1-Tank Adventure: Hudson Valley's Dutch Sinterklaas

HUDSON VALLEY, NY — Sinterklaas celebrations are a uniquely Dutch tradition, but settlers first brought those traditions to Rhinebeck in the Hudson Valley more than 300 years ago.

The Hudson Valley Sinterklaas Festival celebrates the holiday by honoring the man known as the patron of children and sailors with a decidedly American flair. Though the holiday has religious roots, organizers say the revived tradition is completely non-denominational and everyone is welcome.

The trappings of the Dutch Sinterklaas observance are in evidence at the festival with a nod to the earliest holiday rituals that date back to the very founding of Rhinebeck, when a town resident dressed up as Sinterklaas and rode a white steed through town, knocking on doors late at night.

Sinterklaas was accompanied by the Grumpus, also known as Zwarte Piet. To good children — Sinterklaas and the Grumpus delivered a bag of goodies. To the naughtiest children, the Grumpus rattled chains and threatened to steal them away in his big black bag. And for those “less bad,” he had switches for exacting lesser punishments.

While chocolate letters representing each and every child's name and favorite Dutch treats are available all over town, the Grumpus is a much more Americanized version, sans the traditional and controversial makeup. The Dutch Zwarte Piet, a non-human beast of legend, is often depicted in black makeup (to represent soot from the chimney he climbs down to enter the homes of naughty children) in the Netherlands. Zwarte Piet has created global controversy for its uncomfortable parallels to racist blackface performances popularized by vaudeville acts in the United States.

The Grumpus in the Rhinebeck festival is carefully crafted to avoid any potentially offensive undertones.

The Sinterklaas’ visits eventually turned into the parade that still takes place every December 5 in Holland and remains the most popular of all Dutch holidays. When the early Dutch settlers came to America, they brought with them their favorite holiday, Sinterklaas. The Dutch explorers dedicated their first church in New Amsterdam to Sinterklaas in 1642.

IF YOU GO:

The Hudson Valley Sinterklaas Festival will take place on the first Saturday in December each year. A full schedule of events can be found here.

Parking can be a challenge on the days of the Sinterklaas festival. Fortunately, there is a chance to win a VIP parking space through the parking raffle.

The police station parking lot, including the charging stations, will be closed to the public on Dec. 3 and Dec. 4. Parking will be for law enforcement and fire department personnel only.

No parking all day on these streets:

• North side of South Street from Route 9 to Route 308.
• South side of South Street across from church — about 60 feet in from Rte 9.
• South side of Livingston Street from Center Street to Mulberry Street.
• Both sides of West Market Street from Oak Street to the Town Highway Garage.
• West side of Center Street from Livingston Street to South Street.
• West side of Lorraine Drive.
• Both sides of South Parsonage Street from South Street to North Park.
• East side of Oak Street.
• Both sides of West Chestnut Street.

No parking after 2 p.m. on:

• Both sides of East and West Market Streets from Center Street to Oak Street.
• Both sides of Route 9 from Chestnut Street to South Street.
• Village Municipal parking lot closes at 2 p.m.

The Rhinebeck Bank parking lot will be closed at 1 p.m.. The drive-thru ATM will remain open until 3 p.m. All vehicles in No Parking Zones will be towed at the owner’s expense. East Market Street between Rte. 9 and Center St. will be closed to traffic from 2 p.m. until 8:30 p.m.

Available parking lots:

• Northern Dutchess Hospital
• Rhinebeck High School
• Highway Department
• Behind the Starr Library.

SEE ALSO:

• 1-Tank Adventure: Bear Mountain State Park
• 1-Tank Adventure: The Armour-Stiner Octagon House
• 1-Tank Adventure: St. Paul's Church National Historic Site
• 1-Tank Adventure: Stone Barns Center For Food And Agriculture
• 1-Tank Adventure: Building Memories At Legoland
• 1-Tank Adventure: Buttermilk Falls Inn & Spa
• 1-Tank Adventure: 'See For Miles' At This Hudson Valley Overlook
• 1-Tank Adventure: Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome
• 1-Tank Adventure: The Wild Center
• 1-Tank Adventure: Marshland Conservancy