Annual Albany History Fair: “400 Years of Going Dutch”

WHEN: Sunday, May 5, 2024 from 12:00 PM – 4:00 PM

WHERE: Historic Cherry Hill, 523 1/2 South Pearl Street, Albany

COST: FREE

BUS: #106, 910–107, 10–107, 100, 12–922, 910–106 and more – bus route varies depending on the time you want to leave, make sure you doublecheck!

Join us at Albany’s Yellow House on the Hill to explore the Capital City’s fascinating history on May 5th from noon to 4:00 p.m. Marking the quadricentennial of Fort Orange—the Dutch trading post that became Albany—the fair theme this year is 400 Years of Going Dutch. Co-sponsored by Crailo State Historic Site, it will be a full day of activities, all exploring our region’s Dutch roots and cultural legacies.

Scholar’s Talks & Presentations:

12:30pm Dr. Maeve Kane, author of Shirts Powdered Red: Haudenosaunee Women and Three Centuries of Exchange, and Associate Professor at the University at Albany will discuss Indigenous-Dutch trade.

1:30pm Swords in the Street; Keeping the Peace in 17th century New Netherland: When European colonists transported their lives and cultures to the Americas, they also brought their fighting traditions with them. Come learn about the martial arts of the 17th century Hudson valley as Ian Mumpton and Steven Woods demonstrate English and Dutch wrestling, knife-fighting, and swordplay techniques of the period used to keep the peace in the face of interpersonal colonial violence.

2:30pm Lavada Nahon, Culinary Historian and Interpreter of African American History at the Office of Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation, will discuss foodways in Dutch New York.

3:30pm History Fair Honoree Dr. Paul Huey, lead archaeologist in the excavation of Fort Orange in 1970, will discuss what the dig revealed about life in early Albany.

Live Music: Friends Union Band will perform historic tunes on playing historic tunes with hammer dulcimer & violin instruments. 1-3:30pm

Ongoing: Dutch focused special tours of the historic house, a Curator’s Corner featuring Historic Cherry Hill’s Dutch collections and archaeological artifacts, & table displays by heritage and community partners. Reenactor Rick Vanden Heuvel will share the story of Adriaen van der Donck, an agent of the early Dutch patroon.

Fun activities for all ages: Delft-inspired tile-painting, Dutch-themed scavenger hunt (on tours), colonial toys & games.