What’s a Spiegeltent and Why is One Coming to the Hudson Valley?

The Spiegeltent is coming to the Hudson Valley! That's great news, but we just have one question; what's a Spiegeltent?

You may have already guessed that a Spiegeltent is some sort of tent. While it is a temporary structure, a Spiegeltent is actually way more than what many people consider to be a tent. Translated from Dutch to mean "tent of mirrors," it's actually constructed of wood and canvas and includes lots of stained glass windows and mirrors.

The Spiegeltent actually began in Belgium back in the late 19th century and was moved from town to town to serve as a dance hall and entertainment venue. In some areas of Europe and the United States, there are permanent Spiegeltents that serve as concert halls and restaurants.

Here's an example of a Spiegeltent being erected in Sussex, England:

Back here in the Hudson Valley, we will see a Spiegeltent erected in June as part of the annual Bard SummerScape festival. The college will be hosting seven weeks of music, opera, theater and more. Starting June 23 the Spiegeltent will officially open as a part of the festival hosting musicians, dancers and other styles of entertainment. In years past, the Spiegeltent included performances from circus acts, magicians, comedians and other unique artists.

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While the official schedule of acts for the Spiegeltent won't be announced until May, Bard has revealed that there will be "cutting-edge live music and dancing" on Fridays, Saturdays, and some Sundays throughout the festival. The college will also host a new series on Thursdays called Bluegrass on Hudson.

Tickets for SummerScape events on the main stage start at $25, but Spiegeltent passes are generally lower and vary depending on the event.