Hudson Highlands Nature Center invites you to the
Ponies Up! Carousel Dinner

 Saturday, November 14, 2026
6pm
At The Carousel Pavilion
at Bear Mountain State Park

Event Co-chairs: Susan & Hank Christensen and Susan Maloney

Please join us for Ponies Up! an evening celebrating the Garden Club of Orange & Dutchess Counties

Fifteen years ago, HHNC broke ground on an ambitious new vision: a place where children could experience the wonder of nature through play, exploration, imagination, and discovery. With the generous support and commitment of the Garden Club of Orange and Duchess, that vision became Grasshopper Grove. Today, it is one of the most beloved features of the Hudson Highlands Nature Center’s Outdoor Discovery Campus. Thousands of children and families have climbed, crawled, built, balanced, dug, imagined, and played their way through this special place—developing confidence, curiosity, and a deeper connection to the natural world along the way. As we celebrate this important milestone, we are delighted to honor the Garden Club of Orange and Duchess and their lasting contribution to HHNC and to the children and families we serve.

We hope you will join us in celebrating their legacy by becoming a member of the Ponies Up! Benefit Committee. Benefit Committee members provide essential early support for the event, helping to underwrite the cost of the evening and ensuring that more of the funds raised can directly support HHNC’s mission.

  • Chipmunk Level: $250 per person

  • Raccoon Level: $500 per person

  • River Otter Level: $1,000.00 per person

  • Bobcat Level: $1,500.00 per person

  • Black Bear Level: $2,500 seating for two

  • Mountain Lion Level: $5000 seating for four

Ponies up! is a special evening featuring a cocktail reception, delicious dinner, open bar and silent auction, all in the unique setting of the Carousel Pavilion at Bear Mountain State Park! Your attendance will provide vital support to help us connect children and families to the beauty and transformative power of nature, as well as the care of our amazing Animal Ambassadors.

Click here to Purchase Tickets
Silent Auction Coming Soon

To register for the auction and to bid on items:

  • From any computer or mobile device, click the blue "Register to Bid" button at the top of the auction homepage.

  • Choose "Sign Up" to create a new bidder profile, or "Sign In" if you have an existing account.

  • Fill in your contact details and verify your email with the 6-digit code sent to your email address.

  • Set up your bidder profile and enter your payment method.

  • Confirm your auction settings. Please consider selecting “cover processing fees” so that all funds raised can directly support our vital work of connecting children to nature!

  • Click "Complete registration" to finish the process.

For any questions or to pay by credit card over the phone, please contact Robert Lipkin at
845-534-5506 or rlipkin@hhnaurecenter.org

Proceeds from this important fundraiser will be used to support nature education experiences for children and families throughout the Hudson Valley.