Festivities to feature art, music, shopping and Santa
By Christine Simek
Holiday activities and events abound during this month’s Second Saturday celebration in Beacon — this Saturday, Dec. 8. Highlights include a tree lighting, several holiday craft fairs, live music, art openings and a visit from Santa Claus.
The windows of Beacon’s Main Street will be decked out in their holiday finest. Earlier in the month, BeaconArts held a storefront decorating contest and asked participants to incorporate the theme “ReInvent, ReCycle, REJOICE” into their design, embracing Beacon’s growing identity as a center for sustainable living and environmental awareness.
The storefront at CherryBomb won first place in the BeaconArts window decorating contest. Photo by Linda Hubbard
First place went to the window display at CherryBomb, a seasonal “pop-up” shop located at 201 Main St. (summertime home to Zora Dora) featuring a red-and-white handmade tree. The storefronts of Gate House Realty, 492 Main St., and Blackbird Attic Boutique, 422 Main St., also won accolades.
Beacon sculptor Ed Benavente will, for the second year, light up his Upcycled Christmas Tree, a public holiday sculpture constructed out of recycled bicycle parts. The sculpture will be the centerpiece of the City of Beacon’s tree lighting celebration set to kick off at 4:30 p.m. in the green space at the corner of Cross and Main Streets.
Santa is scheduled to visit, and the Beacon Music Factory Choir will perform. After the tree lighting, participants are invited across the street to School of Jellyfish, 183 Main St., for hot chocolate, donuts and other treats provided by the Alps Sweet Shop and the City of Beacon Recreation Commission.
Last year’s tree lighting and sing along (Photo by Linda Hubbard)
BEAHIVE, 291 Main St., will hold its annual HIVE holiday party and fundraiser to benefit Re>Think Local, a new nonprofit focused on co-creating a better Hudson Valley through sustainability, community building and collaboration with local businesses. Dan Rigney, Re>Think’s Events and Development director, says that the organization is “thrilled to be the beneficiary” of the event. “We have a host of items from local businesses and artists up on the auction block including a weekend at the Omega Institute.”
Entertainment highlights include live performances by Kelleigh McKenzie and Tom Rigney as well as music selections by DJs Krisis (Chris Earl) + Freedom (Brian Westpoint). Food and drinks will be provided by The Hop and Max’s on Main. The event is co-sponsored by Chronogram. 7 p.m.
Unique and one-of-a-kind gifts will be on sale at the various craft fairs — many with a cause — that will be open this weekend. At the Howland Cultural Center, 477 Main St., the Hudson Valley Etsy Team will host its Third Annual Holiday Craft Show. Twenty local artisan and craft vendors will be selling handmade items including ceramics, jewelry, knitwear, glass, baby clothes, toys, handbags, note cards, fine art and other items.
Audrey Majzlin, organizer of the event, said, “The mission for our team is to curate a group of artisans and professional crafters whom the public can come to associate with quality, creativity, amazing customer service, and superb artistry; all under the ‘shop local shop handmade’ initiative. This year Etsy is underwriting and has given us 27 gift cards to give away and 200 kids’ ornament-making kits.”
10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Live music all day.
OTHER SHOPPING
RiverWinds Gallery, 172 Main St., presents Buone Feste, a feast of holiday gifts made by Hudson Valley artists. Offerings include drawings, paintings, seasonal cards, handmade ornaments, jewelry, sculptures, clay works and more. This is the ninth year that the gallery is showcasing and supporting local artists in this way. Reception 5 – 8 p.m.
CherryBomb Holiday Pop Up Shop, 201 Main St., is an informal association of artists in and around Beacon who work together to sell their art and crafts. Open 11 a.m. – 8 p.m.
The Vassar Haiti Project will hold a Haitian Art and Handcraft Sale at the Beacon Building, 427 Main St. All proceeds will benefit the rebuilding of a kindergarten in the village of Chermaitre in Northwest Haiti. Open 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Hudson Beach Glass, 162 Main St., is holding its annual Blow Your Own Ornament event. Instructed by master glassblowers John Gilvey and Kathleen Andersen, participants will choose texture and color combination and then add their own breath to create an heirloom hand blown ornament. 10 a.m. – 6 p.m., $30; reservations recommended. Call 845-440-0068.
GALLERY OPENINGS
Hudson Beach Glass, 162 Main St., presents the work of photographer and artist Russell Cusick. Cusick is a Juilliard-trained opera singer-turned visual artist who developed a technique of combining paint, photography and acrylic resins in a process he calls “photoacrylics.” Opening reception 6 – 9 p.m., free.
Maria Lago Studio 502, 502 Main Street presents Brain on Fire. 12 – 9:30 p.m., free.
Dia:Beacon, 3 Beekman St., will feature a gallery talk with Eva Respini, associate curator of photography at the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA), discussing the work of Jean-Luc Moulène. 2 p.m., free with museum admission.
Beacon Institute Gallery, 199 Main St., presents Linda Hubbard’s As the Crow Flies, an aerial perspective of the Hudson River from Bear Mountain to Kingston through photographs captured from a helicopter. Opening reception 5 – 7 p.m., free.
bau gallery, in its new location at 506 Main St., presents Apocalypse, selected works from a national open call. Artists responded to the theme of apocalypse in response to the 5,000 year old Mayan Calendar ending on Dec. 21, 2012. Opening reception 6 – 9 p.m., free.
Gallery 508, 508 Main St., presents new works by Barbara Koffsky, Tim Delaney, Jens O. Billie and Jack Lindholm. Opening reception 6 p.m., free.
Spire Studios, 45 Beekman St., presents Tempo Rare, a group show featuring the work of Jeff Caramagna, Russ Cusick, Basha Maryanska, Cynthia McCusker, Mario Rusich, Ed Vermehren, Catherine Welshman. Opening reception 6 – 10 p.m., free.
ONGOING SHOWS
Fovea Exhibitions, 143 Main St., and Common Ground Farm present The Lexicon of Sustainability, photographs and short films to educate and promote the creation of a healthier, safer food system in America.
Theo Ganz Studio, 149 Main St., presents Prints Without Pixels, a group exhibition curated by Hiro Ichikawa. Printmakers are Rica Bando, Elana Goren, Takuji Hamanaka, Hiro Ichikawa, Gwenno James, Maria Lago, Thom Munterich, Chantelle Norton, Antonella Piemontese, Barbara Smith Gioia and Beth Weintraub.
The Clutter Gallery, 163 Main St., presents Día del Helado Muerto, a custom toy show using Brutherford’s Ice Scream Man platform. Participating artists include Brown Magic Paint Co., Chauskoskis, David Ayllon, DrilOne, Frank Mysterio, Grimsheep, Honkeylips, J★RYU, JC Rivera, Josh Longo, Leecifer, Mark Nagata, Motorbot, Nathan Hamill, Plaseebo, Rsin, Scott Wilkowski, Spanky Stokes, Trust Pigs, Voltaire and more.
RELIGIOUS SERVICES
First Presbyterian Church, 50 Liberty St., holds a Blue Christmas service for individuals coping with grief. All are welcome to attend and spend time acknowledging losses while finding hope and healing during the holiday season. 5 p.m., free.
THEATER AND SPOKEN WORD
Beacon High School’s Beacon Players, 101 Matteawan Road, present their holiday showcase Once Upon a December, a celebration of holiday cheer for the entire family. 2 p.m., all seats $5. Tickets on sale at beaconplayers.com or call (845) 227-7761.
Beacon Yoga/464 ARTS presents Nothin’ Brites the Day Like Sound, featuring a performance of the poetry of Edwin Torres accompanied by percussionist Sean Meehan. 8 p.m., tickets $10. Call 347-489-8406.
MUSIC
Max’s on Main, 246 Main St., presents Charlie Sabin. 9:30 p.m., free.
Bank Square Coffeehouse, 129 Main St., presents music by LuLu’s Ascent. 8 – 10 p.m., free.
FOOD AND DRINK
Artisan Wine Shop, 180 Main St., presents its Saturday wine tasting. 3 – 6 p.m., free.
The Hop, 458 Main St., presents a Dogfish Head IPA Celebration, featuring IPA flights of 60 minute, 75 minute, 90 minute, and Aged 120 minute IPAs. DJ BirdsInBuildings will spin in the evening. 12 – 11 p.m.
