Experience the splendor of autumn
Plan your perfect fall day at Clermont this season with our fall guide! We've got something for everyone this autumn. 🍂
Table of Contents
Events
1
Spooky Season Crafty Kids Story Hour
Saturday, October 10
11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Join us for a Halloween-themed story hour in our recently renovated Children’s Play Area. Librarian Jane Miller will read a curated selection of story books about the changing of the seasons. Then, the Crafty Kids Crew will help kids create spooky-cute Halloween decorations!
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The Story Hour will begin promptly at 11:00AM with crafts to follow. This event is suitable for kids ages 3 to 8. This is a program for children; all children must be accompanied by an adult and all adults must be accompanied by a child. This event is free, reservations are encouraged.
2
Legends by Candlelight Ghost Tours
October 16, 17, 23, & 24
6 - 8 p.m.
Join us for a HAUNTINGLY good time this Halloween! What starts as a normal tour turns into a quest to quell the spirits of the mansion. Take heed, because our ghost stories are true!
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Your haunting experience includes Halloween treats inside our cozy Visitor Center, a jaunt through the jack-o-lantern lit landscape, a spooky tour of the lusciously decorated mansion, and marshmallows by the bonfire.
This event has low lighting. Please wear comfortable shoes and dress for the weather. Tour experience lasts approximately one hour.
Call (518) 537-4240 to purchase tickets. Tickets will NOTÂ be sold online.Â
Tickets can be purchased starting Thursday, October 1. Due to limited space, reservations are required. No walk-ins.
3
Trick-or-Treat at Clermont
Saturday, October 31
10:30 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Happy Halloween! Swing by our Visitor Center between 10:30 am and 4 pm to trick-or-treat at Clermont. Come for the candy, stay for the photo ops at our spooky-cute Halloween photo stations! A perfect opportunity to get cute costume pics and gather memories that will last a lifetime.
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Please Note: Trick-or-treating in the Visitor Center is free.
4
18th Century Games at Broadman Road Branch Library
Thursday, November 5
6:30 -7:30 p.m.
Come play the 18th century way! Educators from Clermont State Historic Site teach families how to play three popular games from the 1700s. Test your agility and gracefulness with Graces, dodge whoever is “It” in Blind Man’s Bluff, and stump your friends with Pass the Slipper. These beloved games were favorites among New York’s youth over 250 years ago and we think you’ll enjoy them too! Recommended for families with children 5 and up.
Registration is required.
5
Geology Walk with Robert Titus
Saturday, November 7
10 a.m. - noon
Join professor Robert Titus as he leads us on a geology walk at Clermont State Historic Site. Titus and his wife Johanna are both retired scientists who have become popular science writers, well known throughout the Catskills. They have recently published a book entitled “The Hudson River Schools of Art and Their Ice Age Origins.” The book relates the Ice Age history of the Hudson Valley to the development of its 19th Century art, literature and landscape architecture.Â
In short, Robert and Johanna argue that all Hudson Valley culture dates back to the Ice Age. One chapter includes a section about Clermont. The geology of Clermont dates back 450 million years. The bedrock rising east of the mansion takes us back all those years to see the site when it was at the bottom of a marine abyss, similar to the Mariannas Trench in todays’ western Pacific. But there’s more geology here. The mansion lies on a thick sequence of silt and clay. This was, late in the Ice Age, the bottom of Glacial Lake Albany. That lake extended up and down the Hudson Valley. All this geology provided the Clermont estate with an especially scenic setting for the building of the mansion and its outbuildings.
Please note: This event is free, but visitors must register in advance. This tour involves standing and walking on uneven surfaces. Please be sure to wear comfortable shoes.
6
Happy Birthday, Chancellor Livingston!
Robert R. Livingston's 280th Birthday Celebration.
Saturday, November 14
11 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Join us for an all-day celebration of our favorite, often forgotten, founding father, with fun for the whole family!
11:00am-3:00pm: Ballooning Story Hour! Celebrate early flight and the Chancellor’s technological advancements with a story time, historic games, and the launch of a miniature balloon. Fun for kids (and adults) of all ages and abilities.
2:00pm: Official launch party of The Clermont Dispatch, Clermont’s brand-new in-house publication! Sip Clermont-blend coffee and enjoy light refreshments as we celebrate.
4:00pm: Livingston Trivia Night! Enjoy a rousing game of American History trivia with light refreshments and fabulous Clermont-related prizes!
5:30pm: Raise a toast to the Chancellor and serve cake.
This event is free to attend. Trivia team registration $10.
7
Extreme family-treeing with the Livingstons
Tuesday, November 17
2 - 3 p.m.
Heather Rogers filled hundreds of pages doodling her way through presidential biographies. Doing so heightened her curiosity and turned her into an insufferable presidential nerd. She can’t get enough of the weird trivia, coincidences, and quirks. Along the way, she encountered many fascinating people who were never president but played important (or interesting) roles in history — like the Livingstons.
There are Livingstons everywhere and it's enough to make one's head spin. In an attempt to make sense of it all, Heather has drawn seemingly endless Livingston family trees... like this one. She'll even connect the family to a president or two, because that's what she does.
The presentation will not end with a quiz to see if you can distinguish the various Roberts Livingston. Or will it..?
8
I'm so Thankful! Crafty Kids Thanksgiving Story Hour
Saturday, November 21
11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Join librarian Jane Miller in our cozy children’s space and listen to stories about grand feasts, funny turkeys, historical perspectives, and being thankful. After our story time, our Crafty Kids crew will lead us in making paper bag turkeys--- the perfect diy centerpiece for your Thanksgiving table.
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The Story Hour will begin promptly at 11:00AM with crafts to follow. This event is suitable for kids ages 3 to 8. This is a program for children; all children must be accompanied by an adult, and all adults must be accompanied by a child. This event is free, reservations are encouraged.
Chancellor's Open House Series
Our popular Chancellor's Open House Series returns this fall, offering exclusive opportunities to experience some of the Hudson Valley's most remarkable historic homes and properties.
Each event is unique—some feature guided tours, others include light refreshments, and a select few offer a full dinner experience. Best of all, every ticket supports Friends of Clermont's low- and no-cost community programs and initiatives.
Additional open houses are being added throughout the season, so be sure to check back to see the latest offerings and reserve your spot. Availability is limited.
The Chancellor's Open House Series raises funds to support Friends of Clermont's low or no-cost community programs and initiatives. Your gift is 100% tax-deductible.
1
Montgomery Place
Saturday, October 17
2 - 4 p.m.
Join us for a special afternoon at Montgomery Place, one of the Hudson Valley’s most significant historic estates and a place deeply connected to the Livingston family.
The story of Montgomery Place is intertwined with that of Clermont. The estate was established by Janet Livingston Montgomery, daughter of Judge Robert R. Livingston of Clermont and widow of Revolutionary War General Richard Montgomery. Over generations, Montgomery Place evolved into an extraordinary Hudson River estate, reflecting the lives, tastes, and ambitions of the Livingston family and their descendants.
Our afternoon will begin with a guided landscape tour, exploring Montgomery Place’s remarkable grounds and their history. Guests will then enjoy a tour of the main floor of the historic mansion, offering an intimate opportunity to experience the home and learn more about the people who shaped it.
The afternoon will conclude with light refreshments, providing time to gather, visit, and enjoy the surroundings of this exceptional historic property.
Tickets:
Friends of Clermont Member: $50
Non-Member: $75
2
Boltwood House
Saturday, October 24
5 - 8 p.m.
This is a unique opportunity to have dinner with our Executive Director, Randy Tryon, and his spouse in their charming 1913 center hall colonial. The evening will include a multi-course dinner service, and a fun game of trivia centered around our beloved Clermont.
Tickets:
Friends of Clermont Member: $125
Non-Member: $150
3
Midwood
Wednesday, November 4
2 - 4 p.m.
Join us for a special autumn afternoon at Midwood in Germantown, a historic Hudson River estate with deep connections to the Livingston family and Clermont.
Midwood stands on land once part of Robert Livingston’s vast estate. Generations of the Livingston family established homes throughout the region, including Midwood, built in 1885 by Robert Livingston Clarkson as a rural retreat. Blending Colonial Revival and Second Empire influences, Midwood offers a fascinating glimpse into the lives of prominent Hudson River families during the Gilded Age.
The estate’s history extends well beyond the Livingston family. The property was later home to Joan K. Davidson, a noted philanthropist, preservationist, civic leader, and former Commissioner of the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation.
As part of our Chancellor’s Open House Series, guests will have the rare opportunity to explore Midwood’s grounds and tour the historic home, followed by light refreshments and beautiful autumn views.
Tickets:
Friends of Clermont Member: $50
Non-Member: $75
4
Dow Van Buren House
Saturday, November 14
7 - 10 p.m.
Enjoy a multi-course dinner in a stately Federal period home, circa 1795, owned by our board member John Delikanakis and his partner, German Delgado. Get to know more about them and the Friends of Clermont during this charming and unique dining experience.
Tickets:
Friends of Clermont Member: $125
Non-Member: $150
Planning a daytrip?
The autumnal fun doesn't stop at Clermont! There's a wide variety of activities for everyone in and around Columbia and Dutchess County.
1
Fall foliage
Calling all leaf-peepers! Leaves across New York State are starting to show their brilliant autumnal colors. Clermont offers visitors breathtaking views of the Hudson River and Catskill Mountains.
Peak foliage is predicted to reach Clermont in mid-October.
2
Walking and hiking trails
Autumn is the perfect time to enjoy the great outdoors. What better way than to explore the walking and hiking trails of Columbia and Dutchess counties? Clermont State Historic Site is conveniently located along the Empire State Trail. The 750-mile trail network showcases New York’s iconic landscapes and diverse history. Activities on the trail include walking, bicycling, picnicking, and more!
Clermont is located along the Hudson Valley Greenway Trail, in the Tivoli to Olana sector.
Riverside Trail Trail Marker View of the Catskills from Clermont
View the entire Empire State Trail map here.
Looking for more fall fun?
Be sure to check out Columbia County Tourism and Destination Dutchess for more ideas on how to enjoy autumn.
