After over a year of waiting, wishing, and making plans, this summer is shaping up to be a shot of creative energy for art and design lovers in the Hudson Valley. In Hudson, the city’s businesses have teamed up to launch 2econd Saturday Hudson Gallery Crawl—a late-night celebration of the dynamic cultural offerings that have made the city a capital of art and design in the region.
Kicking off Saturday, June 12, and continuing every second Saturday of the month, over 60 businesses will be staying open late to shine a light on Hudson’s diverse art and design community. With dozens of galleries located within a walkable, one-mile radius, the event will offer a one-of-a-kind opportunity for new art buyers and serious collectors of any budget or taste to experience the breadth of the region’s art scene and the work of the many artists who create in Hudson.
In organizing the event, gallery owners Ellen D’Arcy Simpson of D’Arcy Simpson Art Works, Jeremy Bullis of Window on Hudson, and Susan Eley of Susan Eley Fine Art were inspired by the success of gallery crawls in Chelsea, Brooklyn, and the Lower East Side. “There isn’t an event like this in Hudson currently,” Bullis says. “At least once a month we will be bringing attention to the city’s position as an art and design center.”
In addition to the galleries that are staying open late, numerous high-end retail stores, restaurants, hotels, and venues across the city will adjust their hours as well, with many offering special events and promotions for the event. “Saturday nights after 5pm are surprisingly quiet in Hudson, but it’s so fun to walk and shop before you go to dinner or to have something to look forward to doing on a Saturday night,” says Simpson. “We wanted to give visitors a chance to extend their day into the night.”
The gallery crawl’s organizers are also collaborating with other local groups on events that will coincide with 2econd Saturday. “The gallery crawl will be a really fun, exciting monthly event that also serves as a platform for other coordinated community projects, like live music, food trucks, outdoor markets, and cultural celebrations,” Simpson says.
In addition to attracting visitors and locals alike to spend Saturday nights in Hudson, the event is an opportunity for business owners to work together and support each other after a difficult year. “When Jeremy brought the idea to us it was a no-brainer,” says Eley. “Hudson has such a warm and friendly spirit, and in the last year since I opened my gallery I have already become more and more invested in collaborating with other dealers on Warren Street.”
The 2econd Saturday Hudson Gallery Crawl has already garnered the support of organizations including Columbia County Tourism, the Galvan Foundation, Hudson Business Coalition, Hudson City Digital, Hudson Tourism Board, Peggy Pollenberg Real Estate, and Visit Hudson NY.
“When Ellen approached the Hudson Business Coalition, we knew it was an event we wanted to support and partner with them on,” says Alexandre Petraglia, president of the Hudson Business Coalition. “What they’re building here is much more than an event series. It’s an opportunity to attract a lot of attention to everything Hudson has to offer—from families to individuals to those who come to Hudson for its arts, culture, food, and more.”
