It was mid-May in 2018 when the bite of chainsaws first whined through the air surrounding the Smith House just south of Sloatsburg. The expansive property that now houses the Ramapo Woodmont Apartments complex has had many names and lives in its long history, from Sidman’s Tavern and the Smith House to the former longtime residence of the Pierson Mapes family. Continue Reading

Bluegrass signs have been popping up around Sloatsburg and the surrounding area. It’s that time of year – when the Friends of Harmony Hall host the annual Highlands Bluegrass Festival on the Great Lawn.

This year marks the 10th year that Harmony Hall has hosted this event that now helps kicks off the fall season for Sloatsburg. The Bluegrass Festival attracts visitors from across the Hudson Valley and surrounding area and is supported by Rockland County Tourism. Continue Reading

If you’re looking for something to do in Sloatsburg, well, the folks at Seven Lakes Station have cooked up something special. It was only three years ago that the craft beer taproom opened in the center village, then just a one room beer bar. Continue Reading

Many in and around Sloatsburg have wondered just what has happened to the sewer project. Is work active? Will it ever be finished? The most pressing questions are why isn’t the project complete and just who is responsible for the debacle? Continue Reading

Freshly repaired and repainted Village of Sloatsburg historical markers, which were delivered back to the village by Glenn Sungela of Congers, NY.

The project started back in October after a tip at a Harmony Hall event. Members of the Historical Society of Rockland County were attending a fall event and mentioned that Glenn Sungela of Congers, NY, volunteered his time to refurbish historic signs in Rockland and Bergen counties. Continue Reading

Rockland County Legislative District 1 is the largest land wise in the county, and includes Sloatsburg. With Michael Parietti and Greg Julian canvassing for ballot signatures, it looks like November will see a ballot battle to represent western Rockland County.

Ballot signatures are a tricky thing, especially if a potential candidates doesn’t have the big political party apparatus behind them. It can be a long, lonely business to gather the 250 or so signatures needed qualify to be a candidate, especially with the clock ticking down to the mid-April deadline. Continue Reading

The lawn at Valley Rock Inn is at the heart of the complex and is surrounded by the bar & grill, the pool, lodge, and guest houses.

If you stand on Valley Rock Inn’s big lawn and look west, you’ll see the Liberty Rock ridge in the western sky. Turn around and the Ramapo Mountains along the southern tip of Harriman State Park loom in the far northeast sky, across the Ramapo River. That Sloatsburg sweet spot is at the heart of the Mill Street neighborhood undergoing transformation in the village center. Continue Reading

Last year young Sloatsburg bikers popped wheelies along the parade route. Unfortunately, this year’s Halloween Parade has been cancelled due to impending inclement weather. The Costume Contest will continue on Saturday, October 27, at the Sloatsburg Elementary School, beginning at 4 p.m.

Update: The Village has cancelled this year’s Halloween Parade down Route 17 and through Sloatsburg Streets. Instead residents are asked to participate in the Costume Contest which will be held at Sloatsburg Elementary School at 4 p.m. on Saturday, October 27.

Just like that, the muggy October summer has moved on, leaving birch trees beginning to drop yellow leaves. Temperatures are dipping too as the Halloween season arrives in full. Continue Reading

Tim Garcia is busy behind the counter of the Village Blend, which opens in October in the Sloatsburg village center just off Route 17 at the Commuter Lot. The coffee cafe is part partnership between Barbara Berntsen, Nicole Scanlon and Cindy Garcia.

Note: The Village Blend will soft open through October while staff learns the restaurant ropes and product comes online. Patience, understanding and continued support are appreciated.

It takes time and taste testing to get the ingredients right. Sloatsburgers over the last few years have engaged in improving the Village, from supporting local businesses and events to getting involved on boards and committees. The idea of a walkable village center with bustling businesses is coming to life. Continue Reading

The Village of Sloatsburg’s Skate Park asphalt slab had fallen into disrepair due to storm flooding since its 1980s installation — the slab’s surface had undergone repeated flooding and cycles of freezing and thawing. The asphalt slab was recently removed and the field was graded and seeded for a youth field, which should be ready in the spring.

Precisely one year ago, in October of 2017, there was a public conversation about what could be done with the old Village of Sloatsburg Skate Park, built in the 1980s. After much discussion and investigation, the Village tore down the old rink and moved on. Continue Reading