Pride in the Sky
May 17 at Walkway Over the Hudson
Big Gay Hudson Valley, in partnership with Friends of the Walkway, will host the first-ever pride celebration on the Walkway. The evening will feature a DJ-driven dance party at the Walkway’s Center Overlook, along with featured hosts from the LGBTQ+ community and illuminated performers and entertainers. As sunset approaches, a group of 100 flag marshals will carry a 15-foot-wide, 500-foot-long portion of a rainbow flag created for the flag’s 20th anniversary in 1998. Featuring the original 8 color stripes, this section of the flag will be carried by flag marshals from the Dutchess County side to the Ulster County side of the Walkway. Free. 6-10pm.
“The Dying Swan and Its Cause of Death” and “Encounter”
May 17 at PS21 in Chatham
PS21 opens its season with a double bill of genre-defying works from Japan’s contemporary dance scene. Hana Sakai dances the classic Mikhail Fokine solo ballet “The Dying Swan,” but she begins to wobble while speaking about why she had to die—a hilarious riff by visionary director Toshiki Okada that delves into environmental issues. “Encounter” is choreographed by Moto Takahashi and performed by her all-woman dance group MWMW, who challenge gender norms with their stunning hip-hop techniques and ensemble movements. $35. 8pm.
Bindlestiff Family Cirkus at Stissing Center
The Bindlestiff Family Cirkus has brought intrepid, family-friendly programming to stages since 1995. The variety show experience features circus and variety artists from around the world. Shows include legendary magicians, gender-bending jugglers, circus legends, trained rats, novelty musicians, aerial artists, wire walkers, sideshow performers, puppeteers, living cartoons, physical comedians, contortionists, and performance artists.
Maker Faire Hudson Valley
May 18-19 at Garner Arts Center in Garnerville
Part science fair, part county fair, and part tech expo, maker faires are all-ages gathering of tech enthusiasts, crafters, educators, tinkerers, hobbyists, engineers, science clubs, authors, artists, students, and commercial exhibitors. Maker Faire Hudson Valley celebrates this universal drive to create—from crafting to engineering—at the Garner Arts Center. Become immersed in the spirit of innovation with installations, creative demos, immersive VR and robotics experiences. $10.
24-Hour Drone
May 18-19 at Basilica Hudson
The durational music event, subtitled “Experiments in Sound and Music,” allows attendees to bring their sleeping bags and camp inside the reclaimed riverfront industrial building during the performances and includes audio and visual art elements and on-site food vendors. This year’s lineup includes experimental musicians Cowboy Sadness, Nadah El-Shazly, Moundabout, Ghost Ensemble, Tyondai Braxton, and many others. There will also be a special set by Dragonchild, the solo project of Ethiopian saxophonist D. A. Mekonnen of Debo Band fame. $113.30. 12pm-12pm.
This article appears in May 2024.
