This year marks the 400th anniversary of Henry Hudson”™s voyage up the river that bears his name.Â
Cities and villages along the river from Manhattan to Lake Champlain are celebrating the quadricentennial with a series of events from festivals to concerts to art exhibits and celebrations throughout the year.
 “I am hoping that the events going on will aid hotels, restaurants and retail shops for shopping, eating and overnight stays,” said Kim Sinistore, director of the Westchester County Office of Tourism.
A replica of Hudson”™s ship, the Half Moon, will be in Westchester during 2009 twice; in August in Peekskill and for two weeks in October at the Yonkers pier.
Jerry and Jeri Luke, owners of Fox Hill Bed & Breakfast in Highland, believe the celebration of the evolution of the region”™s history, inventions and discovery will be a boost to their business.
“We”™re excited about it because it”™s going to bring a lot of people into the community,” Jerry Luke said. “The events are just being developed at this time, but I do know there is going to be hikes that go across the Mid-Hudson Bridge.”
Tara Sullivan, executive director of Explore New York, said the yearlong celebration resonates not only with New Yorkers, but around the world.
“I think that businesses play an especially key role in promoting New York”™s 400th anniversary to all of their clients and customers throughout the region and the nation exhibiting our great pride of New York,” Sullivan said.
 Sullivan said there are many opportunities for businesses to be involved in different forms of sponsorship for the quadricentennial.
“For example, the only linear event that celebrates the harbor and the river together is River Day, an eight-day voyage from New York Harbor to Albany commemorating Henry Hudson”™s journey that basically established New York as a Dutch colony. During that celebration, we will have flagships so that everyone who owns a boat or lines the banks of the river can experience it.”
The event, which will take place in June, offers corporate sponsorship opportunities to support one of the flagships.
Sullivan said the supermarket chain Price Chopper has already signed on to place posters listing all of the quadricentennial events in the Hudson Valley in its store windows.
Mary Kay Vrba, president of Hudson Valley Tourism said businesses also have an opportunity to participate in the celebration by creating their own events.
“We are working right now many of the counties throughout the Hudson Valley on packages for visitors to visit the Dutch historic sites, go to a meal, stay at a hotel, take a hike and tour a historic boat docked along the river.”
As for funding, “there is some state funding in the budget but it has not been released yet and we are still waiting to hear when it will be released,” Vrba said,
Most of the events will kick off in the beginning of May and run through the end of October.
