Schenectady Colonial Festival focuses on regional history
People are typically heavily influenced by modern technology in their life, but residents can revisit their roots during the Schenectady Colonial Festival.
It is a little educational, it is a lot of fun and it gives people an appreciation for what a treasure we have here in Schenectady, said Maureen Gebert, director of the Schenectady Heritage Area.
For over a week, from Friday, Feb. 4, to Sunday, Feb. 13, the City of Schenectady will host several events highlighting the early history of the area. One of the main events is artist Len Tantillo, known for his illustrations of historic sites throughout the Hudson and Mohawk Valleys, giving a presentation at the First Reformed Church in Schenectady.
`[Tantillo] is very detailed and he does a tremendous amount of research so he has every detail correct,` said Gebert. `Over the past couple of years he has done a lot more in Schenectady than he had before.`
The picture in Schenectady’s City Hall is also by him, she noted, and he also has done a picture of what stockade would have looked like before The Schenectady Massacre. Also, the festival is always held around the dates of the massacre in 1690, she said, to celebrate how the community rebuilt themselves.
During another event with Tantillo at the Glen Sanders Mansion on Tuesday, Feb. 8, starting at 4 p.m. there will be a chance to meet him and see a planned showing of his work. Also, findings from the Schenectady County Community College archaeology program will be shown at the dinner.
`They were able to do this, because they got a grant in 2009 to rent some ground penetrating radar to see what is going on down there,` said Gebert about the college’s program. `Most of the stuff in Schenectady is untouched it is just the way it is left. We discover more and more and it is in its original form.`
The annual dinner is held on the anniversary of the massacre and there will be a colonial themed dinner start with a social hour at 6 p.m. at the mansion.
Over time, said Gebert, the festival has grown from original celebrations with a small group of individuals dressing up in colonial outfits, but through community outreach the event has grown to a lengthy affair.
`It was a core group many years ago that wanted to do it and a lot of people dressed in Colonial garb,` she said. `It is really a community event they get all excited and want to do more next year.`
Combination tickets for the conversation with Tantillo and the Colonial Festival Dinner on Feb 8 start at $60. There are also opportunities for individual and corporate sponsorship for the conversation and dinner tables. Separate tickets are $20 for the pre-dinner event and $50 for the dinner. Proceeds will support the annual exchange program of the Schenectady/Nijkerk Council.
To make a reservation for either or both of the events at Glen Sanders Mansion call Laura Lee Linder at 882-6866. For more information on the festival and a complete list of events visit www.schenectadycounty.com and click on the `special events` button to find the link.
The festival is organized through a coordination between the Schenectady Heritage Area, the Schenectady/Nijerk Council, Community Archaeology Program of SCCC, Schenectady County Historical Society, the Stockade Association and the First Reformed Church of Schenectady and several community organizations planning activities.“
