The Beat

Southampton, N.Y. – Martha Stewart and many well-known designers are using their considerable talents to create tabletop holiday trees to benefit the Southampton History Museum’s free education programs. A silent auction of the tabletop trees begins Friday, November 27 at 10:00 am and ends Saturday, November 28 at 4:00 pm.

The Carriage House Holiday Shop and Designer Tree Auction will take place during Thanksgiving weekend for a special show and sale of magical treasures. The Southampton History Museum would like to help you get your holiday shopping and decorating off to a fast start.

Immersive experience brings scares from the safety of your car

Tupper Lake, N.Y. - The Wild Center has reimagined Halloween with a new, haunted drive-in. The first of its kind from The Wild Center, this immersive experience brings scares to you in the safety of your parked vehicle. On Oct. 24, 30 and 31, guests will watch fan-favorite horror movies on the big screen while surrounded by real life scares. Parking begins at 6:00 p.m. and movies will play at 7:00 p.m. 

Family Friendly Night for the Haunted Drive-in will take place on Saturday, Oct. 24 with the showing of Casper. For this event, carloads are $20 for non-members and $15 for members. During Halloween weekend, admission is $25 per carload for non-members and $20 per carload for members. All spots must be reserved in advance online at www.wildcenter.org/haunteddrivein/.

Ithaca, NY – The Finger Lakes Land Trust announced the addition of the Finger Lakes Museum and Ganondagan State Historic Site to its outdoor recreation web site, GoFingerLakes.org. Go Finger Lakes is offered as a free public service to help residents and visitors discover the best locations in the region for hiking, mountain biking, kayaking, canoeing, cross-country skiing, and other outdoor activities.

Both the Finger Lakes Museum and Ganondagan State Historic Site exemplify the unique natural and cultural history of the Finger Lakes region. The Finger Lakes Museum was added to highlight a unique paddling opportunity. Visitors can launch their canoe or kayak at no charge and explore wetlands and a stretch of Sugar Creek, paddling to the open waters of Keuka Lake. A limited amount of kayaks and canoes are available to rent. The museum also offers a variety of programs and exhibits about the Finger Lakes.

Hudson, N.Y. - Basilica Hudson, a leading nonprofit multi-disciplinary arts center founded by musician Melissa Auf der Maur and filmmaker Tony Stone, celebrates its first-ever Kickstarter campaign. Having already surpassed their initial goal of $35,000, Basilica Hudson continues to raise funds to support their projected loss of income for the first half of 2021. As a beacon in Hudson for explorative and innovative programming while maintaining its commitment to waterfront access and preservation, Basilica Hudson aims to maintain their mission through the Kickstarter campaign, reaching their vast global and local audience for support.

U-Pick pumpkin patches offer fall fun for the whole family

Orange County, N.Y. (October 20, 2020) – ‘Tis the season for hayrides, farm mazes, and pick-your-own pumpkins for family fun! U-pick farms and pumpkin patches across Orange County, N.Y. offer all of these, and so much more. Explore the Hudson Valley region’s vibrant fall foliage, savor sweet treats from local markets, and enjoy family fun for all ages. With activities for families, kids, and adults, a day on the farm may include animal experiences, outdoor games, and locally-grown food and drinks.

“Feel the crisp autumn air as you enjoy a day on the farm, picking the plumpest pumpkins. Kids can enjoy the many outdoor activities like corn mazes and hayrides while you discover one-of-a-kind fall-themed home decor items in markets. Don’t forget to treat the whole family to one (or a few) cider donuts before the day is done!” said Orange County Tourism Director Amanda Dana. “Is it a craft beverage you seek? Try one of the county’s many cideries, breweries, wineries, and distilleries — all while taking in the beautiful hues of gold, red, and orange foliage the region is known for!”…

Adirondacks, NY  – After careful consultation with our sponsors, sport coordinators, and local/state officials regarding the health and safety of everyone in our industry – our athletes, coaches, volunteers, spectators, and our longtime partners – we have made the difficult decision to postpone the 41st Annual Empire State Winter Games in the North Country. Empire State Winter Games events originally scheduled for January 28 - 31, 2021 will not take place. The challenges and uncertainty that COVID-19 has presented prevent the organization from appropriately planning, organizing, and producing events safely in 30+ different sports.

Lake Placid, NY - The Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism (ROOST) is proud to announce the organization will be participating in a diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) pilot program with Travel Unity.

Travel Unity, a nonprofit focused on diversity in travel, recently launched DEI Standards for Travel & Tourism. This was developed with the input from more than 100 professionals across a variety of industries. The DEI Standards aim to assist travel companies and organizations in benchmarking their commitment to enhancing DEI in three primary categories - management and workforce, visitorship, and community impact - and serve as a roadmap for future efforts.

Mumford, N.Y. (October 22, 2020) - As we mark the 100^th anniversary of the ratification of the ground-breaking 19^th Amendment to the Constitution, Genesee Country Village & Museum is offering a timely webinar series that takes a closer look at the struggle for women’s rights and equality. “Rightfully Hers: Building the Foundation for Freedom, Suffrage, & Equality” is a five-part online series featuring talks from local experts, scholars, and historians on topics ranging from Western New York suffrage leaders to the unique challenges Black women have faced in the struggle for equal rights.

Business up 25 to 40 percent at some locations

Some park operators say they already have large numbers of reservations for the 2021 camping season

After initially bracing for economic catastrophe as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, many of New York’s private campground and RV resort operators have had their best year ever as families have embraced camping and the Great Outdoors in record numbers.           

Year-to-date business levels at some New York campgrounds are up by as much as 25 to 40 percent over 2019 figures, according to Campground Owners of New York (CONY), which hosts CampNewYork.com, the travel planning website.

Detail: Kota Ezawa is currently on view through November 1 at the museum

Rochester, N.Y., October 16, 2020—The George Eastman Museum will host a virtual artist’s talk with Kota Ezawa in conversation with Bruce Barnes, Ron and Donna Fielding Director of the George Eastman Museum, on Thursday, October 22 at 6 p.m. The talk is free, and registration via Zoom is required as space is limited.

Detail: Kota Ezawa is currently on view at the Eastman Museum through November 1. The work on display is from Ezawa’s series The History of Photography Remix, in which the artist created digital drawings of iconic photographs, family snapshots, and other images flooding contemporary life.