In the Dutchess County Spotlight

The Orvis Game Fair & Country Sporting Weekend, a fun, exciting weekend outing for the whole family, is set for the Sandanona Shooting Grounds in Millbrook on Friday and Saturday, September 15 & 16. Located a short drive north of New York City, just off the Taconic Parkway, Sandanona in autumn is a beautiful and historic showcase of all the Hudson Valley region has to offer. 

Orvis Sandanona is the oldest permitted shooting club in the United States, dating back to its building during the Thomas Jefferson Administration. The club's annual Orvis Game Fair & Country Sporting Weekend is a two-day long fair focusing on the distinctive country lifestyle. The weekend events feature fly-fishing demonstrations, dog-training seminars, wildlife exhibitions, and more than 60 fine, upscale exhibitors and vendors. On Sunday morning, the 6th Annual Orvis Cup, a prestigious competitive shot gunning event, kicks off at 9:30am. The Game Fair starts at 9am, and features a full schedule of events and exhibits for children and adults. Culinary exhibitions, a variety of hands-on youth programs and a Land Rover driving course round out the weekend of activities. The fair is free and open to everyone; event participant fees vary, but all spectating is complimentary.

Experts are on hand to offer free fly-casting lessons, and a novice shooting station sponsored by the National Shooting Sports Foundation offers novices the chance to learn about shooting sports. Visitors can enjoy Orvis Sandanona's newly refurbished main Clubhouse, the oldest hunting lodge in the United States. The newly expanded Clubhouse combines modern convenience with the timeless Old World Charm, which has become synonymous with the Sandanona experience.

"Orvis Sandanona is a step back in time, a destination where the traditions of the field and the hunt are held in the highest regard, and where wing shooting is a passion linking the past with the present," explains Peggy Long, General Manager of Orvis Sandanona. "We invite folks of all ages to visit and enjoy the weekend activities as well as our Clubhouse, which now provides more comfort and convenience for our guests. The weekend is an amazing opportunity to learn more about the timeless sporting traditions all are able to enjoy here. Our lush upland fields, sporting clays and lesson facilities are like no other. We welcome those new to the sporting tradition as well as those who are Orvis Sandanona Club friends to visit and learn more."

Orvis Sandanona provides lessons in the field and stream to sports enthusiasts of all skill levels. They offer wing shooting and fly-fishing schools, private shooting lessons, sporting clays, retail store and corporate outings to all, and has private upland bird hunting memberships available.

For information visit www.orvis.com/gamefair or email sandanona@orvis.com