What’s on Tap for the Weekend in the Mount Vernon Area

The weather forecast says that we will return to cool temperatures today and tomorrow, with some chance of rain. But it still means that it is a good weekend to enjoy many of the artistic and outdoor activities in the area. Here is a sampling:

Early American Music: St. Paul’s Church will hold a free concert of early American music concert by Peter Daniel Walker at 1 p.m. Saturday. The church, which is a national historical site run by the U.S. Parks Department, is at 897 S. Columbus Av., Mt. Vernon. For more information, click here.

Four Fall Hikes: There are four different fall hikes to choose from today.

· Trailside Nature Museum at Ward Pound Ridge Reservation, Routes 35 and 121 South, Cross River will hold a foliage hike at 1 p.m. Call (914) 864-7322 for more information.

· The Marshlands Conservancy, Route 1 (Boston Post Road), Rye, will hold a hike to learn about the changes and enjoy the beautiful color at 2 p.m. Call (914) 835-4466 for more information.

· Cranberry Lake Preserve, Old Orchard Street, North White Plains, will hold a foliage hike at 2 p.m. For more information, call (914) 428-1005.

· Read Wildlife Sanctuary, located at Playland Park in, Rye, will have a guided tour from 1 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. Saturday. The tour will go through the meadow, the forest and the intertidal zone to learn about the characteristics of each and the type of flora and fauna that call them home. For more information, call (914) 967-8720.

American Folk concert: The Jug Tavern of Sparta will present Tim Rowell, an old-time music specialist, in a free concert called The Roots of American Folk Music on Saturday. Rowell will be joined by fiddler Ambrose Verdibello in a program that showcases how the traditional music of British Isle immigrants combined with African influences to form the distinct sound of Appalachian folk music. There will be a family performance at 3:00 pm and concert for a general audience at 7:00 pm. While both shows are appropriate for all ages, the afternoon program is recommended for families with children up to the age of 11. The tavern is located at Revolutionary Road and Rockledge Avenue in Ossining

New Rochelle Grand Market. Pick up fresh produce, baked goods and farm-fresh or small-batch products at New Rochelle's Grand Market from 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. on Saturday. This week, families with children ages 8-12 years are invited to paint seasonal scenes for Halloween and Thanksgiving on the windows of downtown businesses, beginning at 10:00 a.m. A mask-making workshop geared for younger children will take place at the Grand Market on Library Green from 10-11:30. There will be a special performance with Groove! Larchmont's Groove Band from 10-11:30. The market is in Ruby Dee Park on Library Green. For more information, click here.

Food Trucks and Makers: The Industrial Area Steering Committee is bringing together a street festival of food trucks and makers on Saturday from noon to 5 p.m. in the Industrial Area of Village of Mamaroneck, Fayette Ave between Fenimore Rd. & Ogden Ave. The festival will bring together an eclectic mix of food and makers of wonderful things.

Faust in Yorktown: The Taconic Opera is opening its 19th season with one of performances of Charles Gounod’s Faust. The opera tells the tale of a good man who sells his soul to the devil for a few moments of earthly pleasure. The opera is in French, with professional soloists and orchestra, and with supertitles above the stage. The performances will be held at the Yorktown Stage, 1974 Commerce St., Yorktown Heights, NY on Saturday at 8:00 p.m. and Sunday at 2:00 p.m. A wide range of ticket prices are available and significant reductions are offered for seniors and students. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit the company website at www.taconicopera.org or call the toll-free number: (855) 88-OPERA (855-886-7372).

Heathers: The White Plains Performing Arts Center is presenting “Heathers: The Musical!” Based on the 1988 movie, the show is at look at the social hierarchy of high school. Tickets range from $25 to $35. Performances are Saturday at 8:00 p.m. and Sunday at 2:00 p.m. at the White Plains Performing Arts Center, White Plains City Center. For further information, click here.

Chess, Music, and Dance: The National Scholastic Chess Foundation (NSCF) is presenting an afternoon performance entitled “The Queen’s Journey: An Exploration of Chess, Music and Dance” at ArtsWestchester on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. The performance will feature dance and music inspired by the game of chess as well as a brief history of the evolution of the queen, the most powerful piece on the chessboard and an explanation of how chess can inspire group collaboration presented by some of the girls from the NSCF chess programs. The Queen’s Journey is a free event but seating is limited and reservations are required. For tickets, visit here.

Image via Patch.