Soak Up Some Creativity With the Return of Upstate Art Weekend

Spend a weekend absorbing some artistic inspiration with the sixth annual Upstate Art Weekend this month. More than 155 participants will have installations, open studios, events, and more at sites spread across 10 counties in the Hudson Valley.

The event kicks off on Thursday, July 17 and runs through July 21. For planning your art adventure, a handy online map shows all the galleries, museums, and arts organizations participating this year.

The official headquarters for the weekend is in Kingston at “Upbringing,” an installation featuring pieces inspired by a theme of presence. It is one of more than a dozen events in and around Kingston, including group exhibitions, music, and film.

If you want to wander through multiple galleries and view some historic architecture at the same time, five galleries in downtown Newburgh will be open for the weekend.

In Columbia County, Olana will be holding multiple events for all ages as part of the summer exhibition, “What’s Missing?” Site specific works by Ellen Harvey and Gabriela Salazar, inspired by the historic site and the work of Frederic Church, are on view through November 2. Upstate Art Weekend will also include walking tours and family-friendly art activities.

For mermaid lovers who didn’t get enough at the Coney Island Mermaid Parade, there is the Sleepy Hollow Mermaid Festival. The waterfront event on July 19 will have music, story-telling, and a parade.

Upstate Art Weekend was first launched in 2020 by arts organizer Helen Toomer as an artistic response to the separation being experienced during the pandemic. Just over 20 organizations in eight counties participated during the first year. This year visitors can find events spread out over Columbia, Delaware, Dutchess, Greene, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan, Ulster, and Westchester counties.

In addition to the map for the 2025 event, a full list of participants is available online. Many of the events are free but be sure to check out the details provided by each organization for full registration and ticket information.

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