Sinterklaas Celebration Continues

By Elizabeth Pagano

Prior to Rhinebeck’s small-town fame — over 300 years prior — it was just a patch of land being settled by the Dutch. Though the town has come a long way since then, with its colorful shops and lines of glittering trees, it hasn’t lost touch with its roots. The Sinterklaas festival, held throughout November and early December, is evidence of just that.

“It follows the tradition of Rhinebeck. We’ve had Sinterklaas in Rhinebeck since the 1600s; it’s where our Santa Claus came from,” Dorna Schroeter, a volunteer at the Artisan Craft Fair said. “There’s always been events, and this last rendition started 10 years ago. We’ve got all kinds of performances going on in every single space: it’s circus, dance, puppetry, theater and storytelling.”

One of the many events leading up to the parade on December 1, the Artisan Craft Fair, which was held on November 18 at town hall. The fair was a revolving door of action; between the artists and fair-goers it was jam-packed.

“I started this about 10 years ago. I wanted a way to support both artists and something for Sinterklaas,” Joanne Gelb, who runs the craft fair, said. “People come through and it’s really a joy to see everybody enjoying; whether they’re buying or they’re not, they’re enjoying the day.”

Hand-crafted plates, greeting cards, hats, jewelry, mugs and pillows are just a sampling of the wide range of items. In addition, handmade stars were being sold to be used at the parade and to raise money for the festivities, fit with the “honored animal” of the year on each star. An old tradition of the town, each year during the festival, a different animal is the face of the celebration: this year it’s the butterfly.

“Every one of them is one-of-a-kind; they’re works of art. And we literally have people that come early because they collect these items; they’ve been buying them every year,” Schroeter said of the stars. “So, one year was the fox, another was a horse. We sell out very quickly; it’s a really special event.”

In less than a week, the much-awaited Children’s Starlight Parade will take off once again, sprinkled with illuminating stars and the people of Rhinebeck. Though it’s a farewell to the festivities, it’s also a revisiting of old traditions.