Celebrating 250 Years: Hudson Flag Day Named Columbia County’s Official Semiquincentennial Celebration!

HUDSON, N.Y. — The annual Hudson Flag Day Parade and Festival has been designated as Columbia County’s official celebration of the United States Semiquincentennial.

The event is scheduled for Saturday, June 13, 2026, and marks the beginning of local commemorations for the nation’s 250th anniversary. The Flag Day Committee and the Columbia County Semiquincentennial Organizing Committee are partnering to coordinate the day’s activities.

The celebration will feature a parade along Warren Street with participants from surrounding municipalities, including Claverack, Kinderhook, Valatie, Germantown, Canaan and Hillsdale. The parade will also include fife and drum corps, historical re-enactors and artillery displays.

Admission to the festival is free, and events will take place at the Henry Hudson Waterfront.

Schedule of Events

The day’s schedule includes family activities, live music, the parade and an evening fireworks display:

Waterfront Festival and Activities

12pm:
Revolutionary War Reenactment

12pm – 9:30pm:
Waterfront festival open with vendors and music

12pm – 8:30pm:
A&G Amusements open with a bouncy house, slides and an obstacle course

12pm – 3pm:
Live eagle carving by Catskill Carver

Caricature drawing and face painting

Musical performance by the Beer Stained Fiddle Band

1pm – 2pm:
Baby goat petting and cuddling with Ooms Farms

Historical cannon demonstration

2:30pm – 3:30pm:
Football signing with Leroy Collins

Parade and Evening Events

4pm:
Parade step-off beginning at Seventh Street

4:15pm:
Flyover above Warren Street by the Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome

6pm – 9pm:
Caricature drawing resumes at the waterfront

6:30pm – 7:30pm:
Football signing with Leroy Collins

6:30pm – 9:30pm:
Musical performance by the Anchor Management Band

9:30pm (approximate):
Fireworks display over the river

Logistics and Transportation

A continuous shuttle service will operate to assist visitors traveling between key locations. The shuttle will run from 2 p.m. to 3:45 p.m. and resume from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., stopping at the Front Street train station, Seventh Street Park and the parade assembly areas. Parking is available near the waterfront park and in county parking lots. Handicapped parking is available at Waterfront Park and at the Chamber of Commerce on Front Street.

More information regarding upcoming historical programming in the region is available on the Hudson Flag Day website.