Flag Day in Hudson Gets Freaky and Goes Big for America's 250th

(Photo by Basilica Hudson)

Saturday, June 13 | Hudson, NY

Hudson goes crazier for Flag Day than anywhere else I've ever seen—a full-day civic blowout that starts in the afternoon and doesn't end until well past midnight. This year, with America's 250th birthday as backdrop, it's bigger and more rebellious than usual.

The parade kicks off at 4pm on Warren Street and runs down to the waterfront. All of Columbia County is coming together with floats from Claverack, Kinderhook, Valatie, Germantown, Canaan, Hillsdale, and other municipalities, two Revolutionary War reenactment groups, and several fife and drum corps. At the waterfront, an artillery battery will fire three cannons. The festival along Warren Street runs noon to 9pm with vendors and live music throughout. Fireworks follow at 9pm, launched from the Basilica Hudson parking lot on the waterfront.

Basilica opens its doors at 5:30pm for tacos from Local 111, with a happy hour running from 7pm. The (Freak) Flag Day party kicks off after the fireworks at 10pm and runs until 2am. This year's entertainment includes a live performance by Ronnie Stone and a darkwave DJ set by xMAdMx aka Basilica founder Melissa Auf der Maur, who conceived it as a gothwave counterpart to the Americana pagantry happening simultaneously outside. Advance tickets are $15.

Hudson Flag Day Parade and Festival: Warren Street, Hudson, noon–9pm, free. hudsonflagday.com. (Freak) Flag Day: Basilica Hudson, 110 South Front St., Hudson, 5:30pm–2am, $15 advance. basilicahudson.org.