Get Down in the Valley
Staff | May 2, 2017 | Comment
Spring and summer concert series are some of the things the Hudson Valley does best. Festivals celebrating the other performing arts are a close second, though. And with many music venues to choose from, on many nights you can hear almost every genre. Whether you’re entertaining yourself or accompanying a special someone, you won’t be bored here in the Hudson Valley.
Celebrated as the home of the iconic 1969 Woodstock Music Festival, Bethel Woods Center for the Arts is a popular spot to catch new and old-time favorites. Lounge on lawn chairs while listening to Neil Diamond perform on the Pavillion stage June 22. Pop rock legends Rod Stewart and Cindi Lauper will share the stage on July 21. If you want to make it a day, explore the on-site museum and its new 2017 exhibit, “Love for Sale: The Commercialization of the Counterculture.”
Every year, the Phoenicia International Festival of the Voice hosts some of the finest opera, gospel, Broadway, and world music performances. The vocalist-oriented, three-day event runs from August 4 to 6.
In Marlboro, check out the Falcon. All ages are welcome to enjoy dinner and live music. The Towne Crier in Beacon is similarly known for Americana, world music, and jazz and serves farm-fresh breakfast, brunch, dinner, and lunch. Every Monday and Wednesday is open mike night. If you prefer a more intimate setting, try Daryl’s House in Pawling. Created by Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Daryl Hall as a way to showcase great musicians and make guests feel at home, this venue does just that. If you like theater settings, try the Bardavon in Poughkeepsie or catch Todd Rundgren on May 13 at its sister venue, UPAC (Ulster Performing Arts Center) in Kingston. While you’re in Kingston, BSP Kingston, a multi-room venue with a vaudeville-era back-room theater, caters to the independent music scene. Real Estate plays the back-room stage on May 20. For classical and contemporary chamber music and jazz, catch one of the Maverick Concert Series’ programs, which are performed in a rustic, historic 1916 concert hall in the middle of the woods.
Head over to the Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome to soak up some aviation history. This living museum features examples of airworthy aircraft of the pioneer era, World War I, and the golden age of aviation between the World Wars, plus roadworthy antique automobiles. Stay for one of their air shows.
And nothing says summer like a night at a classic drive-in movie theater. Bring the kids (or don’t), stay for both showings, or just one. For current movies, the Hyde Park Drive-In is your go-to. Open rain or shine, you can see contemporary films in the comfort of your car for half the price of the movie theater. The Greenville Drive-In serves locally sourced snacks and focuses on popular classic and emerging films.
Above: Chris O’Leary Band at the Falcon. Photo by Jim Rice.