2008 Shad Festivals, dates listed below

Each year, when the "shad bush" blooms, the Hudson Valley fisherman ready their nets for the spring run of shad through the Hudson River. The American shad, Alosa sapidissima (translation, shad most delicious) is an anadromous fish, meaning it spends its life in salt water, but returns to spawn in fresh water. This glistening silvery fish has been part of culinary life in the Hudson as long as its shore have been inhabited. The flesh has been served pickled, smoked and baked, and even the roe are considered a prized delicacy.

In the days when fishing was at its peak, every town along the River held a celebration at the arrival of this wonderful fish. Today, the tradition is kept alive by those who are proud of the River's fishing heritage. And each year at this time, Christopher Letts, a naturalist with the Hudson River Foundation, prepares his cherry and white oak planks to roast this wonderful harbinger of spring at traditional Shad Festivals up and down the Hudson Valley.

The traditional method of planking and fire roasting shad, used by Mr. Letts, was passed down by the region's early settlers and is thought to have been adapted from a method used by the Algonquin Indians. Mr. Letts fillets the fish, covers them with strips of bacon, and then nails them to roasting boards. He then props the boards around a pile of red hot coals and allows the fish to roast for about one hour. The result is a delicious piece of Hudson River history waiting for all to enjoy.