Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival Illuminates Garrison, NY

Together with the Processional Arts Workshop, the Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival (HVSF) hosted the second annual Highland Lights, a celebration of art and nature. This year’s theme, Ad Astra, was inspired by the constellations in the night sky and the enduring hope and imagination they ignite.

Highland Lights invited neighbors to create collaborative works during free public workshops, in which over 200 volunteers attended throughout the month of March. After being twice rescheduled due to inclement weather, the workshop culminated in a spectacular outdoor procession of lights and lanterns through The Garrison’s paths on June 18 with over 300 attendees. The evening ended in a celebration with food, drink, merriment, and a campfire.  

The Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival

Just to get an idea of the incredible work that the Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival does, take a look at this recap of their 2022 season.

In 2022, contribution from generous audience members like you supported...

• Over 50 innovative performances under the Tent for more than 13,000 audience members;
• Prologue pre-show talks and family workshops for over 500 audience participants;
• Theater arts workshops combined with touring productions for over 15,000 students and educators at 40 regional schools;
• New and innovative community programs, such as Highland Lights; + Our annual Bake-Off playwriting workshops and share out;
• Training for over 200 artists and educators; and,
• The future of American Shakespeare in the New York Metro region for years to come!
• Give today to help continue this important work: hvshakespeare.org/donate

A Discussion with Managing Director Kendra Ekelund

A few months ago, I got to speak with Kendra Ekelund about the Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival's recent move, what to expect for the 2023 season, and the cultural and educational impact the festival has on the Hudson Valley community. You can listen to the episode of In Touch below!