IMPORTANT FERRY INFO
DATES:
Saturday and Sunday, September 28 and 29
Saturday and Sunday, October 18 and 19
TIMES:
Saturday: 10 am to 5 pm
Sunday: 10 am 4 pm
DEPARTURE: Boat leaves Newburgh at the top of the hour. Boat leaves Beacon at the half hour.
BOAT DOCKS:
Newburgh: Newburgh Washington Street Boat Launch (2 Washington Street)
Beacon: Beacon Institute Dock, located on the Beacon waterfront by the Metro-North train station.
Note: this is not the regular MTA dock, but is next to it.
Pro-Tip! There is a free public bus called the G Loop that runs Monday to Saturday, and will whisk you up the hill to Main Street. It even passes Barb’s Butchery. It runs on a train arrival schedule, and does not run on Sundays.
COST: $2, cash only

A lifestyle experiment is in place, and you can be a part of it. The Cities of Beacon and Newburgh, as well as Dutchess and Orange County are thinking that the people of this area may benefit from increased ferry service between Beacon and Newburgh, so have set up ferry service for two weekends and you’re invited to try it.

According to the initiative’s press release: “This service will help determine whether there is enough interest and traffic for a more regular service. Other benefits of increased service are allowing both cities to attract more regional tourism, allow for easier exchange for local residents to access strong job markets and entertainment, and forge innovative relations between City of Beacon and Newburgh.”

Here’s how you can ferry across the Hudson River on September 28 and 29 for Beacon’s Spirit of Beacon Day and for Newburgh’s Open Studios, and then again on October 19 and 20 for Beacon’s Annual Car Show, and Newburgh’s Literary Festival:

The Ferry Boat and Dock Are Different Than The Usual MTA Ferry

Because this is an experiment, a relationship with the The Hudson River Maritime Museum was initiated so that they could charter the boat, and not go through the MTA. The Hudson River Maritime Museum designed and built a solar-powered tour boat called the Solaris, which is the only 100% solar-powered boat in operation on the Hudson River. It does not require fossil fuels to operate. According to the museum’s website: “This vessel can travel up to 50 miles at night without the use of her solar panels. Even on cloudy days, the solar panels are so efficient that they continue to power the batteries.”

The boat can carry 28 passengers at a time. Service is first-come, first-serve, and costs $2 exact change, one-way. Cash only, no credit can be accepted.

Who Made This Ferry Experiment Happen?

According to the press release: “This effort was a joint effort by the Cities of Newburgh and Beacon and Orange and Dutchess Counties, with costs shared between Orange County and Dutchess County under a tourism initiative.” A Little Beacon Blog did a deep-dive article to discover more about why this experiment is so important, and the factors considered in implementing it.

For more information, please contact:

City of Newburgh Department of Planning and Development, Alexandra Church, planning@cityofnewburgh-ny.gov or (845) 569-9400

City of Beacon City Administrator Anthony Ruggiero, MPA, at aruggiero@cityofbeacon.org or (845) 838-5009.

Orange County Planning Department, planning@orangecountygov.com or (845) 615.3840.

*Photo Credit for All Photos: Katie Hellmuth Martin*

This year, we changed it up a little bit with photo coverage of the Chamber of Commerce and Dutchess Cruisers Car Show. Engines!

I don’t know how engines work, but during the car show, hoods are usually open for spectators to take a peek inside, so there must be something very creative about them. There was one cylinder in the middle of the ... under the hood part (lol, not sure what the whole area under the hood is called) and I asked the car owner what this large circle did (see picture below of smooth circle in the middle). It’s the air filter! Then I noticed that all of the cars had them, but in different forms. Some thicker, some smaller, and some in cone shapes. But all of them were part of the show.

Beacon is usually equated with modern art. But, you know, these super custom cars are art. This hobby for some requires a passion and a curiosity to tinker and fiddle and figure things out. That’s what the car show is all about. Some even had screaming Halloween decorations! That’s what my kids were looking for - the Halloween-decorated cars.

Can you see the rat on top of the car? Pictured here is the trunk of the car - a convenient coffin. Boo!

I don’t know if that cone-shaped thing is an air filter, but looks like it’s in the same family…

Hadn’t seen this Joker car yet… Did you peek inside to see how he decorated the interior roof?

We only saw a smidge of the car show, as it stretched from the beginning of Main Street at Route 9D, all the way to Fishkill Avenue. Can’t wait to see the creativity next year’s show offers.

Until next year...