In 2018, the Walkway Over the Hudson opened this $5.4 million Ulster Welcome Center. A 3,500-square-foot visitor center and plaza, it features amphitheater seating for special events and programs for hundreds of people, a covered 1,400-square-foot patio, a bus drop-off location to provide easier access, and upgraded and environmentally friendly pathways, plus concession stands and public restrooms. The facility utilizes the latest energy efficient measures, including LED lighting, insulated building shells, and modern heating, ventilation, and air conditioning equipment, powered by solar panels. In fact, more than 30 percent of the energy needed to power the Ulster Welcome Center is generated by its solar panels. In the plaza outside the Welcome Center, Walkway visitors can rent bicycles, eat a healthy snack provided by our vendors, buy Walkway souvenirs, and learn more about the bridge and the park via informative panels all throughout the area. This is also the location of the Walkway's signature annual event, Starry Starry Night. Held under a remarkable clear-top tent on the first Friday in October, Starry Starry Night brings together friends of the Walkway from across the state to celebrate another year of progress and success in the park. The catered event, which includes a silent auction, awards ceremony, and fireworks show, is open to the ticket-holding public.