Upstater Destinations: February in Columbia County

  |  February 7, 2013

Hudson-Chatham Winery looking deliciously bleak in mid-winter

February is a tough month, isn’t it? The novelty of winter has worn off, but spring appears to be nowhere in sight. February is also home to one of the most reviled holidays of all time, Valentine’s Day. But take heart (pun intended): There’s plenty to do in the Catskills to keep you distracted from the cold and misery of winter. Fun events are happening all over the place during the dreaded month of February, including Columbia County, which is where we’re spending most of our time this week.

Hudson-Chatham Winery: On February 9th, the winery will be heating things up with a “Group Hug” special (we know; not the most inviting of names, especially if you’re not into the thought of hugging it out with a bunch of strangers). If you bring in a group of four or more, you get a free tasting card which you can use whenever. Plus, they’ll be serving up hot and spicy food to stoke the internal fires. The winery staff can also set you up with a Valentine’s Day wine package, if you’re into that sort of thing.

The Second Annual Love Ball: Hosted by the Hudson Pride Foundation, the Love Ball will be held on February 16th at Club Helsinki in Hudson. Listen to some great musical performances, buy stuff at the silent auction, or get engaged or married. That’s right. You can get married at the Love Ball. Talk about pulling out all the stops to distract from winter’s chill.

Beginning Birding with the Columbia County Land Conservancy: If your preferred method of getting through February is to embrace the cold and get outside, go for a walk and learn about birds on February 16th with the Columbia County Land Conservancy at the Ooms Conservation area at Sutherland Pond. Staff will help you identify birds for a national survey. Binoculars and bird guides will be provided, but you’ll have to bring your own Thermos full of piping hot toddy.

There’s much more going on in Columbia County, and all over the Upstater area, for that matter. Got your own recommendations for mid-winter or Valentine’s Day fun? Tell us all about it in the comments!

About Kandy Harris

Kandy is a writer and musician/music teacher living in Saugerties, NY.

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