The Hudson Valley’s cultural calendar is bursting at the seams again this summer, and our annual Summer Arts Preview is your indispensable guide to what’s happening, where, and why it matters. There’s something defiant in the act of gathering—to dance, to witness, to laugh—and this season offers more than enough chances to do just that.
Among the many standout events: concerts by the Lemon Twigs and Suzanne Vega; music festivals like Meadowlark, Jazz in the Valley, and the season-long sonic bounty of PS21; theatrical work from Voice Theatre and Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival; dance performances including Pam Tanowitz’s Pastoral at Bard SummerScape and world premieres at Jacob’s Pillow; visual art happenings from “American Masterworks” at the Fenimore to the region-wide sprawl of Upstate Art Weekend; and comedy that spans Michael Ian Black in Beacon to Sarah Sherman at MASS MoCA.
Take a look. Mark your calendars. And remember: the arts survive not by accident, but by attention. Be part of the audience.
—Peter Aaron, Arts Editor
This article appears in June 2025.
