Art happenings in Beacon, NY

For years, Beacon has had hoppin' Second Saturdays with gallery openings and art happenings. But art refuses to be confined to a hashtagged event schedule. That's why we've expanded this Guide to showcase as many art openings as we can within Beacon's city limits. Artistic endeavors are going up on walls all the time around town, so keep your eyes glued to this space and refresh often to stay in the loop. We're constantly updating the Guide as we hear about new events and openings.

Are you planning for the fourth Thursday of the month? Or maybe you're already a seasoned #2Sat pro? Skip the Second Saturday 101 below if you'd like, and head straight for the listings, starting with Dia: Beacon.

Do you have an art opening coming up? Tell us about it: Drop a line to editorial@alittlebeaconblog.com with the who/what/when/where, and include a representative photo, to be considered for inclusion in the Guide. 

Second Saturday 101

"Second Saturday" is a lively day into night in Beacon, and is a celebration of Beacon's galleries, restaurants and other businesses on the second Saturday of every month. Dan Rigney, former president of BeaconArts (the organization who encouraged this movement to happen over a decade ago and heavily promotes the events) says: "Back then, Beacon was one of the last places people outside of town thought to go on a Saturday night. Now Second Saturday has become a part of the fabric of Beacon. It's such a part of it, many galleries have their opening events on other Saturdays, so that they get two big crowds each month." Second Saturday provides a great reason to walk Main Street and beyond, and explore the events going on around town. It's always a pleasure to dine your way through Beacon, so turn to our Restaurant Guide to help you puzzle out where to eat and drink as you explore special exhibits and happenings.

What to Know About This Guide:

• This Guide includes gallery and art showings that may be hosted in the gallery or in a shop or restaurant. 
• Many of these shows run through the current month, so check back often if you are on an art hunt.
• Closing times posted here are for Second Saturdays only, and may not reflect regular Saturdays. Always call an establishment directly for current hours, offerings, or any other questions.
• Parking can be found on side streets, on Main Street, and in municipal lots. Click here for A Little Beacon Blog's Free Public Parking Guide, with pictures and cross streets!
• Share your way through Second Saturday by using #2SAT, the hashtag created by BeaconArts, and tack on #beaconny or #SecondSaturday if you have room in your tweets or Instagram postings.
• If you are a gallery and have something special to add, please email editorial@alittlebeaconblog.com. 

Late-Night (After 9pm) Spots to Eat and Drink: 

After you walk the galleries, you'll be hungry and need (another) drink! See our full list of restaurants who are open prior to 9 pm in our Restaurant Guide. 

• Bank Square 129 Main St.
• Chill Wine Bar 173 Main St.
• Meyer's Olde Dutch 184 Main St.
• Max's On Main 246 Main St.
• Baja 328 328 Main St.
• Quinn's 330 Main St.
• The Towne Crier (bar only) 379 Main St.
• Oak Vino Wine Bar 389 Main St. (Call first to see if cheese plates and dessert are still being served!)
• Draught Industries 394 Main St.
• The Beacon Hotel Restaurant 424 Main St.
• The Vault 446 Main St.
• Joe's Irish Pub 455 Main St.
• Roundhouse 2 East Main St.
• Dogwood 47 East Main St.

Leave all Guides open on your phone because they include addresses and phone numbers. Tap on a phone number to call anyone!

Second Saturday, October 14: If you're reading this on Second Saturday, it means you've survived the spookiest Friday the 13th of them all, the October edition. We did it! Celebrate with mega-doses of life-affirming art. This #2Sat finds us with an overflowing shelf of literary events: A photobook pop-up on East Main, a painting-poetry jam in Beacon's newest storefront, and an author/illustrator reading at good ol' Binnacle. Also, help out our furry friends with the kitty art fundraiser at the library! In Beacon tradition, there will also be music galore. Don't miss the finale of Second Saturday Live at Polhill Park (across from Bank Square Coffee's patio), with Stephen Clair and the Pushbacks, from 5 to 7 pm. Our Event Guide will fill you in on the rest of the tunes, then let us know which ones you opt for! Now, let's get to October's art openings and happenings:

NEAR THE TRAIN, BEFORE MAIN STREET

Dia:Beacon
3 Beekman St.
Beacon, NY
(845) 440-0100
One of the preeminent modern art museums in the world, Dia:Beacon opened in 2003 in a former Nabisco box-printing factory on the shore of the Hudson River. Many people point to the museum's arrival as a turning point for Beacon's arts-intensive revival. Take a closer look at Dia:Beacon's giant shapes, piles of glass, grayscale geometry, neon tubes and so. much. more. Don't forget: Beacon residents get in free every weekend! 
Special for Second Saturday - there are a bunch!

• Community Free Day! Residents of Columbia, Dutchess, Greene, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Ulster, and Westchester counties receive free entry today, and there are a ton of family-friendly tours, workshops, and other activities. If you're a Hudson Valley resident who's been waiting for a reason to visit Beacon, this is a good one! Bookend a trip to Main Street with a guided tour of the museum's permanent collection, including works by Walter De Maria, Louise Bourgeois, Robert Smithson, Agnes Martin and many more, as well as visiting works. Reservations aren't necessary, but may be made at the admissions desk.
• 10 am: Along, With, Through: Water Walk. This two-hour drop-in program (good for any visitors, but especially families) uses Michelle Stuart's art as a jumping off point to explore the landscape of Long Dock Park. Kids can add to drawings that have been hidden along the Hudson River. This is outdoors, so dress appropriately!
• 12:30 pm: Rocks, Pebbles, Boulders: ART! The landscape art leaders at Dia offer another landscape art–focused tour. Art by Robert Smithson, Michael Heizer, and Michelle Stuart provides the framework for this family-friendly expedition, focusing on the journeys taken by quarried rock, from massive boulders to the teeniest grains of sand.
• 1 pm: Sculpture as Road: This hourlong tour invites visitors to Dia to experience works in the collection by Walter De Maria and John Chamberlain through "embodied experiments" of dialogue, observation, and physical discovery.
• 1 pm: Heavy Metal: Guest artist Jaimie Warren invites Dia visitors 10 years and older to experiment with metal as material, persona, space, and performance. Create your own metallic costume and environment before recording and performing your character for a collaborative heavy metal video that will be shared with all participants at the end of the workshop. Space is limited; to make a reservation, e-mail beaconprogram@diaart.org.
• 2:30 pm: DiaTalks: Thomas Crow on John Chamberlain. Author, professor, and lecturer on modern art Thomas Crow brings visitors along for a deep dive into the work of John Chamberlain, whose sculptures are made from scrap-metal auto parts. 
• 4 pm: Taste liquid, consumable art, with beers from Beacon's very own 2 Way Brewing Company!

Hours: 11 am to 6 pm

THE WEST END
(Close to the train station)

ReMADE
133 Main St.
Beacon, NY
We've seen a lot of changes over the years in the space that is now home to ReMADE. The shop started a Second Saturday tradition of spotlighting a single artist, no practical function necessary for their work. ReMADE fills an entire wall with the work of a single artist.
Hours: 11 am to 6 pm

Catalyst Gallery
137 Main St.
Beacon, NY
(845) 204-3844
The intention of this artist-run space is to create an opportunity for individual artists or groups to show and sell work in a vibrant community that supports the arts.
Special for Second Saturday: Kathleen Andersen's love for colors and patterns is evident in her glass art, which combines a background in painting with love for glassblowing and its process. "I enjoy the physicality of glass blowing, the heat, the energy and coordination, the practice, the teamwork and the immediacy of the medium," she writes on her website. How neat does that sound? Also opening at Catalyst: Tom Chibbaro's paintings with acrylic on panels. 
Coming up: Friday to Sunday, November 3 to 5: Catalyst Gallery hosts a group exhibition and sale, with visual, sculptural, and functional works by Stephanie Rivers, Margaret McDuffie, Erica Hauser, Leah Kaiser, and Jon Reichert.
Hours: Noon to 6 pm; opening reception, 5 to 9 pm

Theo Ganz Studio
149 Main St.
Beacon, NY
(917) 318-2239
Theo Ganz Studio, the little gallery with the big windows in Beacon's west end, was founded by artist Eleni Smolen as a venue for contemporary artists working in all media. Recognizing the importance of exhibitions in an artist's career, Smolen concentrates on presenting actively engaged emerging and mid-career professionals in either solo or group exhibitions.
Special for Second Saturday: Joseph Ayers' Dark Times. An artist talk and reception will be held Thursday, October 26, at 7 pm. 
Hours: Noon to 8 pm

Bannerman Island Gallery
150 Main St.
Beacon, NY
(845) 831-6346
This gallery is devoted to showcasing the beauty of Bannerman Island Castle and the Hudson Highlands that surround the former arsenal. Works in the gallery are available for purchase, benefiting the Bannerman Castle Trust's preservation efforts.
Special for Second Saturday: The gallery presents Gary Fifer, American Impressionist. Now based in Vermont, the New Jersey native lived in the Hudson Valley for years and is still inspired by the scenes of our region, especially the Hudson Highlands and Catskills. His representational landscape paintings have been shown internationally and throughout the United States - including in the United States Senate Building! Continues through December 3. For more information, call Exhibition Director Laurie Clark at (845) 416-8342.
Hours: Opening reception, 5 to 7 pm

The Inn & Spa at Beacon
151 Main St.
Beacon, NY
(845) 205-2900
Beacon's newest West End destination is ready for the viewing public. (Read our scoop here!) The lobby of The Inn & Spa at Beacon features evocative still-life paintings, etchings, and art jewelry by the acclaimed Anamario Hernández.
Special for Second Saturday: After months of artists sharing wall space, Anamario Hernández officially takes over the Inn & Spa's gallery. Her paintings blend contemporary and classical techniques and subject matter. Read more about Anamario in our article about the painter. Exhibition continues through December 3.
Hours: Opening reception, 5 to 7 pm

Marion Royael Gallery
159 Main St.
Beacon, NY
(727) 244-5535
Special for Second Saturday: The gallery's latest Directed Migrating Installation, The Human Nest, brings together the visual perspectives of dozens of artists to reflect on "the nature of human dwellings." In the "yard" outside, don't miss The Bird's Nest, a site-specific installation.
Hours: Noon to 7 pm (sometimes later)

Hudson Beach Glass / Fovea
162 Main St.
Beacon, NY
(845) 440-0068
This glass studio has been casting functional and sculptural objects for over 20 years - a truly special establishment to have in Beacon. Stop in to find blown-glass objects of all kinds, from lights to bowls to wind chimes. Sometimes on Second Saturday, you can watch them blow glass.
Special for Second Saturday: Khara Gilvey's Lacuna opens upstairs in HBG's gallery space. Khara's paintings, which frequently feature watery scenes, incorporate the natural grain of wood to create a shimmering effect. 
Hours: 10 am to 6 pm; opening reception, 6 to 9 pm

Clutter Magazine Gallery
163 Main St.
Beacon, NY
(212) 255-2505
The Clutter Gallery is a branch of the Clutter Media Group family, and is focused on showing quality work by both established and emerging artists in the fields of toy design and customization, as well as modern pop and lowbrow art. Clutter Gallery's exhibitions are open to the public and free of charge. 
Hours: Noon to 5 pm

RiverWinds Gallery
172 Main St.
Beacon, NY
(845) 838-2880
RiverWinds Gallery features Hudson Valley artists. Work includes fine art paintings and photography, plus contemporary crafts including ceramics, jewelry, fiber arts and more.
Special for Second Saturday: There's safety in numbers! Celebrate the spooky season with The Darkening Days, a group exhibition at RiverWinds Gallery. Photographic artists getting in touch with their darker sides include Annette Jaret, Mary Ann Glass, Dan McCormack, and Nancy Faulds. Through November 5.
Saturday, October 21, 2 to 4 pm: Jennie Chien will host a free talk on creating altars to observe the Day of the Dead, a Latin American tradition. 
Hours: Noon to 9 pm; opening reception, 5 to 8 pm

Dream in Plastic
177 Main St.
Beacon, NY
(845) 632-3383
Dream in Plastic frequently celebrates Second Saturday, adorning the walls of their sweet retail shop with amazing artwork from their friends. Exhibits have included photography, painting, and illustrations from like-minded whimsical geniuses. In the past, DiP has been known to offer cupcakes and coffee at openings!
Hours: 11 am to 7 pm; opening receptions are usually 6 to 9 pm

Beacon Institute for Rivers & Estuaries
199 Main St.
Beacon, NY
(845) 838-1600
This historic brick storefront houses a variety of Institute programs: the WOW! gallery, the Hudson River bookstore and gift shop, its administrative headquarters, and a new venture, Sensor Place. Events feature talks by artists and regional Hudson Valley authors.
Special for Second Saturday: Extended through November! If you haven't checked it out yet, get going and visit "Shad in the Shadow of Skyscrapers," a photo essay from a 1947 National Geographic project by legendary photographer Luis Marden. How much has changed along the mighty Hudson River, and how many scenes are the same, 70 years later? Click here for more event details.
Hours: 3 to 7 pm

THE MIDDLE & MARKET SQUARE

Beahive
291 Main St.
Beacon, NY
(845) 418-3731
A pioneering co-working space in Beacon, and A Little Beacon Blog's neighbor in the historic Telephone Building, Beahive sometimes hosts art openings. 
Hours: Call for hours and Second Saturday happenings.

Howland Public Library
313 Main St.
Beacon, NY
(845) 831-1134
Special for Second Saturday: In fine Beacon fashion, one art opening this month is a fundraiser for a cause that is close to so many hearts in this sweet little town. Join artists from around Beacon (and buy their work, if it strikes you!) to raise money for Mid Hudson Animal Aid. People are also invited to bring donations of cat food to the library art opening, as well! The show has been curated by Jean Noack, with the assistance of artist Jan Dolon. Participating artists include Nancy Argenio, Markie Baylash, Jennifer Blakeslee, Mary Ann Glass, Holly Bogdanffy-Kriegh, Michael Bogdanffy-Kriegh. Jane Cassetta, Beth DeWit, Jan Dolan, Cindy Gould, Janice A. Hyde, Mandy Kelso, Philomena Kiernan, Lorraine LeClair, Barbara Lipp, Marianne Loach, Chris Mulia, Rosemary Rednour, Chris Sanders, and Peg Taylor. Continues through November 5.
Hours: Opening reception, 5 to 7 pm

Progression Art Studio
320 Main St.
Beacon, NY
Special for Second Saturday: Stop by to see what's new!

Binnacle Books
321 Main St.
Beacon, NY
(845) 838-6191
Special for Second Saturday: Binnacle Books hosts a book release party, including a reading and signing, with award-winning children's author and illustrator Thyra Heder. Her latest work, Alfie, tells the tale of a new pet owner and love for her pet.
Hours: Reading, 10:30 am to noon

Oak Vino Wine Bar
389 Main St.
Beacon, NY
(845) 765-2400
Not just a place to kick back with a glass and unwind, Oak Vino is also a great spot to see art. Owner Rinny Patel often has work from local painters on the walls, and occasionally hosts Second Saturday shindigs. 
Hours: 3 to 11 pm

THE EAST END & BEYOND
(Closer to the mountain)

The Beacon Hotel Gallery
424 Main St.
Beacon, NY
(845) 765-2208
Hours: Call for hours and Second Saturday happenings.

Matteawan Gallery
436 Main St.
Beacon, NY
(845) 440-7901
Matteawan Gallery specializes in contemporary art with an emphasis on works on paper by emerging and mid-career artists.
Special for Second Saturday: Björn Meyer-Ebrecht's Fragments Remnants Leftovers uses architecture as the lens through which we can see societal changes across eras. Abstract geometry collides with studies of buildings, all brought into the three-dimensional realm with Meyer-Ebrecht's literal passageway in Matteawan's gallery space. More in our article . Through November 5. 
Hours: Noon to 5; opening reception, 6 to 9 pm

Morphicism
444 Main St.
Beacon, NY
(845) 440-3092
Moveable art in frames - art you must see and experience.
Hours: Call first

3B Gallery
458 Main St.
Beacon, NY
(845) 440-6782
This gallery tucked into Beacon Bath & Bubble often showcases talent from within Beacon, including student art.
Hours: Call for hours and Second Saturday happenings.

Center for Creative Education
464 Main St.
Beacon, NY
(845) 338-7664
According to their website, the mission of the Center for Creative Education (CCE) is to enrich the social and cultural awareness of our youth and community through arts, wellness and education.
Special for Second Saturday: CCE frequently holds art workshops in addition to dance, music, theater, and fitness events.
Hours: Call for event information and hours.

No. 3 Reading Room & Photo Book Works
469 Main St. 
Beacon, NY
Please welcome Beacon's newest arts-inclined business, right next to the Beacon Theatre! No. 3 Reading Room & Photo Book Works is an artist-run venue, featuring select artist’s books, artist photobookworks, photography books, work on paper and poetry from small and independent presses. Please contact Paulette Myers-Rich at photobookworks@gmail.com for hours or additional information.
Special for Second Saturday: Diving right into the deep end of Beacon arts, PBW opens with Sotapanna: A New Way of Seeing, with paintings by Kyle Gallup and poems by Ewan Turner. Kyle's paintings proceed from scenes she creates that bring the outside in. Her work meets Ewan's chapbook of poems, which seek to find new ways to see the world. 
Hours: Opening reception, 6 to 9 pm

TERRESON:BEACON
475 Main St.
Beacon, NY
(914) 772-6570
Jeffrey Terreson's paintings are in the collections of various Fortune 500 companies, as well as the United Nations. His work is inspired by 20th-century post-war masters such as Julian Schnabel, Jasper Johns, Mark Rothko and Joan Snyder. 
Special for Second Saturday: Jeffrey Terreson recently marked the one-year anniversary of his gallery's opening in Beacon. If you missed the big fête, visit and see 15 new pieces. He is gearing up for a big upcoming show in Bedford, so catch a sneak peek of those works, too!
Hours: Call for hours

Howland Cultural Center
477 Main St.
Beacon, NY
(845) 831-4988
Beacon's Howland Cultural Center is not just another arts organization. Its beautiful home is a Victorian building that was born specifically to serve the community as a cultural resource.
Special for Second Saturday: Arts Mid-Hudson presents the family-friendly "Musical Round Robin," providing children and others with the opportunity to play and learn about the global cultural history of familiar instruments. Among the instruments to be discussed: violin, keyboards, percussion of various kinds, accordion, and bagpipes - yes, bagpipes! There will also be a make-and-take musical instrument activity.
Hours: 1 to 4 pm

Maria Lago Studio 502
502 Main St.
Beacon, NY
(845) 765-8421
Maria Lago's super-textural paintings come to life with her haunting, larger-than-life sculptures. Her gallery is filled with the looming, evocative figures.
Hours: Call for hours and Second Saturday happenings.

bau Gallery
506 Main St.
Beacon, NY
(845) 440-7584
bau (Beacon Artist Union) is a platform for members and artists to grow, present and market their work and collaborative curatorial projects, while hosting events of related disciplines: performances, talks, film and music. bau builds a vital link between artists' activities and rest of the community.
Special for Second Saturday: The 154th consecutive show from bau has a bit of a "greatest hits" flavor to it. In the Main Gallery, you'll find selections by bau co-founder Gary Jacketti that spotlight some of the Hudson Valley's best artists. Artists include Karlos Carcamo, Kathy Feighery, Lisa Zukowski, Carla Goldberg, Richard Bruce, Erica Caginalp and Kirsten Lyon. New York artist Dean Yoffredo’s sculptures and boxes will grace the front windows. In the Beacon Room, check out A Thin Line, abstract nudes from photographer Meghan Spiro. 
Hours: Opening reception, 6 to 9 pm

Russell Cusick Gallery
530 Main St.
Beacon, NY
(845) 202-7787
Way down to the East End, right across from the Roundhouse, you'll find Russell Cusick's gallery. He has transmuted photography and painted Hudson Valley vistas, rendering the familiar scenes into hypervivid dreamscapes. But's he's also known for turning manhole covers into art. (Yes, really. See for yourself!)
Hours: Call for hours and Second Saturday happenings.

Ronnie Farley Book Signing
17 East Main St.
Beacon, NY
(917) 885-3557
The last time I was in this space, a few years ago (sadly), I was viewing the stunning designs of Gwenno James and dreaming of a life lived in sumptuous, gorgeous, watercolory, botanical silks. It's wonderful to see James' space open up for another visually inspiring event: Acclaimed photographer Ronnie Farley is sharing her latest book, Ghost Planes, chronicling airplanes' contrails over the Hudson Valley. On both Saturday and Sunday, her other books, prints, paintings and T-shirts will also be available. Read more in our article here. Craig Chin of Errant Space will bring ambient soundscapes to life each evening.
Hours: Saturday and Sunday, October 14 and 15, noon to 8 pm; soundscapes, 5 to 7 pm

BEACON near Route 52

The Lofts at Beacon Gallery
18 Front St.
Beacon, NY
(845) 202-7211
The Lofts at Beacon brought back to life a 19th-century brick mill that once made textiles in the Hudson Valley, located by the Fishkill Creek and situated near the Hudson River in the artists' haven town of Beacon. The Lofts have been completely remodeled into beautiful spaces, providing excellent loft rental units for the working artist.
Special for Second Saturday: Neighbors features Robert Paschal's paintings and sculpture by Peter Schlemowitz. Continues through Sunday, November 12. 
Hours: Call for hours.

Do check out A Little Beacon Blog's constantly updated Pop-Up Shop Guide and the Shopping Guide to help you shop and take advantage of special opportunities and events offered by shops during this exciting day.

Past Second Saturday Guides

• September 2017
• August 2017
• July 2017
• June 2017
• May 2017
• April 2017
• March 2017
• February 2017
• January 2017
• December 2016
• September 2016
• August 2016
• July 2016