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Hardscrabble Day Turns 50: Inside Red Hook's Longest-Running Tradition

Episode 74: Hardscrabble Day Turns 50: Inside Red Hook's Longest-Running Tradition

Reporters Matt Moment and Athan Yanos trace Hardscrabble Day's origin, its 2005 near-collapse, and how it grew into Red Hook's biggest annual event

Show notes

As Red Hook's Hardscrabble Day turns 50, publisher Walter Mullin sits down with reporters Matt Moment and Athan Yanos to unpack the festival's history. They dig into where the "Hardscrabble" nickname came from, its 1975 bicentennial origins tied to founding father Egbert Benson, and decades of oddball traditions, from Civil War reenactments to a Marc Molinaro dunk tank. They also discuss the event's near-collapse in 2005, its rescue by local volunteers, and how musician Matthew Donahue transformed it into a regional draw with acts like Gregg Rolie and The Tubes. They close with a look at this year's celebration, including Teen Scrabble performers and a new Elmendorf history exhibit.

Produced by Emily Sachar, Walter Mullin, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud at the Radio Free Rhinecilff studio

Hosts


Guests

Athan Yanos

Athan Yanos

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Matt Moment

Matt Moment

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