A literary festival, new art openings, live music, World Cup watch parties, and more
Beacon settles into its summer rhythm this Second Saturday weekend, which means there’s no better time to step out and embrace everything the city has to offer.
With a full slate of events to choose from, you may need a little help deciding what to enjoy. That’s where The Beacon Beacon comes in. Read on for everything you need to know about what’s coming up in the next few days.
Explore What’s On In Beacon
Beacon LitFest Returns
- Where: Multiple locations across city
- When: Starts Friday June 12th, 7:00 PM and finishes Sunday evening
Beacon LitFest returns with a diverse group of poets, fiction, and nonfiction writers. Book lovers, budding authors, and literary insiders alike can expect a lively weekend of readings, discussion, workshops, and connection.
Visit the Beacon LitFest website or our Events Guide to book tickets and discover everything you need to know about this “small town vibes” literary celebration.
Beacon Prison Books Project Fundraiser
- Where: Binnacle Books (321 Main Street) & Happy Valley Arcade Bar (296 Main Street)
- When: Friday, June 12th, 7:30 PM onwards
The Beacon Prison Books Project is volunteer-run program that provides free books to those in prison who want them. There are a few ways to support the initiative, including by donating or sponsoring the purchase of a book at participating bookstores.
Friday’s event to benefit the Beacon Prison Books Project starts at Binnacle Books with live musical performances by Mark Trecka and Simon Keough. Fun fact, it’s apparently the first time there’s been live music in the store since it opened 10 years ago. You can’t beat live music in an intimate space in our opinion, so be sure to stop by. Everybody of every age is welcome.
An after-party follows at Happy Valley Arcade Bar (296 Main Street) with DJs No Tears, Andrey Netboy, and Hardly Quinn at 9:00 PM.
Donations will be taken at both venues and books are available for sponsorship at both locations.
Ecstatic Dance Beacon
- Where: St Andrew & St Luke (15 South Avenue)
- When: Friday, June 12th, 7:30 PM
The Ecstatic Dance experience returns to the city with global rhythms, acoustic songs, and the chance to fully express yourself through dance in a judgement free space. Learn more and get tickets here.
“Unpopular Music” Comes To Beacon
- Where: The Yard (4 Hanna Lane)
- When: Friday, June 12th, 7:00 PM
Nashville-based recording artist and songwriter, Tristen, is performing at The Yard with her melody-driven songs. Tristen describes herself as “refining unpopularity since 1982,” hence the name of her current album, “Unpopular Music.” Get tickets here.
Watch Team USA’s First World Cup Match
- Where: Carters (424 Main Street)
- When: Friday, June 12th, 9 PM onwards
United FC Beacon and Carters will be hosting watch parties for the biggest soccer games of FIFA World Cup 2026—and everyone is invited. This Friday’s match is a special one, marking Team USA’s first game of the tournament.
There are 35 games in total, and you can reserve a spot for free. Reserve 24 hours in advance and you’ll apparently get a bartender’s choice shot on the house.
Two Way Brewing (18 West Main Street) is also hosting World Cup watch parties, with a couple of actual parties thrown in for good measure during the tournament. Follow them on Instagram for the latest updates and schedule.
Second Saturday Art Openings
Elijah Wheat Inaugural Exhibition Opening
- Where: Elijah Wheat Showroom, 133 Main Street
- When: Saturday, June 13th, noon until 6 PM
Elijah Wheat Showroom, Beacon, NY’s newest gallery, opens this weekend with its inaugural solo exhibition by E.E. Kono, entitled “Dispersion.”
The title of the show references both the artist’s chosen medium, in which pigment particles are suspended in egg yolk, as well as themes of generational displacement.
See this solo exhibition before it closes on Sunday, July 19th and check out this intimate new Beacon gallery.
An All-Member Exhibition at BAU Gallery
- Where: BAU Gallery (506 Main Street)
- When: Opening Reception: Saturday, June 13th, 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
This weekend, BAU Gallery opens its all-member exhibition, called “Convergence 2026.”
BAU’s 14 members include emerging and mid-career artists whose practices span drawing, painting, sculpture, ceramics, photography, video, sound, and more. Over its 22 years, BAU Gallery has been a space dedicated to experimentation and conversation about the importance of the visual arts in contemporary life.
The participating artists are Robin Adler, Karen Allen, Bob Barry, Joel Brown, Dan Florin, Nate Hill, Nataliya Hines, George Kimmerling, Linda Lauro-Lazin, Nansi T. Lent, Síle Marrinan, Soli Pierce, Eileen Sackman, and Ilse Schreiber-Noll.
Catch this show from Friday, June 12th to Sunday July 5th.
A New Show At Super Secret Projects Opens
- Where: Super Secret Projects (484 Main Street)
- When: Opening reception, Saturday, June 13th, 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM
Super Secret Projects presents a solo show by William A. Loeb called “The Verge Of Collapse.” This photographic exhibition features work across the photographer’s lifetime. The show’s central question posed is “What, exactly, is wrong with me, anyway.”
Show runs until Sunday, July 5th.
Pillows & Oats Brewing Third Anniversary Party
- Where: Pillow & Oats (385 Main Street)
- When: Saturday, June 13th
Pillow & Oats—Beacon’s newest brewery—celebrates three years in the city this weekend. Running a small business takes sheer grit and determination, so join them to raise a glass to many more years to come.
The Annual Secret Gardens Tour Of Beacon
- Where: Multiple locations
- When: Saturday, June 13th 12:00PM to 3:00 PM
For the past four years, the Tioronda Garden Club of Beacon has hosted a “Secret Gardens of Beacon” tour—a self-guided tour of unique and beautiful gardens throughout Beacon.
The fundraiser tickets cost $20. Buy them in advance from Geri Fuller at fullergeri@yahoo.com or Gary Barrack at gbarrack1@gmail.com. You can also pick up tickets at the Howland Cultural Center (477 Main Street) on the day of the event from 11:30 AM to 1:00 PM.
Beacon’s City-Wide Yard Sale Returns
- Where: Across Beacon
- When: Saturday, June 13th, 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM
Beacon’s City-Wide Yard Sale—one of the city’s most popular and fun events of the year— returns for its late spring fling. Hundreds of bargain-hunting residents and visitors hit the streets of Beacon seeking treasures they never even realized they needed. It’s full of surprises and good quality items. It’s also a great way to explore the city’s historic back streets. Download a map of all participating households at the City of Beacon’s website.
Toy Pizza Expo 2026
- Where: The Yard (4 Hanna Lane)
- When: Saturday, June 13th, 12:00 PM to 6:00 PM
Toy Pizza Expo 2026 returns as the ultimate gathering for independent toy makers, collectors, customizers, artists, and fans of underground action figure culture.
Created by Toy Pizza, this one-of-a-kind event celebrates the world of both vintage and original action figures, creator-owned characters, resin, sofubi, comics, prints, and more. Designed to be the anti-corporate Comic-Con, this show features an outdoor experience, great food, cold drinks, and live music. What’s more, it’s free to attend.
Beacon Rising Spring Concert
- Where: St Luke’s Episcopal Church (850 Wolcott Avenue)
- When: Saturday, June 13th, 6:00 PM and Sunday, June 14th, 2:30 PM
Join Beacon Rising’s 80-strong choir for their spring concert, which also serves as a school supply drive for I Am Beacon’s “Class in a Bag” program that provides new backpacks and supplies to local students in need. Tickets.
Eugene Ionesco’s “The Lesson”
- Where: Savage Wonder Art Center (139 Main Street)
- When: Saturday, June 13th, 6:00 PM
Eugène Ionesco’s 1951 dark, absurdist, comic drama tracks the moment teaching becomes domination and language becomes a blunt instrument of power. What unfolds is funny until it isn’t. This one-act play, featuring a professor and a student, is over before you understand what just happened.
Each month, Savage Wonder Arts Center presents a classic work—usually bold, absurdist, and thought-provoking in theme. June is no exception.
Includes themed food, drinks, and coffee. Get tickets here.
A Weekend of Pride
Queer Singer Songwriter Night
- Where: Industrial Arts Brewing Company (511 Fishkill Avenue)
- When: Saturday, June 13th, 8:00 PM
Celebrate Pride with the Queer Singer Songwriter Night at Industrial Arts Brewing Company. Join Ryan Leddick, School Girl Crush, Lisa Pellegrino, and Callie Mackenzie for a night of live music and good times.
Buy tickets here.
And there’s more:
- Stop in at the Queer Dance Party at Industrial Arts Brewing Company from 6:00 PM on Friday, June 12th
- There’s a Queer Takeover at Happy Valley Arcade Bar (296 Main Street) from 3:00 PM on Saturday, June 13th
- Beacon Family Pride Day takes place on Sunday, June 14th between 1:00 PM and 5:00 PM at The Yard (4 Hanna Lane)
You’ll find all the details here.
Beacon Sloop Club Strawberry Festival
- Where: Pete & Toshi Seeger Park (Red Flynn Drive)
- When: Sunday, June 14th, Noon to 5:00 PM
Enjoy the Annual Beacon Sloop Club Strawberry Festival and catch a free ride on the iconic sloop Woody Guthrie, live music, strawberry shortcake and smoothies, food, and crafts.
Plus, learn more about the Hudson River, the Fjord Trail, and environmental advocacy in the Hudson Valley.
Parking can be tough, so opt for walking or cycling if you’re close by. The good news is there’s free and safe bike parking for cyclists. This is a free, family fun event not to be missed.
That’s a wrap on the weekend’s highlights. You’ll find the full picture of June’s event highlights here.
The Beacon Beacon is the only online magazine and platform dedicated purely to Beacon, NY—and all good things here. Explore our directories for everywhere to shop, eat & drink, stay, and play. And if you love Beacon like we do, sign up to our weekly newsletter to be the first to see our weekly features, updates, and latest Events Guide.
Until next time…
The Beacon Beacon🧡