Chatham Area Business and Arts Blog

Brown’s Emporium prepares to close after 104 years

March 20, 2024 | News10.com

CHATHAM, N.Y. (NEWS10) – For 104 years, a shoe business has been the sole of the Chatham community. In 1920, Brown’s Emporium opened its doors on a dream that would eventually become a legacy.

Judy Rundell bought the shoe business from the Brown family in 1990. Shortly after, she held a $5 shoe sale to sell the excess inventory.

Read the entire story.

Chatham Brewing Releases Nectaron of the Gods Double IPA in Cans

Chatham Brewing, Columbia County’s first brewery in New York’s upper Hudson Valley, has released Nectaron of the Gods Double IPA, featuring Nectaron and Motueka, two southern hemisphere hops. This release, available in a four-pack of 16 oz. cans, will be released this week to the public.

This Double IPA is a welcome addition to the brewery’s long list of easy-to-drink beers that Chatham Brewing has to offer, even with an 8.5 percent ABV.

Read or listen to the entire article.

World Atlas Names Chatham in Small Towns In New York for a Weekend Retreat Article

“One could spend a lifetime exploring the Big Apple’s five boroughs, sites, and attractions. However, once you get out of the city, New York boasts a ton of beautiful towns.”

“Chatham is a small town in the Hudson Valley with a quintessential downtown and is known for its vibrant art scene. Once known as Groats Corner, Chatham is known for its sense of community, and this is evident in the downtown area…”

Read the entire article.

Art Omi plans new $60 million destination in Columbia County

January 11, 2024 | Albany Business Review

Art Omi, the nonprofit arts center in Ghent, is developing a second Columbia County destination.

The $60 million project, Art Omi Pavilions, will feature at least a dozen exhibition buildings linked by outdoor pathways on a 190-acre hillside property off Route 66 in Chatham. A number of prominent artists and architects are already involved in the project.

Read or listen to the entire article.

WinterFest Contest Winners Announced

Gift Basket Winner

Patrons earned a free raffle ticket every time they made a purchase from a Village shop at Chatham’s WinterFest, held December 9, 2023. The Prize: a gift basket worth $1,500 filled with items from a variety of popular Village businesses, including gift certificates.

The winner: Donna Curnow Ross of Old Chatham who had spent the day shopping in the Village.
Congratulations, Donna!

Cookie Baking Contest Winners

  1. Jeff Risley of Nassau – first prize $100.00
  2. Maryse Folmsbee – second prize $50.00
  3. Third prize will be divided up among the three children who entered, $25.00 each as they were all equally delicious.

Congratulations to all, and the judges thank you for a yummy effort.

Shop Late Fridays!

Start your weekend with early evening shopping on Main Street. Stores will be open until 7:00pm on Friday nights in December.

Design work starts on Chatham-area trail expansion

September 1, 2023 | TimesUnion.com

A key step in the expansion of a rail trail in Columbia County has been taken.

The Harlem Valley Rail Trail Association said work has started toward creating a shovel-ready construction plan for a new section of the trail that will link the village of Philmont to the town of Ghent and Chatham village.

The construction-ready documents are being designed by MKM Landscape Architecture of New York under contract to the association, the nonprofit community group that helps oversee the expansion and maintenance of the trail. MKM has designed 2.5 miles of earlier extensions of the trail.

Read the entire article.

Columbia County Fair runs August 30-September 4

Six days of fun for the whole family with nightly grandstand entertainment including demolition derby, monster tractors, rodeo, live music, volunteer firefighting parade, daily animal shows and much more! The fair also features 4-H animal competitions, traditional and inventive fair food, midway rides, racing pigs, a petting zoo, and more.

Visit the website.

PS21 2023 Season Preview

July 14, 2023 | WAMC

In June, PS21 launched its 2023 season with the 10th anniversary edition of The NEXT Festival of Emerging Artists. The season continues with more than fifty unique events, featuring a constellation of celebrated and emerging dancers and choreographers, musicians and singers, actors, directors, and international street artists.

Joe Donahue interviews Executive and Artistic Director of PS21 Elena Siyanko about the new season.

Listen to the entire interview.