The Borscht Belt Museum is dedicated to preserving the legacy of the Catskills resort era, and celebrating its history as a refuge from bigotry, the cradle of stand-up comedy and a cultural catalyst that changed America.
Events
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Borscht Belt Fest
Saturday, July 26 & Sunday July, 27
Ellenville, NYA celebration of comedy, culture and food in the Catskills
From sharp stand-up to unexpected stories, Borscht Belt Fest brings together an all-star lineup including acclaimed author Gary Shteyngart, writers from SNL and The Tonight Show, and New Yorker cartoonists Asher Perlman, Dave Ostow, Liana Finck, and Avi Steinberg, for a weekend packed with big laughs and thought-provoking conversations.
The streets of Ellenville will come alive with Jewish food vendors, klezmer music, comedy shows, engaging panels, and more. Celebrate the legacy of Catskills comedy, discover the region’s rich cultural history, and hear from the voices shaping its future, one punchline, or panel, at a time. Whether you're here for the shtick or the substance, there's plenty to explore.
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We're Coming to Houston!
Saturday, June 21, SOLD OUT
Sunday, June 22, 5 PM
Kenny & Ziggy’s Delicatessen, Restaurant & Bakery
1743 Post Oak Blvd, Houston, TXPlease join us at the iconic Kenny & Ziggy’s for evening of nostalgia, laugher and enough food to make you plotz. The one-and-only Ziggy Gruber is your host.
We’ll also be screening the acclaimed new documentary “The Catskills” by director Lex Gillespie.
Did we mention prizes?
It will be a ridiculously fun evening, and all proceeds benefit the Borscht Belt Museum.
(And a portion of the ticket price is tax deductible!)
Museum Hours
Tuesday to Sunday
11 am - 5 pm
Closed Mondays
90 Canal St., Ellenville, NY
Admission: $15 for adults
$5 for Wawarsing/Ellenville residents with local I.D.
Free: 18 and under.
Questions? Email info@borschtbeltmuseum.org or call 845-879-3561.
The Borscht Belt Resort Era
For much of the 20th century, urban dwellers, many of them Jews, migrated en masse each summer to the Catskill mountains 90 miles north of New York City. They were seeking escape from the pestilence and sweltering tenements of the city, but also from rampant antisemitism that barred Jews from most hotels.
The vacation world they created included nearly 1,000 resorts, bungalow colonies and boarding houses, and a vibrant nightlife that drew the nation’s top entertainers — and a parade of sports figures, political leaders and civil rights activists.
Keep in Touch!
Engaging, Interactive, Educational
The Borscht Belt Museum occupies the historic Home National Bank, a 1928 Neo-Georgian gem that has strong links to the Borscht Belt era. The Home National Bank was one of the few financial institutions willing to lend to the region's Jewish hoteliers and bungalow colony owners in the 1920s, 30s and 40s.
Actor and comedian Danny Kaye with resort owner Jennie Grossinger.
Boxer Floyd Patterson trains at Kutsher’s for a title fight.
President Lyndon B. Johnson meets Homowack Lodge owners Irv and Florence Blickstein during a visit to the Catskills in 1966.