Don’t Even Think of Eating Out in the HV on Weekend of May 20-21

Hudson Valley residents are being warned not to even bother trying to go out to a restaurant next weekend.

A "perfect storm" will be hitting many Hudson Valley restaurants during the weekend of May 20, and many locals hoping to grab a table at their favorite restaurant may be in for an unpleasant surprise.

While there are a few insanely popular Hudson Valley restaurants that can be hard to get into, for the most part, it's not difficult to just walk into most establishments on a Friday or Saturday night and get a table. That will most likely not be the case next weekend when every table at the most popular restaurants is expected to be filled.

Every year this restaurant invasion takes me completely by surprise, so I've actually put it on my calendar to remind myself to steer clear of dining out during this weekend. Unfortunately, this year, Dinnerageddon takes place a week after Mother's Day, which can also provide its own challenges for securing a table.

The reason you don't want to be anywhere near a Hudson Valley restaurant on the weekend of May 20 and 21 is that multiple graduations will be held at several local colleges on both days. On Saturday, Marist College will hold its commencement ceremony, which will draw many families from out of town who will all be looking to eat at the same time. On Sunday, Vassar College's graduation will be taking place on the opposite side of Poughkeepsie, bringing even more hungry families and friends to the city. In addition, SUNY New Paltz will hold ceremonies for the graduating seniors on both Saturday and Sunday.

The weekend will also be popular for local families celebrating graduations at our local community colleges. Dutchess Community College will hold its own ceremony at the MJN Center in Poughkeepsie on Friday, SUNY Ulster students graduate on Saturday and Orange County Community College will graduate on Thursday, which will also result in many weekend dining celebrations.

Unless you have a family member graduating, you may be unaware that all of these ceremonies are happening on the exact same weekend. If you must eat out this weekend, be sure to call ahead and try to secure a reservation, otherwise you may be left hangry and frustrated during one of the busiest restaurant weekends of the year.