The Beat

With Opening of Reinvented Attraction Only Weeks Away

Niagara Falls, NY (April 4, 2025) - Rainbow Air Helicopter Tours, the only helicopter tour company on the US side of Niagara Falls and winner of the 2024 Newsweek Magazine Poll for “Best Helicopter Tour in the USA,” is in the air for 2025! Rainbow Air is flying from its temporary home at the Niagara Falls International Airport while work continues on opening the company’s new $15 million Rainbow Air Tourism Center on Acheson Road off Buffalo Avenue in the city this spring.

Plattsburgh, N.Y. – The Clinton County Historical Association (CCHA) Board of Trustees is pleased to announce that two awards totaling $48,000 were received from the Champlain Valley National Heritage Partnership.

SPAC and Pilobolus will co-create programming in collaboration with Skidmore College Dance Department to inform dance education practices nationwide

Multi-year partnership kicks off in Saratoga with a pilot workshop bringing together Skidmore College dance students and adults aged 50+ on March 19

Saratoga Springs, NY (March 17, 2025) — Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) announces that it has been selected as the first partner and incubation site to join modern dance company Pilobolus in the creation of a nationwide education program. Following an extensive feasibility study, SPAC is one of just three sites that the company will partner with for this multi-year initiative to expand their collective reach and impact. Aligning their missions to make art and dance inclusive and accessible to all, SPAC and Pilobolus will co-develop creative movement programming that fosters connection, creativity, and well-being. The Joyce Theater in New York City has also committed to the initiative with plans to join in the development of the program in future years.

A hybrid online and in-person exhibition where visitors can interact with livestreamed performances

Created by the artist collective “is this thing on?,” THING+YOU opens April 12; with live event with the artists and guests in person on June 7

Astoria, New York, March 10, 2025 — Since 2021, the artist collective "is this thing on?," whose members are Christopher Clary, Sarah Rothberg, Bhavik Singh, and Molly Soda, have pushed the boundaries of live, interactive performances with their artist-run platform thing.tube. From April 12 through August 10, 2025, Museum of the Moving Image (MoMI) will present their fifth season, THING+YOU, an exhibition that blends the collective’s real-time online interactions with in-person encounters, marking the first time the performances will exist in a hybrid space and in a museum. THING+YOU is organized by MoMI Associate Curator of Media Arts Regina Harsanyi.

New Paltz, NY (February 11, 2025) –Historic Huguenot Street (HHS) and the Hasbrouck Family Association are pleased to announce the seven recipients of a total of $32,000 in scholarships for 2024. Together, the two organizations have now provided over $280,000 to further the education of more than 170 undergraduate and graduate students across the country since 1998.

The Empire State is celebrating milestone anniversaries, hotel and museum openings, and major sporting events, making it a must visit destination in 2025

Albany, NY – January 30, 2025 – New York State is brimming with major anniversary celebrations, international sporting competitions, and a variety of new hotels, museums and attractions in 2025, offering new opportunities for travelers to immerse themselves in new destinations throughout the state. From the opening of the National Urban League's Urban Civil Rights Museum - Manhattan’s first museum dedicated to civil rights - to the PGA Ryder Cup on Long Island, to a Canopy Walkway at Tanglewood Nature Center & Museum in the Finger Lakes, New York State expands its offerings as a year-round destination for adventure, relaxation and cultural immersion.

New app and custom itineraries highlight area attractions

Syracuse, N.Y. – In honor of National Plan for Vacation Day on Tuesday, Jan. 28, Visit Syracuse announced the launch of its Simple Wonders campaign, a new set of resources designed to help both locals and visitors alike explore the natural beauty and cultural wonders of Syracuse and the surrounding region.

2024 Statewide Attendance Hits 88.3 Million, Exceeding Previous Record Set in 2023 by 4 Million

Parks’ Centennial and Eclipse-Viewing Gatherings, Governor’s Free Swimming Initiatives Contributed to 12th Consecutive Year of Increased Attendance

Governor’s Unplug and Play Strategy Encourages Even More Healthy Recreation for New York Families

Park Attendance Data Available Here

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced state parks, historic sites, campgrounds and trails operated by the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (State Parks) saw a record 88.3 million visits in 2024. Total visits statewide surged by over four million, which is a five percent increase compared to the previous record year in 2023.