Filmmaker uncovers ‘a far more complicated history’

I’ll spare my older siblings any photos here, but if you grew up in the Hudson Valley, there’s a good chance you went to the Catskill Game Farm to pet some adorably tame deer, donkeys and sheep. There were even rhinos, giraffes, and lions there. But the story of the Catskill Game Farm, and what happened when filmmakers discovered thousands of archived materials and home movies, have “revealed a far more complicated history.”

Before closing in 2006 after 73 years in operation, the Catskill Game Farm was noted as America’s first and eventually largest privately-owned zoo, founded in 1933 by German immigrant Roland Lindemann. A new documentary, American Zoo, premiering locally this week as part of the Woodstock Film Festival, explores the history of the game farm, and how Lindemann’s decision in 1959 to bring German zoologist Dr. Heinz Heck to America as zoo director, a move that filmmakers say “would forever entwine the attraction with a disturbing zoological legacy.”

American Zoo will kick off this year’s Woodstock Film Festival on Tuesday, October 13, 2026 at 7pm at the Community Theater, 373 Main Street in Catskill, followed by a conversation with director Tim Travers Hawkins and special guests. The movie will also screen on Sunday at the Rosendale Theater.

Also on our WFF watchlist:

• Amazing Live Sea Monkeys, the New York premiere from Kingston-based director Aaron Schock follows the story of Yolanda Signorelli, a widow “engaged in a David-and-Goliath battle to wrest control of her late husband Harold’s iconic toy Amazing Live Sea-Monkeys back from the corporate men who she insists stole them from her.” The film follows the couple’s work together for over 40 years, dark secrets and all, including that Yolanda alone possesses the true Sea-Monkeys formula “and she alone must free them, not only from their captors, but also from the stain of her husband’s tarnished legacy.” Premiering at the Woodstock Playhouse on Saturday, October 17, 2026 at 9:45am.

• The world premiere of Our Dark Horse, a Hudson Valley-made documentary following the life of a former racehorse named Kitty at a horse sanctuary in Greenville, followed by a Q&A.

• Melissa Leo, a Hudson Valley resident for nearly 30 years, stars as a retired schoolteacher estranged from her daughter in Mother Wolf, shot primarily in Stone Ridge.

• Rain Reign, premiering locally this week, was filmed on location across the Hudson Valley and stars one of the area’s favorite candy shop-ownin’ celebs: Paul Rudd.

• Amanda Seyfried, a full-time Hudson Valley resident who recently performed a beautiful rendition of “A Case of You” on Sunday evening as part of an O+ Festival Joni Mitchell tribute, will star in the Hudson Valley premiere of The Life and Deaths of Wilson Shedd by Tim Blake Nelson on Thursday in Woodstock.

• Lunatic Dreamers, a portrait of Hudson Valley band, The Felice Brothers, will have its world premiere this week followed by a special live performance at Assembly in Kingston. (Standby only)

• In the short film, Woodstock, NY May 26th at 5:08PM, John Quinn, animator-in-residence at the Byrdcliffe Art Colony, turned a conversation with a friendly stranger into an animated snapshot of a time and place in the small town of Woodstock. Screening October 18 at 1:45pm as part of the Made in the Hudson Valley Shorts program.

• Sullivan Fire, a 25-minute documentary premiering on Sunday, follows volunteer firefighters across generations: veteran members preparing to step aside and a new generation learning what it means to step up. It brings viewers inside the firehouse and onto calls while asking a question facing communities across the country: Who will answer the call next?

• Plus: IndieWire’s live podcast recording with filmmaker Guy Nattiv and actress Carrie Coon at the Woodstock Playhouse on Wednesday (Free with RSVP required); Woodstockers TV pilot and talk-back with series star, co-writer and executive producer Corbin Bernsen (free event); animator Bill Plympton joining fellow independent animator Signe Baumane on Friday for an afternoon retrospective of Bill's most-beloved shorts, intermingled by rapid conversations on the secrets behind Bill’s long and successful career; Expulsion, based on debut director’s Zonia Pelensky’s Ukrainian-American upbringing in the East Village starring Jemima Kirke (Girls); Tangles starring Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Abbi Jacobson, Bryan Cranston, Beanie Feldstein, and Seth Rogen, following a free-spirited, gay activist and artist in 1990s San Francisco who returns to her small, conservative hometown to care for her vibrant mother, who is struck by Alzheimer’s, followed by a Q&A with Director Leah Nelson; a three-song performance by Little Feat members following a doc and director Q&A on Sunday; and Films Not Made, a live panel podcast with Mark Duplass and Katie Aselton on the “ghosts of films that never came to be.”

The Woodstock Film Festival takes place October 14-18, 2026 with screenings at locations in Woodstock, Rosendale, Kingston, Saugerties and Catskill.

It’s the kind of news flaky carb lovers love to see: A bakery in Rockland County recently officially recorded the largest croissant in the world – out baking Germany by more than 21.05 centimeters (approximately 8.29-inches).

As costs at the pump continue to rise, Dutchess County Legislators will meet this week to discuss extending the county’s cap on sales tax for gasoline and diesel fuel purchases.

The current gas tax cap – which keeps the county’s sales tax on gasoline and diesel at $3 per galllon – will expire in December.

“Our job as legislators is to find every opportunity to make life more affordable for our constituents, capping the gas sales tax does this. This money belongs to hardworking Dutchess County residents,” said Dutchess County Legislator Emma Arnoff.

Woodstock Film Festival
October 14 - 18, 2026
Woodstock, Rosendale, Kingston, Saugerties and Catskill
See the full line-up and schedule at woodstockfilmfestival.org

IndieWire: ScreenTalk Live Podcast with Carrie Coon & Guy Nattiv at Woodstock Film Festival
Wednesday, October 14, 2026 at 3pm
Cost of admission: Free with RSVP required
103 Mill Hill Rd, Woodstock
Join IndieWire Executive Editor Ryan Lattanzio for a special Woodstock Film Festival live edition of Screen Talk, IndieWire’s weekly podcast. Ryan will be joined by filmmaker Guy Nattiv and actress Carrie Coon of WFF Official Selection, The Liberation. RSVP: Website

The World of Strange Occurrences
Wednesday, October 14, 2026 at 6pm
Mahopac Public Library
Lance from the Pine Bush UFO and Paranormal Museum takes guests on an unforgettable journey into the mysterious and unexplained. Hear captivating tales of strange encounters and otherworldly phenomena and uncover the history, mysteries, and science behind the unknown! Register

Frederic Church, Mexico and the Legacy of the Landscape Oil Sketch
Wednesday, October 14, 2026 at 6pm
Cost of admission: Free
Virtual
The Olana Partnership will host Dr. Shannon Vittoria, Associate Curator of American Art at LCMA to discuss Mexico’s influence on more than 60 plein-air oil sketches, graphhite drawings and paintings. Register

2026 Burning of Kingston
October 15-18, 2026
Cost of admission: Free
City of Kingston
Stories, performances, reenactments, film screenings, a grand ball and more. Website

“Solidarity: What Are We Fighting For?”
October 15-17, 2026
Cost of admission: Free for Arendt Center members, Bard College students, faculty, and staff. $199 for non-members
Bard College, Annandale-on-Hudson
In a time when we know all too well what we oppose – war, injustice, authoritarianism, loneliness – we struggle to answer a deeper question: What are we fighting for? The 2026 Arendt Forum takes up that question directly by gathering thinkers, artists, scholars, and citizens for a three-day public encounter shaped by Arendt’s conviction that politics begins when people think and talk together. Participants include philosopher Carol Gilligan, political scientist Hélène Landemore, journalist George Packer, theologian Rowan Williams, and author Patrick Deneen in conversation with Hannah Arendt Center Senior Fellow Chris Gibson and attorney Zephyr Teachout. Register

Cultivating Hope: A Wellness Luncheon
Thursday, October 15, 2026 at 11am
Cost of admission: $250
150 Whippoorwill Rd., Suite. 1, Armonk
Pause, re-center and connect with community at a restorative day of wellness, works and lunch, benefitting Hope’s Door’s mission to protect and empower. Website

John Vanderlyn: A Walking Tour of the Artist’s Life and Legacy
Thursday, October 15, 2026 from 11am to noon
Cost of admission: Free but reservations are required
Senate House, near the Robert Loughran House, 296 Fair Street, Kingston
Explore Vanderlyn’s life by visiting key locations related to his family and artistic development. Though Vanderlyn called Kingston home, he traveled the world, painted presidents, and rubbed elbows with many recognizable names, from Senate House resident Peter Van Gaasbeek, to Gilbert Stuart and Aaron Burr. Today, his works can be found in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, National Portrait Gallery, the U.S. House of Representatives, and the U.S. Capitol Rotunda. However, Senate House State Historic Site currently holds the largest collection of Vanderlyn pieces anywhere in the world. RSVP by calling 845-338-2786 or email SenateHouseSHS@parks.ny.gov.

Hudson Valley Venture Hub Demo Night
Thursday, October 15, 2026 from 5:30 to 8:30pm
Senate Garage, Kingston
The region’s most promising founders, investors, entrepreneurs, business leaders, and supporters come together for an evening of startup pitches, connections, and celebration. Register

Nothing of Insignificance: Adventures in Journalism
Thursday, October 15, 2026 at 6pm
Cost of admission: Free but registration is required
Wallace Center, FDR Library, Hyde Park
Conversation and book signing with Brian Hollander, a Hudson Valley local dedicated to the community, serving as Woodstock Times editor for 19 years, as a founding DJ at WDST and two terms as Woodstock town supervisor. Hollander's 2025 book features a collection of 40 stories from his over 30 years of reporting. He takes a personal and entertaining look at politics, music and community life. Register

Odd Hours, No Pay, Cool Hat
Thursday, October 15, 2026 at 6:30pm
Morton Memorial Library, Rhinecliff
Movie screening and Q&A with local firefighters.

2026 Newburgh Fringe Festival
October 16-18, 2026
Cost of admission: $15 for all performances
Downtown Newburgh
A weekend-long celebration of performing arts in the Hudson Valley featuring an eclectic mix of original theater, reimagined classics, debut performances, short-form works, improv solo acts, puppetry, magic shows, music, dance, storytelling, and more. Highlights include: Crossing the Crab Nebula and The Deal, two one-act plays written by Grammy-winning comedian Lewis Black (The Daily Show, Inside Out), Campy Cult Cinema 3000, and a screening of the cult film Eden Cried starring Newburgh native Carol Hollenbeck, which first premiered at the Ritz Theater in 1967. Website

Woodstock Film Festival Presents: OUTPOSTS: Nothing Here Is Yours
Friday, October 16, 2026 at 10am
Cost of admission: $20
132 Tinker Street, Woodstock
Q&A with Director Hilla Medalia, Producer Sheila Nevins, and Executive Producer Libby Lenkinski. About the film: In the occupied West Bank, Palestinian communities face escalating settler violence and ongoing attempts to displace them. Israeli activists, armed only with their cellphones, stand in solidarity with them, documenting attacks, trying to fend off intruders and standing beside them as they struggle to remain on their land. Website

City of Kingston 2027 Budget Address
Friday, October 16, 2026 at 11am
Council Chambers, City Hall, Kingston
Mayor Noble will deliver his 2027 budget address. Open to the public.

Afterlife of Elephants: How Megacarcasses Shape Ecosystems
Friday, October 16, 2026 from 7 to 8pm
Cost of admission: Free with registration required
Virtual and in person at the Cary Institute Auditorium, 2801 Sharon Turnpike, Millbrook
Elephants are important ecosystem engineers, transforming landscapes as they forage. But did you know they also leave a legacy when they die? Learn how megacarcasses shape savanna ecosystems in Kruger National Park, South Africa. The event will feature an early screening of a 22-minute documentary shot on location and a Q&A with Cary ecologist Jane Lucas and Princeton Postdoctoral Scholar Courtney Reed. Lucas and Reed will share their field experiences and research results. Register: In-person or live stream

Explore Red Hook’s Historic Tavern
Continues through October 16, 2026 (select open days)
Cost of admission: Free
Elmendorph Inn, 7562 North Broadway, Red Hook
Step inside the Elmendorph Inn and explore “A Seat at the Table,” a new immersive exhibit about the building’s history as a tavern, gathering place, workplace, and center of community life. Visitors can hear an immersive soundscape, try hands-on activities, explore reproduction objects, discover stories of the people who gathered here, and make a take-home tea and punch blend inspired by historic recipes. Admission is free. Open days and hours vary; visit the event website for the complete schedule and visitor information. Website

New York State Sheep and Wool Festival
October 17-18, 2026
Cost of admission: $15 advance, $18 at the gate, free for kids under 11
Dutchess County Fairgrounds, Rhinebeck
Fleece show and sale, workshops and classes, competitions, shows, vendors and more. Website

10th Annual Meadows and Trails 5K
Saturday, October 17, 2026 with check-in at 9am, race at 11am
Hudson Highlands Nature Museum Outdoor Discovery Campus, 120 Muser Road, Cornwall
Run or walk through meadows & woods and by lively ponds with stunning Fall views of Black Rock Mountain. All proceeds support nature education & our Animal Ambassadors. Students 18 and under run for free! Early Bird Registration ends October 4. Website

Vintage & Antique Appraisal Roadshow Fundraiser for Saugerties Animal Shelter
Saturday and Sunday October 17 & 18, 2026 from 9am to 6pm
Cost of admission: Free, $7 per item for up to 5 items
Saugerties Vintage Emporium, 3139 Rte 9 W Simmons Plaza, Saugerties
Appraisers include Robert Merigolo, Appraisers Roadshow, former Sotheby’s agent for Art & Asian works, Lark Mason, former Sotheby’s agent for Chinese department, Raymond Zyler, Mohawk Arms, John Tkachuk and expert historical documents & books.Junk in the Trunk sale at Cantine field to support the Saugerties Animal Shelter will be held on Sunday, October 18, 2026. For more information contact Ezra Eichelberger at Saugerties Vintage Emporium 845 244-0450

Farmworker Appreciation & Resource Day
October 17, 2026 from 10am to 2pm
Cost of admission: Free
163 Berea Road, Walden
Farmworkers, farmers, families, and community members are invited to a free Farmworker Appreciation & Resource Day at Saddle Brook Farm in Walden. Participants can connect with PathStone outreach information, Cornell Cooperative Extension agricultural and horticultural resources, farmer-assistance and grant-resource referrals through the 845 Halal Community Outreach Resource Center, and food-pantry support from Newburgh’s Church of the Good Shepherd. Outdoor Promise’s Adventure Bus is tentatively scheduled to assist with transportation from urban communities. The day will also include music, family activities, gift bags, raffles, prizes, and horseback-riding lesson certificates. Rain date: October 31, 2026. Info: hasan@nisharaessentials.com

Kids Halloween Costume Swap
Saturday, October 17, 2026 from 10am to 3pm
Beacon Rec Center Pavillion, 23 West Center Street, Beacon
Donate a new or gently used costume to swap, or just come to find something new for trick-or-treating. You do not need to donate to attend. Accepted items include costumes and accessories in clean and good condition from baby to kid sizes. Donations accepted at the drop box at the rec center through October 15.

The Cairo Fossil Forest
Saturday, October 17, 2026 from 10:30am to 1pm
Cost of admission: $10 suggested donation
Cairo Public Library, 15 Railroad Avenue, Cairo
A lecture by Dr. Charles Ver Straeten and on-site visit presented by the Cairo Historical Society. RSVP by emailing cairohistsociety@yahoo.com.

34th Anniversary of the Port Jervis Free Library
Saturday, October 17, 2026 from 11am to 4pm
Cost of admission: Free
Port Jervis Free Library, 138 Pike Street, Port Jervis
Celebrate the library & meet new Director Beth Wolpert! From 11:00am-4:00pm, activities include Family Fun Day, Fiber Arts Open House, speakers about PJ library and railroad history, live Celtic Music by the Parting Glass, and a cake contest! Website

Big Read: Fire and Freedom with Author Thomas Wermuth
Saturday, October 17, 2026 at 2:30pm
Cost of admission: Free
141 Boardman Road, Poughkeepsie
Join us at the Jewel Geissinger Ratzlaff Big Read Keynote event with Dr. Thomas Wermuth. Fire and Freedom presents lesser-known New York-centered Revolutionary War stories, from riots against colonial taxation and Washington’s time in the region to non-battle events like retreats, fires, and independence displays. Wermuth explores how state power reshaped loyalty and how Indigenous and enslaved people influenced postwar New York. He is the co-founder & director of the Hudson River Valley Institute at Marist University. Registration required. This program is a part of the PPLD Big Read. Website

50 Years of Punk Opening Reception
Saturday, October 17, 2026 from 5 to 7pm
Hudson Hall, Hudson
An exhibition tracing five decades of artwork, photography, comics, and graphic provocation from the publication that helped define the look and attitude of New York’s downtown punk scene. Curated by Ki Smith and PUNK co-founder John Holmstrom. On view through November 29, 2026. Website

Loose Ten Comedy Show
Saturday, October 17, 2026 at 8pm, doors at 7:30pm
The Idea Kitchen, 1940 Palmer Avenue, Larchmont
Cost of admission: $30
Get ready for a night of big laughs as Westchester native and rising comedian Dylan Feldman hosts LOOSE TEN, a stand-up comedy showcase at The Idea Kitchen in Larchmont on Saturday, October 17 at 8 p.m. Featuring a talented lineup of comedians including Caitlin Reese, Jacob Williams, Milo Mack, Ross Watkins and Wyle Schumacher, the evening promises nonstop laughs and great entertainment. Tickets include a beverage and popcorn, making it the perfect night out for comedy lovers! Website

The Great Give Back Food Fight
Through October 17, 2026
A food fight where everyone wins – Donate food to your local library in either Dutchess and Ulster County.

The Beacon Sloop Club’s Pumpkin Festival
Sunday, October 18, 2026 from noon to 5pm
Cost of admission: Free
Pete and Toshi Riverfront Park, 2 Red Flynn Drive, Beacon
Live music on two solar-powered stages, food and craft vendors, environmental non-profits, children’s activities and more. Website

The Ashokan Rail Trail 7th Anniversary Walk and Ride
Sunday, October 18, 2026 from noon to 3pm
Boiceville Trailhead, 5080 Route 28A, Boiceville
Hosted by the Woodstock Land Conservancy. Parking available at Onteora High School.

2026 DSAHV Buddy Walk
Sunday, October 18, 2026 from 1 to 4pm
Cost of admission: Free
Cluett Schantz Memorial Park, 1801 Route 9W, Milton
The Down Syndrome Association of the Hudson Valley (DSAHV) hosts its 2026 Buddy Walk to celebrate individuals with Down syndrome and raises funds for DSAHV programs across the Hudson Valley, in partnership with the National Down Syndrome Society. Form a team, register to walk, or donate at charity.pledgeit.org/DSAHV2026. Organizer: Down Syndrome Association of the Hudson Valley (DSAHV). Website

Write Your life as a Page Turner
Sunday, October 18 and November 1, 2026 from 1 to 4pm
The Collective Cold Springs, 75 Main Street, Cold Springs
Cost of admission: $388
Clementina Esposito is a developmental editor, writing coach, and founder of the Clementina Collective, where no one writes alone. She is hosting 2 afternoons at The Collective Cold Springs. Whether you’re sitting on a half-finished memoir, thinking about leaving a legacy, or carrying a story you haven’t quite found the words for yet. You''ll go from crafting unforgettable first sentences to mastering story arcs, tension, and character depth. Website

NOW WHAT? Retreats presents Welcome to the Club: The Sandwich Generation
October 18 - 21, 2026; Check-in 4pm on Sunday, check-out 10am Wednesday
Lundy Farm, Wawarsing
Cost of admission: $3,250
Now What? is a new series of boutique destination retreats for women navigating life's biggest transitions. The inaugural retreat, Welcome to the Club: The Sandwich Generation, brings together expert-led programming, private 1:1 faculty appointments, chef-prepared meals, wellness and creative experiences, and three nights at the beautiful Lundy Farm in the Hudson Valley. Space is limited to 20 women; pricing begins at $3,250 per person and varies by accommodation. Website

Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome Air Shows
Every Saturday and Sunday through October 18, 2026, weather permitting
Rhinebeck
Saturdays: History of Flight, Sundays: WWI Show. Website

Add an event to the HVNY calendar at hvny.info/share-your-event

To enter: Email your (1) best photo of Fall in the Hudson Valley from this season (2026) to photos@hvny.info. Original photographs only. Please limit filters/retouching, and include your name and location if it’s a public place.