HRMM

April 2002

Hudson River Maritime Museum
Dedicated to the Preservation of the Maritime History of the Hudson River Valley
One Rondout Landing, Kingston, NY 12401 - 845-338-0071, FAX 845-338-0583
www.hrmm.org
 

Kingston Shad Festival

May 4 and 5
11 AM to 5 PM

shad
American Shad
In the early spring when the forsythia is in bud, the first shad begin their run up the Hudson River. Unusual among freshwater fish, shad spend the bulk of their lives in the ocean and only return to freshwater to reproduce. And each spring they return, migrating up the Hudson River in huge spawning runs.

During the weekend of May 4-5, The Hudson River Maritime Museum will host the 21st annual Kingston Shad Festival to celebrate the return of the shad to the Hudson River.

New York's American shad are highly prized by fisherman. Hudson River adults average 20 to 23 inches in length and five to six pounds in weight. Shad fishing is an age-old tradition on the Hudson. From mid-March to mid-May local fishermen catch the "run" as shad migrate upstream to spawn. During spawning, shad arrive in large schools, running up the rivers where they slowly adjust to the change from salt to fresh water. Since shad spend only 1-2 weeks in the Hudson (most of their adult life is spent in the ocean) they are not in the river long enough to be affected by PCB´s and other contaminants. Shad are a highly-prized fish, both for their flesh and their roe, and are only available fresh in spring.

cooking shad
CIA Gourmet Society Cooking Shad at the
Hudson River Maritime Museum Shad Festival
Shad has been abundant since colonial times and a series of festivals in river communities from the Chesapeake Bay to southern New England are held to celebrate the arrival of both shad and Spring. The Latin name for American shad is Sapidissima, which means “most delicious.”

From a culinary standpoint the female shad is more desirable than the male or buck, not only for its roe, but also because it’s a larger and fatter fish, providing an ideal fillet for all recipes. Shad can be prepared in a variety of ways. It is a moderately fatty fish with a delicate rich flavor that is especially suited to pan-frying, broiling, baking, hot smoking, or grilling.

Join Us at the Kingston Shad Festival

The Kingston Shad Festival will be held at the Hudson River Maritime Museum on the weekend of May 4 and 5, 11 AM to 5 PM.

Fresh Shad and Shad Roe dinners prepared by the Gourmet Society of the Culinary Institute of America will be available. Live music, demonstrations, educational exhibits, craft and food vendors are part of the festival.

The Schooner Mystic Whaler will be docked at the Museum during the shad festival and available for on-board tours and sails.

The Museum's 2002 Exhibit, "350 Years of Kingston Maritime History," commemorating Kingston's 350 anniversary, will open this weekend, and boat rides to the Rondout Lighthouse will be available.

Admission: Adults, $3.00; Children 6 to 12, $1.00; Children 5 and under, free; Boat rides to the historic Rondout Lighthouse, $4.00; Shad Dinners $8.00

Travel Directions to the Museum

More about Shad

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