March 9, 2009 - On Saturday, March 28, family, friends and neighbors will join together for the sixth annual Duanesburg Day event, celebrating the area’s local history, heritage and culture.

This year, Duanesburg’s unique history is being honored in conjunction with Schenectady County’s year-long bicentennial celebration.

The free community event, sponsored by the Duanesburg Central School District and Duanesburg Historical Society, will kick off at 10 a.m. and run through 3 p.m. at Duanesburg Middle/High School on Route 395 in Delanson.
 
Whether it’s learning about local history through student projects, perusing craft and antique vendors or enjoying a variety of delicious foods for sale, the day-long event will have something of interest for everyone.

Entertainment for all
A variety of vendors will be on-site selling their goods or distributing information about their services, including local antique dealers, artisans, crafters and community/civic groups.

For history buffs, the Duanesburg Historical Society will provide a presentation on the Telegraph Center and the Delaware and Hudson railroads. They will also be selling books and raffle tickets for books and a membership valued at $75.

Residents may tour the Duanesburg Episcopal Church with Bart MacDougall. A sign-up form will be available at the main entrance for those who are interested. A bus will depart the school at 1 p.m. and return at 2:15 p.m.

Duanesburg High School art students will take orders from those interested in purchasing customized Adirondack-style double or single chairs built and painted by students. Proceeds will help purchase art supplies.

Youngsters can work off excess energy jumping in the free bouncy bounce, sponsored by the Duanesburg Area Community Center. For the more adventurous types, a rock-climbing wall will be available for one dollar, per climb. Proceeds will help purchase physical education equipment.

Compete against your friends, teachers and relatives in the virtual playground, which will feature a variety of interactive video games, including MarioKart; Guitar Hero; Rock Band; Dance, Dance Revolution; and Price is Right. The Yearbook Club is sponsoring this endeavor, and proceeds will help cover yearbook shipping costs, as well as purchase new equipment.

Bring your appetite because the Junior Class will provide food and beverages throughout the day including breakfast, tacos, nachos and hot dogs, as well as a bake sale. The junior class will also have a raffle for two lawn tickets to the Dave Matthews Band concert scheduled for June 12 at SPAC. Try your luck by purchasing one raffle ticket for $4 or three for $10. There will also be a silent auction featuring at least two groups of juniors who will perform two hours of yard work at the home of the lucky winner. 

Student projects—a mainstay of the celebration
Throughout the year, elementary students have been participating in a variety of activities and projects focused on the local community’s history. Most of the projects will be on display throughout the hallways at Duanesburg Day.

With the help of visiting children’s book author Alan K. Lewis, kindergarten students wrote stories about a favorite memory and then incorporated a picture of that memory into a hand-drawn picture as Lewis did in his book, I Grew Up on a Farm. One student wrote about his family trip to the Christman Sanctuary, recalling the beautiful waterfall and time spent catching crayfish.

Second-graders learned about Duanesburg's founder, the area’s history as an important railway center and the villages that make up the town. Students used their new found knowledge to write and design brochures highlighting stores, businesses and attractions located throughout the community.

Third-graders will provide Duanesburg Day attendees with a special treat—samples of different meals they cooked in honor of the annual event.

Fouth-graders will share what they learned from a historical document they studied in class, which discussed dancing on Sundays in Duanesburg in the 1930s.

Fifth-graders received a special visit from Uncle Rock & the Playthings presenters Story Laurie and Ira MacIntosh. The visiting artists helped students write stories and compose a song about immigration.

For more information, including an up-to-date schedule of events, visit the Duanesburg Day section of the district Web site.

In the event of inclement weather, Duanesburg Day will be rescheduled to Sunday, March 29, from 12 to 5 p.m.

• Visit the Duanesburg Day Web page for a schedule of activities.

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