The Beat

Beacon, NY - The Bannerman Castle Trust is pleased to present their Inaugural Robert Burns Supper on historic Bannerman Island, Friday, July 25th from 5:30-11:00 pm. In recognition of Francis Bannerman’s Scottish Heritage and in remembrance of the Bard of Scotland Robert Burns (1759-1796), this very special fundraiser dinner event includes extraordinary food, music, poetry and conviviality for just 44 attendees. All proceeds support ongoing preservation efforts on Bannerman Island.

October 3–5, 2025; Hosted by Keanna Faircloth

A weekend of jazz, food, and fall beauty in one of upstate New York’s most vibrant small towns

Hudson, NY (June 26, 2025) — Hudson Hall at the historic Hudson Opera House is thrilled to announce the return of the Hudson Jazz Festival, taking place October 3–5, 2025. Curated by creative producer Cat Henry and hosted by jazz media personality Keanna Faircloth, the festival invites audiences to experience fall in the Hudson Valley with a dynamic lineup of jazz’s most exciting rising stars—including Joel Ross, Julius Rodriguez, Caity Gyorgy, and BIGYUKI—in one of the region’s most beautiful and walkable small towns.

Orange County, NY - County Executive Steven M. Neuhaus invites you to a wonderful summer evening featuring the Black Dirt Bandits, Julia Roome, food trucks, bounce houses, and, of course, fireworks! Orange County’s beloved Freedom Fest is back on Friday, July 18, 2025, at Thomas Bull Memorial Park in Montgomery, NY - and it’s shaping up to be bigger and better than ever.

Opening Upstate Art Weekend in Kingston NY

On view 7/17 - 9/2/25, opening Saturday July 19: Artist Talk 5PM, Reception 6-8PM

Kingston, N.Y. – Brooklyn-based artist and photographer Brandon Thomas Brown (b 1988, US) presents his latest body of work in a deeply personal solo exhibition titled Ancestry, on view from July 17 through September 2, 2025 at Pinkwater Gallery (now located at Kingston Social in uptown Kingston, NY). His work weaves together original photography, collage, and symbolic elements to capture the nuances of identity.

Croton-On-Hudson, N.Y. - The Hudson River Music Festival has announced that Grammy Award winning folk musician and activist Tom Chapin and The Chapin Sisters will join the festival lineup set for Saturday, June 14 from 11:00am-9:00pm in Croton Point Park. …

A presentation on history at Staatsburgh State Historic Site

2:00pm, Saturday June 21

Staatsburg, N.Y.  (6/3/25) — Following Juneteenth, Staatsburgh State Historic Site presents a weekend program at 2:00pm on Saturday, June 21, a talk by Bill Jeffway on how the Black community of 19^th-Century Dutchess County engaged in economic enterprise, from the realm of global trade to the smallest self-sufficient farm: “Navigating Wealth and Poverty: The Varied Economies of the 19^th-Century Black Community”.  A short reception with light refreshments will follow.

Staatsburg, N.Y.  (5/29/25) — Hikers on the woodland trails in Mills-Norrie State Park encounter several mysterious old buildings that offer no information about what they are and why they are located…in the middle of the woods!

Staatsburgh State Historic Site is offering their popular “History Hidden in the Woods” guided trail hike on Saturdays, June 21 & 28 at 10:00 a.m. The tour follows one main trail through this landscape that, a century ago, was the setting of multiple grand Hudson River-front estates.

Beacon, NY - The Bannerman Castle Trust (BCT) with its office & gallery at 150 Main Street in Beacon, NY has unveiled its 2025 touring and events season on Bannerman Island, promising a captivating array of experiences from now through October.

Featuring a discussion with the film’s director, Patricia Arquette

Irvington, NY — On June 13, Irvington Theater will screen Gonzo Girl the day after its Tribeca premiere, and before it is distributed to theaters. Following the screening, Academy Award-winning actress Patricia Arquette will discuss her directorial debut, along with writer Cheryl della Pietra, whose novel – about her experience as the assistant to Hunter S. Thompson, the creator of gonzo journalism and one of America’s most celebrated and storied literary giants – served as the inspiration for the film.