Saugerties is bounding, culturewise. With its gallery scene suddenly revived, growing crowds of regular visitors coming to town via the regular Horseshows in the Sun (HITS) venue, as well as the new and ultra-slick Diamond Mills resort hotel perched over the falls of the Esopus, things are hopping up and down Partition, Main and Market Streets.
As everyone readies for the annual Saugerties Artists’ Studio Tour next weekend, the big news for this week is the landing of a second First Friday arts bash, complete with Kiersted House studio tour preview, art openings and a host of other fun events. Participating venues from 6 p.m. on this Friday, August 3 range from chocolate-covered pickles at Lucky Chocolates to live jazz and artist discussions around the new “Spark of Creation: Sensual Modesty” exhibit at Marleau Gallery, both on Partition Street; a reception for the new “Yellow Makes a Sound” show at the Imogen Holloway Gallery; and live music and free food available at practically every business in town, all until 9 p.m. (although the scene’s expected to percolate much later).
The Artists’ Studio Tour celebration, hosted by the Saugerties Historical Society at the Kiersted House on Main, next to the parking-lot site of the Farmers’ Market that takes place on Saturdays, will have an opening reception the next evening, on Saturday, August 4 from 5 to 7 p.m., featuring the work of ten Saugerties artists. The exhibit will then remain on view through Sunday, August 26. Gallery hours each weekend are 1 to 4 p.m.
Saugerties’ second burst of First Friday art and culture events takes place this week on August 3 up and down the village’s Partition and Main Streets from 6 to 9 p.m. For more information contact Diane Dwyer at diane@ihgallery.com or Rae Stand at info@luckychocolates.com. The opening for “10,” an exhibit of ten Saugerties artists celebrating the annual Saugerties Artists’ Studio Tour, which takes place next weekend, occurs at the Kiersted House at 119 Main Street in Saugerties on Saturday, August 4 from 5 to 7 p.m. For more on the Studio Tour, call (845) 246-7493 or visit www.saugertiesarttour.com.
Join the family! 
