An early spring sunset at Long Dock Park.

It’s never too early to start planning for spring as far as The Beacon Beacon is concerned. Winter might still be enjoying its last hurrah—the new season doesn’t officially begin until March 20th—but evenings are getting longer, and warmer temperatures are moving in. And it won’t be long before we return to patio and sidewalk dining.

From exhibitions, live performances, galas, and more, there’s a lot coming up in Beacon this spring. We’ll update this guide weekly as more events are announced and new stores and restaurants open, so bookmark this feature and check back often. Visit the venue’s website directly or our Events Guide for ticket information on any event mentioned here.

Parades

March is a busy month for parades. On Friday, March 7th Happy Valley Arcade Bar is hosting its own Brazilian Carnaval Celebration with Passion Adult Dance Studio. Expect a parade, dance, special guest appearances, and Passion’s sensational sambistas (samba dancers).

And on Saturday, Beacon’s 10th St Patrick’s Day Parade of Green begins at 12 PM. It starts at 9D, continues along Main Street, and finishes at the beloved Dummy Light near East Main Street. Sport a splash of emerald green and join in the festivities.

New exhibitions

A portrait by Chantal Sulkow in the AAPL’s Third Annual Realism Show.

The American Artists Professional League’s (AAPL) Third Annual Realism on the Hudson Show is open from March 1st through to April 13th at the Howland Cultural Center (477 Main Street). The American Artists Professional League was founded in 1928 at the famous Salmagundi Club in New York City by a group of painters and sculptors dedicated to the promotion of traditional and contemporary realism in American fine art.

Nearly 100 juried entries by artists from every corner of the United States will be on display, with each work measuring no larger than 20 x 20 inches. Multiple genres include landscape, still life, portrait, figurative and floral, and in a variety of mediums from oil painting to watercolor, pastels, and more.

Stop by the Beacon Historical Society (61 Leonard Street) Thursdays, 10 AM to 12 PM, or Saturdays, 1 PM to 3 PM, for a new exhibition called Irish Immigration to Beacon: From the Emerald Isle to the Twin Villages. The exhibition runs from March 1st to March 29th. Join the Society for a special accompanying program by Trustee Patrick Miskell at the Elks Lodge (900 Wolcott Avenue) on Tuesday, March 25th.

The Bridges of Beacon exhibit will continue to run the Beacon Historical Society until March 22nd. And as if that isn’t enough, another new exhibition called Beacon Brickmaking will open on Saturday, March 29th and run to July. Finally, stop by the Howland Public Library’s Community Room (313 Main Street) to see the Passport to Beacon exhibition which tells the story of Beacon families who immigrated to the U.S. and then to Beacon over the decades.

Attend a Fundraiser

Beacon LitFest—which takes place in June—is hosting a 90s Dance Party on Friday, March 14th at Dennings Point Distillery (10 N. Chestnut Street) to raise funds for the summer event. Expect a costume contest, literary-inspired cocktails, photo-ops and prizes including an all-access pass to the festival.

Postponed due to a snowstorm in February, Rodney & Juliet’s Wedding, A Fundraiser to Die For is rescheduled for Saturday, March 15th at the Howland Cultural Center. This whodunnit murder mystery evening will involve a reception, hors d’oeuvres, desserts, drinks, comedy, and dancing. The fundraiser will benefit the Howland’s Friends Annual Appeal.

On Thursday, May 15th the Howland Cultural Center will be honoring two Beacon visionaries at its 2025 Fundraising Gala. Neil Caplan, executive director and founder of the Bannerman Castle Trust, and Phil Ciganer of the ever-popular Town Crier Café. Always a fun event, this year’s entertainment will feature Tom Chapin & Friends, Zohar & Adam Cabo, Jessica Walsh, and more. The evening’s emcee will be Eli Walker and the event takes place at The Roundhouse’s Waterfall Room (2 East Main Street). Tickets are available here.

Live performances

Every Beaconite knows there’s always an abundance of live performances in the city on any given week. It’s best to check our Events Guide for details, but March highlights so far include The ARTICHOKE Storytelling Series at the Howland Cultural Center—with an amazing lineup of raconteurs including Johanna Gohmann, Andrew McGill, Britt Geneline, Jack Blankenship, Bailey Swilley, and Neil Intraub. To learn more about the show, read our recent feature interview with its creator and host, Drew Prochaska. Elysium Furnace Works Solo Piano Festival, which is hosting an incredible performer from across the generations every Saturday at St Andrew & St Luke Episcopal Church at 15 South Avenue, live music at The Yard (4 Hanna Lane), and live music every Saturday at Two Way Brewing (18 West Main Street), all throughout March.

Screening & Q&A

Beacon Movie Theater is the venue for the screening of *With Peter Bradley*.

The Beacon Film Society is back after a long hiatus, and it kickstarts its spring season with a gem of a film called With Peter Bradley. This intimate documentary portrait is the result of a collaboration between filmmaker Alex Rappoport and abstract painter Peter Bradley, who both live in Saugerties. Peter Bradley rose to the top of the art world in the 1970s but then virtually disappeared from public view for decades. Tickets are available from the Beacon Movie Theater (445 Main Street).

And a Prom Night

This is no ordinary prom night. Join Cirque du Creep at Industrial Arts Brewing (511 Fishkill Avenue) on Friday, March 28th for its dark arts, prom-night themed, 21-year-old+ mini market and dance party. This Dark Disco Prom Night will feature vendors, food, drinks, live music, burlesque, drag, and more. Dress up is encouraged!

April, May, and June

Many events after March have yet to be published, but here’s what we know so far.

On Saturday, April 26th, the Beacon Photo Club is hosting the Beacon Art Book Fair at the VFW Hall (413 Main Street). This one-day event will feature zine creators, book makers, and self-publishers of all kinds.

Don’t forget the great outdoors

Now that the ice and snow is beginning to clear, it’s time to get back outside and enjoy the abundance of natural beauty Beacon has to offer. Dig into our feature here for ideas on hikes, trails, and more.

Sloop Clearwater is offering a Sailing Classroom Program for homeschool students and families this spring. It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity to learn about the Hudson River from the deck of the Sloop. Students will work together to raise the Sloop’s 3,000 lb mainsail, learn about the estuary, and engage in small group learning stations. The dates for Beacon sessions are Wednesday, April 30th at 1 PM, and Thursday, May 1st at 1 PM. You’ll find full details here.

And There’s More…Early Spring Main Street Openings

The Floral Society now open at 161 Main Street.

It’s all happening at the west end of Main Street with a flurry of incredible openings. The Floral Society (161 Main Street) opened its doors on March 1st. This gorgeous addition to Main Street—selling nature-inspired home and garden goods— is already a successful online business, and this is the first retail location for owner, Sierra Yaun. Lily & Marigold Home & Design—transplants from Eastdale Village in Poughkeepsie—will be soft-opening at 163 Main Street on Saturday, March 8th with a lovely assortment of home goods. They also offer home design services.

A delightful new wine bar called Estilo Y Vino opened at the beginning of March, offering a nicely curated selection of old world and new world wines and tapas. Open six days a week, it’s yet another excellent Main Street spot for after work meet ups.

With every new opening, this end of Main Street is shaping up to be as much of a destination as the east end.

Note: If you’re visiting Beacon for a daytrip or longer, be sure to walk the whole length of Main Street—which extends more than a mile—in order to take everything in. There’s plenty of coffee and tea shops and eateries along the way.

At the east end of Main Street, The Scalp Shop, a hair replacement treatment service using scalp micropigmentation has just opened at 493 Main Street. What’s micropigmentation? It’s a cosmetic procedure using dots of pigment to mimic the appearance of natural hair or makeup and an option for anyone concerned about hair loss.

Finally, on the restaurant scene, it looks like work is continuing at Beacon Quality Eats (157 Main Street)—formerly Kitchen Sink Supper Club—and we predict an opening in the near future! Further east, work on The Piggy Bank (448 Main Street)—formerly The Vault—is also underway.

Keep tabs on our Events Guide and Calendar for happenings in Beacon and on our blog and social media for news of new store and restaurant openings. If you’re researching where to shop or eat and drink, take a dive into our directories for the complete picture.

Now that you know what’s going on in Beacon in the coming weeks, the question is where to begin?

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Until next time…

The Beacon Beacon🧡

A Guide to Spring Happenings in Beacon | Part 1