will be buried at 3:30. Definitely drop by the Community Zone, near the American Legion Hall, for free ice cream.” She noted that there will be more benches and shade from umbrellas this year for taking a break from the action.
Arrive early, stay late — you’ll likely see people you know and meet new ones as you explore and celebrate all the town and the community have to offer.
A detailed schedule will be available next week.