Sunset Reading at Romantic Riverfront Park

( RED HOOK, New York) - A group of acclaimed writers from our region will read from their own works around a roaring bonfire with a backdrop of stunning sunset views of the Hudson River and Catskill Mountains. The free public event will be Saturday, Sept. 23, from 4:30 to 7 p.m. at Scenic Hudson's Poets' Walk Park, on River Road in the Town of Red Hook, Dutchess County.

Sponsored by Scenic Hudson and organized by volunteers, the reading will feature celebrated works of fiction, nonfiction and poetry. Readers include Elizabeth Cunningham, author of five novels and two volumes of poetry; Matthew J. Spireng, an award-winning "chapbook" nature poet; and Lisa Starger, a poet whose works appear in regional and national publications.

Music prior to the reading will be provided by Sarah Elia and Josh Tyler. Ms. Elia is a flutist and vocalist who has performed with the American Symphony Orchestra. Mr. Tyler, who performs regularly with Ms. Elia, also is the leader of The Josh Tyler Band.

The audience will be welcomed by Scenic Hudson staff at the park's trail head at 4:30 p.m. and guided along the half-mile trail to the reading, which will take place at the Overlook Pavilion, among the rolling fields of Scenic Hudson's Poets' Walk Park. Refreshments will be served.

The park consists of 120 acres nestled in the region's famous National Historic Landmark District. The breathtaking landscape has inspired artists and authors such as Washington Irving, author of Rip Van Winkle. Directions available at www.scenichudson.org/parks/index.html.

ABOUT SCENIC HUDSON Scenic Hudson works to protect and restore the Hudson River and its majestic landscape as an irreplaceable national treasure and a vital resource for residents and visitors. A crusader for the valley since 1963, we are credited with saving fabled Storm King Mountain from a destructive industrial project and launching the modern grass-roots environmental movement. Today with more than 10,000 ardent supporters, we are the largest environmental group focused on the Hudson River Valley. Our team of experts combines land acquisition, support for agriculture, citizen-based advocacy and sophisticated planning tools to create environmentally healthy communities, champion smart economic growth, open up riverfronts to the public and preserve the valley's inspiring beauty and natural resources.