Thank you to everyone who came out to the Spirit of Beacon Day 2023! We hope you enjoyed the day, and that the non-profit and community service groups were able to reach many more people on this day. Please send us your photos at any time to spiritofbeacon@gmail.com.

Thank you to the City of Beacon for approving our permit and connecting us with the Highway and Police Departments to make this day run as smoothly as possible.

Thank you to our vendors, Durrants Party Rentals, Herring Sanitation, Aaron Verdile (sound equipment rental) and Bosco and the Storm (sound and stage equipment rental) for working with us as we moved the entire day to the rain date as the storm worsened.

Thank you to our local Sponsors who made financing this possible! And for your cheerleading and support. We could not do this without our local sponsors!

2023 Beacon Of Light Sponsors

2023 Mountain Sponsors

2023 River Sponsors

2023 SPIRIT SPONSORS

Last Outpost
314 Main Street, Beacon, NY
Really cool boutique with a handsome and rugged style. Shirts, hats, sunglasses, custom Beacon mugs and merch, etc.

The Pink Unicorn (aka David Shelley
Look for The Pink Unicorn almost every Saturday and Sunday in Beacon. As the pink unicorn makes its way down Main Street.

The Beacon Creamery
134 Main Street, Beacon NY
Beacon’s go-to for ice-cream on the train-side of the mountain (west side)

Supreme Pianos of NY
1004 Main Street Fishkill
For all your acoustic piano needs, including tuning, sales, repair, moving and storage.

Sara Mikulsky Wellness Physical Therapy, PLLC
18 W. Main Street, Suite 3
Beacon, NY 12508
Sara Mikulsky Wellness Physical Therapy provides holistic healthcare to the Hudson Valley. We provide services such as physical therapy, personal fitness and nutrition coaching. We work with all kinds of clients looking to decrease pain, recovery from surgery, get fit, improve posture and live healthier lives. Feel free to contact us at www.saramikulsky.com to find out how we can help you!

Kitchen Sink
157 Main Street
Beacon, NY 12508

Feeds R Us
351 Main Street
Beacon, NY 12508

JonCar Realty
451 Main Street
Beacon, NY 12508

District Social
511 Fishkill Avenue
Beacon, NY 12508
Axe throwing, full bar, live music, and more.

M+T Bank
200 Main Street
Beacon, NY 12508

Main Office Co-Work Space
234 Main Street
Beacon, NY 12508
The Main Office Space is a collaboration and co-working space located on Main Street in Beacon. We rent out corporate retreat space, conference rooms and desks by the day, week or month.

The Spirit of Beacon Committee presented the agenda to the City Council and the public tonight, September 11, 2023. Listen to it here.

Beacon's highly anticipated event, The Spirit of Beacon Day, takes place on Sunday, September 24th from 11am-4pm. This event was established in 1977 in response to racial tensions between Beacon's youth and the community. As a result, various community leaders from our local churches, library, police, City Council, and others came together to figure out what to do. A solution proposed was a community day. Said one of the original backbones of the Spirit of Beacon Day, Nan Whittingham, about the origin in the Beacon Evening News in 1986: "Everyone was in agreement that we, the community, should get to know one another better. It was agreed we should learn to know each other's likes and dislikes regarding conversation, feelings, entertainment, education and food."

Come to enjoy a variety of different foods from professionals, churches and organizations, as well as get to know services available at vendor tables. Music performances at 2 stages will be going all day at the Main Stage at Veterans Place, and the secondary stage at Cross Street. The big parade kicks off at 1pm and goes down Main Street.

The day starts at 11am, where Main Street is blocked off from South Brett Street (Key Food) to Teller Avenue (Yankee Clipper Diner). Both businesses are one of our sponsors this year, and we thank them very much. It is with sponsor support that this day can get produced. Sponsors this year include:

Beacon of Lights:

Key Food
The Roundhouse
The Station
Carter's Restaurant
For the second year in a row, Beacon Recreation Department where financing of Stage and Sound at Veterans Place Stage, and the Stage at Cross Street was provided.

Mountain Sponsors:
Remark Printing
Verplanck Auto
Faust Design Build

River Sponsors:
Hudson Valley Food Hall
Rabe and Co.
Yanarella Dance
Beacon Natural
Hudson Valley Credit Union
Dennis Vetrano Law
Bar Down Studio

Spirit Sponsors:

Last Outpost
The Pink Unicorn
Feeds R Us
JonCar Realty
Sara Mikulsky Wellness Physical Therapy
Supreme Pianos of NY
Kitchen Sink
District Social
M+T Bank
Beacon Digital + Main Office Co-Work Space

FOOD
We heard from the people, and the people wanted more street food. Last year, Beacon's restaurants were so happy because people ordered and filled the tables. This year, we dedicated more vendor tables to food choices, so come prepared to eat from:

St. Rocco's
Sons and Daughters of Italy
Beacon Boi hot dogs from Paul Yeaple formerly of Poppy's
I Am Beacon
BHS Class of 2025
Pat's Yard Vibes
St. Joachim - St. John the Evangelical
Coast 2 Coast
Beacon Light Tabernacle
The Mosque Masjid Ur Rashid
Tabernacle of Christ Church
Mama Mama La's Food for the Soul
Key Food grill
Key Food fresh Kettle Corn
Tommy Empanadas
Carter's Restaurant
Single and Hungry

MUSIC
Playing on the Main Stage at Veterans Place:
The Beacon Players
School of Rock Band
GG & the Shades
The parade will roll through, and then Bosco and the Storm will kick off followed by the Beacon Rising Choir and closing out with TonyE, returning all the way from NYC for us.

PARADE
Most importantly, who will we be seeing in the parade?
So many of you, and if you haven not registered yet, please do so now! Even if you march every year, please get into our spreadsheet.
The Rombout Middle School band will be marching and playing this year.
Yanarella School of Dance
Artists on the March
Passion The Adult Dance Studio
The incredible Marching Cobras are returning this year!
As are the Highlands Bag Pipe Band.
Slater Chemical Fire Company
Beacon National Honor Society
Ballet Arts
Beacon Girl Scouts
Beacon Light Hawks Pathfinders
And others.

For our Table Vendors, lots of awareness is coming to you, and we have saved tables specially for After School Clubs of the Beacon City School District.

We saved you a spot to come out of the school and onto the street so that everyone can meet you and see the effort you bring to the students in the district.

Students for Gender Equality have signed up, and we hope more do as well.

KIDS SECTION

The Kids Section this year will include activities from Compass Arts and Kumon.

PARKING
Please tell your friends to park in the free parking lots in Beacon. These include the DMV Parking Lot, the Police Station parking lot right here at Town Hall, and down at the Train Station. Dutchess County has agreed to consider running the free Beacon Loop to help bring people up from that parking lot.

VOLUNTEERS

As for volunteers:

We need a sign painter for 2 big wooden boards.
People to pass out flyers.
People to chalk yard signs with bathroom and parking lot signs.
Stay up to date at Spirit of Beacon's website: www.spiritofbeacon.org and follow at Instagram @spiritofbeacon and on Facebook @spiritofbeaconday

Thank you to Beacon Natural @beaconnatural for sponsoring Spirit of Beacon Day! Beacon Natural gets behind many community events. Remember that time years ago that the fireworks almost didn’t happen and Beacon Natural with @verplanckauto made sure it did with other sponsors? 🙌🏽🙌🏽

Thank you @yanarelladance for sponsoring Spirit of Beacon Day !! Sixty years in Beacon, they have taught so many dancers from youth, some of whom return to teach. Watch Yanarella in the parade, and visit their table on the day! Their Fall classes have dropped, so check those out and get plugged in!

The Pink Unicorn 🦄 is BACK as a sponsor of Spirit of Beacon Day! @pink_unicorn_of_beacon This unicorn helps make Beacon Beacon. Also look for the unicorn in the parade. Come out Sunday, September 24, 2023 from 11am-4pm. See you there!

All the way from Fishkill, NY…Supreme Pianos 🎹of New York!
For all your acoustic piano needs- tuning, sales, repair, moving, and storage. Thank you for supporting Beacon’s youth!

Located at 1004 Main St Fishkill.

Last year, @lastoutpoststore was our very first Main Street storefront to signup for sponsorship on our enhanced website. Forever grateful, and appreciative of their sponsorship this year!

Debuting at the Spirit of Beacon is The Station, a new creation from business owners Kamel and Lena Jamal (Beacon Bread Company and ZIatun). Last year, they purchased the old Beacon police station at 463 Main Street that was also used as a jail. Expect creative concepts and experiences coming out of here, that could include a distillery, radio and other lifestyle additions.

The Roundhouse returns as a sponsor of Spirit of Beacon Day 2023 as a Beacon of Light, and we are so thankful for their support! The Roundhouse has a long history of supporting the Spirit of Beacon Day. As history marches on, and players change hands, so has Spirit’s involvement with The Roundhouse. We welcome the new alignment with the daughter of the family business of The Roundhouse, Katie Guerra, who carries the torch for her family’s involvement. Thank you!

Rabe & Co, the national branding agency based in Beacon, NY, has returned as a Spirit of Beacon Sponsor for the 2023 season. They came on board last year when we had our revitalization year to be back in person, and we are so grateful for their support!

Founding Partner Liz Birch’s son represented last year in the middle of Main Street with his face painted from A Little Beacon Blog’s stand :)

Katie James Inc. has returned as the volunteer-based branding studio for Spirit of Beacon. “Last year, we started by having a logo contest to seek out lesser-known talent in Beacon,” says Katie Hellmuth, owner of Katie James Inc. and President of Spirit of Beacon. “We received excellent submissions, and the Committee selected Kim Dei Dolori. This year, we get to play with the logo and colors a bit for new t-shirts, signage and other ways to use the essence that the logo has created for the Spirit of Beacon Day.

Katie James Inc. is responsible for enhancing the website design, which is a continuation of the detailed job the previous Committee headed by Gwenno James, who first started a website at all for Spirit of Beacon.

The studio is also running the Instagram and Facebook pages for the Spirit of Beacon, as well as the newsletter announcements and press releases, creating the art and writing and publishing the posts to promote parade participants, vendor table signups and sponsors.

Key Food Beacon returns as a Beacon of Light Sponsor for Spirit of Beacon Day, giving the Committee confidence to move forward on logistical plans for producing the day. “Thank God,” said Spirit of Beacon’s President, Katie Hellmuth. “Now we can book the porta-potties and make sure we have enough accessible-sized units for everyone at convenient locations!”

Thank you, Key Food Beacon!

As we get ready for another year - the 46th year - of the Spirit of Beacon Day - we are reflecting on how we only could have done this with the help of our 2022 sponsors who so quickly leveled up to invest in the day to make this possible. We are booking the bagpipe band, the Cobra Performing Arts performers who you all loved so much. We are booking the tent for another year of music, and the porta-potties to help our businesses not have to traffic all those potty breaks with their private bathrooms.

The Spirit of Beacon Day had a come-back year in 2022, and it could not have been possible without our 2022 Sponsors who helped us in our time of need.

To produce this highly anticipated event, which is layered with music, performances, school spirit, and community involvement, we needed investment from the community. Beacon businesses and groups who serve this area came through. Thank you so much, 2022 Sponsors, from all of us.

Sponsorship for 2023 is opening soon.

Beacon Of Light Sponsors:

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Mountain Sponsors:

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Last Outpost
314 Main Street
Really cool boutique with a handsome and rugged style. Shirts, hats, sunglasses, custom Beacon mugs and merch, etc.

Beahive
291 Main Street
A co-work community and space where entrepreneurs, creatives and techies mix with nonprofit leaders, activists and community organizers.

Highlands Current
A reader-funded, nonprofit media organization that serves the communities of Beacon and Philipstown (Cold Spring, Nelsonville, Garrison, North Highlands and Continental Village) in the Hudson Highlands of New York.

Daria Gates - Speech Pathology
Holistic, collaborative, play-based speech-language therapy that involves both the child and their family. “Every child is their own individual, unique person with something to communicate in this world.”

Witch Hazel
176 Main Street
Witch Hazel is a modern-day apothecary that taps into the calming beauty of nature. Find carefully curated makeup, skincare, mystery balms, vases, and so much more. Beyond delightful.

Raven Rose
474 Main Street
Raven Rose is a modern take on your traditional flower and gift shop. With an open and airy storefront they are always evolving to embrace seasonal trends in both home decor and flower arrangements. You must stop in.

HELLO BEACONITES!!!

It’s the Spirit of Beacon Day Committee writing. We are BACK. We are back for Spirit of Beacon Day 2023, the 46th year of this day all because you made it happen last year. Yes you.

The City of Beacon has granted us the permit to once again celebrate this spirit on Sunday, September 24, 2023. That gives us the summer to reach out to you, hear from you, and plan for what you want to bring to the day.

The Committee

The returning Spirit of Beacon Committee members:  Katie Hellmuth (Chair), Jeana Pearl Fletcher (Secretary), Zayed Junior Dabashi (Board Member), and Ali T. Muhammad (Board Member) and our new treasurer Jennifer Garfield-Abrams! 

Nickeya Allen-Smith is now Spirit of Beacon’s contract bookkeeper, training our committee for passing the torch for future management. We are so thankful for her and the wealth of knowledge shared from past leadership to guide us into the future.

Last year we worked with volunteer Spirit Coordinators to produce the music and entertainment portion of the day. So far, we know that Goldee Green, Bosco Michael Faison, Kimberly Dei Dolori and Melissa Shae will be returning. We are looking for other volunteers and coordinators as programming opportunities open up. Please see how to get involved below!

The Mission

The mission of the Spirit of Beacon is to connect the youth with the community. There are ample opportunities for kids of all ages in Beacon. Our mission is to make sure they know about them and have more ways to connect with them. Read about the origins of this day. All parade and vendor table applications are weighed against our mission.

This year, we are especially looking for After School Groups at all of the schools to represent at their own table. Last year, we reserved a block for this. This year, with more time to get the word out, we hope these leaders of those After School Clubs are willing and able to make the time to set up a table, so that the parents, caregivers and kids can see and touch what goes on inside of the schools.

Registration For Parade and Vendor Tables Is Open

You can now register for a spot in the Parade and for a Vendor Table. No fee. A few things to remember:

Parade:

• Is for Beacon organizations and those who serve in Beacon.

• No politicking. Politicians are not allowed to sign up to walk as an individual.

• All parade registrations must be accepted after registration application is submitted.

• Businesses in Beacon can apply for and participate in the parade.

Vendor Tables:

• This is a time for connecting kids and adults with services that enrich their lives. Tables are prioritized for non-profit organizations after school programs If you or your business do not fall in this category, there may be space for your table. Please consider donating and centering your proceedings to a Beacon organization.

How Food Vendoring Will Work

We want your bellies to be full. We are opening food vendoring in a tiered system with deadlines in order to give our non-profits and Beacon businesses priority:

Fees:
$30 Dutchess County Department of Health Food Permit
$35 Spirit of Beacon Table Non-Profit and Beacon Business Rate for Food
$100 Spirit of Beacon Table Food Vendor Rate for Businesses Outside of Beacon.
Deadlines:
First come, first serve based on tier schedule. By the time your tier comes, there might not be space available. No guarantees.

• 1st Priority Tier: Non-Profits and Churches
  Selling food on Spirit of Beacon Day has been a fundraising opportunity for the non-profits, organizations and churches.
  Fee: $35 Table Fee
  Deadline: July 1 - July 31. Don’t wait.

• 2nd Priority Tier: Beacon Businesses
  Our restaurant business friends in Beacon also really need your business. Say all you want about the tourists who come in on the weekends, but very few establishments can survive on weekend traffic alone. With local Beacon not coming out every night of the week, our local restaurants do struggle. We do want you to order from the restaurants.
  This year, Beacon restaurants and businesses can apply for a table. If you are a business (like a barber) who wants to sell food outside your establishment, you can apply.
  Fee: $35 Table Fee
  Deadline: August 1 - August 16. Don’t wait. If space is available by then.

• 3rd Priority Tier:
  If we don’t fill up on food vendors with the first two priority tiers, then food vendors who are businesses and not on Beacon’s Main Street can apply.
  Fee: $100 Table Fee
  Deadline: August 17 - August 31.

Volunteer Opportunities

Throughout the summer, we will post different volunteer opportunities. Most of these will happen in September, as we get closer to The Day. This Committee operates mainly by text. We have lots of group text meetings. We have families and jobs and commitments that make meeting in person very difficult for us.

Right now, we are looking for a Spirit Coordinator for Social Media (in Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok). This person can be well versed in one of these platforms, or all. We can work with volunteers who are good in different platforms.

Register to be a Volunteer here.

Sponsor Opportunities

OMG. We had very little in the bank for 2022, and our business sponsors revived us. THANK YOU. Sponsorship for 2023 will open shortly. We need to do a big Thank You celebration post and social media celebration for our 2022 sponsors first.

The Logo Color

New year, new colors! Continuing with the Tradition. Kim Dei Dolori designed such a cool logo that you all loved and will be available for sale. Volunteers get their own shirts for FREE. Show up and show off Beaconites!

We are looking forward to seeing you on Sunday, September 24, 2023 for the 46th year of this day. We will be in touch with some of you sooner if you sign up for volunteer opportunities.

Look for more updates here at the Spirit of Beacon Day website!

Original Color T-Shirts and Hats Still Available! Limited Supply

Yes, the OG t-shirts are still for sale! Limited supply. Hats also. Click here to shop our store. Free local pickup available.

YES. Spirit of Beacon Day 2023 is happening!! We ducked under the water after completing the comeback 2022 for the first time, and we are opening 2023. Same Committee. Same Energy.

There will be new volunteer opportunities. New table opportunities. New food opportunities. And new colors of the logo!

Those who volunteer will have a new opportunity to get this exclusive Volunteer shirt. Thank you SO MUCH to our 2022 sponsors who made this possible. We could not have done it without you.

Another sign UP!

This one has the programming of the day. Thank you Key Food Beacon for allowing us to put the sign in your building! Junior Mo Dabashi, their Builder With The Truck Full Of Gear, and JB Said.

Spirit of Beacon Day is this Sunday, September 25, 2022!!!
11am-4pm Music and Community Tables
1-2pm Parade

New Sponsor Alert!

Verplanck Auto - you are always at everyone’s service! Thank you for sponsoring the Spirit of Beacon Day at the Mountain ($1,000) level!

Spirit of Beacon Day:
Sunday, September 25, 2022
11am-4pm Music and Community Tables
1-2pm: Parade

We have a banner!

We weren’t allowed to hang it across Main Street anymore, so Key Food Beacon generously offered their roof to hang it. Now people are asking about the date! Their wheels are turning!

Sunday September 25, 2022.
11-4 Music and Community Vendor Tables on Main Street
1-2pm Parade down Main Street

Thank you Junior, JB Said, Noberto and Angel for helping the overall installation to get it up there. Thank you to Remark Printing Company for magically expediting this order early when you said it was impossible. Thank you Brand New Dei for the logo design and banner design, and Allie Bopp Design and Katie James, Inc. for finishing and submitting to print. Not possible without our top Beacon of Light Sponsors! Sara Mikulsky, Round House, Playmaker University Pumas, Hudson Valley Goldsmith, and Key Food Beacon!

Spirit of Beacon Day is *not possible* without our Spirit Coordinators! Stephen Claire of Beacon Music Factory is our Spirit Music Coordinator for the stage at Cross Street. He is also a sponsor.

We locked in the 12x12 stage and tents today with Durants Party Rentals. Stephen is working with our central Spirit Music Coordinator Goldee Green of GG and the Shades to create the lineup, sound checks, transitions, etc. We wanted to help spread the Spirit of Beacon to either end of town.

Look for performances by Beacon Performing Arts Center and Ballet Arts Studio (all of us are named Katie, so that’s a trip for organizing this). Gwen Laster’s jazz ensemble and Beacon Music Factory students. We booked Aaron Verdile for his sound equipment. Thank you Nick Page for letting us use the property, and the new store for working with us to be there and use their power.

September 25 is almost here! Woo!

Raven Rose! Thank you so much for coming on as a Spirit Sponsor ($250)! You support the Beacon community always and left us up!

Your flowers are beautiful, and your arrangement workshops a must-do! Relax yourself by walking into Raven Rose and picking a household gift for you or a friend. Located across the street from one of the official Spirit of Beacon Pop-Up Experience locations, Howland Cultural Center.

Spirit of Beacon Day starts at 11am with music, then parade starts at 1pm, then music and fun to close it at 4pm. Mark your calendar! SAVE THE DATE!