Free Trash Dumping For City Of Beacon Residents Going On Now - Up To 250 Pounds

The City of Beacon has announced their annual free trashing dumping is open now through the 3rd week of September for residents up to 250 pounds.

In a Facebook post, they wrote: “The City's annual free bulk garbage program is open for the summer season once again. Residents who are up-to-date on their taxes are eligible to bring up to 250 pounds of bulk garbage over the course of the summer to the City's Transfer Station (until the third Saturday in September). The Facility is open between the hours of 7:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.”

The Transfer Station is located at 90 Dennings Avenue.

City Council Agenda For 6/2/2025 Meeting

Tonight’s 6/2/2025 City Council Meeting is open to the public, in that the public can come to speak on any topic for up to 3 minutes at the beginning and end of the meeting. Meeting begins at 7pm and is at Town Hall. The agenda has been republished to ALBB here.

Tonight’s meeting consists of 3 Public Hearings concerning the following. A Public Hearing means that the City Council needs to hear from the public on this specific subject before voting on proposed legislation.

• Accessory Apartment Requirements, to make those easier to apply for and build.

• Drought Emergency Plan.

• Loitering Law with Marijuana removed from it in order to match New York State’s law (ALBB wrote on that here).

Five laws are up for vote:

• 2026-2030 Capital Program Proposal (a vote to pass this budget on major purchases and infrastructure upgrades).

• Traffic and Parking (ALBB wrote on that here)

• Appointing Justine Bienkowski to the Tree Advisory Committee

• Appointing Brian Donnelly to the Tree Advisory Committee

• Self-Storage Facilities and Warehouse Storage Changes to law to address how they would not front on the street (must be set back). This is a reversal to an earlier proposed full out ban.

☔ Things To Do! 5/31/2025

What a downpour this has been. First the rain came overnight, and now fresh into the morning. This may impact your plans, but for some of you, being under a patio covering or vendor tent could be quite a refreshing experience. For others of you, being surrounded by this rain may keep you inside, unable to ignore your inner Weekend Warrior, who orders you to fix the bathroom sink. A Little Beacon Blog's Business Directory is open for all types of service businesses to participate in, so that home DIY plumbing jobs don't need to happen quite so easily. Check out this Weekend Warrior video. BOOK YOUR EVENT PROMOTION Single purchases of Event Promotions are available. Membership for discounted recurring events are available. Step Into Hope: NAMI Mid-Hudson Walk for Mental Health 2025 Day: Saturday, May 31, 2025 Time: 11am-1pm Location: Walkway Over The Hudson, Poughkeepsie, NY Join NAMI from the Dutchess or Ulster side of the Walkway Over The Hudson Bridge, and meet at the flagpole at 12pm for a powerful gathering of community, connection, and hope. Field + Supply :: A Modern Makers Market Day: Friday May 30 - Sunday June 1 2025 Time: 10am-6pm Location: Hutton Brickyards, 132 Lindsley Ave. Kingston, NY 12401 Shop hundreds of vendors, enjoy live music, local eats, and activities for the entire family. This is like going into a high-end boutique, but outside, at an incredibly gorgeous venue that is the Hutton Brickyards. Information > PRIDE 2025 Day: Sunday, June 1, 2025 Time: 10am-3pm Queer Liberation March - Main Street Beacon Day: Sunday, June 1, 2025 Time: 3pm-6pm Queer Joy - Main Street Beacon Day: Friday, June 13, 2025 Time: 6:30pm-10pm Queer Dance Party @ The Yard Day: Sunday, June 15, 2025 Time: 1pm-5pm Family Pride @ The Yard Information > Beacon Repair Cafe @ Beacon Recreation Center Day: Sunday, June 1, 2025 Time: 1pm-4pm Location: Beacon Recreation Center, 23 West Center Street, Beacon, NY Before you throw it away, let's try to fix it! Bring your favorite items that need some love: clocks, lamps, clothing, soft toys ... even furniture, appliances, bikes, and welding. Together we're keeping useful things out of the landfill and building a culture of care and repair. Reach out to volunteer your fixer skills: beaconfishkillrepaircafe@gmail.com Poppies Picnic :: Potluck and Mutual Aid Fundraiser for Gaza Day: Tuesday, June 3, 2025 Time: 6pm-8pm Price: Free. Donation opportunities for raffle. Location: Long Dock Park, Beacon, NY (along the River Muhheakantuck, known for now as the Hudson River) Want to break bread with neighbors and learn how you can join the fight for a free Palestine? Join this community picnic on Tuesday, June 3rd at Long Dock Park in Beacon for free food, solidarity, and info on the Break the Bonds campaign. Bring a dish to share, and some cash to enter a raffle for great prizes—proceeds will go to support families in Gaza. Hope to see you there! Information > * * * SAVE THE DATES * * * Five Points Festival Presented by Clutter @ The Yard Day: Saturday-Sunday, June 7-8, 2025 Time: 11am-6pm Price: Price Ranges Available Location: The Yard, 4 Hanna Lane, Beacon, NY Established in 2017, and brought to you by industry cornerstone Clutter Magazine, Five Points Fest is America’s preeminent, Designer Toy & underground art festival! Bringing together the shining stars of Designer Toys, Street Art, and Indie Comics, from all over the world in the best spot in the world… NEW YORK! The antidote to the average con, Five Points Fest is a curated celebration of tastemakers, misfits, and rebels in a one-of-a-kind gathering designed with community and collecting at its core! Featuring crazy monsters, bizarre creatures, awesome robots, weird aliens, and pop culture perversions, we bring together like-minded tribes for a massive party, unlike any con you’ve ever attended! Information > Toy Pizza Expo & Five Points Fest Present: WFYM WORLD TOUR @ The Yard Day: Saturday, June 7-8, 2025 Time: 4pm-7pm Price: $40 ($5 of every ticket goes to support Beacon's Backyard Community Kitchen, a mutual aid project providing free meals to the local area.) Location: The Yard, 4 Hanna Lane, Beacon, NY Toy Pizza Expo is proud to welcome back the hit podcast & twitch stream- WFYM. Returning champions Chet (@GirlfriendHaver), Mike (@mhud), Tom (@tom_on_here), and Alex (@Lowenaffchen), mark their second live show ever with more freaks, more disgusting food reviews and more creatures from the depths of the internet. $5 of every ticket goes to support Beacon's Backyard Community Kitchen, a mutual aid project providing free meals to the local area. Ticket price includes access to Five Points Festival Exhibit Area (A $40+ value). NOTE: This event is up two flights of stairs, with a small flight of stairs at the front door. This show is recommended for ages 18 & up. Information > Peekskill Open Studios Date: June 07, 2025 Location: 1 North Division Street, Peekskill The Peekskill Arts Alliance's Open Studios will feature visual 2D, 3D, multimedia pieces and films. Over 100 Peekskill artists will open up their studios to the public, show their work at the Tent Site Gallery, and exhibit at SUNY Westchester Community College-Peekskill (Off the Beaten Track). Information > Beacon Sloop Club Strawberry Festival Day: Sunday, June 8, 2025 Time: 12pm-5pm Location: Pete & Toshi Seeger Riverfront Park Fresh made strawberry shortcakes with Hudson Valley local strawberries and other strawberry delights. Along the perimeter of the picnic grounds dozens of craft vendors sell quality handmade goods, food vendors offer a variety of delicious food choices. Many free children’s activities. Two solar-powered music stages offer live music performances throughout the day. One solely dedicated to children's music. Bring a blanket and or chairs, listen to free local musicians perform, purchase a strawberry shortcake and enjoy the day surrounded by the beautiful Hudson River. A Little Beacon Blog will be there at their Face Painting table. Information > Stand Up For Palestine: A Benefit for The Horse of Jenin + The Freedom Theatre Day: Tuesday, June 10, 2025 Time: 6:30pm-8:30pm Price: Prices start at $33.85 Location: The Yard, 4 Hanna Lane, Beacon, NY 12508 Stand-Up For Palestine is a benefit for the U.S. tour of Alaa Shehada's The Horse of Jenin and The Freedom Theatre of Jenin. Join us for an evening of comedy, food, and discussion at The Yard in Beacon. Featuring Palestinian and Palestinian-American comedians Alaa Shehada, Marena Riyad, Fouad Dakwar, and MC Lena Rizkallah. Light refreshments will be provided by local Palestinian restaurant Ziatün, and beverages will be available for purchase. Information > APPRECIATION: A Survivor’s Story of Hiroshima Day: Thursday, June 12, 2025 Time: 6-7pm Price: Free. Registration encouraged. Location: Howland Public Library, 313 Main Street, Beacon, NY Directed by Michael Dwyer and Chuck Gomez Information > Beacon LitFest Days: Thursday, June 12: Kickoff Party (Readings, Storytelling, Cocktails and more) Friday, June 13: 8pm-10pm (an Immersive Literary Experience) Saturday, June 14: The Main Event (Literature, Poetry, Theater, and More) Price: Varied prices Location: Beahive and Howland Cultural Center The Beacon Litfest has expanded! Find All-Star poets at Beahive; Drama at Howland Cultural Center; and Icons of Fiction and Nonfiction at VFW. Day followed by a cocktail party and book-signings. A not-to-be-missed Beacon event. Information > Women in Noir of Beacon LitFest Day: Friday, June 13, 2025 Time: 8pm-10pm Price: $20 Location: Howland Cultural Center, 477 Main Street, Beacon NY 12508 An Immersive Noir Literary Experience, perfect for Friday the 13th. Featuring writers Jode Millman, Julia Dahl, Margot Douaihy, and moderators Cynthia Weiner and Jackie Corley. Information > "Pink Unicorn’s Magical Day" – Book Launch Celebration! Days: Saturday, June 14, 2025 Time: 10am-12pm Location: Kitchen & Coffee, 420 Main Street, Beacon, NY 🎉 Join us in Beacon, NY for a joyful, family-friendly celebration of Pink Unicorn’s Magical Day — a new children's book written by Nicole Hughes and illustrated by Chris Ams, inspired by the beloved Dave Shelly, the real Pink Unicorn of Beacon. 🦄 🖌️ Original watercolors from the book available for purchase. 📚 Books available on-site — $25 each (all proceeds go to the Beacon Unicorn Fund!). Pink Unicorn’s Magical Day is a heartwarming story about joy, kindness, and community — created by Beacon locals and inspired by the unforgettable pink unicorn who brought smiles to Main Street. All proceeds from the book benefit the Beacon Unicorn Fund, which supports arts and community initiatives in Beacon and honors the legacy of Dave Shelly. Information > 2025 Student Exhibition : Dia Beacon, Riggio Arts Education Program Date: June 14-15, 2025 Time: 10am–5pm; Reception held on Saturday, June 14, 1–3 pm Price: Admission to Dia Beacon is complimentary for Arts Education Program guests. Location: Dia Beacon Learning Lab, 3 Beekman Street Beacon, New York Featuring artworks made by the 2025 Riggio Arts Education Program participants, students from Glenham, J. V. Forrestal, Sargent, and South Avenue elementary schools, as well as Rombout middle school. Information > Beacon Litworks: Writing Workshops Day: Sunday, June 15 Time: 10am-8pm Where: Salon Room at Dutchess Inn and Spa Price: $30/workshop Two hour, professionally led writing intensives. Limited size. Multiple Genres, including poetry, memoir, essay, fiction and story in song. Sign up for one, two, or all! 3rd Annual Juneteenth In Beacon Day: Saturday, June 19, 2025 Time: 11am-5pm Price: Free (vendors offer food and shopping for purchase) Location: Pete and Toshi Seeger Riverfront Park Celebrate Black culture and community with Beacon4BlackLives and Bosco and the Storm at our FREE Third Annual Juneteenth Riverfront Festival! We'll have music, food, vendors, merch, marching bands, prizes, and more! If you're interested in becoming a vendor, performer, or getting more involved, click here: linktr.ee/beacon4blacklives more details coming soon for questions, email beaconjuneteenth.info@gmail.com PS: A Little Beacon Blog will be there with face painting!! 3rd Annual Patriot Golf Classic with Colewell Law Day: Monday, June 23, 2025 Time: 9am-5pm Location: 924 Main Street, Clifton Park, NY 12065 The Colwell Law Group, LLC is proud to sponsor the 3rd Annual Folds of Honor New York Patriot Golf Classic. This impactful event supports educational scholarships for the spouses and children of America’s fallen or disabled military members and first responders. In the past year, Folds of Honor NY awarded 125 scholarships, directly supporting families in our local community. We invite you to stand with us in supporting these families and making a lasting impact. Information > * * * REGISTRATIONS * * * City of Beacon’s City-Wide Yard Sale Days: Saturday, June 14, 2025 Time: 9am-3pm Location: Beacon, NY 12508 Shop Beacon’s yards! If you want to be on the City’s map, you’ll need to register here and pay a fee. But you don’t need to register to have a yard sale on this day or any day. Information > Features from our Sponsors. Is your business on the menu? JOIN ALBB'S BUSINESS MEMBERSHIP FOR FEATURES ZIATUN 244 Main Street, Beacon, NY For you, on this rainy day, the warm, wrapped-in-foil gluten-free wrap. Oozing with marinade mixing with juices from the lamb. Ziatun is Palestinian-Owned. Open everyday. Instagram > Ziatun is a Sponsor! BEACON BREAD COMPANY 193-195 Main Street, Beacon, NY Nothing says "warm my soul" like a hollandaise sauce dripping over 2 poached eggs, griddled ham, tomato and spinach atop an English muffin. It's called the Benni and it can be yours soon. Wholesale, special orders, and events/catering available. Instagram > Beacon Bread Company is a Sponsor! HUDSON VALLEY FOOD HALL 288 Main Street, Beacon, NY This weekend is the last for Cristhia of Dulce Cielo MX. Saturday and Sunday is your last chance to order her Mexican food. Monday she begins breaking down, and the stove will be off until the next food vendor moves in. She has nowhere to go yet, so order one last time and wish her good luck that Dulce Cielo will return to us soon. Follow HV Food Hall's Chefs: Nami Yum Yum Roosevelt Bar Dulce Cielo Mexico Tara Fusion Cuisine Old Dhaka Coffee House Five Pennies Creamery Palmetto Burger Co. Hudson Valley Food Hall is a Sponsor! BAGEL-ISH 226 Main Street, Beacon, NY This is the Rosemary Bagel of your dreams...that you didn't even know you were dreaming about. As captured by Smyle Taxes, who shared it in their Stories. Instagram > Bagel-ish is a Sponsor! CARTER'S RESTAURANT 424 Main St. REMEMBER: BBQ at Carters on Father’s Day. Have you been to Carter's during their live music sessions? They've been booking out some great performers. Enjoy from the main front room, which opens to the street on a fair-weather day. Open 7 days a week. Catering and Private Parties available. Instagram > Carters is a Sponsor! Features from our Sponsors. Is your shop stocking your shelves? JOIN ALBB'S BUSINESS MEMBERSHIP FOR FEATURES Eggbert’s Free Range Farm Well then. By the time we've gotten down to this part of the newsletter, the rain has eased off a little. Eggbert's is at the Cold Spring Farmers Market on Saturday's, and the Beacon Farmer's Market on Sunday's. Order any time in between online (like these chicken thighs) and they can deliver in the rain! FARMERS MARKETS: Saturdays: Cold Spring Farmer's Market 10am-1pm Sundays: Beacon Farmer's Market 10am - 2pm SHOP ONLINE: Online ordering is available 24/7. DELIVERY: 🚚 Delivering to Cold Spring, Cornwall, New Windsor, Newburgh, Beacon, Fishkill, and Wappingers Falls. Website > Instagram > Eggbert's Free Range Farm is a Sponsor! THE STATION DISPENSARY 463 Main Street, Beacon If Beacon moves forward with removing marijuana and cannabis use from it's Loitering Law, you'll be seeing a lot more of these outdoor window displays from your own infused state of mind! If you need a reminder of what the outside of the  building of The Station Dispensary looks like, see here. Located in the old Beacon Police Station building on Main Street. Across from The Piggy Bank. 21+ Bring ID Open Daily from 11am-9pm. Instagram > The Station is a Sponsor, thank you! BINNACLE BOOKS 321 Main Street, Beacon “Regarded as one of the pioneers of modern African literature, Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o, a Kenyan author and academic…has attracted a plethora of eulogies from African literary community and beyond….He was described as East Africa’s leading novelist, who through his work influenced writing in indigenous African languages, thereby, switching to write primarily in Gikuyu, his mother tongue – a decision borne out of the need to identify with the postcolonial Africa and be void of colonial influence.” - Bioluwatife Akinyemi Instagram > The Station is a Sponsor, thank you! JOIN ALBB'S BUSINESS MEMBERSHIP FOR FEATURES R O C PILATES 124 Rombout Avenue, Beacon NY Arguably one of the best places to be on a rainy day...inside the beautiful, intimate ROC Pilates studio. Pictured here is a small group class gliding on the Reformer box, using their legs to pull the strap, which pushes them forward. Such a neat sensation. NEW SUBSCRIPTIONS: + Ready Plus+ 2 reformer classes and 2 tower classes $120 + Set Plus+ 4 reformer classes and 4 tower classes $230 + Go Plus+ 6 reformer classes and 6 tower classes $319 C L A S S E S Small Group or Private Lesson. Reformer Classes start at $35. See Schedule > The Blushery 528 Main Street, Beacon NY The zap of the laser for your hair removal will perk you up. Enjoy the intimate space at The Blushery for your hair removal treatments. Under-arm, leg, bikini, Brazilian, whatever you need. Booking online is easy. Link In Bio at Instagram. Or right here. Located across from the Dummy Light near the Roundhouse. Book Online > BUSINESSES IN THE BUSINESS DIRECTORY ART > ANTIQUES Hudson Valley Auctioneers > AUTOMOTIVE > TRANSPORTATION SERVICES Luxury Taxi Service, AQ Services, Inc from Luther Lopez > BEAUTY The Luminous Bride >  Makeup By Jenny Magliano > BLACK OWNED BUSINESSES See them here > BRANDING  >  MARKETING & PR Tin Shingle Katie James, Inc. DAYCARE PlayTivity DENTAL Beacon Dental ENTERTAINMENT + EVENT SPACE The Yard HEALTH AND WELLNESS > MASSAGE River Therapeutic Massage  HOME IMPROVEMENT > APPLIANCE REPAIR Shelter Air HISPANIC OWNED BUSINESS See them here > MUSIC Miss Vickie's Music REAL ESTATE Hudson Upstate Team at eXp Realty ADVERTISE IN ALBB'S BUSINESS DIRECTORY Free Breakfast Program Day: Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays Time: 6:30am-8:30am Location: 12 Hanna Lane, Beacon, NY 12508 They have a Wish List of food items! If you're in the mood to donate, find the list here. Information > FRIDAYS: Fareground's Free Community Dinner Day/Time: Fridays, 5:30pm-7:30pm Location: First Presbyterian, 50 Liberty Street, Beacon, NY 12508 Information > Volunteer > Donate > Read Our Latest Articles Advertise With Us! Stay Up To Date With City Council Meetings

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Marijuana and Cannabis Use On Sidewalks Proposed To Be Acceptable in Beacon - Not Loitering - Public Hearing Next

In a detailed set of Track Changes, the Beacon’s City Council at its 5/19/2025 Meeting agreed to set a Public Hearing to possibly Accept the proposed change in Beacon’s Loitering law in order to match New York State’s legality of marijuana and cannabis use in public spaces of streets and sidewalks, but not city parks, which Beacon has made such usage location illegal (listen to ALBB’s podcast episode about that law). Streets and sidewalks, however, the City of Beacon is proposing to deem legal in order to match New York State’s law.

The City’s Attorney Nick Ward-Willis explained: “The City's current loitering law says that if one is using marijuana, then they are deemed to be loitering. This would remove that from your from your law. Marijuana or cannabis use is permitted except where prohibited. So it can't be used in the city's parks, but it can be used in other public ways such as the road or the sidewalks. And that's permitted by New York State, so this makes the City's loitering law consistent with New York State law.”

The Public Hearing is set for the June 2nd City Council Meeting.

Traffic Proposals Up For Vote: No Parking Spots On Verplanck, Willow, North Chestnut; Adding Stop Signs to Washington Avenue

Beacon’s Parking and Traffic Safety Committee made the following recommendations during this week’s City Council Workshop meeting, which was presented by Ben Swanson, who serves as the Secretary for the Committee and is the Assistant to the Mayor’s Office. There will be a Public Hearing scheduled to hear from the public before these modifications are voted upon.

Verplanck and North Chestnut

A resident requested that the single parking spot on the East side of North Chestnut be eliminated. Councilperson Paloma Wake asked who brought this parking issue to the attention of the Traffic and Parking Safety Committee. Ben answered: "Someone who said that they use that intersection often in their travels." Ben added that there is a "related issue about the the mechanics [Verplanck Auto], whether or not they're allowed to be parking full up; filling up their little lot there on the corner. That's kind of a separate tangential issue," Ben said.

Both sides of the street are no-parking zones 50 feet from the intersection of Verplanck. The new no-parking spot would extend the East side to be 80 feet from Verplanck, and no cars would be between the house's driveway and Verplanck. The rest of Chestnut would remain having on-street parking.

A Little Beacon Blog asked Verplanck Auto if they were aware of any on-street parking issues, and they said that they were not. They agreed that the reduction of that single parking space would be a good idea, as turning into North Chestnut is difficult.

Verplanck and Willow Street

Beacon’s Fire Chief Thomas Lucchesi requested that the on-street parking on the tiny triangle at Willow Street and Verplanck be eliminated, as firetrucks need to get through. Ben explained that Willow Street is being used as the Fire Department’s “primary access route, rather than going further along Main Street than they have to.” The fire trucks come up from the new station, turn down Willow Street and go back into the surrounding neighborhoods.

Currently, there is a driveway there, and the on-street parking. During Sunday church-time, this area gets particularly crowded. When cars are parked there normally, they can become easy targets to be hit by people cutting right instead of taking the 90 degree right turn onto Verplanck from Willow Street.

Ben stated: “Verplanck and Willow Street at that intersection itself would be a very tight turn for a fire apparatus to make that turn. That access-road is really pretty crucial to their their access.”

Loading Zones of Willow Street by Main Street

Fire Chief Thomas also requested that no parking be along both sides of Willow Street for specified distances. For the West side of the street, the distance would be 65 feet, and from the East side of the street, the distance would be 90 feet.

Councilperson Paloma Wake stressed her concern for loading zones for businesses along Main Street. Turning onto Willow Street when trucks are parked on both sides of the street can be difficult, and during high traffic time between 3-5pm, a car can get stuck between them, therefore needing to alternate the oncoming cars. Trucks also do park further down into the middle of Willow Street to walk their loads down.

Stop Sign at Washington Avenue and Tillot Street

The proposal is to put Stop signs in both directions of travel on Washington Avenue at the intersection of Tillot Street, making the intersection a 4-way stop. Currently, there are Stop signs in both directions on Tillot Street.

Ben explained that there have been several requests for Stop signs along Washington Avenue. A Stop sign was discussed at Grove Street, but ultimately Tillot Street was decided upon. “Tillot Street was eventually the preferred option by the Committee because it is a primary school crossing area there's nearby bus stops. It's kind of where the character of the neighborhoods are changing along Washington Avenue becoming more dense residential, so it's kind of seen as a safety improvement to add the Stop signs to make this a four-way stop,” Ben said.

A Public Hearing will be scheduled so that the public can come in or call in with their opinions before the City Council votes on these changes.

Trash Contained: Royal Carting Won't Pick Up Tall Grasses, Tree Branches, Etc.

As yard-work picks up this spring season, some people have been putting tall grasses (ahem), tree branches, and other brush from the yard into their trash cans. Royal Carting has confirmed that they will not pick up such leafy yard waste if placed into the can, as it can become uncontained when going into the truck.

If your garbage can was skipped for this reason, Royal Carting advises to remove the yard waste, and then call them for a pickup or wait until the following week. The number to call is on the trash can, and is 845-896-6000.

If lawn bags are not in your budget at this time, you can use brown paper grocery bags from Key Food or whoever is using brown paper bags. Put those out on the sidewalk like you normally do for the City of Beacon to pick up. If you have lots of tree branches, or even small bags of yard waste, you can call the Beacon Highway Department to be added for their list of pickups. Despite the trucks driving all over, they might be on a mission for something else and cannot stop to pickup yard-work bags unscheduled.

Is Beacon Pushing MTA To Fix Floating Dock? "Loss Of Docking In Beacon Is Significant For Clearwater"

Pictured in the yellow square is the floating doc at Beacon’s doci. The white box next to it is a boat tied to it.
Photo Credit: Jen BEnson, Communications Director of Hudson River Sloop Clearwater.

The Clearwater when it is docked in Beacon at the floating doc, which was removed around March 10, 2025 after sustaining damage.
Photo Credit: Poughkeepsie Journal/Patrick Oehler

Ferry users are not the only ones impacted by the disappearance of the floating dock announced two months ago that attaches to Beacon’s dock on the Hudson River. Clearwater, an organization started in 1960 by Pete and Toshi Seeger to educate people about the environmental importance of the Hudson River who has served more than half a million people tells ALBB that they have had to move for the foreseeable future. “Loss of docking in Beacon is significant for Clearwater,” the Executive Director, David Toman, told A Little Beacon Blog., when asked if this decommission affects them ”Beacon has been the home of our office for decades, and where our founders, Pete and Toshi Seeger long called home.”

The clearwater with a class on it.
Photo Credit: Hudson River Sloop Clearwater)

Clearwater’s land office is near Mount Beacon on Wolcott Avenue. Their ship “office” docks in Beacon and provides educational and experiential programming to schools, youth and adults. But they’ve since moved to Cold Spring after the floating dock was removed.

“Sailing from Beacon serves a critical need for many schools and the local community,” Executive Director, David continued. “While we've relocated our sails for the foreseeable future and our Youth Empowerment programs to Cold Spring, we hope the city and MTA can expedite the replacement dock to meet this need in addition to returning ferry service from Newburgh."

Programming from Clearwater includes The Sailing Classroom, Onboard Volunteer, Climate Change at Clearwater, Tideline Program, and In-School Programs.

The clearwater with a class on it.
Photo Credit: Hudson River Sloop Clearwater)

No estimate for repair and restoration of the floating doc at Beacon’s ferry landing has been given by Beacon’s City Administrator, Chris White during City Council Meetings. The MTA has given no estimate to A Little Beacon Blog when asked. They so far have only answered about alternate bus service they have provided to riders of the ferry.

According to former Beacon Mayor Randy Casale, the MTA pays for and maintains the floating doc. “The floating dock was the only dock in Beacon that was safely accessible for our sloop,” Clearwater’s Communication Director Jen Benson told A Little Beacon Blog.

In her email signature, Jen reminds people that the Hudson River is on Munsee Lenape Land. It also had other names before being taken over by white colonialists. “The Hudson River runs through the Munsee, Lenape, Mohican, Mohawk, and Haudenosaunee homelands. Prior to European exploration, the river was known as the Mahicannittuk by the Mohicans, Ka'nón:no by the Mohawks, and Muhheakantuck by the Lenape.”

So far, no one knows for how long it will remain decommissioned.

Schedule For Monday's Memorial Day - Plus Pictures Of Renovated Memorial Building

The City's Annual Memorial Day Remembrance and Ceremony is on Monday, May 26th as posted on the City of Beacon’s Facebook. It is outdoors, and is open to the public. The day usually includes a Remembrance at the East Main Street Bridge, followed by a Ceremony at the Memorial Building with the Veterans.

If you have not been inside of the Memorial Building yet, ALBB went on a guided tour in November 2024 after major renovations were completed by the Veterans, including their new kitchen, bathroom, and new offices with Guardian Revival, who also built out and operates a podcasting studio inside. Click here to read the article and see pictures. Programming at the Memorial Building is quite busy.

Schedule For Monday’s Memorial Day:

9:15am: East Main Street Bridge
The Memorial Day Remembrance

11am-11:45am: Memorial Building
The Memorial Day Ceremony will be held at the Memorial Building.

12pm: Unveiling of New Historic Marker
The Ceremony will be followed by the unveiling of the new historic marker alongside the Memorial Building.

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Photo Credits: Katie Hellmuth