Arts and leisure digest

St. Stephen’s wine tasting begins tomorrow evening at 7 p.m. WARWICK — St. Stephen’s will host its annual wine tasting event tomorrow, Nov. 6, from 7 to 9 p.m. in the O’Connor Hall at 75 Sanfordville Road in Warwick. Bill and Debbie Iurato, owners of Pecks Wines and Spirits in Warwick, will provide a wide variety of wines for sampling. Hors d’oeuvres, chocolates, desserts, and music will also be provided. Admission is $20 person. There will also be raffle items including Giants tickets with parking passes, a birthday party for ten children at Sports, Fitness and Fun and much more. Reservations are not needed. Call Dina Tashman at 313-9706. Vets will share stories at Hall of Honor on Nov. 13 New Windsor — The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor will remember and honor veterans on Saturday, Nov. 13, at beginning at 2 p.m. Visitors will hear veterans share the stories of their service. The program will consist of recollections by veterans, musical selections, and a special tribute to Korean War veterans, on that conflict’s 60th anniversary. Admission is free. Seating is limited and reservations are encouraged. Call 561-1765 to register. Community Orchestra performs Puccini and Rossini on Nov. 13 MIDDLETOWN - The SUNY Orange Community Orchestra will perform selected works of composers Gioacchino Rossini, Frederick Delius, Giacomo Puccini and Peter Ilyitch Tchaikovsky during its annual fall concert set on Saturday, Nov. 13 at 8 p.m. at Middletown’s Paramount Theatre on 17 South Street. The concert will mark the debut performance of the orchestra with its new acoustical shells, funded in part by the Warwick Savings Foundation. The orchestra will dedicate the evening’s concert to Warwick Savings Foundation. Call 341-4787 or visit www.sunyorange.edu for more information. Annual harvest festival opens Nov. 14 at Brick House Museum GOSHEN - The annual Harvest Festival opening at Brick House will be held Sunday, Nov. 14, with a candlelight tour from 3 to 7 p.m. The house and its adjoining farmland have been passed down from father Nathaniel Hill to son for 200 years and the house reflects many generations of family furnishings. Authentic historic holiday arrangements will be in each of the 10rooms throughout the homestead. In addition, each room will host a Wallkill River School artist piece for a silent auction. Admission is $3 for adults and $2 for children. Call 615-3833, or e-mail stucker@co.orange.ny.us for more information. Drowned Lands Historical Society to meet Nov. 14 Pine Island — The history of the Indians who roamed the Black Dirt Region of Orange County will be the topic of discussion at the annual meeting of the Drowned Lands Historical Society on Saturday, Nov. 13. The event will be held at the Polish Legion hall on Pulaski Highway, in Pine Island, from 2 to 4 p.m. There will be hors d’oeuvres and a cash bar. For information call John Ruszkiewicz, president of the historical society, at 258-4359 or email him at jronion@msn.com. Hudson Highlands Nature Museum champagne brunch is Nov. 14 CORNWALL - The annual Champagne Brunch of the Hudson Highlands Nature Museum on Sunday, Nov. 14 at 12 p.m. will honor the Harriman, Stern/Ogden, and Stillman families at the Powelton Club in Newburgh. “These three families are responsible for the preservation of significant parcels of land including Harriman State Park, Storm King Art Center and Black Rock Forest; their contributions to the environment have added tremendously to the quality of life of the residents of the Hudson Valley,” said Museum Chairman David Redden. A silent auction will feature several rare wine selections, including a Pichon Longueville Grand Cru 1989 Pauillac and Chapoutier 1991 Cote Rotie, an apartment in downtown Florence, Italy for a week and other items. Tickets start at $100 per person and all funds raised will help support the museum’s nature education programs. Tickets can be purchased online by visiting www.hhnaturemuseum.org or by calling 534-5506. More information, including a listing of the auction items, can be found at the Museum’s Web site. Casino night to benefit Brian Ahearn Children’s Fund set for Nov. 20 Chester — The Brian Ahearn Children’s Fund Casino Night on Saturday, Nov. 20, will features a band and dancing at the Castle Fun Center in Chester. The event, which runs 7:30 to 11:30 p.m. will feature Las Vegas style gaming tables and professional dealers, roulette, craps, “Texas hold’em,” and Black Jack. The goal of The Brian Ahearn Children’s Fund is to provide financial assistance to local families with children who are fighting illness, handicaps and other hardships. The $75 entrance fee includes beer and wine, hors d’oeuvres, band and dancing, and $200 play money for the casino. There is an additional $25 “Texas hold’em” tournament fee. Seats are limited. The three top chip winners automatically win prizes. To register, visit http://www.aboutbacf.org. Call 914-443-3827 or 914-805-9435 for more information.