Garden Holiday
August 24–29, 2025
Garden Holiday
Join us as we celebrate the 91st anniversary of Garden Holiday with this year’s theme: Cottagecore! Step into a timeless summer filled with lush landscapes, garden whimsy, and artistic exploration. Enjoy hands-on workshops like centerpiece arranging and flower crown-making, or try your hand at collaborative painting during our “Paint, Sip, and Pass” event with bold, local brews. Discover the stories behind our show gardens on guided tours, learn the art of koi pond care from a real “Fish Doctor,” and get an up-close look at Mohonk’s bees—complete with a taste of our house-made honey. Whether you’re here to dig into the soil, paint a masterpiece, or simply sip tea beneath the charm of Cottagecore, there’s something blooming for everyone.
What’s Included
Your stay at Mohonk Mountain House includes access to countless activities and experiences for guest of all ages, including our indoor pool, tennis courts, show gardens, and an award-winning spa. Discover all that Mohonk has to offer during your mountaintop getaway.
Entertainment
Themed Mohonk Signature Events, featuring live music and engaging performances, changing daily
Schedule of Events
Program Leaders
Clinton Claussen
Clinton Claussen is the Garden Supervisor at Mohonk Mountain House. He has worked at Mohonk for six years, where he has curated his passion and knowledge of plants. The Shawangunks hold a special place in his heart. He is fascinated by the native flora and fauna of the area and brings that fascination to the Mohonk Gardens. Along with native flora, Clinton enjoys bringing interesting and unusual plants to the landscape, especially those that attract pollinators and further build a fun, sensory experience at Mohonk.
Ian Reifenberger
Ian Reifenberger is the Head Gardener at Mohonk Mountain House. Ian has been at Mohonk for three years and specializes in sustainability and environmentalism. He is passionate about sustainable gardening and landscape design. Being able to cultivate gardens not just to accent the property, but to harmonize and blend with the beautiful natural environment at Mohonk is important to him.
Michael Allsop
Michael Allsop is the Greenhouse Supervisor at Mohonk Mountain House. He has been with Mohonk for six years and brought his passion for plants as well as his gardening and landscaping experience to the greenhouse. In his position, he has brought his unique eye to the Greenhouse and surrounding landscapes. He has a vast knowledge of house plant care and specializes in exotic plants and their individual needs. You can see his passionate and playful attitude come through in the plants he curates in the Mohonk Greenhouse.
Stephen Frattini
Stephen Frattini is an aquatic veterinarian and the founder of the Center for Aquatic Animal Research and Management (CFAARM), a diagnostic and consulting resource for ornamental and commercial aquatic animal care. With a background in treating finfish, mollusks, and crustaceans, he offers expertise in water quality, disease prevention, and sustainable system design. His work supports everyone from backyard pond owners to large-scale aquaculture operations. Dr. Frattini is also committed to advancing ethical standards in seafood production and training future professionals in the field. His mission is to connect aquatic health, sustainability, and responsible care—from garden koi ponds to global seafood systems.
Heather Liljengren
Heather Liljengren, owner of LocalLand Consulting LLC, has been professionally botanizing and collecting seed throughout the Mid-Atlantic and New England for the past 16 years. During that time, she managed native seed collection programs at NYC Parks Greenbelt Native Plant Center and the Mid-Atlantic Regional Seed Bank (MARS-B). She’s worked with propagators, seed increase farmers, restoration practitioners, landscape architects and all levels of government agencies to prioritize the conservation and restoration of targeted native plant species and their associated habitats. She loves to educate the public through speaking engagements and workshops; projecting a voice for our native flora.
Circle Creative Collective
Circle Creative Collective is a local community organization of artists and makers that aims to connect and inspire diverse groups by sharing and preserving traditional crafts and skills. With a specific focus on promoting crafts, skills, events, and transformative ideas to honor unique heritages and shared experiences, this collective pursues a more inclusive, creative, and joyous world. Their repertoire includes hands-on social multigenerational workshops drawing on traditional, multi-cultural, and sustainably-sourced crafts including papermaking, weaving, soap-making, felting, gardening, beekeeping, foraging, and many more! For more information, visit www.circlecreativecollective.org.
Ryan Cronin
Since the early 1990s, Ryan has been approaching his practice from a place of inclusivity and cultural awareness. Engaging in a dialogue surrounding the accessibility of art, Ryan expands on the legacies of Robert Indiana, Philip Guston and David Hockney. With his distinctive signature style and a desire to assimilate icons from his New York community into a visual vocabulary, Ryan draws upon street signs and cultural markers as sources of inspiration. As a painter, sculptor, muralist and product designer he appropriates text and figures from his surroundings to reconfigure the world through art. When Cronin is not in the studio he is on the lacrosse field coaching. Cronin recently completed a month-long residency at Thread Artist Residency and Cultural Center in Senegal, West Africa through the Josef and Anni Albers Foundation and is currently working on a body of work based upon his experience there.
Yard Owl Brewery
Twenty two years ago, James and Michelle Walsh combined their shared excitement for the restaurant business and opened Mudd Puddle Café in New Paltz, NY. Fresh roasted coffee, hand crafted food, and a warm community space has been the focus since day one. In 2014, they expanded their passion for fine crafted beverages by opening Yard Owl Brewery in Gardiner, NY. Here, James brews Belgian inspired beers which can be tasted and bought at their restaurant Mudd Puddle Cafe’ in New Paltz.
Frederic Chiu
Frederic Chiu plays major venues on five continents: Lincoln Center in New York, Le Châtelet in Paris, the Mozarteum in Buenos Aires, and extensive tours in smaller and unusual venues. With a vibrant concert schedule, a legacy of 30 CDs, and a stream of superlatives from major critics around the globe, pianist Frederic Chiu occupies a special place in the world of classical music. In an eclectic career encompassing unusual collaborations and little-played repertoire, along with explorations into the psychology of performance, Mr. Chiu has demonstrated an ability to go beyond boundaries and to bring listeners with him.
Benjamin Rice
Benjamin Rice has consistently proved himself to be one of the most skilled Jazz pianists of his generation. Since graduating from SUNY Purchase (BMus ’15), he has worked with some of the top names in Jazz performing at venues such as Smalls, Mezzrow, Dizzy’s Club, Birdland, The Blue Note, Cafe Bohemia and more. He has worked with such names as Eric Alexander, Rodney Green, Steve Davis, Don Hahn, Doug Weiss, Ralph Lalama and others. Currently, he leads the Ben Rice Trio, which performs regularly in New York City, as well as working as a sidemen for various instrumentalists and vocalists. Ben is also a proficient arranger and composer, who is able to write for ensembles ranging from big band to orchestra. He is currently a member of the BMI Jazz Composers Workshop.
Michael Camacho
Michael Camacho is quickly making a name for himself in the NYC area. Since graduating from Purchase College with a BA in jazz performance, the Norwalk CT has performed and recorded with a wide range of the city’s top names in jazz. He has performed at some of the premier venues in the area, among them Smalls, Cellar Dog, Mezzrow, Smoke, ornithology, Zinc Bar, Newport Jazz Festival and has also been featured on WBGO Jazz radio. In addition to performing Mike has had extensive teaching experience including lessons and college prep for Pelham music arts, Larchmont school of music, Bronx Charter school for the arts as well as jazz outreach concerts for the Newport festivals foundation.
Nathan Bellott
Nathan Bellott has honed his craft under jazz legends Charli Persip and Hal Galper, performing with a tone and expression that captivates audiences worldwide. He performs regularly with his own bands and ensembles such as The Stan Rubin Orchestra, Alex Ayala, Steven Qquendo, The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra and Birdland Big Band. He released his debut album way down east in March of 2024, available exclusively on Bandcamp. For nearly 2 years, he has performed on the Last Friday of the month at the Red Room in NYC. Other recent performances include Dizzy’s Club with legendary trumpeter Jon Faddis, Unsound NY Festival at Lincoln Center, and the Blackcat Jazz Club in San Francisco.
Alec Safy
Alec Safy is a native of Buffalo, New York, and a current resident of the Bronx. After graduating from SUNY Purchase in 2014, he’s had the opportunity to perform with Gary Smulyan, Kenny Washington, Jon Faddis, Luis Perdomo, Eric Alexander, Ralph Lalama, Bobby Militello and more. He’s worked across the United States, in Canada, and Asia (including performances at the Hong Kong International Jazz Festival, Beishan Jazz Festival, and Hanoi Opera House) and has been heard around NYC at clubs such as Smalls, Mezzrow, Birland, Dizzy’s, Smoke, the Jazz Forum, the Django, and Fat Cat. Alec also enjoys a role as an educator, maintaining a private teaching studio and serving on faculty at Litchfield Jazz Camp. Away from the instrument he indulges in hiking, museums, and watering his plants.
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