The Beat

Free Resources Support Classrooms, Libraries, and Cultural Institutions Across New York State

The New York State Education Department’s Office of Cultural Education is launching a dynamic suite of new educational resources to commemorate the 250th anniversary of America’s founding. Contributions from the New York State Museum, Library, and Archives draw from themes developed by the New York State 250th Commemoration Commission to provide teachers, schools, and cultural institutions with resources to support meaningful engagement with the anniversary through 2033 and beyond.

Saratoga Springs, N.Y. — The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame will celebrate the 151^st running of the Preakness Stakes on Saturday, May 16, with a special watch party at the Museum. This free event will take place from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

New York, NY – A Scholastic Book Fair walks into a bar…at a sideshow near the beach. Step right up and get ready to be shocked, amazed, informed, and amused! The Lady Aye (the “Fakir of Nonfiction”) and Coney Island USA are proud to present a day-long event celebrating the written word, particularly those dedicated to the odd and esoteric.

Where Mutual Aid Meets the Stage
June 1 at the Atlantic Theater Company

New York, N.Y. - Women hold the pen. Women hold the room. And on June 1st, women will hold the stage. The Neo-Political Cowgirls present ANDROMEDA'S SISTERS, a one-night evening of performance starring Orange is the New Black’s Catherine Curtin (Orange is the New Black) and more performing work from Linda Pallotta, Hansol Jung, and Jen Silverman, a panel with Miriam Raacha (CEO Broadway Housing Communities), EVLovesNYC discussing on-the-ground mutual aid at The Atlantic Theater Company's Linda Gross Theater (336 W. 20th St., NYC).

Niagara Falls, NY (May 6, 2026) – For the second straight year, Rainbow Air Helicopter Tours in Niagara Falls, NY, has been named a finalist in USA Today’s 10BEST Readers Choice Awards for Best Helicopter Tour in the United States. Last year’s top-five finish in the newspaper’s poll came on the heels of Rainbow Air winning the Newsweek Magazine readers’ poll in 2024.

Rochester, NY — The Landmark Society of Western New York will host its highly anticipated 2026 House & Garden Tour on Saturday and Sunday, June 6–7, bringing visitors to the scenic and historic Charlotte Lakeside neighborhood for the first time in the event’s more than 50-year history.

A cherished tradition in the Rochester community, the annual tour showcases distinctive private homes and thoughtfully curated gardens while celebrating the region’s architectural and cultural heritage. This year’s event expands its scope with the addition of unique historic sites and exclusive access opportunities in the lakeside area.

Schenectady, N.Y. - The Schenectady County Historical Society is thrilled to announce that author Russell Shorto will be the keynote speaker for the Crossroads of the Revolution Symposium on November 7.

Crossroads is a one-day symposium that will bring together leading historians, scholars, and public history professionals to explore different aspects of the American Revolution in upstate New York, with a particular focus on Schenectady as a crossroads of conflict and supply.

Utica, NY — Discover a forgotten chapter of local history during "Mulberry Mania," a special presentation by Alecia Pendasulo on Saturday, May 16, at 2:00 p.m. at Oneida County History Center.

A speculative bubble known as "Mulberry Mania" swept across the United States in the 1830’s. Driven by the dream of establishing a multi-million-dollar domestic silk industry, farmers and investors bet heavily on the cultivation of mulberry trees. In Oneida County, specifically in Sauquoit, Whitestown, and New Hartford, this movement was fueled by more than just profit. Local farmers embraced silk production as a moral alternative to cotton, seeking a viable industry that did not rely on the labor of enslaved people.

New York, NY – Decanter Fine Wine Encounter New York returns on Saturday, June 6, bringing together a global line-up of leading producers and wine experts for a one-day tasting experience set on the 60th floor of Manhatta, overlooking the Manhattan skyline.

New York, N.Y. – The New York Sephardic Jewish Film Festival (NYSJFF) returns for its 28th edition. Celebrating Sephardic creativity in the spirit of America’s 250th, the American Sephardi Federation’s action-packed program will run from May 31 to June 7, 2026 in the Edmond J. Safra Hall at the Museum of Jewish Heritage – A Living Memorial to the Holocaust. This year’s Festival features a record number of premieres.