Hudson Hall celebrates the 26th Anniversary of Winter Walk on Saturday, December 3, with the return of a post-fireworks chili dinner in honor of the naming of long-time board members Elena Mosley and Ellen Thurston to Board Members Emeritae. Guests are invited to head to Hudson Hall’s beautiful 1855 performance hall following the spectacular fireworks display at 8pm and warm up with a delicious bowl of hot chili (vegan or non-vegan), salad, cornbread, and dessert, along with wine and hot mulled cider. Winter Walk “Chilly” Dinner tickets are $100, with all proceeds going to support Winter Walk, produced by Hudson Hall. Tickets can be purchased by calling (518) 822-1438 or visiting hudsonhall.org.

“Hudson Hall has been very fortunate to have longtime Directors Elena Mosley and Ellen Thurston on its board,” said Hudson Hall’s Board President Susan Hendrickson. “Their service to Hudson Hall and our community cannot be overstated and we are honored to celebrate their contributions and name them as our first Directors Emeritae.”

“The revival of the Winter Walk “Chilly” Dinner fundraiser is a fitting way to honor our beloved Directors Emeritae, who have both contributed so much to Hudson Hall, Winter Walk, and the entire Hudson community,” said Hudson Hall’s Executive Director, Tambra Dillon. “We look forward to celebrating them while warming up over a shared meal in Hudson Hall after the Winter Walk festivities, with all proceeds going towards making this cherished community event possible.”

Elena Mosley, director and founder of Kuumba Dance and Drum and Operation Unite NY, has been an organizational partner since Hudson Hall at the historic Hudson Opera House’s inception. A pillar of the community, Mosley served as a founding board member in 1993 when Hudson Hall was incorporated. Since then, she has been an integral partner in providing programs for the entire community. From drumming circles and dance classes to educational programs for youth, her involvement with Hudson Hall has been instrumental in forging its ties to the community.

As executive director of Operation Unite NY, Mosley mentors young people, with a focus on youth of color, to become well rounded, progressive youth who will enter adulthood with a sense of direction, self-esteem and social consciousness and subsequently reinvest themselves into the community from which they come. A gifted dancer and drummer, Mosley produces the annual Kwaanza festival at Hudson Hall, the city-wide Black Arts Cultural Festival, and curates a community dance program each year for Winter Walk. She is a member of New York State DanceForce and has worked closely with Hudson Hall to bring quality dance events to Hudson.

Ellen Thurston moved to Hudson in 1992. Shortly thereafter she became involved with the Hudson Opera House—now Hudson Hall—and volunteered to help organize Winter Walk, a community-wide celebration established to help bring foot traffic back to Warren Street after a long period of decline. Over the years, Thurston’s involvement with Winter Walk helped it grow to become a major economic driver for the City of Hudson. Her love of the arts and community drew her to the New York State Council on the Arts, where as a member of the staff she facilitated support for numerous arts and cultural organizations across the state. She also served as a regional representative of the National Endowment for the Arts for two years.

A true champion of Hudson, Ellen served as Third Ward Alderman, Third Ward Supervisor, and as Majority Leader of the Common Council. She served on the Hudson Tourism Board and published “Ellen’s Picks: Much Ado About Hudson,” an email newsletter that promoted events in Hudson. She received the Citizen of the Year award from the Hudson Rotary Club in 2010.

Programs at Hudson Hall are funded, in part, by New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.

Hudson Hall wishes to thank the major sponsors of Winter Walk 2022:

Grand Sponsor
Hudson River Bank & Trust Foundation

Major Sponsors
Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation
City of Hudson Common Council Tourism Board

Partners
Bank of Greene County Charitable Foundation
Columbia Economic Development Corporation
Columbia Memorial Health Foundation
FINCH hudson

Supporters
Baba Louie’s Sourdough Pizza, Clove and Creek, Columbia County Tourism, Ed Herrington, Inc., Fingar Insurance, Four Seasons Sotheby’s International Real Estate, Hudson Home, Lili & Loo, Merchants Social, Nine Cakes, Rivertown Lodge, STAIR Galleries, Stewart’s Foundation, TKG Real Estate, The Wick Hotel, Williams Lumber, Wunderbar