The Beat

New York, NY (November 20, 2025) — Sparks & Wiry Cries, led by Co-Founders and Directors Martha Guth and Erika Switzer, presents sparksLIVE 2026 – an annual captivating series of live events showcasing exceptional art song performances, world premiere commissions, and programming that addresses socially-relevant issues – from Thursday, February 19, 2026, to Saturday, February 21, 2026, at the Thalia Theatre at Symphony Space. The three-day event features vocalist Stephanie Blythe in recital with pianist and arranger Ryan MacEvoy McCullough for The Invisible Man; the inaugural songCIRCLE project with the world premiere performance of a work created and performed by Rebecca Hass; and the tenth annual songSLAM competition.

Five-program season spans Mozart to Marsalis, blending classical masterworks with contemporary voices

July 12–26 at Arthur Zankel Music Center at Skidmore College

Saratoga Springs, NY (November 20, 2025) – Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) welcomes Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center (CMS) back for its 2026 summer residency from July 12–26. Curated by Artistic Directors David Finckel and Wu Han, the season features five programs that traverse a remarkable spectrum of chamber music — from Mozart to Marsalis, with works by Dvořák, Beethoven, Barber, Villa-Lobos, and more. As the nation approaches America’s 250th, several programs also nod to the evolution of American music, highlighting composers such as Gershwin, Barber, Bernstein, and Marsalis. During Spa Little Theater’s historic renovation, all performances will take place at the Arthur Zankel Music Center at Skidmore College.

Discover reimagined escapes, vibrant traditions and inspired ways to experience the winter beauty of New York

Albany, NY (November 20, 2025) – New York State welcomes travelers with magical winter experiences across each of its 11 vacation regions. Whether it’s carving fresh tracks in the Adirondacks, savoring local flavors in the Finger Lakes or discovering small-town holiday magic across the Hudson Valley and beyond, travelers will find countless ways to experience the warmth, creativity and adventure that make winter in New York unforgettable.

Modena Service Area is the 27th and Final Service Area To Reopen on the Thruway as Part of Public-Private Partnership

No Toll or Tax Dollars Used in Construction

All Service Areas Now Open on Entire 570-Mile Thruway System

Ahead of the busy Thanksgiving holiday week, Governor Kathy Hochul today announced the reopening of the new Modena Service Area, located on the Thruway (I-87) southbound between exit 18 (New Paltz - Poughkeepsie - NY Route 299) and exit 17 (Newburgh - Scranton- I-84 - NY Routes 17K & 300). This marks a significant milestone as the 27th and final service area to reopen as part of the $450 million private investment to redevelop and modernize all 27 service areas on the 570-mile Thruway system. No toll or tax dollars were used for construction.

“Paw Prints on the Mountain” turns one woman’s birthday into a fundraiser for shelter pets

Warwick, N.Y. (Nov 19, 2025) - Mount Peter, New York’s Family Mountain now celebrating its 90th season, will host Paw Prints on the Mountain, a community tubing event to benefit the Warwick Valley Humane Society, on Saturday, December 6, from 1 to 3 p.m. Tickets are $39 for two hours of tubing, and a portion of proceeds will be donated to support local shelter animals.

Featuring the Works of 2025-2026 Artists-in-Residence Aurora Nealand & Ben LaMar Gay, Plus a World Premiere by Eric Wubbels and NYC Premiere by Mariel Roberts Musa

New York, NY (November 19, 2025) — New York City-based new music collective Wet Ink Ensemble presents its third annual Mini-Festival featuring performances and new works by the Ensemble’s Artists-in-Residence Aurora Nealand (saxophone/voice) and Ben LaMar Gay (cornet) on Saturday, December 13, 2025 at 6:00 p.m. & 8:00 p.m. at Benzaquen Hall in the DiMenna Center for Classical Music.

Niagara Falls, NY (Nov. 19, 2025) – Fashion Outlets of Niagara Falls USA (1900 Military Rd., Niagara Falls, NY) welcomes back the holiday season with a true in-person shopping experience featuring family-friendly activities, charity partner engagements and shopping deals with the hottest brands.

Written, directed and performed by Xhloe Rice and Natasha Roland 

New York, NY – SoHo Playhouse proudly presents the U.S. premiere of What If They Ate The Baby?, written, directed and performed by the playhouse’s artists in residence, Xhloe Rice and Natasha Roland, running Off-Broadway November 19 - December 22, 2025 for 25 performances in a limited 5-week engagement. Opening night is November 22.

November 15–April 12, 2026

Saratoga Springs, NY (November 18, 2025) — The Frances Young Tang Teaching Museum and Art Gallery at Skidmore College presents Family Forms, an exhibition that invites visitors to consider how families are made, remade, and represented. Bringing together contemporary art and vernacular photography, Family Forms looks closely at kinship, care, and the stories we tell about who we are to one another.

Global honor recognizes groundbreaking work supporting individuals living with memory loss and their caregivers

Photos: Memory Café photos

Jamestown, NY – November 19. 2025 – The National Comedy Center has been named a Gold Winner in the 5th Annual Anthem Awards for its One Laugh at a Time: A National Comedy Center Memory Café, a monthly program supporting individuals living with memory loss and their caregivers. The Comedy Center earned Gold honors in the Education, Art & Culture category for Corporate Social Responsibility and Local Community Engagement, placing the initiative among the top-tier social-impact programs recognized worldwide.