What A Hoot!
Brought to you by the Village of Coxsackie
Hello fellow Coxsackie Owl lovers! The Hoot of the Owl Committee has, just like you, been watching and worrying as the COVID-19 virus has wreaked havoc on our world. Realizing that the safety of the community and visitors must be our primary concern, we carefully considered the risks of moving ahead with the scheduled gala and auction, and the monumental effort it would take to keep everyone as safe as humanly possible. After thoughtful discussion, the committee members voted to cancel the event planned for October 3, and re-schedule it for a date in the late third quarter or early fourth quarter of 2021. The 2020 owls will be taken off their perches at the approximate time they would have been removed for this year’s auction date, and they will be re-installed in those same locations in the Spring of 2021, and a new gala and auction will be scheduled. It is our hope that many people will tour the owls in 2021 either for the first time, or for the second or third, thereby bringing folks back to the area to support businesses and shops that were adversely impacted this year. We also hope that the owls will bring in higher bids in 2021 so that our efforts to raise money for local charities will be much more impactful. We would like to send a big shout-out to our sponsors for sticking with us, and to the many talented artists for their time and talents. We are happy to share the owls with the public for many more months to come. Here's to a safe, successful owl auction in 2021! Thank you ALL for your support!
Our brochures have been printed, and we will be distributing them throughout town in weatherproof cases as well as with some of our sponsors. If you'd like to download a PDF of the brochure and map, click below:
We now have miniature owls for you to order and decorate for yourselves! A part of the proceeds from the sale of these owls goes to the What a Hoot! committee to be used toward expenses and donations to charity at the end of the festival. The miniature owls are approximately 7" tall, by about 4" wide at the base. We've shown a sample here with Ellen De Lucia's owl "Liberty" from 2018. Click below to order your own! They are $39 each plus shipping. Order mini owl here!
Our winner for 2019's raffle owl The Owl and the Chickadee was Joseph B. Ellis. He was awarded the owl at Coxsackie's Christmas by the River on Sunday, December 1, 2019, when his winning ticket was pulled. The Owl and the Chickadee (by Sharon Lalor Askew) now happily resides at Joe's home in Coxsackie! We would like to thank all who purchased raffle tickets throughout the year. Your support has directly helped get this year's What a Hoot! Festival off the ground. We look forward to helping many local charities in October from the auction of all of our new owls. Be looking for the owls around town for Memorial Day!
Please keep visiting this website and our Facebook page for updates for 2020, including all pertinent dates and info!
See the downloads tab.
All individuals and businesses interested in being an owl sponsor must return packets and payment by November 1st.
The deadline for artists to submit an owl sketch with all accompanying paperwork.
Sponsors will choose their owl/artists at this reception open to artists and sponsors only.
Artists will be notified that they have been selected by a sponsor, and will pick up their owl to begin work. This date is approximate.
This is the firm deadline for artists to return their finished owls. They will then be sent for clear-coating.
We hope to get all owls on their perches in time for the Memorial Day Weekend.
Our auction has been postponed until some time in late 2021. Please stay tuned for updates!
Our 2020 artists will hail from right here in Coxsackie, to neighboring towns in the Capital Region. It is time for potential artists to submit their sketches! This year's deadline for sketches is December 31, 2019
Our sponsors will donate $500 each for the honor of sponsoring one of our beautiful owls. With that tax-deductible donation comes credit on the owl's name plaque. The money covers the cost of a primed owl, its mounting brackets, shipping, weather protection, artists supply fee, and promotion of the festival. Our owls wouldn't be possible without our very generous sponsors! After the owls have been displayed all summer around town, they will be auctioned off to the highest bidders at our Gala Auction near the end of September--dates TBA. **DEADLINE NOVEMBER 1, 2019**
The Hoot of the Owl Committee is inviting you to be part of the celebration, too. Won’t you please become a What a Hoot! Supporter? Your donation will help Coxsackie’s festival soar by providing much needed funding for promotion, thereby ensuring success. While promoting What a Hoot!, the committee will also give you and your business recognition through social media and extensive advertising. We do hope that you will join us.
Here's an article from Hudson Valley 360 about this summer's public art displays, including our What a Hoot! Festival for 2020.
Public Art Exhibits to Move Forward
Check out the latest on Catskill's cats and Cairo's bears at Hudson Valley 360:
Cats and Owls and Bears Oh My!