NEWSLETTER
Weekly themed events from July 11 to September 5 feature hands-on crafts, live demonstrations, and interactive family activities.
Sleepy Hollow, NY (June 22, 2026) – Historic Hudson Valley is pleased to announce the popular Summer Saturdays series will return to Philipsburg Manor in Sleepy Hollow this season. The weekly family-friendly series will run July 11 through September 5 with programming that connects regional colonial history with hands-on learning and fun through themed activities, art projects, and self-guided tours of the National Historic Landmark.
Weekly themes and activities include:
July 11 – Barnyard Bash: Focusing on the historic wheat harvest, the day’s activities feature using a block-and-tackle system to move grain into the mill attic, a miniature barn-crafting project, and a meet-and-greet with live animals.
July 18 – Fabric & Fashion: Visitors will watch a historic clothing presentation and participate in workshops on Dutch block printing and bogolan cloth techniques.
July 25 – Hive & Honey: Exploring the importance of honeybees, visitors will bake honey ginger cakes, dip wax candles, and sample regional honey.
August 1 – Wonderful Waterways: The day will highlight the site’s working gristmill, with visitors drawing water from our colonial well and designing and building their own waterwheels. Hands-on art activities include watercolor paintings.
August 8 – Clay & Creation: Participants can create pinch pots and paint tiles inspired by Dutch Delftware. The event features a one-day-only exhibition of original ceramics by Thomas Commeraw, a free Black potter active in colonial New York.
August 15 – The Big Play Date: Features 18th-century recreational activities, including ninepins, stilts, and hoop-and-stick. Workshops include historic toy making and a percussion session led by KoSankofa.
August 22 – Seeds & Sprouts: Focusing on botany, horticulture, and historic medicine, the day’s programming includes guided garden tours, marigold potting, and the assembly of traditional herbal remedies.
August 29 – Preserves & Pickles: Exploring historic food preservation methods, visitors will learn about drying, canning, and smoking while pickling radishes and making sachets.
September 5 – Global Grains: The day features cooking demonstrations of grain-based dishes from around the world with chefs Rene Leon and Voila Afrique. Kids can create their own grain collage, paint with flour paste, and hear stories about bread from around the world.
Summer Saturdays join a full line-up of summer events, including:
• Enchanted Evenings (Select Dates Through July 18): A series of twilight events at Philipsburg Manor featuring live music, storytelling, dancing, and magic.
• An Audience with Poe (Select Dates Through June 27): Back by popular demand for a limited six-date run, this performance at Historic Hudson Valley’s Library features a retelling of four classic Poe tales by professional actors paired with complimentary drinks and snacks.
• Revolutionary Tea Party (Friday-Sunday, July 3-5): A toast to 1776 in the greenhouse at Philipsburg Manor with period-inspired blends and light bites drawn from 18th-century flavors.
•Rip Van Winkle’s Journey (Select Dates Through July 26): An outdoor theater experience that brings Washington Irving’s most beloved tale to life across the picturesque landscape of his Sunnyside estate.
Rip Van Winkle’s Journey is supported by a Market New York grant awarded through Empire State Development and I LOVE NY, New York State’s Division of Tourism.
Capacity is limited for all these experiences and buying tickets in advance online is strongly recommended. You must be 21+ with proof of ID to purchase and consume alcohol. Tickets are available now at hudsonvalley.org.
DETAILS: SUMMER SATURDAYS
Every Saturday at Philipsburg Manor is a new chance to explore history through fun activities for all ages, including hands-on crafts and demonstrations, manor and mill tours, animal meet and greets and more. Tickets are free for Historic Hudson Valley members.
Summer Saturdays take place on July 11, 18, 25; August 8, 15, 22, 29; and September 5 from 11-3pm at Philipsburg Manor, 381 North Broadway (Route 9) in Sleepy Hollow, N.Y.
DETAILS: ENCHANTED EVENINGS
June 26: A Soul Dance Celebration features soul line dancing lessons led by Steve Dillard paired with live music from BaseCamp. Food trucks and alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages will be available to purchase on site. Hudson Valley members receive a 15% discount.
July 11: Story Stage: It Happened That Summer features intimate and interactive storytelling inside the historic barn. The evening is curated by award-winning writer, comedian, and Moth StorySLAM winner Ivy Eisenberg and will also feature Olivia Barbulescu, Jamie Brickhouse, Sandi Marx, and Sean O'Brien. Snacks and alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages will be available to purchase on site.
July 18: Magic and Cocktails with Noah Levine features an exclusive, close-up magic performance paired with a craft cocktail experience. Snacks and alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages will be available to purchase on site.
Enchanted Evenings are happening at Philipsburg Manor, 381 North Broadway (Route 9) in Sleepy Hollow, N.Y.
DETAILS: RIP VAN WINKLE’S JOURNEY
An immersive outdoor theater experience adapts Washington Irving’s famous tale for modern audiences. A cast of costumed characters will lead visitors across Washington Irving’s estate through Rip Van Winkle’s dreamworld with live music and games, paired with complimentary drinks and treats.
Historic Hudson Valley members receive a 15% discount.
Rip Van Winkle’s Journey takes place on May 30; June 6, 13, 20, 27; July 3, 11-12, 18-19, 25-26, at Washington Irving’s Sunnyside, 3 W Sunnyside Lane, in Irvington, N.Y.
DETAILS: AN AUDIENCE WITH POE
An Audience with Poe pairs live storytelling with artisanal cocktails and treats. Professional storytellers perform The Raven, The Tell-Tale Heart, The Black Cat, and The Masque of the Red Death in intimate spaces, with complimentary cocktails or mocktails and other treats.
Historic Hudson Valley members receive a 15% discount.
An Audience with Poe takes place on May 30; June 6, 13, 20, 27, at the Historic Hudson Valley Library, 639 Bedford Road in Pocantico Hills, N.Y.
DETAILS: REVOLUTIONARY TEA
A festive toast to 1776 in the Philipsburg Manor greenhouse, featuring period-inspired teas and light bites. Visitors will enjoy light bites and sweet treats, as well as a selection of colonial-inspired teas from Oliver Pluff.
Historic Hudson Valley members receive a 15% discount.
The Revolutionary Tea takes place on Friday-Sunday, July-3-5, from 12-3pm at Philipsburg Manor, 381 North Broadway (Route 9) in Sleepy Hollow, N.Y.
DETAILS: PHILIPSBURG MANOR
In 1750, Philipsburg Manor was home to 23 enslaved individuals known to have lived and labored there. It is the country’s first living history museum to focus on the history of northern slavery.
The site will be open for tours Friday-Sunday through Sept. 27 and Nov. 1 – Nov. 29; Monday, Wednesday, Thursday: Oct. 5 – Oct. 29; Saturday-Sunday: Dec. 5 – Dec. 20; plus Independence Day, Labor Day, and Columbus Day/Indigenous Peoples’ Day. Tickets are free for Historic Hudson Valley members.
Philipsburg Manor is at 381 North Broadway (Route 9) in Sleepy Hollow, N.Y., two miles north of the Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge.
DETAILS: WASHINGTON IRVING’S SUNNYSIDE
America’s “Founding Father of Literature” created a romantic, picturesque estate nestled along the Hudson riverbank. The house and the furnishings, many of which are original to Irving, have been restored to their 1850s character.
The site will be open for tours Friday-Sunday through Sept. 20 and Nov. 6 – Nov. 29; Saturday-Sunday: Dec. 5 – Dec. 20; plus Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day/Indigenous Peoples’ Day. Tours are free for Historic Hudson Valley members.
Washington Irving’s Sunnyside is at 3 W Sunnyside Lane, Irvington, one mile south of the Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge.
DETAILS: UNION CHURCH OF POCANTICO HILLS
Union Church was organized as a non-denominational Protestant church in 1915, with John D. Rockefeller among the founders. Over the years, the Rockefeller family commissioned stained-glass windows by European masters Henri Matisse and Marc Chagall to adorn the unassuming country church.
The site will be open for tours Saturday-Sunday through June 28 (closed June 7), and Sept. 5 - 27; Saturday: July 4 – Aug. 29 and Nov. 7 – Dec. 26; and Thursday-Sunday: Oct. 1 -Nov. 1.
Tours are free for Historic Hudson Valley members.
Union Church of Pocantico Hills is at 555 Bedford Road, Tarrytown.
About Historic Hudson Valley
Historic Hudson Valley, Westchester County’s largest cultural organization, educates and entertains tens of thousands of visitors a year through school programs, tours of National Historic Landmarks, and Halloween-themed experiences, which have earned a national reputation as among the best in the country.