Mountaintop Oktoberfest

The Swedish Meatballs hail from Brooklyn, NY, highlighting a vast range of music styles including Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, German, and Italian. Led by 2nd generation Swedish-American accordionist Ellen Lindstrom, she continues to carry on old traditions across the New England region, which now finds its way to Mohonk’s mountaintop.

Michael Hilby possesses impeccable timing and extreme circus skills that one cannot help but be charmed by. You can find Hilby on top of Unicycles of all shapes and sizes, manipulating objects ranging from bowling balls to hedge trimmers. A powerful and spellbinding collage of superb technical skill and wacky comedy in the tradition of vaudeville; one of the most sought-after performers at venues around the world. Performing at theaters, colleges, cruise ships, and fairgrounds, from Canada to Australia, Hilby brings his highly professional and excruciatingly funny show to young and old alike.

James and Michelle Walsh combined their shared excitement for the restaurant business seventeen years ago and opened Mudd Puddle Café in New Paltz, NY. Freshly roasted coffee, hand-crafted food, and warm community space have been the focus since day one. In 2012, they expanded their passion for fine-crafted beverages and food by opening Yard Owl Brewery in Gardiner, NY. Here, the team comes together to brew and serve expressive Belgian-inspired ales. The beer is paired with house-made pickled vegetables, eggs, and beer mustards that are served with cheese, charcuterie, and pretzels. This venue has enabled them to create a second community space and expand their creativity into another area of the food and craft beverage world.

Benjamin Ickies exuberates joy and masterful music wherever he goes. As an accordionist, he plays a wide variety of styles including Jazz, French, German, Italian, and even Rock & Roll. His journeys have taken him everywhere from Carnegie Hall, to a dog wedding in Tompkins Square Park, as well as Adelaide Cabaret Festival, Zum Schneider Oktoberfest, and the New World Symphony.

Gene Eagle teaches social ballroom dance and DJ’s in Manhattan and has been dancing ballroom and swing for over 25 years. He has performed at venues including the Waldorf Astoria and the 92^nd Street Y, where he was the host and DJ for the 92^nd Street Y Ballroom Dance parties. He has DJ’d Lincoln Center’s “MidSummer Night Swing” and “Summer for the City” Ballroom evenings as well as dance studios and private functions in NYC, and continues to host social dance parties as GE Dance, LLC. His eclectic music library includes both traditional ballroom dance music and contemporary pieces ideal for all styles of ballroom dancing.

Candace Woodward-Clough has been teaching ballroom dance for four decades. While living in NYC, she danced in and choreographed Off-Broadway, summer stock, movies, soap operas, and videos, and founded Ballroom Dance at the New York Health & Racquet Club. After marrying and moving to central New Jersey, she has been teaching ballroom dance at Princeton University, Mercer Country Community College, a number of retirement communities, and The Peddie School (where she has also choreographed musicals and ran summer theatre camp for 25 years), while continuing to teach private lessons in her own studio.