It’s a book release party like no other. The first ever Sleepy Hollow Show & Tell will feature spectacular, strange and spooky tales from our neighbors accompanied by odd objects. Already on board: a story about a grotesque stone head, along with interesting items from the Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, the Historical Society, and more. This unique event will take place October 5 at 4 pm in the historic Christ Episcopal Church San Marcos in Tarrytown, Washington Irving’s own congregation when he lived at nearby Sunnyside at the height of his world renown.
The event is also a fundraiser–proceeds will assist the church with their altarpiece restoration project. Plus, every ticket gets guests a signed copy of the new “best of” edition of Irving’s classic The Legend of Sleepy Hollow & Other Stories, produced here in the Hollow and introduced by local author Krista Madsen.
A note about the fundraiser
The triptych behind the church’s altar, a three-paneled oil-on-canvas Last Supper scene, was painted likely in 1902 by Ida Rosenquest (1864-1940). Ida grew up in Tarrytown on Neperan Street at Rosehill (part of the park now) and is buried in Sleepy Hollow Cemetery. She was an instructor (of fundamental art courses in the Elementary Dept) at the New York School for Applied Design for Women in New York City. The school was established in 1892 by philanthropist Ellen Dunlop Hopkins as part of the Arts and Crafts movement. It aimed to “afford women practical instruction which will enable them to earn a livelihood by the application of ornamental design to manufacture and the numerous Arts and Crafts.” The school provided courses in book cover design, stained glass, textile and wallpaper design, illustration, etc., with a salesroom for student products. With this triptych, Ida memorialized her mother Harriet, a very active member of this congregation, who had died of diabetes in 1890 at the age of 45. The paintings are in bad condition from age and the elements and require expensive restoration.
And about the book: Selected works from Washington Irving’s classic The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent. collection (from the 1848 G.P. Putnam edition) include his most popular and enduring tales originally serialized from 1819-20: “Rip Van Winkle” and “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow,” along with a lesser known but equally interesting ghost story, “The Spectre Bridegroom,” and two odd essays verging on the fantastical: “The Mutability of Literature” and “The Art of Book-Making.” This slim yet gift-worthy “best of” volume, produced in this very real yet mythic village of Sleepy Hollow by publisher Sleepy Hollow, inK., begins with a contemporary introduction by Madsen, and ends with blank “sketch pages,” inviting the reader’s own musings and drawings. The vibrant cover design celebrates two female artists from the second wave of the Hudson River School movement.
Sleepy Hollow Show & Tell
4-5:30 pm, Saturday Oct 5, 2024
@ Christ Episcopal Church San Marcos, 43 S. Broadway, Tarrytown NY
Advance ticket reservations encouraged but not required
No recording/filming allowed; all rights reserved.
Info and tickets: bit.ly/sleepyhollowshowtell
