Talking with Mina Kim, music director of the Woodstock Symphony Orchestra, I had one question in mind. How had she led the orchestra to such precision and clarity in the finale of Tchaikovsky’s Fourth Symphony earlier this season? I was hoping for a glimpse into a conductor’s secret technique, but her answer was more straightforward. […]
Woodstock
Posted inCulture, Photo Essays
Goodbye Winter. Hello Spring.
Each week, The Overlook publishes photography from our region, capturing moments of people and nature as they occur. Send photos and inquires to info@theoverlooknews.com.
Posted inNews
Woodstock Tree Committee Chair Stays Another Year to Focus on DOT Sidewalk, Bridge Project
State transportation officials say $25M project to start in 2027.
Posted inUncategorized
Woodstock Land Conservancy Secures Funding for Major Mt. Tobias Acquisition
The Woodstock Land Conservancy (WLC) has raised $310,000 from over 40 donors to purchase and permanently protect 65 acres of unfragmented forest near the summit of Mount Tobias. The property, ranked in the top 1% of the Forest Condition Index, provides critical wildlife habitat and carbon sequestration. WLC plans to complete the acquisition in May […]
Posted inBooks, Culture
Martha Frankel Is Hosting a Dinner Party of Sorts for Books—And She Wants You to Come
Once told she’d never be a writer, Martha Frankel turned rejection into reinvention. From celebrity profiles to poker addiction to the beloved Woodstock Bookfest, her story is one of second acts, community, and above all, books.
Posted inBooks, Culture
The Body Is a Doorway: Sophie Strand’s Radical Reframing of Illness
In her new memoir, the Woodstock writer challenges conventional narratives about healing and finds wisdom in sharing ideas.
Posted inCulture, Essays & Profiles
The Observer’s Notebook: Michael Schulman on the Oscars
New Woodstock homeowner and New Yorker staff writer Michael Schulman heads to the Oscars on March 2, chronicling Hollywood’s biggest night with a reporter’s eye.
Posted inCulture, Essays & Profiles
On Living and Dying
Jim Hanson, longtime Woodstock fire police captain, reflects on a life of gratitude, service, and not taking things too seriously.
Posted inBooks, Culture
Lisa Phillips on Teen Love, Heartbreak, and the Conversations Parents Should Have
The author and SUNY New Paltz professor discusses her new book “First Love,” which guides parents and teens through relationships, breakups, and communication.
Posted inDevelopment, News
Woodstock Planning Board Takes Next Step in Zena Homes Review
The Woodstock Planning Board is moving forward with its review of the Zena Homes project, agreeing Thursday to hire independent environmental and traffic consultants to assess its potential impact. Developers seek to reconfigure lot lines, reduce the number of parcels from three to two, and expand Eastwoods Drive—the only current access road, which runs through […]
Posted inCommunity, Public Safety
Fear on the Preserve
After suffering a serious injury from an off-leash dog, a Woodstock resident pushes for stronger enforcement at Thorn Preserve.
Posted inArts & Music, Culture
Juilliard Young Artists to Take the Stage in Woodstock
A two-decade partnership between St. Gregory’s Episcopal Church and The Juilliard School brings world-class young musicians to an intimate Woodstock stage.
Posted inCommunity
Breaking Bread and Building Community
A community potluck in Woodstock invites neighbors to break bread and engage in meaningful conversations, fostering connection across differences.
Posted inNews
Woodstock
Road to Nowhere? Debate Deepens Over Zena Homes’ Future
Developers say the project will help address a housing shortage, while some residents fear it will disrupt their rural way of life, strain local infrastructure, and encroach on environmentally sensitive land. As the debate continues, the Woodstock Planning Board is set to review on February 20.
Posted inArts & Music, Community, Culture
The Genetic Methodist: Garth Hudson (1937-2025)
Bittersweet, it is. It almost seems a little too poetically fitting that this local writer’s first piece for the first issue of a new Woodstock-based publication, would be a remembrance of Garth Hudson, the last living member of the town’s most famous musical ensemble and one of its most beloved community figures. But here we […]
Posted inNews, Politics
Journalist David Wallis Runs for Woodstock Town Supervisor, Pledges Transparency and Reform
David Wallis, a journalist and advocate for press freedom, is running for Woodstock Town Supervisor on a platform of transparency, affordable housing, and environmental action. At a Woodstock Democratic Committee meeting Wednesday, Wallis participated in what he described as a “vigorous debate” with party leaders. In a notable decision, the committee announced it would not […]
Posted inArts & Music, Culture
The Room Peter Shapiro Couldn’t Leave Behind
A legendary venue, a visionary promoter, and a long-awaited revival—now with a state-of-the-art recording setup linking Bearsville Theater to Utopia Studios, fulfilling a decades-old vision.
