This personal story was written by Kat Diamond, a long time member and supportive volunteer.
In the summer of 2009, my family and I moved into a house in the Pine Grove Lakes neighborhood of Sloatsburg. As a teenager, I had often driven through Sloatsburg on my way to hike the woodland hills and valleys of Harriman State Park, but it wasn’t really in my mind when we began our house hunt. I didn’t know much about Sloatsburg other than it was touted as the “Gateway to the Parks Region.” My husband, an English teacher at Suffern High School, had nudged me to include Sloatsburg in our home search. His coworkers spoke of it as the “hidden gem of Rockland County,” and I recalled the peaceful days spent in its woods during my youth. We added the neighborhoods of Sloatsburg to our search, and fifteen years later, I couldn’t be happier that we found our home nestled on the edge of Harriman State Park.
Being new and having children not yet school aged, we were somewhat out of the loop about happenings in our new community. One day we discovered a flier in our mailbox about Sloatsburg Day, hosted by the Friends of Harmony Hall, and we decided to attend. The event was a delightful introduction to our new home, filled with history of our new village and games on the Great Lawn at Harmony Hall. We were looking forward to experiencing more that Sloatsburg had to offer.
Months later we received another flier in our mailbox, this one for the Victorian Holiday at Harmony Hall. We couldn’t wait to go. When we arrived, I was taken aback by the transformation of the historic venue. Festive garlands, wreaths, and twinkling lights adorned the rooms, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere. A majestic 9-foot Fraser fir stood in the parlor, dressed in trimmings that would make Charles Dickens proud. My daughters were wide eyed, exploring the rooms and meeting hosts dressed in period attire. They sang their favorite Christmas carols on the porch and played games in the cozy parlor, indulging in holiday ham, mulled cider, and spiced cake. It felt like stepping into a storybook—a truly magical experience.
Just before we left for home, my daughters eagerly dropped their raffle tickets into baskets, hoping to win a prize. One of those prizes was the magnificent Harmony Hall Christmas tree itself. To our surprise and delight, just two days later, we received a call from the Friends of Harmony Hall… we had won the Christmas tree! The excitement in our home was palpable as the Friends arrived to help us set it up. My girls giggled with delight as they added our own ornaments to the tree, blending our family's traditions with the Victorian charm of Sloatsburg of yore.
That magical holiday event marked the beginning of our relationship with Harmony Hall, which has flourished ever since. My girls have spent hours tilling the soil in Farmony Garden and serving crumpets at the Mother’s Day Tea. They take tickets at the admissions table for events like the Bluegrass Festival and the Grateful Dead Tribute Festival. Each year, we look forward to the Victorian Holiday and the village’s caroling and tree lighting ceremony. Even though my daughters are away at school for most of these events now, they always return for the one that started it all. Our anticipation grows each year as we await the Victorian Holiday celebration, reminding us how lucky we are to have Harmony Hall and to call Sloatsburg our home.
A Family's Journey to Sloatsburg: Finding Magic and Community at Harmony Hall
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