The Beat

ADIRONDACKS, USA (May 12, 2026) – Communities throughout the Adirondack region are preparing to welcome local farmers markets this summer and fall. Many markets will begin in late May and continue through mid-October.

14-film screening series celebrating America’s 250th anniversary; the films explore American lives from the perspective of the marginalized and includes Hollywood studio classics, independent films, and documentaries

Astoria, N.Y. (May 11, 2026) — As our country celebrates the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, the founding document of the United States, Museum of the Moving Image will present the screening series By the People, For the People: Real American Tales, May 29 through July 5, featuring films that take on the perspective of the nation’s historically marginalized and less frequently represented on screen.

Pianist Simone Dinnerstein, her string ensemble Baroklyn, and CONCORA (Connecticut Choral Artists) perform music by J.S Bach and Philip Glass

The world's oldest continuous free outdoor classical concert series features five concerts June 9 – August 4, 2026

New York, N.Y. - On Tuesday, June 9 at 7:30 pm, Naumburg Orchestral Concerts kicks off its 2026 season with the GRAMMY®-nominated pianist Simone Dinnerstein, Baroklyn (the string ensemble she founded and directs) and CONCORA (Connecticut Choral Artists) at Naumburg Bandshell in Central Park (mid-park at 72nd St.). The concert is free and will be broadcast live and streamed on WQXR.

July 15 through August 17, 2026

Cooperstown, N.Y. (May 11, 2026) - The Cooperstown Summer Music Festival returns for its 28th season with six concerts offering something for everyone. Performances take place at the Fenimore Farm and Country Village and Christ Episcopal Church, the same church where author James Fenimore Cooper once worshiped. Concerts take place from July 15 to August 17, 2026.

Acquisition Preserves Wetlands, Forest and Wildlife Habitat

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced the protection of 79 acres to expand Saratoga Spa State Park. The acquisition by the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP) will preserve wetlands, forest and open space for wildlife and future park uses.

Park Enhancements, Fan-Favorite Events and New Guest Value Initiatives Headline Season of Fun

Darien Center, N.Y. (May 12, 2026) – Six Flags Darien Lake, Western New York’s premier destination for thrills and family fun, officially opens for the 2026 season May 15, welcoming guests back for weekends and select operating days in May before transitioning to daily operations beginning June 24.

Limited Engagement – June 17–20 at the Midtown International Theatre Festival

New York, N.Y. - Andrea Mezvinsky, who was crowned “America’s Funniest Mom” on The Oprah Winfrey Show, brings her new solo show, A Woman in Reverse, to the Midtown International Theatre Festival for a limited engagement June 17–20. The world premiere follows a divorced daughter navigating a single day as caregiver to her formidable mother while confronting the legacy of the women who raised her, including a flamboyant, mythic grandmother.

America 250 REAL TIME REVOLUTION® brings the Continental Army of 1776 back to life — at the fort that held the line for a new nation

Ticonderoga, NY - This Memorial Day, Fort Ticonderoga invites visitors to do more than remember — to truly understand what was sacrificed. As part of the America 250 commemoration and Fort Ticonderoga’s groundbreaking REAL TIME REVOLUTION®, visitors will step inside the Continental Army of May 1776 — experiencing their weapons, rations, music, and daily struggle — and witness firsthand what those soldiers believed they were fighting and dying for. Living history programs and immersive demonstrations run throughout Saturday and Sunday, May 23–24, 2026, 9:30am–5pm.

Ithaca, NY— The Finger Lakes Land Trust (FLLT) celebrated the completion of public access improvements to its 241-acre Roy H. Park Preserve in the town of Dryden, Tompkins County, on Friday, May 8, 2026. FLLT staff and volunteers were joined by town, county, and state representatives for a ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the reopening of the preserve’s north entrance, where new, universally accessible public access features, in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, are available to all visitors.