Fun with Science returns to Beacon's Main Street, and is seeking businesses with storefronts in Beacon to participate. Meanwhile at the Howland Cultural Center, catch "Women's Work: A Stitch in Time" with musical notables. These events and more can be found in A Little Beacon Blog's Event Calendar.
Women's Work: A Stitch in Time Hosted by Lydia Adams Davis and featuring Lara Herscovitch, Amy Soucy, Colleen Kattau, Bev Grant, Goldee Greene, Lindsey Wilson and more! Day: Sunday, April 15, 2018 Time: 3 pm Location: Howland Cultural Center, 477 Main St., Beacon, NY
Fun with Science! Day: Throughout April Time: Stores' usual business hours Location: Main Street, Beacon. Go inside stores to see their unique displays, and learn how science relates to their business! Fun with Science is a super-science community event for all ages that will be held along Beacon's Main Street during April. Science is everywhere - artists, chefs, candy-makers, glass blowers, environmentalists, architects, etc. all use principals of science in their respective crafts. An itinerary of businesses and organizations that will be doing activities, programs, demos, and displays will be available inside the library. Businesses or organizations interested in participating can contact missvickiemusic@gmail.com.
Here is our suggestion for proceeding to leave your house this weekend: Just do it. Don't look at your weather app. Just go. Many stores in Beacon have stayed open while it is snowing, so go out and enjoy the weather, and reward those shops! Many seasonal activities are happening this weekend, from maple syrup fests to egg hunts that you don't want to miss...
PS: Beacon Businesses who are along the path of people walking down Main Street for the sweet festival in May: Vendor booths have filled up. So start preparing for this year's event! Beacon storefronts within the Cupcake Festival boundaries are encouraged to put out tables on the sidewalk. Remember last year?
Spring Break Pajama Party
Ages: 5-12 Day: Friday, March 23, 2018 Time: 6 to 8:30 pm Location: Beacon Performing Arts Center, 327B Main St., Beacon, NY Information >
Movies That Matter presents “Making a Killing: Guns, Greed and the NRA”
Day: Friday, March 23, 2018 Time: 7 pm (doors), 7:30 pm (start time) Location: First Presbyterian Church of Beacon, 50 Liberty St. in McKinley Hall, Beacon, NY Information >
Easter Egg-Stravaganza
Day: Saturday, March 24, 2018 (rain date March 25) Time: 10 am to 4 pm Location: Fishkill Farms, 9 Fishkill Farm Road, Hopewell Junction, NY Information >
Art+Feminism Wikipedia Edit-a-thon
Day: Saturday, March 24, 2018 Time: 11 am to 3 pm Location: Howland Public Library, 313 Main St., Beacon, NY Information >
Sugar Maple Celebration Day: Saturday, March 24, 2018 Time: 10 am to 4 pm Location: Sharpe Reservation Camp, Camp Hidden Valley, 436 Van Wyck Lake Road, Fishkill, NY Information >
March For Our Lives - Hudson Valley
Day: Saturday, March 24, 2018 Time: 11 am to 1 pm Location: Walkway Over the Hudson, 61 Parker Ave., Poughkeepsie, NY Information >
Educational Presentation: Drug & Alcohol Prevention
Day: Sunday, March 25, 2018 Time: 2 to 3 pm Location: Howland Public Library, 313 Main St., Beacon, NY Information >
Carnival of the Animals
Day: Sunday, March 25, 2018 Time: 4 pm Location: Howland Cultural Center, 477 Main St., Beacon, NY Information >
Plan ahead and check out what's coming up this month in ourEvents Guide.
Thank you to Beacon Pilates for sponsoring the Classes for Adults Guide!
Defensive Driving Course
Day: Saturday, March 24, 2018 Time: 8:30 am to 3 pm Location: Antalek & Moore, 340 Main St., Beacon, NY
Enrollment for this class is full, but sign up for the next one in April! Information >
For a full list of upcoming classes and workshops of all kinds, visit our Adult Classes Guide.
Beacon Junior Baseball Registration
Day: Registration is open now! Location: Games are held at Memorial Park Registration Information > Thank you, Beacon Junior Baseball, for sponsoring this Kids' Classes Guide!
Sewing: Wrist Warmers
Ages: 8+ Day: Sunday, March 25, 2018 Time: 2 to 3:30 pm Location Beetle & Fred, 171 Main St., Beacon, NY Information >
Hudson Valley Restaurant Week Days: March 12-25, 2018
Have you been meaning to try several restaurants in Beacon? Don't miss this great opportunity for a $32.95 dinner at these participating restaurants: Beacon Hotel and Restaurant, Cafe Amarcord, The Roundhouse, The Pandorica, and Kitchen Sink Food & Drink. Full list of HVRW restaurants >
Luxe Optique 183 Main Street www.luxeoptique.com DEAL ALERT
Luxe Optique prides itself on providing the best eyewear - that includes frames as well as premium lenses. Luxe Optique is offering a special, called the Ultimate Lens Package, on their new state-of-the-art Varilux X lenses. These lenses have patented technology to perform with the greatest clarity, vision, and protection. Purchase an Ultimate Lens Package and get a second pair of qualifying lenses FREE (with unlimited options, including sunglass lenses) - a value of up to $1,000!
BOUTIQUES ON THE EAST END PARKING HINT: Park behind 1 East Main by the Hudson Valley Brewery and use the back walkway entrance!
Lambs Hill Bridal Boutique
1 East Main Street, Retail #3 www.lambshillbridalboutique.com (near the dummy light)
Add this to your wedding style list: the crepe jumpsuit with V-neck illusion lace bodice by Justin Alexander. The fabric is incredibly soft and comfortable! You can see it - and feel it! - now at Lambs Hill boutique.
Where can you get your hair done in Beacon? Or have a beard trim? Find out in A Little Beacon Blog's Beauty Guide! TIP: Amy's Hair has moved a few blocks down! Find the salon near the car wash on Main Street.
Antalek & Moore Insurance Agency
Susan's Defensive Driving Class fills up fast! The next one is in April. Want to improve your driving and lower your car insurance premium? You won't want to miss this class! Check the next date >
Rhinebeck Bank
Banking local can make you feel less like a number, and more like a valued community member, especially when you work with lenders who know the community. Watch this video that portrays a couple moving from an apartment to a house in Beacon. Call Rhinebeck Bank or come to the Beacon branch, near Dutchess Stadium (across from the Family Dollar), to speak with someone about your options.
BeaconArts
The Beacon All-Star Lip Sync Battle was an "amazing success," says Kelly Ellenwood, Ex-Officio of BeaconArts. Here is a link to the "highlight" reel if you want to see some real talent from some of your favorite people around the neighborhood!
InHouse Design Media
The photographers and designers with InHouse Design Media can help you take amazing pictures to beef up your Instagram feed. This four-week private workshop is like an amazing fitness class, but for your photos. Details >
Tin Shingle
Business and artist members of Tin Shingle will discuss their marketing and PR ideas at the next member meeting. It's held on the last Monday of the month (March 26, 2018) at noon in Tin Shingle's office in the Telephone Building, at 291 Main Street. Membership at the Community Level 1 is required.
On the agenda:
The Cupcake Festival is coming! Are you ready?
We will be discussing business strategies.
Facebook Marketing Backup Plan:
Facebook's privacy profiteering may be coming to an end, which could change Facebook ads, as well as how often people are on Facebook. What's your backup plan for reaching people quickly?
Beacon Chamber of Commerce
The Beacon Chamber of Commerce is looking for a new Treasurer for 2018. Are you the right person for the job? Reach out to the Chamber with your credentials if interested. Email kate@katerabe.com. See all Board Members >
A Little Beacon Space
The time is right to host your workshop, now you just need a venue. A Little Beacon's Space, conveniently located in the heart of Beacon, is a perfect spot to fit your audience.
Advertise in A Little Beacon Blog
Pictures shown above are from our advertising partners in the Things To Do In Beacon Guides. We can include your most exciting news here too!
Sponsors make the local media go round. Reach our readers and support our publication at the same time. Advertising with A Little Beacon Blog is effective because we design ways to make it work for you. See our Media Kit for ideas!
South Avenue Elementary's Color-A-Thon is the latest event added to A Little Beacon Blog's collection of fundraising efforts by public school PTO/As.
Get your running shoes on!
Registration is going on now for the second annual Color-A-Thon, bursting into action at South Avenue Elementary School. And the best part is - aside from raising money for new playground equipment for the school, as well as other needs designated by the teachers - is that this race is open to everyone! You don't need to go to South Avenue to participate. And it's really not a race - it's a run through bright powder blasts of color, thrown on you by teachers and friends positioned at designated color points.
Deadlines: Registration: Friday, March 23, 2018 The Big Day of the Color-A-Thon: Saturday, April 14, 2018
This race marks also the warming up of A Little Beacon Blog's 5K Race Guide, even though this run is only one block long! You just run or walk it three times! Seriously. I did it pregnant last year. Ok, I did not walk the block, but I did throw color on walkers and runners. Most people didn't even realize that they ran around the block three times, and some people kept running until they cleared six circuits - talk about getting some energy out!
Beacon Bulldog Swag
The Beacon Bulldogs are raising money for the Beacon High School Football Department. T-shirts and more are on sale now, but the order deadline is Sunday, April 8, at midnight sharp. Get your swag for the season!
Get all of these details at A Little Beacon Blog's Public School Fundraising Guide! Do you or your business love Beacon City Schools? Show your school pride and sponsor this Guide! Be part of making our Guides possible. Details here in A Little Beacon Blog's Media Kit.
You've been in the car, in a restaurant, at a Trivia Night, sneaking views on Wikipedia to quickly answer a Very Big Question, like: "Were women really not allowed to own property?" Answer: You are correct! They weren't, until the Married Women's Property Act in 1939, when men needed to protect or hide their property from debt collectors during an economic crisis, and put their property into the name of their wives. Thanks Wikipedia for that info.
Wikipedia gets its info from the public - it's crowd-sourced - so random people contribute their knowledge with links and citations to back it up, thus creating this ever-growing encyclopedia.
Trouble is, according to a 2011 study, only 9% of these public editors are women. Editors can be anyone, but most of them are men.
Seeking: Women Editors on Wikipedia
Two librarians from the Beacon library are spearheading a local effort to better represent women on Wikipedia. As part of an Art+Feminism Edit-A-Thon, Rajene Hardeman and Gina Shelton are calling for people - of all gender identities and expressions - to participate in the daylong event on Saturday, March 24, at the Howland Public Library. The goal, in honor of Women's History Month, is to improve coverage of gender, feminism, and the arts on Wikipedia. Beginner Wikipedians are welcome! According to organizers, Art+Feminism Edit-A-Thons across the world have created and improved more than 11,000 articles since 2014.
Survey says... A Supportive Community Can Help Narrow the Online Gender Gap
Stierch asked about women’s experiences participating in the author/editor process at the massive behind-the-scenes Wikipedia community. Most of the people who answered the survey said they enjoyed contributing, calling it fun and empowering. Some survey respondents talked about name-calling, harassment, racist/homophobic/sexist bias, argumentative behavior, and other forms of generally exhausting hassle - sometimes gender-based, sometimes not. But one response stood out: "I don't see how having a majority male editor population has harmed me, or any other women. I don't see how changing it will benefit me. I don't think the lack of equal representation is driven by anything other than failure to show up and help.”
astronauts Dr. Jan Davis (left) and Dr. Mae Jemison working on the space shuttle endeavor in 1992. They were among the first american women in space. Photo credit: Nasa/wikimedia commons
Here's the thing: The lack of equal representation is itself harmful! Don’t historic women deserve the same equal representation? Of course they do! And current and future women - and men! - suffer the consequences of that lack of equal representation. People of all genders can have a hard time envisioning women in certain fields - because there’s not as much high-quality coverage and visibility. It’s time for that to change. Remember, 9% of the edits made on Wikipedia according to that survey in 2011 were made by women. Wikipedia is nothing but edits. The whole entire thing is edits.
Ready... Set... Edit Wikipedia! Here's How:
So. Are you fired up? Ready to go? Join the Edit-A-Thon on Saturday, March 24, at the Howland Library from 11am - 3pm. Organizers request that you bring your laptop, power cord, and ideas for entries that need updating or creation. New to this whole Wiki-editing thing? Fear not: The edit-a-thon will include tutorials for the beginner Wikipedian, ongoing editing support, reference materials, and refreshments. Don’t forget to RSVP - gotta make sure there are enough refreshments, right?
If you can’t make it to this event, there are other ways to pitch in. Event organizer Art+Feminism is a great place to start. The Women in Red WikiProject is another group working on bringing Wikipedia up to parity. Get involved when and how you can. That’s the great thing about the Internet. 24/7. Ready when you are. Even on snow days.
Hey, Sunshine! It's a great weekend to get out there - how many crocuses do you see popping up in people's yards? Take a picture and tag us in it on Instagram!
Hula Hoop Party!
Day: Friday, March 16, 2018 Time: 6:30 to 7:30 pm Location: Firefly Yoga, 992 Main St., Fishkill, NY Information >
Reel Life Film Club presents “First Position”
Day: Friday, March 16, 2018 Time: 6 to 8 pm Location: Howland Public Library, 313 Main St., Beacon, NY Information >
Wine & Irish Cheese Pairing Event
Day: Saturday, March 17, 2018 Time: 1 pm and 3 pm Location: Millbrook Vineyards & Winery, 26 Wing Road, Millbrook, NY Information >
Live Concert: Kofi & Sankofa
Day: Saturday, March 17, 2018 Time: 7:30 pm Location: Howland Cultural Center, 477 Main St., Beacon, NY Information >
Crown Maple Weekend
Days: Saturday and Sunday, March 17 & 18, 24 & 25, 2018 Time: All day Location: The Crown Maple Estate, 47 McCourt Road, Dover Plains, NY Information > “Move It Baby, Move It” Family Dance Party Fundraiser
Day: Sunday, March 18, 2018 Time: 3 to 6:30 pm Location: Quinn’s, 330 Main St., Beacon, NY Information >
Howland Chamber Music Circle presents Jason Vieaux, Guitar Day: Sunday, March 18, 2018 Time: 4 pm Location: Howland Cultural Center, 477 Main St., Beacon, NY Information >
Plan ahead and check out what's coming up this month in ourEvents Guide.
Thank you to Beacon Pilates for sponsoring the Classes for Adults Guide!
Breastfeeding Essentials
Day: Friday, March 16, 2018 Time: 6 to 8 pm Location: Waddle n Swaddle, 484 Main St., Beacon, NY Information >
Birth Prep 101
Day: Saturday, March 17, 2018 Time: 12:30 to 6:30 pm Location: Waddle n Swaddle, 484 Main St., Beacon, NY Information >
Hawaiian Appliqué Made Modern with Sheri Cifaldi-Morrill
Day: Sunday, March 18, 2018 Time: 12 to 3 pm Location: Beetle & Fred, 171 Main St., Beacon, NY Information >
For a full list of upcoming classes and workshops of all kinds, visit our Adult Classes Guide.
Beacon Junior Baseball Registration Open
Day: Now! Location: Games are held at Memorial Park Registration Information > Thank you to Beacon Junior Baseball for sponsoring this Kids' Classes Guide!
Art & Zine Club Meetup Day: Friday, March 16, 2018 Time: 3:30 to 5 pm Location: Howland Public Library, 313 Main St., Beacon, NY Information >
Hudson Valley Restaurant Week Days: March 12-25, 2018
If you've been meaning to try several restaurants in Beacon, don't miss the limited opportunity for a $32.95 dinner at these participating restaurants: Beacon Hotel and Restaurant, Cafe Amarcord, The Roundhouse, The Pandorica, and Kitchen Sink Food & Drink. Full list of HVRW restaurants >
Luxe Optique 183 Main Street www.luxeoptique.com (across Cliff Street from Beacon Bread Company)
Do these cat-eye sunglasses seem a touch rebellious to you? You're right - they are. These Christian Roth 'Kardo' specs feature lens-in-lens technology. They come in an assortment of finishes, including a metallic version. Made in Italy, but you don't have to travel far to pick up a pair - they're available at Luxe Optique right now. SCHEDULE ALERT:
Luxe Optique is closed Sunday, March 18, to attend their Annual Vision Conference. Always getting smarter, they are!
BOUTIQUES ON THE EAST END PARKING HINT: Park behind 1 East Main by the Hudson Valley Brewery and use the back walkway entrance!
Lambs Hill Bridal Boutique
1 East Main Street, Retail #3 www.lambshillbridalboutique.com (near the dummy light) SALE ALERT! Save the Date!
Lambs Hill's first sample sale of the spring is Friday to Sunday, April 20-22! Gather your girls around, and come on down.
Where can you get your hair done in Beacon? Or have a beard trim? Find out in A Little Beacon Blog's Beauty Guide! TIP: Amy's Hair has moved a few blocks down! These days, find the salon near the car wash on Main Street.
Antalek & Moore Insurance Agency
Do you rent out your house as a short-term rental on Airbnb?Your homeowner's insurance coverage might not be as straightforward as you'd hope in that situation. Don't get stuck footing the bill for something unexpected. Call Antalek & Moore Insurance Agency today for a consultation, at (845) 831-4300.
Rhinebeck Bank
Banking local can make you feel less like a number, as you work with lenders who know the community. Watch this video that portrays a couple moving from an apartment to a house in Beacon. Recognize anyone in the community? Call Rhinebeck Bank or come to the Beacon branch near Dutchess Stadium (across from the Family Dollar on Route 9D) to speak with someone about your options, close to home.
BeaconArts
BeaconArts is connected to just about everything there is to do and know in Beacon. Have you joined their membership yet, to connect with other artists and promote your business?
InHouse Design Media
The photographers and designers of InHouse Design Media can help you take amazing pictures to pump up your Instagram profile. This four-week private workshop is like an amazing fitness class, but for your photos. Details >
Beacon Chamber of Commerce
The Beacon Chamber of Commerce is looking for a new treasurer for 2018. Is this you? Reach out to them with your credentials if interested. Email kate@katerabe.com. See all current board members >
A Little Beacon Space
The time is right to host your workshop, now you just need a venue. A Little Beacon's Space, conveniently right in the heart of Beacon, is a perfect location to fit your audience.
Advertise in A Little Beacon Blog
Pictures shown above are from our advertising partners in the Things To Do In Beacon Guides. We can include your most exciting news here too!
Sponsors make the local media go round. Reach our readers and support our publication at the same time. Advertising with A Little Beacon Blog is effective because we design ways to make it work for you. See our Media Kit for ideas!
The Beacon Volunteer Ambulance Corps will be participating in National Stop The Bleed Day on Saturday, March 31, 2018. The Stop The Bleed Program is designed to teach the general public how to control severe bleeding.
The Beacon Volunteer Ambulance Corps will be holding a series of one-hour classes throughout the day beginning at 9 am. Training will be at their headquarters located at One Arquilla Drive, Beacon, NY. If you would like to attend one of these valuable training sessions, please call (845) 831-4540, then at the prompt, choose option 5 and leave a message. One of Beacon Volunteer Ambulance Corps' instructors will call you back. You can also send a message to stopthebleed@beaconvac.org and they will get back to you.
Bring a Stop the Bleed Instructor to Train Your Organization
Instructors who train in how to stop bleeding are available at any time to provide this training to your club, scouting group, organization or to your employees. Please contact them using one of the above methods if you are interested in training for your group. There is no charge for this training.
You may not have known this, with all of the scaffolding around newly demolished buildings, but Beacon has been under a six-month building moratorium, whereby the city is not granting permission to build new projects. Special exemptions exist, such as if a residential application was being proposed that used less than 330 gallons of water per day, or a non-residential application resulting in more than 2,000 gallons of water per day (both as determined by the city engineer), but for the most part, everything new has been halted. However, everything that already was proposed and approved before July 25 before remains in full swing.
But what does water have to do with anything? Why does water come into play with these building exemptions? Because the City of Beacon felt that although it had encouraged residential and commercial development over the years, and that dream did come true, perhaps it was a bit too soon. The water supply was estimated to accommodate 17,800 people. As part of new residential projects recently approved to develop Beacon, 1,027 new units are on their way. According to the moratorium legislation passed on September 19, 2017, however, the current population is reaching that limit quicker than expected, thus creating a hunt for more water. "The City is concerned that such a large number of housing in such a short time will stress the City's water supply," reads the approved legislation document forwarded to us by City Administrator Anthony Ruggiero. "The City's vision was that development would be more gradual and take place over a period of years. The accelerated development of housing within the City will lead to greatly increased consumption of services and resources."
The Water Supply Plan, Presented on March 14, 2018
In the past, the City hired Leggette, Brashears & Graham, Inc (LBG) to look into the development of a new well on the existing Water Treatment Plant property, the location of which was found to be unsuitable for potable water because the location did not have enough water to yield. Therefore, evaluations continue regarding the system's existing capacity and potential for future needs. A review of the capacity of the existing sources (groundwater and surface water) will continue, and they'll review how water has been collected in the past, up until today. "The water system evaluation will include a review of available 'finished' water storage capacity, and a review of existing water treatment methods and capacity."
That presentation of findings is being delivered tonight, Wednesday, March 14, at 7 pm, by LG Hydrogeologic Engineering Services, PC at 1 Municipal Plaza, Beacon, NY. The meeting is open to the public to listen, but not participate.
All of Beacon's public schools - the elementary, middle and high school - will observe a moment of silence at 10 am. During that time, the elementary schools will be encouraged to "think about ways to spread kindness and love in our school, community and the world,” according to Matt. At the elementary level, the planning team was more comfortable keeping the kids in their regular routines, yet bringing awareness. There will be no walkout at this youngster level.
At the middle school and high school, students in social studies classes "will be taught ways to communicate with their local, state, and national representatives on issues important to them. We will not espouse any particular political views with this sharing but instead discuss the importance of elected representatives hearing from all of their constituents," according to Matt. Over the next few weeks, students will have the opportunity to create cards to be sent to the families of victims.
Students in the high school can attend a momentary moment of silence, and can spend it outside at designated areas on campus, which will be monitored by school staff. The Beacon Police Department will also have a presence at the secondary schools to help ensure safety.
At this time, Beacon City Schools has no plans to participate in other memorial activities on Friday, April 20, and all kids are encouraged to respect the Student Code of Conduct any time they leave school (with permission of their parents).
It’s a good time to be a writer in Beacon! If you are an aspiring wordsmith, an accomplished author, or looking to find a supportive literary community to help you work though a current project, there are so many resources for you right now. Here’s a rundown of some of what’s currently on tap.
Get Lit Beacon
This fabulous new literary salon, started by talented local author Julie Chibbaro (National Jewish Book Award winner for Deadly, a Junior Library Guild Selection for Into the Dangerous World, and American Book Award winner for Redemption), meets on the second Sunday of each month at Oak Vino Wine Bar at 389 Main St. You can find out more on the group's Facebook Page, but the idea is that it’s a casual gathering where published and aspiring adult writers of any genre can hang out, have a glass of wine and share their work. Feeling like expressing yourself? There’s a sign-up sheet at the door if you want to read aloud. Chibbaro reveals the genesis of the group: “I started this event because I often hear about other writers in my town, but since I’m a homebody, I don’t get to meet them. This is a way for me to invite them out and hear their work.”
There have been two Get Lit salon events so far, and they were both inspiring and well-attended. The next one, scheduled for Sunday, March 11, will feature a reading by novelist and children’s book author Jennifer Castle.
High School Writing Lab & Zine Club
Are you a teen and a writer? Beacon has you covered, too. The Howland Library has a writing group for teens designed to provide support, assistance, and encouragement for students in grades 9-12 who are working on school or creative writing projects and college essays. There’s also a Zine Club for writers, artists, and photographers (the next meeting is Friday, March 16, from 3 to 5 pm). More info about this and other great library offerings for teens can be found here on the Howland Public LIbrary's website (the top says February but it is March's events). In the past, the library has offered help sessions for writers in high school.
Other Goings-On for Writers at the Howland Public Library
Also at the library is an ongoing Book Club, an upcoming book launch for Judith Filc (Thursday, April 12). The Howland Library just hosted (on Saturday, March 3) a memoir-writing workshop for adults with Donna Minkowitz, the author of two memoirs, Ferocious Romance (a Lambda Literary Award winner) and Growing Up Golem (a finalist for both a Lambda Literary Award and the Judy Grahn Nonfiction Award). Donna became known for her coverage of gay and lesbian politics and culture in The Village Voice from the late 1980s through the mid-1990s, for which she won a GLAAD Media Award. She is a former feature writer for the Village Voice, and has also written for New York magazine, Ms., The Collagist, The Advocate, and Newsday. She teaches with the New York Writers Workshop and independently - sometimes in Beacon!
The Artist’s Way – A Creative Cluster
For folks who want to reflect on their own creative process, or tap into something that needs unclogged, this Creative Cluster is an exciting and creative group that meets at A Little Beacon Space on Sundays. It loosely follows the classic book, The Artist's Way, created and written by Julia Cameron. The group is being “lightly led” by Katie Hellmuth Martin. According to the event page's description, this is a “gentle group, where people who are reading the book and going through their journey can share their thoughts and connect with others.” Artists, Non-Artists, Regular People, and People Who Want To Be An Artist But Think They Are Far From Being An Artist are welcome. This session runs from March to May and is full, but check back for info about the next session. Lots of answers to all of your questions about participating can be found here.
Classes, Readings and Book Clubs
Around town, several writing groups who would like to remain anonymous meet regularly at various watering holes and other locations. At their meetings, more active or professional writers workshop their projects and critique one another’s work. There's even a secret writers' group who won't reveal their details, but we can tell you that they meet inside of The Telephone Building, which is also the location of A Little Beacon Blog's office. They are so elusive and quiet as they hide behind their laptops, that we can only tell you that it’s for writers who have been published in national magazines and so forth.
If you are interested in small writers workshops or classes, poets Ruth Danon will soon be offering some in Beacon, while Jeffrey McDaniel offers workshops in Cold Spring. And Julie Chibbaro, of Get Lit Salon fame, also offers a writing workshop that is mostly for fiction and non-fiction writers.
Finally, we can’t pass up a chance to big-up Binnacle Books at 321 Main St., Beacon, NY. They offer an impressive selection of books, a willingness to order anything we want as long as it’s available, and a number of great readings, events and book club meetings.
Plus, see here for the great lengths gone to by Beacon Reads, the little bookstore next to the Howland Public Library. Proceeds from their book sales (of donations and retired library books) go toward the Howland Public Library. In this photo below, a volunteer from Beacon Reads hand-delivered a copy of The Artist's Way to the first meeting of the creative cluster.
A volunteer from Beacon Reads (left) hand-delivered a copy of The Artist's Way to a study group participant, Martha P. Humphreys (right). Photo Credit: Katie Hellmuth Martin
Get out of your comfort zone and into CoMFY’s zone this weekend: The Beacon-based CoMFY art collective presents the 4th annual group show at the Howland Public Library. Yellow Wallpaper Revisited showcases artwork by nearly 30 Hudson Valley women, drawing inspiration from a controversial short story, The Yellow Wallpaper, written in 1892 by early feminist Charlotte Perkins Gilman. The show opens with a reception on March 10, part of can’t-miss Second Saturday festivities in Beacon.
Michelle Rivas, the exhibit’s coordinator and an artist in the show, describes the groundbreaking source material: “The Yellow Wallpaper tells the story of a young woman's descent into madness while confined to a room with yellow wallpaper. With no other stimulation, she begins to obsess about the wallpaper's pattern until she imagines there are many women trapped inside the design.” According to Wikipedia, "Gilman wrote this story to change people's minds about the role of women in society, illustrating how women's lack of autonomy is detrimental to their mental, emotional, and even physical well-being.
Feminism and Artistic Identity, Spanning Two Centuries
Delving into the inner emotional lives of women, especially mothers, Gilman once claimed that The Yellow Wallpaper was "not intended to drive people crazy, but to save people from being driven crazy, and it worked." Making art - whether with paint, ceramics, drawing, fabric, fiber, photos, voice, or dance - is an outlet by which people may plant a flag, declare identity, and save themselves from being driven crazy.
Gilman’s art - writing - was a revolutionary act of expressing identity. She explored the limitations imposed on 19th-century women, as well as what happens when prisons get created in our own minds after we take advice from supposedly well-meaning but clueless authority figures (often men, especially 126 years ago...remember that time when married women couldn't open bank accounts or own property?).
As women’s voices and powerful stories have been amplified over the past year or two in the United States, Gilman's early feminist work has seen new light, and struck a nerve. This exhibition is an ideal place to check in with the creative identities of women based in the Beacon area.
What or Who is CoMFY? Beacon Women’s Balancing Act
Many of the presenting artists will be familiar to longtime fans of Beacon-based art, and anyone who has been paying attention at Beacon Open Studios and other local events for the past decade and a half. All of the artists belong to CoMFY, which stands for Creatives, Mamas, Friends and Yahoos.
"After the Yellow Wallpaper" by Anna Bergin
"So Begins The End" by Mary Ann Glass
"Yellow Box" by Margot Kingon
"Unheard of Contradictions" by Jennifer Sarah Blakeslee
"Kiss Me Deadly" by Anna West
Way back in the fall of 2011, a few Beacon women got together over coffee for a conversation about the challenges of balancing life and creative endeavors. Kat Stoughtenborough and Jennifer Sarah Blakeslee used the momentum to get a group going in a more organized, though informal, way. (Kat was no stranger to gathering artists for cool events. She was the heart and muscle behind CherryBomb, one of Beacon’s first holiday shopping pop-up dreamscapes. It showcased the work of both male and female artists, transforming the Zora Dora’s paletaria space into a winter wonderland.) Though the group’s members don’t meet up as often as they’d like, they say, they’re proud that the supportive network has endured.
Mixed Media piece by Jennifer Blakeslee, on display as part of CoMFY exhibit.
Yellow Wallpaper's themes resonate easily with women, those who have kids and those who don't. Blakeslee, who has been diagnosed with clinical depression, anxiety disorder, and bipolar disorder and is an outspoken advocate for mental health awareness and therapy, made an especially personal connection between her piece and the short story. “I’ve never done anything like this before, where I use another medium alongside a photograph. ... It feels good to break out of my comfort zone, too, especially about a story that explores the terrifying, twisty tunnels of mental illness.”
Yellow Wallpaper Revisited's participating artists include Maria Amor, Anna Bergin, Jennifer Blakeslee, Holly Bogdanffy-Kriegh, Lily Burana, Kit Burke-Smith, Arabella Champaq, Caiming Cheung, Dana Devine O'Malley, Jan Dolan, Mary Ann Glass, Theresa Gooby, Cindy Gould, Philomena Kiernan, Margot Kingon, Margaux Lange, Lori Merhige, Jean Noack, Virginia Piazza, Jaime Pivar, Michelle Rivas, Keely Sheehan, Christine Seymour Price, Jennifer Smith, Bekah Starr, Kat Stoutenborough, Anna West, and Regina Williams.
Yellow Wallpaper Revisited opens Saturday, March 10, and runs through Friday, April 6. An opening reception will be held on Saturday, March 10 - Beacon’s Second Saturday! - from 5 to 7 pm. Otherwise, the Community Room Exhibit Space is open during regular library hours; find them at the Beacon library’s website.
Oh, the snow... Remember this blizzard last year, when the National Guard came in to take truckloads of snow away? These little snowflake emojis are staying here in the newsletter for as long as they keep flittering in and out of weather forecasts on our phones. But just because you're all snugly and snowed in, don't assume that your favorite shops are also hunkered down. So many of them have been open, shoveling their sidewalks for you to walk down. So get your boots on!
Beacon Record & CD Fest Day: Saturday, March 10, 2018 Time: 9 am to 5 pm Location: VFW Post, 413 Main St., Beacon, NY
20 vendors selling new and used LPs, 45s, CDs, DVDs, concert posters, rock 'n' roll memorabilia, vintage stereo equipment and more! Some of the vendors who were at last year's Record Store Pop-Up at A Little Beacon Space will be back together at this mega record event! Information >
The Yellow Wallpaper Revisited - A Group Exhibition Reception Day: Saturday, March 10, 2018 Time: 5 to 7 pm Location: Howland Public Library 313 Main St., Beacon, NY
The exhibit features artwork by nearly 30 local women, inspired by the classic 19th-century feminist short story, The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman. The show is the fourth annual exhibit from the group CoMFY, a collective of women artists from the Beacon area. Information >
Beacon's St. Patrick’s Day Parade Day: Saturday, March 10, 2018 Time: 11 amd to 2 pm Location: Main Street, Beacon, NY
The parade route is from Polhill Park (near Bank Square) all the way to the dummy light.
☘️☘️☘️☘️☘️☘️☘️☘️☘️☘️ Information >
The Mitten - A Family Musical Experience Day: Saturday, March 10, 2018 Time: 10 am and 3 pm Location: Howland Cultural Center, 477 Main St., Beacon, NY Information >
2018 Maple Fest at Randolph School Day: Saturday, March 10, 2018 Time: Pancake Breakfast, 11 am to 1 pm; festival, 1 to 4 pm Location: Randolph School, 2467 Route 9D, Wappingers Falls, NY
The Randolph School will host its eighth annual Maple Fest, a traditional maple-sugaring event for the whole community. Information >
Sacred Sound Ritual with Jessica Caplan & Sean Hoots Day: Saturday, March 10, 2018 Time: 4 to 5:30 pm Location: Beacon Yoga, 464 Main St., Beacon, NY Information >
Square Dance at the Howland Day: Saturday, March 10, 2018 Time: 8 to 10:30 pm Location: Howland Cultural Center, 477 Main St., Beacon, NY
Squares and big circle dances in the Southern Mountain style. Information >
Plan ahead and check out what's coming up this month in ourEvents Guide.
Thank you to Beacon Pilates for sponsoring the Classes for Adults Guide!
Hudson Valley Women In Business Member Meeting Day: Monday, March 12, 2018 Time: 5:30 to 7:30 pm Location: A Little Beacon Space, 291 Main St., Beacon, NY
Must be a member of HVWiB. Membership is free, and can be initiated here. Information >
The Cinehub 7th Annual Mixer Day: Tuesday, March 13, 2018 Time: 7 to 10:30 pm Location: Dogwood, 47 E Main St., Beacon, NY
For a full list of upcoming classes and workshops of all kinds, visit our Adult Classes Guide.
Beacon Junior Baseball Registration Open
Day: Now! Location: Games are held at Memorial Park Registration Information > Thank you Beacon Junior Baseball for sponsoring this Kids Classes Guide!
Glenham Elementary Ice Cream & Bingo Night Day: Friday, March 9 Time: 6 to 8 pm Location: Glenham Elementary, 20 Chase Drive, Fishkill, NY
The Glenham Elementary PTO is inviting you to come with the kids to play some bingo and eat FREE ice cream donated by Stewart's! Back by popular demand, the one and only Mrs. Jacques is the announcer.
Rombout Middle School Zumba + Line Dancing Fundraiser Day: Saturday, March 10 Time: Noon Location: Glenham Elementary, 20 Chase Drive, Fishkill, NY
Shake what your mama gave you at Rombout Middle School on Saturday, March 10, at noon for some Zumba and Line Dancing to benefit the Rombout PBIS Committee. $10 per person.
Tiny World Terrariums! at Compass Arts Day: Sunday, March 11, 2018 Time: Noon to 2 pm Information >
[STARTS] Afro-Modern Fusion I at Compass Arts Grades: Pre-K to 1st Days: Wednesdays, March 7 to May 23, 2018 Time: 4 to 4:45 pm Information >
Hudson Valley Restaurant Week Days: March 12-25, 2018
Several Beacon restaurants are participating, as are many more you've been longing to try, all around the Hudson Valley! Full List of Restaurants >
Luxe Optique 183 Main Street www.luxeoptique.com (across Cliff Street from Beacon Bread Company)
Does this face look familiar? It's everyone's favorite Karen from the Green Room, stopping into Luxe Optique to pick up her frames. She's a collector of frames, and officially gives us permission to own more than one pair of glasses! This photo is part of Luxe Optique's #GetLuxed campaign. Got a photo you want to share? Send it to us!
BOUTIQUES ON THE EAST END PARKING HINT: Park behind 1 East Main by the Hudson Valley Brewery and use the back walkway to come up to Main Street!
Style Storehouse
484 Main Street www.stylestorehouse.com (near Utensil)
Leggings...Leggings...Leggings...
They make make outfits so easy, and last through so many seasons. Style Storehouse always has a few different styles of leggings on hand so you can buy just right.
Lambs Hill Bridal Boutique
1 East Main, Retail #3 www.lambshillbridalboutique.com (near the dummy light)
Lambs Hill is expanding! In a deal brokered with Gate House Realty, they will be splitting the space and creating another amazing experience in 1 East Main! Keep it tuned here to find out more.
Wares Opening Party Day: Saturday, March 10, 2018 Time: 2 to 5 pm Location: 2 Tioronda Ave., Beacon, NY(the former Magpie Studio near the silos)
Wares is a curated lifestyle shop, supporting independent designers. If you love good design in small batches, you’ll delight in this shop. To celebrate their newly opened doors, they are inviting you to stop by for sips and a snack. Give the proprietress Andrea a warm welcome - and a cheers!
Thank you to the following shops for sponsoring our Shopping Guide! Luxe Optique, Lambs Hill, and Style Storehouse.
CreateSpace Beacon's 50% Off Blowout and DIY Craft Day: Saturday, March 10, 2018 Time: 9 am to 6 pm Location: 145 Main St., Beacon, NY
Antalek & Moore Insurance Agency
Save your spot! Join Susan Antalek Pagones as she instructs this defensive driving course! The next Defensive Driving class is Sunday, April 21 (the one in March sold out!). Why take defensive driving?
May reduce points (up to 4) on your driving record
Save up to 10% on a vehicle's liability, PIP (Personal Injury Protection) and collision premium for up to 3 years off Principal Operator
No formal tests!
Pre-registration is required. Only $35 per person and lunch is included. RSVP: Call (845) 831-4300 or email Thomasine at tsupple@antalek-moore.com.
BeaconArts
This joint fundraiser features an all-star cast of Beacon community leaders and other luminaries, battling it out in support of BeaconArts and the Center for Creative Education. Hosted by the fabulous Pissi Myles. Date: Thursday, March 15, 2018 Tickets >
InHouse Design Media
The photographers and designers of InHouse Design Media can help you take amazing pictures for your Instagram. This four-week private workshop is like an amazing fitness class, but to whip your photo skills into shape. Details >
Tin Shingle
Have you created something wonderful? People need to know about your product, right? Tin Shingle is an empowerment zone for business owners, artists and makers who need to survive and thrive. Join at our Community Level to ask questions about marketing, PR, Google, and more in a safe space in our online groups, and once a month in person at our meeting. Details >
Beacon Chamber of Commerce
The Beacon Chamber of Commerce welcomes new people to its Board for a fresh start to 2018. Recording Secretary: Kathy Sandford, Antalek & Moore Insurance Agency Corresponding Secretary: Terry Williams, Antalek & Moore Insurance Agency Director: John Gilvey, Hudson Beach Glass Director: Annmarie Spiilief, CIA Security See all Board Members >
A Little Beacon Space
The time is right to host your workshop, now you just need a venue. A Little Beacon's Space, conveniently located in the heart of Beacon, is a perfect spot to fit your audience.
Advertise in A Little Beacon Blog
Pictures shown above are from our advertising partners in the Things To Do In Beacon Guides. We can include your most exciting news here too!
Sponsors make the local media go 'round. Reach our readers and support our publication at the same time. Advertising with A Little Beacon Blog is effective because we design ways to make it work for you. See our Media Kit for ideas!
Happy Second Saturday, people of Beacon! Break that snowbound cabin fever by getting out and seeing some incredible art. We've got it all covered in Beacon's most comprehensive Art Gallery Guide.
Several shows around town are specifically celebrating Women's History Month, while other venues are exhibiting female artists' work. There's a new gallery/shop in town, Artifact Beacon, over on the East End of Main Street. Also note: The return of Scribbleheads, and the stellar work of talented Beacon High School art students at The Lofts At Beacon. Check the Guide for details!
A Little Beacon Blog now tracks the fundraising efforts for all of Beacon's public schools, and a few events are coming up! Movie Night, Line Dancing, Ice Cream Night - and Rubik's Cubes! See below for our roundup, and hit up A Little Beacon Blog's Public School Fundraising Guide for dates and details.
PS: Do you love this Guide? Your business could support it (with your logo as a lead sponsor) and reach so many parents in the Beacon community! Please contact us to be a lead sponsor, and thank you!
JV FORRESTAL ELEMENTARY: • Rubik's Cubes for Hands-On Library Learning: JVF Librarian Ms. Coleman is raising money to buy Rubik's Cubes that students can check out of the library. • Beacon's All-Star Lip Sync Battle: This adults-only event at the Towne Crier raises money to support the Center for Creative Education's outreach programs to BCSD schools! • Book Fair Next week!
GLENHAM ELEMENTARY • Ice Cream & Bingo Night! Friday, March 9, from 6 to 8 pm. Kids and adults get to play bingo and eat FREE ice cream, donated by Stewart's.
ROMBOUT MIDDLE SCHOOL • Shake What Your Mama Gave You! Zumba and line dancing to benefit the Rombout PBIS Committee!
BEACON HIGH SCHOOL • Movie Night! In the Beacon High School Cafeteria, Beacon High School's National Honor Society is sponsoring the Valuable for Veterans fundraiser, screening the Academy Award-winning movie "Coco."
The past two weeks have been paralyzing for a lot of people, especially parents of young kids currently in school. As the region was gripped by threats made last week all over the Hudson Valley, last Friday's Snow Day was actually kind of welcome. Parents received several robo-calls - which normally announce dreaded Snow Day closures. Instead, these were about threats made to the middle school and the high school, and how police would be stationed there. A Little Beacon Blog took time to process what has been going on around the Hudson Valley and open up coverage on it, so that we can produce future articles to help people be aware and prepared. The below links are articles to create awareness of the leadership that has been happening in the Beacon City School District, Beacon Police Department, and some cultural questions about these issues.
PS: Finally, this mini-series of articles is done (hopefully!) and we are moving on, resuming our usual coverage of the goings-on in Beacon! Not only that, but it's sunny out! Hurray! Yet all signs point to a Wednesday Snow Day. <angry-face emoji> Sleds may still be available at Mountain Tops, where the superhero owners continue to show up every Snow Day with an Open sign.
This is (hopefully) the last in our series on gun shootings, because writing about this is no fun, but has been unavoidable after the last two weeks. The first response to the tragic events was feeling helpless. Questions like this ring loud when bad things happen: "What can I do? What are my kids doing? What are my kids trained to do? Are they being trained on the right things in Lock Down Drills? What am I trained to do? I don't even know how a gun works, and I'm fine with that, but what if I needed to use one?"
So many questions. I reached out to Beacon's new police chief, Kevin Junjulas, to ask if any community training workshops of any kind would be coming up. He responded right away with a flyer (pictured below) that came across his desk from Hudson Valley Safety Associates, LLC. The company is hosting a free Active Shooter training workshop on Thursday, March 15, in Brewster, NY. Beacon's city administrator, Anthony Ruggiero, responded that our city is planning on something in April.
And with the recent uptick in house fires, Beacon Fire Chief Gary Van Voorhis also recommended making a fire safety plan: Get together with your family and sketch out all of your home's windows and doors that could be used as escape routes, and then repeatedly practice getting out in a hurry. He really means business, too: He offered to come over to help us with forming our plan. #thatwasawesome
Support for this publication comes in part from these businesses. We have highlighted what makes them special on their own dedicated pages. Want your business listed here? See the "Sponsor Spotlight" or "Event Promotion" option in our Advertising Page.
A podcast from A Little Beacon Blog. Your hosts: Katie Hellmuth martin & Brandon Lillard.
The City of Beacon entered into a contract with Legal Services of the Hudson Valley to provide increased access to Beacon tenants facing eviction. They may also be able to help with sources of rent arrears assistance. Call the paralegal, Steven Mihalik at 845-253-6953 to inquire.
Dutchess County Helpline. Open 24/7 to take your calls, listen, and give you resources.
