ATHENS- We are back in full swing! Bells will be ringing, costumed choirs will be singing, and horses will be clip-clopping, carrying visitors all around the remarkable Village of Athens, just steps from the Hudson River. This and more await attendees of the beloved Athens Victorian Stroll on Saturday, December 9, 2023, presented by the Athens Cultural Center.
There will be free activities for the entire family starting at 1pm! Start your day at the Athens Cultural Center (ACC), 24 Second Street, where you can pick up your “Passport” and map of the village-wide festivities. While there you can sample cookies and cider, hear live holiday music, watch Irish dancers, get a cartoon drawing by our caricaturist, and shop handmade crafts before setting off to enjoy an afternoon of fun-filled activities and further merriment!
Throughout the Village there will be musical performances, arts and craft vendors offering wonderful holiday gifts, historic open houses, homemade sweet treats and hot chocolate, spirits tastings, and food specials at local restaurants. Be delighted by our strolling Victorian Santa, mime and magician, the Victorian Voices carolers, Athens Museum displays, a petting zoo, and much, much more. To make getting around the village easy, there will be a free horse-drawn wagon and shuttle running throughout the day.
Don’t forget to bring your own skates for the pop-up ice skating rink located in The Athens Riverfront Park. In addition to the park you can also find festive activities and live entertainment located at the Athens Firehouse, Lighthouse Church, Seconds, the Athens Rooster, the Athens Senior Center and at the historical home tours. Join Greene County Historical Society Archivist Jonathan Palmer for a tour of the Athens Cemetery to learn the history of some of Athens’s more colorful ancestors at 2:30 p.m. The Hudson River Bells, an ensemble of hand bell ringers, will captivate audiences with their beautiful melodies at the Athens Firehouse at 4 p.m. The On The Fly Story Slam “Home for the Holidays” edition will return for a second year hosted at the Stewart House, stop in and sign up if you have a captivating five minute holiday story to tell. This fun day will conclude along the picturesque Hudson shore with community caroling, a tree lighting, and bonfire in the Riverfront Park at 5 p.m.
Be sure to pick up a “Passport” at the Athens Cultural Center upon your arrival. As you wind your way through the Village, stop at the “customs” desks at different event locations to get your passport stamped. Collect all five stamps and bring the passport back to ACC to get entered into a 4:30 p.m. drawing for a special gift basket full of prizes and holiday treats. Gift basket raffle tickets will also be available for purchase at the Cultural Center during the Stroll.
For a complete schedule of activities check the Athens Cultural Center’s website or pick up a map and schedule at 24 Second Street, starting at 1 p.m. on the day of the Stroll.
