The 2nd annual soiree on the railway
On August 4th, 2018, we gathered on The Delaware & Ulster Railroad to host the Second Annual Soirée on the Railway, a lavish train voyage to celebrate the past, present, and future of the Catskills.
The evening began on the platform of the Delaware & Ulster station in Arkville, NY. Our impeccably dressed guests were greeted with personalized tickets and refreshing cocktails before being ushered onto the vintage train. The horn sounded and the engine let up smoke as we propelled forward towards Roxbury, NY. Together on the train’s open-air car, amongst a sea of floral suits, flowing gowns, and smiling faces, we coasted by scenery only visible from these heritage tracks.
The Soirée honored the bygone glamour of train travel to the Catskills’ famed resorts, notably referred to as the “The Borscht Belt”. Once attracting hundreds of thousands of first and second-generation immigrants throughout the mid-twentieth century, the Catskills became the mecca for families in search of a bucolic summer retreat. Thanks to the Ulster & Delaware Railroad, New Yorkers were able to flee the city with ease every summer. From the day the first tracks were laid down in 1866, the U&D was the heart of the Catskill Mountains. The Catskills Revitalization Corporation owns the railway and keeps the memory of The Borscht Belt alive through weekly public excursions and special events like The Soirée.
Today, the Catskills are once again thriving. The talent found in the region could be seen at every turn on the restored train cars, adorned with luxurious floral installations by Season on Hudson and vibrant antique rugs from Upstate Rug Supply. The Catskill inspired menu by Brushland Eating House and the collection of local makers at the affair brought the surrounding areas’ talent together in an extraordinary display. Passing by misty mountains, fields of wildflowers, and crisp blue lakes, the evening culminated in a live performance by The Bee’s Knees, a lively five-piece jazz band that played nostalgic melodies from the back of the open-air car. As the sky darkened and the train rumbled back to the station, we couldn’t help but feel that we were waking from a wonderful dream.
Photos by Christian Harder, Words by Emma Tuccillo
Video directed and edited by Dylan Tuccillo, filmed by Thomas Peisel and Brian Miller, with help from Sohpia Dean.