Join us for the annual Summer Gathering Friday, June 9, 2023, at the Congressman Maurice D. Hinchey Catskills Visitor Center from 5 pm - 8 pm.  This event is an opportunity for Catskills visitors, residents, and newcomers alike to come together for a fun-filled evening of storytelling.

We will be hosting three storytellers: Dr. Cecelia Davidson of Cesi Writes, Jonathan Kruk, Master Storyteller, and Perry Ground of Talking Turtle Stories.

Cesi Davidson: Dr. Davidson will talk about her research with the Shandaken History Museum on the Underground Railroad presence in the Catskill region. She will also discuss the contributions of enslaved Africans and their descendants to the region, and why they should be remembered. 

Jonathan Kruk: Master Storyteller Jonathan Kruk will be at the Catskill Center for the Summer Gathering on June 9 and the Catskills Great Outdoor Expo on June 10. He will be telling the story of Rip Van Winkle and the Legend of Sleepy Hollow. Known for solo shows of the Legend of Sleepy Hollow, and A Christmas Carol, Jonathan appears through our region regaling all with tales of the river that flows north ways, and who found the cats in the Catskills.  He's been featured on the Today Show, CBS Sunday Morning, and the Travel Channel.  

Perry Ground: Perry Ground will be telling Stories From the People of the Longhouse. He is a Turtle Clan member of the Onondaga Nation of the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy.  He has been telling stories for over 30 years as a means of educating people about the culture, beliefs and history of the Haudenosaunee.  Perry learned many of the stories he shares from elders of Native American communities and feels that practicing and perpetuating the oral traditions of Native people is an important responsibility.

Food will be provided by Dixon Roadside and will be served at 7 PM.