The Beat

Schenectady, NY – We could all use a little extra cheer this holiday season. Most of us are sticking close to home this December, celebrating with those who live close by. The Festival of Trees brings wintry brightness to our community during this difficult time, by offering a safe, socially-distant, and glittering celebration of the holidays. Hosted jointly by the Schenectady County Historical Society and YWCA NorthEastern NY, the Festival of Trees features dozens of lighted fir trees, each decorated in eccentric to classic styles, with their own evocative flair.

The Best New Places to Eat and Drink in Kingston, NY – Food & Wine

8 of the world's most stunning micro-houses – CNN

Review: In the Catskills, A Tiny House Resort Looms Large – Inside Hook

Ski Resorts That You Can Rent Out – Outside…

Ticonderoga, NY – The Ticonderoga Area Chamber of Commerce in coordination with area businesses and organizations will host the 11th Annual Ticonderoga Area North Country Christmas Celebration from Saturday, November 28th through Sunday, December 6th, 2020. While the celebration and its aspects will certainly be different in 2020 due to COVID-19 the Chamber and their committee has worked hard to bring a holiday celebration to the community. The Chamber reminds everyone to follow all COVID-19 Guidelines including wearing a mask, social distancing, and not gathering. All information subject to change.

Tupper Lake, NY - Tupper Lake Triad continues the tradition of supporting mountain restoration efforts with a $1,000 contribution to the Friends of Mount Arab (FOMA).

The Friends of Mount Arab (FOMA) is a not-for-profit volunteer organization formed in September 1997. Working with the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), FOMA’s mission is to preserve and restore the fire tower and observer’s cabin on Mount Arab to a safe condition, as well as educate the public on the human and natural history of the site. Part of that mission is encouraging proper stewardship of our wild places and historical sites.

Find the perfect tree for your home’s holiday display at a nearby U-cut farm

Orange County, N.Y. (November 24, 2020) – With Thanksgiving right around the corner, many of us are anxious to deck the halls and add some holiday cheer to our homes. This year, more than ever, local farms are in need of your support and many offer a wide selection of beautiful trees perfect for trimming this holiday season. Enjoy a family-friendly outing and holiday-themed experiences as you search for a pre-cut or chop-your-own tree at a nearby farm.

Lewis Black to Host “Lewis Black Friday” Online Store Celebration 

Jamestown, NY – November 24, 2020 – The National Comedy Center, the nation’s official cultural institution and museum dedicated to the art of comedy, today launched a new national hub for comedy-themed products and gifts called The Comedy Shop (ComedyShop.com). The Comedy Shop, which exists both online and at its physical brick-and-mortar location in Jamestown, NY, celebrates the legacies of comedy’s most iconic brands with a broad array of gifts and exclusive products that will bring smiles and laughter to anyone who loves to laugh. All proceeds from sales at The Comedy Shop support the non-profit mission and operations of the National Comedy Center and its museums.

Offering a unique virtual experience with programming, lecture series, social media events, and other activities

Ticonderoga, N.Y. -- Fort Ticonderoga continues its 2020 Digital Campaign - an exciting virtual experience featuring interactive programming, engaging lectures series, and creative at-home educational activities and resources.  

The unique virtual opportunity brings the layers of history and natural beauty into homes across the globe. Fort Ticonderoga staff continue to press forward with their commitment to providing resources and entertaining programs to engage, inspire, and give context to the world around us. …

The 1891 Fredonia Opera House was named the 2020 WNY Arts Organization of the Year in the 7th annual Arts Services Initiative of WNY (ASI) Spark Awards competition. The awards are presented annually by the ASI to honor outstanding artists and cultural organizations in five counties of western NY, and were presented in a virtual ceremony which live streamed on YouTube Monday, Nov. 16.

The Opera House was recognized for “enhancing the cultural landscape of Chautauqua County since its grand reopening in November 1994 and creating a niche for itself as a year-round presenter of varied and quality entertainment amidst a thriving arts community.”…

Co-presented by Museum of the Moving Image and Polish Cultural Institute New York

Docs Against Gravity NYC runs exclusively online December 9–16, 2020

New York, New York (November 19, 2020) — Few national cinemas have authored and challenged definitions of nonfiction film more persistently than Polish cinema. From Marcel Łoziński and Krzysztof Kieślowski to Anna Zamecka and Michał Marczak, the legacy of Polish nonfiction is long and consistently dynamic, led by both observational and narrative impulses, anthropological rigor and hybridized transgression. Founded nearly two decades ago, Millennium Docs Against Gravity (MDAG) has developed into the largest documentary film festival in Poland, and thus, thanks to the volume and consistently high quality of Polish nonfiction, one of the most important documentary festivals in the world. From December 9 through 16, Museum of the Moving Image and the Polish Cultural Institute New York will co-present five recent highlights from the MDAG Festival in the series Docs Against Gravity NYC. The films will be viewable exclusively online and available to audiences throughout the United States.

The company’s first contemporary American play, directed by MIP’s Founding Artistic Director Lucie Tiberghien

Streams live December 12 at 2pm EST (preview) & 7pm EST (opening), Replays available until January 4

PRESS INVITATION/COVERAGE REQUEST: Sat 12/12 at 7pm EST

Brooklyn, NY – Molière in the Park, co-presenting with the French Institute Alliance Française (FIAF), and in partnership with the Prospect Park Alliance, LeFrak Center at Lakeside, will present a live stream of Christina Anderson’s Pen/Man/Ship, directed by Molière in the Park’s Founding Artistic Director Lucie Tiberghien.