DETAILS FOR THE 2024 BURNING OF KINGSTON ARE STILL IN DEVELOPMENT. CHECK BACK LATER FOR UPDATES.
All events are FREE and open to the public - some events do require pre-registration
2023 SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Friday, October 13th, 2023
7pm – 9pm - Revolutionary War Indigenous Loyalists
Pre-Film Talk by Evan Pritchard, founder of the Center for Algonquin Culture and professor of Native American history at Marist College.
Film Screening - "Oneida Nation: American Revolutionary War/The People of the Standing Stone"
Location: Old Dutch Church Sanctuary - 272 Wall Street
Saturday, October 14th
9am – 5pm – Colonial Camp Re-enactments
Discover what life was like for members of the Colonial Militia and British Military in 1777
Visit the British encampment
Location: Henry Sleight House (intersection of Crown and Greene Streets)
Visit the Colonial encampment at the Persen House
Location: Matthewis Persen House Museum
10am - Guided Tours of the Senate House
Take a 30-minute tour the historic Senate House, home of the VanGaasbeek family and meeting place of the first New York State Senate just prior to the Burning of Kingston in 1777. Admission includes museum building with exhibits on Kingston history. $7 for Adults, $5 for Seniors, Children age 12 and under are Free.
Location: Senate House 296 Fair Street
11am - Bitter Farewell: The Esopus Indian Experience in the American Revolution
Talk by Justin Wexler of Wild Hudson Valley - at Persen House
Location: Matthewis Persen House Museum
The three decades between 1755 and 1785 were a time of major upheaval for the native peoples of the Hudson Valley, culminating in a war that forced them out of their ancestral homeland. This presentation tells the dramatic story of the Esopus Indians and their neighbors during this turbulent period by weaving together an array of archival sources and little-known oral history.
This lecture is presented by Justin Wexler, an ethnoecologist who has spent over twenty years reconstructing the lifeways of Hudson Valley native peoples and connecting with their descendants in Ontario, Oklahoma and Wisconsin. He can be found teaching all over the region through his organization, Wild Hudson Valley, which strives to reconnect people with the earth by opening up our eyes to historic land stewardship practices.
1pm - What Happened During the Burning of Kingston?
Senate House State Historic Site’s Aaron Robinson will give a brief presentation highlighting some of the events that led up to the Burning of Kingston, the fateful day itself, and the aftermath.
Location: Senate House 296 Fair Street
3pm – Colonial Re-enactor Street Battles
Uptown Kingston street battles by Red Coats soldiers and Hessian mercenaries against Colonial Militia re-enactors throughout uptown Kingston (Stockade district), culminating at the historic four corners.
5:30-7pm – Jazz Vespers: The Plight of Slaves During the Burning of Kingston
The Christopher Dean Sullivan Jazz Ensemble
Ulster County Poet Laureate Kate Hymes: Original Works
Reverend Evelyn Clark - "The People Could Fly" by Virginia Hamilton
Minister Rob Sweeney: "Up from the Ashes"
Rev. Evelyn Clarke is the Associate Pastor of New Progressive Baptist Church and a professional vocalist, actress, storyteller, entertaining children of all ages with African and Caribbean folktales, slave tales, as well as stories from other cultures.
Location: Old Dutch Church Sanctuary, 272 Wall Street
7pm - The Old Dutch Church Cemetery Tour
Travel back to October 1777 and meet six historic women that survived the Burning of Kingston. Their personal stories will give you a different perspective on our history. This one hour cemetery tour is accessible and appropriate for all ages. Free. no pre-registation required: CLICK HERE.
Location: 272, Wall Street, Kingston, New York
8-10pm - Colonial Ball and Reception
Take a respite from the war! As the British and Continental forces reconcile on the dance floor. The Burning Ball features live period music and instructed English Country Dancing. Everyone is invited to attend. Come and enjoy local cider and doughnuts, participate in the social dancing or just relax on the sidelines and enjoy the music of the Revolutionary period. NOTE: A ‘caller’ will give instructions on how to dance (18th Century Style!) starting at 8:15!
Location: Old Dutch Church Bethany Hall
Sunday, October 15th
1-3pm - Walking tour of Hurley Historic Main Street
A Burning of Kingston-themed walking tour of Old Hurley’s Main Street - learn where Kingston’s refugees lived, discover where the NYS capital was relocated to, hear the real story behind the British spy hanged in Hurley, and discover more about the many 300+ year old stone houses in the village. Tours offered at 1, 2 and 3pm (tours last approx. 45 minutes). Online pre-registration required.
See additional information on Hurley history during and following the Burning of Kingston.
Presented by the Hurley Heritage Society & Museum
3pm-5pm - BURNING OF KINGSTON FINALE - Chamber Music of the Revolutionary War Period
Bard Conservatory Ensemble
Pre-Concert Talk by Classical Music Master Leslie Gerber
Program:
JOSEPH BOLOGNE ‘CHEVALIER SAINT GEORGES’ (1745-1799): String Quartet Opus 1 number 3 in G minor
Allegro assai
Rondeau
FRANZ JOSEPH HAYDN (1732-1809): String Quartet Opus 76 number 3 in C major
Allegro
Poco adagio—Cantabile
Menuetto
Finale: Presto
WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART:
Piano Sonata for four-hands
Musicians from the Bard Conservatory Chamber Music Program:
String Quartet:
Musicians from the Bard Conservatory Chamber Music Program:
String Quartet:
Chris Nelson, violin
Joas Erasmus, violin
Marka Gustavsson, viola
Chris Van Zyl, cello
Composer:
Samuel Mutter
Vocal Quartet: TBD
Piano Duo:
Yilin Li
Francis Huang
(The mission of the Bard College Conservatory of Music is to provide the best possible preparation for a person dedicated to a life immersed in the creation and performance of music. We seek to do so in a just, inclusive, and diverse community. The Ensembles that are developed via this program premiere for special concerts at Bard College and the surrounding communities. )
Location: Old Dutch Church Sanctuary