SULLIVAN COUNTY, NY — The Borscht Belt Historical Marker Project is proud to announce five new historic

marker dedications for 2026, continuing its effort to honor and preserve the legacy of the Catskills’ legendary

Borscht Belt era. With these additions, the project now includes twenty markers across Sullivan and Ulster

Counties. Each dedication will feature lively arts and cultural programming — including illustrated talks, visual

and archival presentations, film screenings, music, local lore, interactive exhibits, themed food and drinks, and

Marker Project merchandise — taking audiences deeper into the well of the Borscht Belt’s storied past.

2026 DEDICATION SCHEDULE:

• SUNDAY, JUNE 28: FERNDALE
• SATURDAY, JULY 11: ROSCOE
• SATURDAY, AUGUST 8: ROCK HILL & GLEN WILD
• FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 4: WESTERN SULLIVAN COUNTY
• SUNDAY, OCTOBER 18: WURTSBORO, SPRING GLEN & HIGH VIEW

SUNDAY, JUNE 28 – FERNDALE

4:00 PM: Dedication Ceremony, Maurice Gerry’s, 9 Ferndale Road, Ferndale

5:00 – 7:00 PM: “Find Me in Ferndale!” at Ottos, 2514 NY-52, Liberty

Kick off the 2026 season in Ferndale with the dedication of the Borscht Belt Historical Marker Project’s 16th

historic marker installation at 4:00 PM at 9 Ferndale Road, across from the Mobil station. Once home to

early sanitaria and later a hub for resorts and bungalow colonies, Ferndale became a lively center of leisure and

hospitality at the turn of the 20th century. After the ceremony, join us at Otto’s for Find Me in Ferndale!—a fun, visual program exploring the hamlet, the evolution of Route 17, and Grossinger’s earliest days in town. Enjoy an immersive slideshow, music, themed cocktails and food available for purchase, local lore, and a Marker Project merch pop-up.

SATURDAY, JULY 11 – ROSCOE

4:00 PM: Dedication Ceremony, Roscoe O&W Museum, 7 Railroad Avenue, Roscoe

5:00 – 6:30 PM: “Greetings from Roscoe” at Roscoe Collective, 57 Stewart Avenue, Roscoe.

Join the Borscht Belt Historical Marker Project for their 17th marker unveiling in Roscoe, perched on the

northern edge of the Borscht Belt. Once a key hub for rail travel, rivers, and mountain life, Roscoe continues to

serve as both a gateway and a gathering place for visitors and locals alike.

Join the Marker Project at 4:00 PM at the Roscoe O&W Museum for the dedication ceremony. At 5:00 PM,

head to the Roscoe Collective for “Greetings from Roscoe”, an illustrated talk with photographers Isaac

Jeffreys and Marisa Scheinfeld in conversation with Ahu Terzi of The Hound Books. Through rarely seen

photos and ephemera, they’ll bring Roscoe’s Borscht Belt era to life, highlighting the architecture and distinctive

vacation culture of the town’s resort years. The artists will also give a sneak peek at their upcoming publications.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 8– ROCK HILL & GLEN WILD

10:00 AM – 1:00 PM: Rock Hill Farmers Market, 61 Glen Wild Road, Rock Hill

12:00 PM: Dedication outside Pizza the Rock, 345 Rock Hill Drive, Rock Hill

Celebrate the dedication of the Borscht Belt Historical Marker Project’s 18th historic marker, located in Rock

Hill, which tells the intertwined stories of Rock Hill and nearby Glen Wild. The marker highlights how early

Jewish farmers in the area blended agriculture and hospitality, advancing a tourism industry that shaped

Catskill resort culture.

Start the morning at the Rock Hill Farmers Market at (61 Glen Wild Road) featuring local vendors, farmers,

and a special Marker Project merchandise table plus —a selection of Borscht Belt–inspired nonalcoholic

specialty drinks. At 12:00 PM, join the Marker Project for the dedication ceremony outside Pizza

the Rock and connect with the region’s rich history. Both events are free and open to the public, perfect for

anyone curious about the area’s fascinating past.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 4 – WESTERN SULLIVAN COUNTY

5:00 PM: Dedication Ceremony, Sullivan West, 6604 NY-52, Lake Huntington

7:30 PM: Dirty Dancing Screening, (Location to be announced; Callicoon area)

This late-summer evening begins with the unveiling of the Borscht Belt Historical Marker Project’s 19th

marker, honoring Lake Huntington, Fosterdale, Kenoza Lake, and Callicoon—a crossroads that became

a multicultural resort corridor where Polish, Jewish, Italian, Black, and health-focused retreats

helped shape the Catskills’ rich and diverse summer culture.

The dedication ceremony will take place at 5:00 PM at Sullivan West, the former site of the Green Acres

Hotel. At 7:30 PM, the evening continues with a special screening of the iconic film, Dirty Dancing. Held in

the Callicoon area, the screening celebrates the music, energy, and time-capsule spirit of Catskills summers—a

story inspired by this very landscape. Tickets: $13. Final screening location will be announced.

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 18 – WURTSBORO, SPRING GLEN & HIGHVIEW

2:00 PM: Dedication Ceremony, Mamakating Historical Society, 136 Summitville Road, Wurtsboro

3:00 – 4:30 PM: Historical lecture by Alex Prizgintas and exclusive screening of the rare 1986 documentary

The Rise and Fall of the Borscht Belt.

Close the 2026 season with the debut of the Marker Project’s milestone 20th historic marker, celebrating

Wurtsboro, Spring Glen, and Highview at 2:00 PM. Following the ceremony, from 3:00–4:30 PM,

historian Alex Prizgintas who will lead a visual talk exploring the hamlets’ early tourism history leading into a

special screening featuring selections of the 1986 rare documentary The Rise and Fall of the Borscht Belt by

Peter Davis. The event takes place at the Mamakating Historical Society, where attendees can also view local

exhibits and archival materials. Enjoy drinks and snacks among the ephemera. These events are free and open

to all.

These programs are part of the Borscht Belt Historical Marker Project’s ongoing mission to preserve and

illuminate the history, legacy, and future of the Catskills’ storied vacationland. Each event encourages dialogue,

cultural reflection, and nostalgia, bridging history, community, and memory. By bringing audiences to the very

places where history happened, the project lets the public revisit the Catskills as a living archive forging a deep

connection between past and present. *

Contact: Info@borschtbeltmarkers.org. Visit: www.maytheborschtbewithyou.org or www.borschtbeltmarkers.org

*This project is made possible by the Jewish American Society for Historic Preservation, with support from Sullivan Catskills and Arts for Sullivan, a statewide Community Regrants Program, a regrant program of the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Governor and the New York State Legislature and administered by Delaware Valley Arts Alliance. Additional funding is provided the Jewish Community Youth Foundation of Greater Mercer County.