Alongside a multifaceted career, Judy Elliot has been making a significant impact on her community and the New Paltz Applestock Market for decades.
NEW PALTZ, N.Y. – Moonlighting as a Jam vendor at her church’s local events, director and traveling singer Judy Elliot has kept people stopping by for over 20 years, and that hasn’t changed at this year’s “Applestock.” The event was held on Saturday, Oct. 5 by the Reformed Methodist Church on Huguenot Street, marked by a small sign before an unassuming side road. Upon entering the crowded apple-themed festival, one could hear the sounds of mics and amplifiers producing static as they are being set up. Past the traffic of people, a canopy stocked with glinting jars atop tall wooden shelves seemed to attract people like crows.
Elliot was hard at work, trying to shade her jams from the warm sun that filtered through the treeline, while fending off the bees from her sweet jam. She had to do all this while also beckoning customers, catching up with old friends, and giving out samples. She loves talking to people and often spoke about how she knew people who came by since they were children. She has no plans on stopping now and is getting more excited for the Winterfest in December.
Elliot worked as a children’s playwright and director for years, mainly for “90 Miles off Broadway.” While doing this in Poughkeepsie, she started to vend at her church’s events, selling “Paintings and dried arrangements on cheese grate tops.” She realized a work of art would only get her one-time customers, but she wanted to get more people to stop by…