Second date added!
Interested in landing a job at a coffee shop — join us for a free, hands-on Workforce Development Training focused on barista skills — led by Fathema Rahman, The Spark’s Workforce Development Coordinator.

In this 3-hour session, teens will learn:

• How to operate espresso machines and grinders

• Basic drink building: espresso shots, steamed milk, and simple lattes

• Café workflow and station setup

• Customer service basics: taking orders, working a register, and communicating with customers

• Workplace readiness: time management, teamwork, and showing up professionally

Whether you're considering a job in food service or just want to explore what it's like to work in a fast-paced environment, this training will give you skills and confidence to get started.

Open to teens ages 13–19. No prior experience needed. Space is limited — registration required!

10 spots available! Register below

The Physics Circle is a space where folks come together to learn physics collaboratively. We’ll watch youtube videos, explore phenomena, and share insights. No prior expertise required. Just bring your curiosity.

FREE Friends & Family CPR Workshop — Monday, August 18 from 5–7 PM at The Spark of Hudson on Union Street!

This life-saving event is specifically designed for caregivers and families of infants and young children (ages 0–5). Learn CPR skills that could make all the difference in an emergency.

The workshop is facilitated by Dave Yates of Valatie Rescue Squad, who has been leading these trainings across the county to help empower families and early childhood caregivers.

Participants will receive a certificate of completion at the end of the session and walk away with essential skills to help protect the children they care for.

This free event is a collaboration between:

• Valatie Rescue Squad

• Family Resource Centers of Columbia County

• The Spark of Hudson (thank you for generously hosting!)

While the workshop is free, donations are welcome! You can support these community organizations by:

• Bringing diapers, wipes, or gently used clothing (ages 0–5) for families who participate in Family Resource Center’s programs

• Making a monetary donation to any of the three partners:
  https://www.familyresourcecenterscc.org/donate
  https://www.valatierescue.org/donate
  https://sparkofhudson.org/donate

Let’s come together to learn, prepare, and protect our youngest community members. Register today!

Join the Family Resource Centers of Columbia County and Hudson Doula Care for a free community birthing class led by local doula Abby Larsen! We'll walk through the stages of birth, explore common fears, and work together on creating personal birthing plans in a warm, supportive space.

 When: Monday, August 18th, 3:00–4:30 PM
 Where: The Hub at Spark of Hudson, 502 Union St., Hudson, NY

This Spark-affiliated event is free to attend, thanks to the generosity of The Spark Hudsonfor donating the space and grant support from the HRBT Foundation and the Ackerman Foundation.

If you would like to make a donation to the community organizations involved please use the following links.

www.familyresourcecenterscc.org/donate

sparkofhudson.org/donate

Open to all expecting caregivers in Columbia or Greene County.

Join us for a fun and interactive, all-ages workshop with artist Leopold Grannis!

In this hands-on session, you'll create your very own miniature figure using found materials—and take it home at the end of the day. Whether you're a beginner or seasoned maker, you'll learn creative techniques from an expert in a relaxed, welcoming environment. All materials provided!

Join us for an immersive sound meditation designed to awaken your inner stillness and expand your capacity to listen, both inwardly and outwardly. This session weaves together breathwork, gentle vocalization, and resonant sound to help you regulate the nervous system and drop into deeper states of presence.

We’ll begin with guided breathwork to clear stagnant energy and ground the body, followed by simple vocal toning practices that invite you to explore the healing vibration of your own voice. As your body softens and your awareness opens, we invite you participate in active listening in the rich, meditative tones of singing bowls, chimes, and other harmonic instruments.

This is a space to let go, to attune, and to receive.

Please bring a yoga mat.

Registration required. 15 spots available.

Join us for an immersive sound meditation designed to awaken your inner stillness and expand your capacity to listen, both inwardly and outwardly. This session weaves together breathwork, gentle vocalization, and resonant sound to help you regulate the nervous system and drop into deeper states of presence.

We’ll begin with guided breathwork to clear stagnant energy and ground the body, followed by simple vocal toning practices that invite you to explore the healing vibration of your own voice. As your body softens and your awareness opens, we invite you participate in active listening in the rich, meditative tones of singing bowls, chimes, and other harmonic instruments.

This is a space to let go, to attune, and to receive.

Please bring a yoga mat.

Registration required. 15 spots available.

Entrepreneur Circle – August 15th, 12noon 

Join us for a collaborative, curiosity-driven session on how entrepreneurs are exploring the world of AI—what’s working, what’s not, and what’s next.

In this special peer-produced edition of the Entrepreneur Circle, each participant is invited to bring one way you’ve used AI (or want to use it) in your work—whether it’s for writing, planning, marketing, organizing, or just experimenting. Share your favorite tools, failed attempts, surprising wins, or big questions.

No tech background needed—just a willingness to show up, share, and learn from each other. You’ll walk away with real-life insights, tool tips, and a clearer sense of how AI can (or can’t) support your entrepreneurial journey.

Bring a laptop if you like, and let’s build this knowledge together.

Join professional cleaner Raena Baldwin for a thoughtful workshop on navigating the unique challenges of helping elders maintain a clean and comfortable home.

Whether you're supporting aging parents, relatives, or neighbors, this session will offer practical strategies for decluttering, cleaning, and organizing elder spaces in a way that respects autonomy, preserves dignity, and fosters connection. Learn how to assess needs, have productive conversations, and create systems that actually stick.

Raena brings years of experience working hands-on with families to make homes more functional and peaceful. Her approach blends compassion, structure, and deep respect for the people she serves.

Free to attend. All are welcome—especially adult children, caregivers, and community members supporting elder loved ones.

We’re excited to kick off Why Wednesday -- where The Spark of Hudson Founders Gigi and Albert will share the big ideas behind The Spark, Wally Farms, Dove’s Diner, and the Eutopia Foundation. It’s a chance to hear their why, ask questions, and connect more deeply with the vision we’re building together.

Join us on Wednesday, August 13th from 1:30 - 2:30pm at The Spark.

Come if you’re curious, come if you’re invested, come if you just want to hear a good story. Feel free to share with -- the more the merrier!

WORKSHOP IS NOW FULL!
Interested in landing a job at a coffee shop — join us for a free, hands-on Workforce Development Training focused on barista skills — led by Fathema Rahman, The Spark’s Workforce Development Coordinator.

In this 3-hour session, teens will learn:

• How to operate espresso machines and grinders

• Basic drink building: espresso shots, steamed milk, and simple lattes

• Café workflow and station setup

• Customer service basics: taking orders, working a register, and communicating with customers

• Workplace readiness: time management, teamwork, and showing up professionally

Whether you're considering a job in food service or just want to explore what it's like to work in a fast-paced environment, this training will give you skills and confidence to get started.

Open to teens ages 13–19. No prior experience needed. Space is limited — registration required!

15 spots available! Register below

Join us for a hands-on workshop with Amy Snyder, Regional Coordinator/Education Advocate, and Tina Beauparlant, Regional Manager/Education Specialist.

This in-person training is designed for parents and guardians of children navigating the Committee on Preschool Special Education (CPSE), Committee on Special Education (CSE), or 504 Plans for students with special education needs.

Together, we’ll get your child’s educational records organized into a comprehensive recordkeeping binder. This interactive workshop will help you stay organized and better prepared to support your child’s education throughout the CPSE, CSE, or 504 process.

We will provide binders and related materials.
Please bring the following items with you:

1. All of your child's educational records from the past two years

2. IEPs, evaluations, behavior plans, report cards, and any other documents you believe should be included

Learn more about us at www.empowermentproject.net

This free event, hosted by Greylock Federal Credit Union, will feature a variety of wealth building games and, of course, delicious ice cream. Ages 13-22.

Happening on the 3rd floor Sky Deck at The Spark of Hudson

NEW DATE! AUGUST 6TH! Learn how to get the most out of your iPhone in this step-by-step workshop. We’ll walk through key settings and features that can make your phone easier to use, more secure, and more efficient.

This workshop will cover:

• How to adjust settings to save battery life

• How to manage storage and clear up space

• How to use Focus mode, Do Not Disturb, and Notifications

• How to set up important privacy and security settings

• How to use accessibility features like text size, voice control, and magnifier

• Tips for organizing your apps and using widgets

This session is designed for everyday iPhone users—no technical background needed. Bring your phone and follow along as we go through everything together.

In this twice a month, hour-long session, we’ll gather for casual conversation about writing. What challenges are we experiencing with craft or in our practice? How can we motivate each other (and ourselves) to stay accountable to longer projects? We’ll also write!

Stop by The Spark anytime between 9AM and 3PM on Friday, August 1st for a final look at Portraits of Hudson by Chad Weckler. Grab a bagel or coffee from Circles Bagel Counter, and walk through the CoLab and Second Floor Hub to view the portraits before they come down.

We'll also be offering short tours of The Spark Building throughout the day!

Additionally, all visitors can enter a raffle to win a custom digital portrait by Chad (Winner to be announced by the end of the day).

We hope to see you there!

Come share a story, share some food, and share in community. Tell a Tale is an intergenerational storytelling circle led by local resident Jayden Cross, inviting neighbors to pass down traditions, memories, recipes, and life lessons.

Longtime Hudson residents are especially encouraged to join and help preserve the voices that have shaped our town. Meet new faces, connect with old ones, and celebrate what it means to belong—through stories that live on when we tell them.

"Don’t let it leave with you."

All ages welcome and encouraged.

Curious about sourdough but not sure where to start? Join us for a hands-on introduction to sourdough with Chef Tepper, founder and head chef of Circles. Tepper will guide you through the fundamentals of sourdough—from building and maintaining a starter to understanding fermentation. You’ll leave with the knowledge to begin baking at home.

Circles began as a roving sourdough pizza and bagel pop-up out of Lil' Deb’s Oasis in Hudson, NY, known for food that’s surprising, thoughtful, and spicy. Today, Circles Bagels operates a popular counter at 502 Union St., open Friday through Monday.

No experience necessary—just bring your curiosity and an appetite for learning.

Presented in partnership with the Clean Energy Hub

Ready to take control of your energy use and lower your utility bills? Join us for Watt’s in Your Hands?, a free, hands-on workshop designed to help Hudson residents make the switch to cleaner, safer, and more affordable energy solutions.

We’ll break down practical steps you can take to reduce energy waste, improve home efficiency, and access programs that support a greener lifestyle. Plus, every participant will receive a free home energy kit to help you start saving right away.

Come with your questions, leave with tools in hand—and real steps toward a cleaner future.

50 spots available! FREE and open to all!

Join Grace Pullin—Spark’s own special events coordinator — for a hands-on workshop in the art of cheese board building. This interactive class blends culinary creativity with local food education as Grace shares tips on crafting beautiful, balanced boards while teaching about Hudson Valley dairy, sustainable farming practices, and the nutritional value of local cheeses.

Whether you’re prepping for a party or just love cheese, you’ll walk away with practical skills, a deeper appreciation for regional producers, and of course CHEESE!

Free to attend. All materials provided. Spots are limited—register now!

CANCELLED FOR JULY 22ND. In this twice a month, hour-long session, we’ll gather for casual conversation about writing. What challenges are we experiencing with craft or in our practice? How can we motivate each other (and ourselves) to stay accountable to longer projects? We’ll also write!

Between diapers, snacks, and the never-ending game of "where did that go?", keeping your home in order during the early years of parenting can feel impossible. But it doesn’t have to be. In this practical and compassionate workshop, organizer and systems expert Raena Baldwin returns to The Spark to share realistic, judgment-free strategies for creating routines that actually work when you have little ones at home.

Whether you're in the thick of newborn nights or navigating the unpredictable energy of toddler days, you'll leave with:

• Tools for setting up a manageable home rhythm

• Ideas for simplifying daily tasks (even when you're sleep-deprived)

• Tips for organizing your space and your time

• A sense of encouragement that you’re not alone in the chaos

This workshop is for any caregiver looking to feel more grounded, supported, and in control—whatever that means in your current season.

About the Facilitator:
Raena Baldwin is the founder of Fresh Start, a personal organizing company that specializes in helping individuals and families reclaim their spaces and routines with care. While her company offers traditional cleaning services, Raena’s true passion lies in creating home systems that support her clients’ lives. From redesigning rooms to implementing chore routines, her work is tailored, holistic, and deeply rooted in empathy. She believes that every home—and every family—deserves support that meets them where they are.

Join Cindy Gallop, founder and CEO of MakeLoveNotPorn, for a conversation about updating 'The Talk', and why it isn't, and should never be, just one talk, but ongoing communication: how to educate your children on what sex, love, and intimacy really look like and are really all about. In this engaging session designed for parents, Cindy will share a short presentation followed by an open, interactive discussion on how to ensure that you equip your children with the best possible start on how to navigate dating, relationships, consent, pleasure, and connection in the real world—not the porn world.

This event is a judgment-free space to ask questions, share ideas, and get real about sex. It's for parents of children of all ages - Cindy recommends beginning conversations as early as possible, and will provide simple, easy ways to do that.

Cindy Gallop is a well-known entrepreneur, speaker, and social activist who has spent her career challenging cultural norms around sex, gender, and power. In 2009, she launched MakeLoveNotPorn, a platform designed to provide honest, real-life stories about sex and intimacy—offering a healthy alternative to the often distorted perspectives of mainstream pornography.

Cindy Gallop is a legendary entrepreneur, advertising icon, and fearless advocate for social change. After making waves as the former chair of ad agency BBH, Cindy founded MakeLoveNotPorn, a groundbreaking platform that challenges toxic narratives around sex and promotes real, authentic human connection. Known for her radical candor and visionary thinking, Cindy is a globally sought-after speaker and startup advisor who's redefining entrepreneurship, one bold idea at a time.

She’s stopping by The Spark of Hudson for an open, informal discussion — and you're invited.

Bring your questions, challenges, issues, problems - Cindy is all about finding practical solutions!

Register Below!