A small Hudson Valley village is preparing to welcome thousands of visitors for a wild celebration.

Last year, many events throughout the Hudson Valley were canceled. From Poughkeepsie to Kingston and Newburgh to Middletown, parades, fireworks, town festivals and more were postponed with hopes of returning in 2021. Sadly, after the rise of the delta variant, many holiday events and activities are still being canceled this year.

One huge celebration, however, has now been given the green light and it's expected to draw upwards of 10,000 people to the small, quiet village of Rhinebeck. On Wednesday, organizers of the Sinterklaas festival announced that the event would return this year after taking last year off.

Yes, Sinterklaas is happening this year. Live & in person, Saturday, December 4th, Join us in the Village of Rhinebeck.

Sinterklaas 2015
Chuck Merrihew for Townsquare Media of the Hudson Valley
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Sinterklaas is Rhinebeck's yearly holiday celebration that takes over the entire town with entertainers, music and holiday decorations. Based on Dutch traditions, Sinterklaas is a unique Christmas experience that is primarily aimed at children.

The entire event, including all activities, is completely free. Donations fund 100% of the entertainment and families from all over are invited to participate. The day is focused mostly on children who are invited to decorate their own tree branches and become a "king or queen" for the day.

A majority of the Sinterklaas activities take place outdoors, however, there are many indoor attractions that are usually packed with people. In years past, the crafting area where children can create their own branches and crowns for the parade has been shoulder-to-shoulder with families. Other events, like storytelling in the Beekman Arms, have also been incredibly crowded with children huddled together in close quarters on the floor watching entertainers, while adults are in a standing-room-only situation.

It's unclear if changes to these events will be announced, but Sinterklaas is encouraging those who are interested in attending this year to visit their website for updates and more information. We were unable to find any mention of health and safety precautions being made.

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