A new holiday market at Greylock WORKS celebrates the uniqueness of the Northern Berkshires. Set in an expansive, light-filled mill, the festival marketplace offers music performances, food crafters, local farmers, fermenters and distillers, and the region’s best artisans and textile curators. There also will be programs and workshops that invite visitors into the true stories of the artisans.
Views, Choose & Brews: A Walk-about in Chatham, NY is scheduled for this Wednesday in the village of Chatham. Sponsored by the Columbia County Chamber of Commerce, the “Friends of the Tracy” and participating Chatham venues, invite visitors to checkout the unique, delicious and thirst quenching shops and venues in Chatham.
The Walk-About begins by stopping by The Tracy building where you can pick up a map of participating businesses. Then wander the village at your own pace, and wrap-up at Chatham Brewing where the cash bar will be open and complimentary appetizers will be provided by the Friends of the Tracy.
While visiting participating shops, you can have your map stamped then hand it in at the end for a chance to win a gift basket loaded with gifts from Chatham businesses.
DATE/TIME😐
Wednesday September 20, 2017 from 4pm to 6pm.
LOCATION:
The village of Chatham. Pick up a map at Tracy Memorial Village Hall:
77 Main Street
Chatham, NY 12037
For more local happenings, news, and events, follow ColumbiaCountyCurrent.com on twitter @CoCoCurrent.
Holiday gift shoppers and art lovers can “go local” at the Handmade Holiday Craft & Gift Show at Spencertown Academy. This high-end curated sale features jewelry, quilts, cards, children’s toys, bread boards, baskets, scarves, hand-knit socks, ceramics, handmade books and papers, tin sconces, scherenschnitte (cut paper art), holiday ornaments, including over-the-top decorated wreaths, and delectable edibles made by dozens of Columbia, Ulster, and Berkshire area artisans.
DATES & HOURS:
Saturday and Sunday, December 3-4, 10:00am-4:00pm.
I’ve driven by Meissner’s Auction House in New Lebanon 100s of times but, until this past Saturday, have never gone in.
Having no experience with the world of offline auctions, I was always hesitant to check out Meissner’s because of a few ill-conceived presumptions. For one, I always thought that the prices at an auction would be way more than my frugal budget could afford. I also assumed that walking into Meissner’s would be like infringing on a private club of old friends who wouldn’t take kindly to outsiders. Finally, I figured that there would be too many learning curves and obstacles to me taking part in something that I had never done before. I don’t know how to play poker but know enough to never sit down at a high-stakes game in a casino and I was worried that walking into Meissner’s or any auction house would be a similar mistake.
I could not have been more wrong about what lay behind the doors of Meissner’s. I stopped by earlier in the day with some friends to scope out the scene. We weren’t chased out (I really thought that might happen) or hassled by the staff who would know at a glance that we didn’t belong. In fact, we were left alone and allowed to stroll around and check out the items that would be coming up for auction that afternoon.
My friends and I spotted a few items that we loved and, after a lot of talk, decided to head back at 5pm for the auction. I still didn’t think that I would be able to afford anything but figured it would be fun. When we got back to Meissner’s at 5, the parking lot was packed and the auction house was filled with people checking out the items and buying food from the kitchen window. We still had no idea what to expect but registered for the auction and sat down.
The auction began with “box lots”, which were boxes of random small items. These boxes ranged from a collection of terracotta pots to stereo equipment to kitchen utensils and were selling for anywhere from $5 to $50. After the box lots, an endless parade of auctions items began making their way to the floor and people were winning all sorts of items from large cabinets for as little as $20 to beautiful, ornate mirrors for 100s of dollars. Finally, the item that I had my eye on–a leather, wing-back chair–came up for auction and after a few tense seconds, I won it!
My new leather chair
It took me years before I went into Meissner’s but I can guarantee that it will be a matter of weeks before I head back.
Meissner’s holds auctions every Saturday at 5pm. They are located on Route 20 (near Route 22) in New Lebanon, NY. You can stop by before the auction to check out the items or look at the listing online at MeissnersAuction.com..
Follow ColumbiaCountyCurrent.com on twitter @CoCoCurrent.
One of my favorite Sunday rituals, the Lebanon Valley Farmer’s Market, will be closing down for the winter in a few weeks so if you haven’t been yet, do it soon.
The Lebanon Valley Farmer’s Market features roughly 20 local farmers, some of whom are located less than five minutes away from the market. The list includes Hand Hollow Farm and Windswept Farm plus the newly opened Shaker Mountain Canning Co.. You can get home-baked breads, fresh produce, cheeses, home-made Mexican meals and various goat-milk products from the vendors who return every Sunday.
The market is located just north of the intersection of routes 20 and 22 in New Lebanon, New York.
Dates
Sundays, 10am – 2pm
June – October
Contact
Lebanon Valley Farmer’s Market
518-860-4292
A new holiday market at Greylock WORKS celebrates the uniqueness of the Northern Berkshires. Set in an expansive, light-filled mill, the festival marketplace offers music performances, food crafters, local farmers, fermenters and distillers, and the region’s best artisans and textile curators. There also will be programs and workshops that invite visitors into the true stories of the artisans.
Views, Choose & Brews: A Walk-about in Chatham, NY is scheduled for this Wednesday in the village of Chatham. Sponsored by the Columbia County Chamber of Commerce, the “Friends of the Tracy” and participating Chatham venues, invite visitors to checkout the unique, delicious and thirst quenching shops and venues in Chatham.
Holiday gift shoppers and art lovers can “go local” at the Handmade Holiday Craft & Gift Show at 
Columbia County Current 