Programs + Events

Saturday, October 9, 2021

1:00-2:00PM.

During this program, local environmentalists and ecological stewards will lead walking tours of Olana, engaging participants in the work of their organizations and providing new insights into Olana’s 250-acres. By connecting their ecological expertise with Olana’s physical landscape, each visiting environmentalist will provide a deeper understanding of Olana as not only an artist-designed landscape, but a resource for immersive explorations in our environment and appreciation of the natural world.

Join Riverkeeper's Upriver/Mohawk River Civics and Community Stewardship Coordinator Jen Benson for a walking tour of Olana’s artist-designed landscape to learn the history of both the Hudson River, explore historical and current threats to the Hudson River, and learn about Riverkeeper's efforts to advocate for fishable and swimmable waters. Riverkeeper’s mission is to protect and restore the Hudson River from source to sea and safeguard drinking water supplies, through advocacy rooted in community partnerships, science and law.

$15 person, $10 members. Advanced registration required. For more information, please contact education@olana.org or call (518) 751-6938.

Saturdays November 6 & December 4, 2021

12:00-1:00PM

Kickstart your month outdoors at Olana! Learn more about Olana and its artist-designed landscape during hour long walking tours beginning at the Wagon House Education Center at the historic farm complex. Each tour will cover a different portion of Olana’s 250-acre landscape and 5 miles of carriage roads. This gentle walk will cover about 1 mile; please wear weather-appropriate apparel and comfortable footwear.

FREE. Limited capacity; Advance registration required. For more information, please contact education@olana.org or call (518) 751-6938.

Explore Olana’s artist-designed landscape through the perspective of pollinators! Learn about how honeybees and humans can prepare for the winter through a guided outdoor walk and workshop. During this program, beekeepers Chris and Lisa Layman will lead a guided outdoor walk and a short demo about making beeswax salves. Chris and Lisa run Fox Farm Apiary, a honeybee rescue and sanctuary in the Hudson Valley. In partnership with Olana, Fox Farm maintains an apiary onsite at Olana’s farm complex. This program covers approximately 1/4 mile and will be conducted outside.

Saturday, November 6. 1:00-2:00PM.

$20 person ($15 members) - includes a salve sample from Fox Farm Apiary. Advance registration at OLANA.org. For more information, please contact education@olana.org or call (518) 751-6938.

Thursday, November 18

6:00-7:00PM

Join Dr. Elizabeth Stack, Executive Director of the Irish American Heritage Museum in Albany and Dan Bigler, Historic Site Assistant at Olana State Historic Site, for a virtual presentation and conversation about the lives of Irish American servants hired at Frederic Church’s Olana. This conversation will use the Church’s history of employing Irish immigrants as a framework to consider the network of Irish domestic servants that existed in the region during the 19th century. Through their dialogue, the speakers will consider how Olana functioned as both a workplace and a home for Irish immigrants and take a broader look at the lives of domestic servants and the challenges they faced during this period.

Olana After Hours is a virtual platform for lively conversations with interdisciplinary practitioners discussing how their passions intersect with the ongoing story of Olana. Each conversation will be hosted on Zoom. A link to the program will be sent beforehand.

$5 (FREE for members). Advanced registration required at OLANA.org. For more information, please contact education@olana.org or call (518) 751 6938.

Saturday, November 27th

3:00-4:00pm

Gather round this Thanksgiving weekend to hear folktales from far and wide! Just as Frederic Church gained artistic inspiration from his travels, use your imagination to explore the world through stories. Celebrate the spirit of the season and join author and storyteller Pamela Schembri for this outdoor story walk inspired by folklore from around the world. During this program, participants will walk about 1 mile along Olana’s carriage roads; please wear appropriate footwear and dress for the weather.

$15 person/ $10 members (free for children under 12) Advanced registration required. For more information, please contact education@olana.org or call (518) 751-6938.