Annual Dutchess County Health Fair Returns to Dutchess Community College on April 12th

The Dutchess County Department of Health (DCDOH) is hosting the 4^th Annual Y.O.U.R (Young, Old, Urban, Rural) Health Fair

Saturday, April 12^th to connect residents to health resources and enhance the wellness of the local community.

11a.m. to 2 p.m. at Dutchess Community College’s Falcon Hall, located at 50 Mascot Drive in Poughkeepsie.

Individuals of all ages and abilities are invited to this day of fun with family-friendly activities, interactive health and fitness demonstrations, food trucks, free giveaways and more. Dutchess County Public Transit will provide free transportation from the City of Poughkeepsie to the event.

The afternoon will gather over 60 exhibitors including community health providers, local businesses, nonprofits, County Government departments and more to offer health information and resources through interactive booths, hands-on trainings, insurance navigation and connection to ongoing care.

Attendees can meet a wide range of service providers on topic areas, such as:

• Mental health and recovery services;
• Public health, tickborne illness and lead prevention;
• General health from childhood to senior care;
• Audiology;
• OBGYN and maternal health;
• Nutrition; and
• Heart health.

Dr. Livia Santiago-Rosado, DCDOH Commissioner, said, “Our health department is proud to host our annual health fair for the fourth year in a row, and we invite everyone in our community to attend. We have brought back some attendee favorites, such as food trucks and fitness demonstrations, and found ways to bring more educational opportunities to the residents we serve. This event is part of our ongoing efforts to engage our community in achieving optimal health. We are thrilled to once again host this event and urge all Dutchess County residents to take advantage of these quality resources coming together in one place.” 

Throughout the event, there will be a variety of interactive opportunities at the exhibitor booths and on the performance stage. Some of these offerings include:

• Fitness demonstration from All Sport Health & Fitness;
• Performances by Roy C. Ketcham High School Step Team;
• Hands-only CPR and Narcan Trainings;
• Blood pressure screenings;
• Hearing tests from New York Medical College;
• Pet CPR; and
• Much more!

Participants can also take part in games, such as Plinko, disc golf, and hopscotch, as well as a “Guess the Temperature” food safety challenge. Get your hands dirty with seed planting, rock painting station and crafts for kids. Shake hands and take a picture with a local furry celebrity, Rascal, team mascot for the Hudson Valley Renegades. Make sure to participate with a Health Fair Passport and collect stickers at specially marked exhibitor tables; once the passport is filled in, participants can enter raffle drawings for great prizes from local businesses including gift certificates, tickets to local experiences, wellness baskets, and more.

For those with sensory-sensitive needs, ThinkDIFFERENTLY and DCDOH’s Early Intervention and Preschool teams will offer an outer space-themed, sensory-friendly area for those who need a break from crowds. Within this area, there will be arts, crafts and games, as well as information on services for residents of all abilities.

Attendees can take part in exciting outdoor attractions, including food trucks, as well as child safety seat checks and bike helmet fittings.

Health Fair attendees will be able to take home many free health-related items, such as tick removal kits, hot/cold packs, informational health magnets, reuseable shopping bags, food thermometers, lifesaving Narcan kits and much more.

Dutchess County Public Transit will provide free shuttles from the Transit Hub on Market Street in Poughkeepsie to Falcon Hall, running continuous loops from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

More information about Dutchess County’s Health Fair is available at dutchessny.gov/healthfair. To learn more about health resources available in Dutchess County, residents can visit dutchessny.gov/health.