You must register to be in the Spirit of Beacon Day Parade! Even if you’ve rolled in this parade X times before, we need you to register! This is so that we can send you emails about the day. How to lineup. Where to lineup. And we chalk your place in line on the sidewalk on Wolcott Avenue. Please register now! Parade is Sunday, September 24, 2023
https://www.spiritofbeacon.org/parade-application
Two musical stages are returning for this year’s Spirit of Beacon Day: The Main Stage at Veterans Place (next to Post Office and Towne Crier), and the garden at Cross Street. This year will mark the final year (most likely) for the Cross Street garden, as the building that has been slated there for years is finally going into construction. The landowners have graciously allowed the Spirit of Beacon Day to have one more concert there before the shovels go in. So…come to move your body as a final send-off to that location!
Music will begin from 11am-1pm at both stages. At 1pm, the music will pause as the parade comes through Main Street. Music at both stages will pick up again from 2-4pm. Thank you to Goldee Green for being our Musical Spirit Coordinator for Veterans Place, and to Stephen Claire of Beacon Music Factory for curating the stage at Cross Street.
Musical Lineup at Veterans Place Stage
Beginning at 11am:
Beacon Players Drama Club
School of Rock Band
GG & The Shades
Musical Lineup at Cross Street Stage
Beginning at 11am:
Mystery Band
The Dummy Lights
Spirit of Beacon Volunteer Award Announcement at Pohill Park:
Beginning at 12:30pm:
The Spirit of Beacon Volunteer Awards will be announced at Pohill Park, with the help and amplification of K104, who is returning this year to announce parade participants (thank you, Woodman and the K104 team!). This year, the Spirit of Beacon Committee is awarding the following people for their unwavering support and commitment to the City of Beacon:
Susan Antalek: For her decades of support both financial and volunteer for community of Beacon.
Gwenno James: For her commitment in various volunteer roles, and chairing and keeping alive the Spirit of Beacon Day during the pandemic.
Karen James: For her dedication to volunteering to various events and causes around the City of Beacon over the years.
Carmen Johnson: For her ever-present volunteering and supportive efforts to whatever is needed to help the community of Beacon succeed.
Musical Lineup at Veterans Place Stage
Beginning at 1pm:
Beacon Players Drama Club
School of Rock Band
GG & The Shades
Musical Lineup at Veterans Place
Beginning at 2pm:
Bosco and the Storm
Beacon Rising Choir
TonyE
Musical Lineup at Cross Street Stage
Beginning at 2pm:
Beacon Music Factory Students
Watson
Entropy Machine
Beacon Youth Jazz Orchestra (rumor has it this group is morphing into an Afrobeat direction…this is your chance to follow them)
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!
Because of you sponsors, Spirit of Beacon can support and hire the @marchingcobrasofny again this year!! You saw them last year in the parade, felt their energy, and they are coming back for the parade! Thank you! The Spirit of Beacon Day is Sunday, September 24, from 11am-4pm. The parade is from 1-2pm. Enjoy! See you there! Tell your friends! 🙌🏽
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.
It’s Tuesday! Volunteer Meeting Night! At the Howland Public Library. 7pm in the Community Room. The Spirit of Beacon Day is Sunday, September 24, 2023 from 11am-4pm.
We need volunteers for:
- Parade and Vendor Table shepherds
- Kids Event Section! We need 4 providers of kids entertainment in front of Salvation Army.
- Yard Sign and Flyer Distributors
Register to be a Volunteer here, and to get the Zoom link if you can’t attend in person.
Thanks!
Verplanck Auto! Thank you for your sponsorship of the Spirit of Beacon! You have been there for many community events before, and you did it again. Located on 133 Verplanck Avenue, the little auto shop is a powerhouse for vehicle repair. Thank you!
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!
Beaconites Rusty Stahl and Sara B. From responded to their kids being inspired by the new Spirit of Beacon logo that originated in 2022 from designer Kim Dei Dolori with creative guidance with Katie James Inc. by letting their kids design Halloween Yard Art. Halloween is a big deal in Beacon, and this sign went over well with the trick-or-treaters.
Thanks Rusty and Sarah for sharing!
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!
The Beacon Free Press has featured the Spirit of Beacon’s preparations for 2023. We are grateful for the coverage!
Sponsorships for the Spirit of Beacon Day 2023 are open! Beacon businesses are so supportive of this community, so always make the extra effort to give them your patronage, recommendations and good reviews.
There 4 sponsor levels for different amounts of promotion:
BEACON OF LIGHT - $2,000
Logo on Banner Hung In Key Food Parking Lot
(as of late, the City of Beacon has decided to stop hanging banners across Main Street)
Logo on Parade Banner carried by Spirit of Beacon Day Committee representatives
Logo on Lawn Signs placed throughout Beacon and surrounding areas
Logo on Flyer going on storefront windows in Beacon
Logo on Tent at main stage at Veterans Place
Logo on T-Shirt (plus 10 free shirts)
Logo included in Program
Logo on Bathroom and Parking Signs
Logo displayed Homepage of Website
Logo displayed prominently on Website
Social Media Mentions
Acknowledgement given during speeches on main stage
MOUNTAIN - $1,000
Logo on Parade Banner carried by Spirit of Beacon Day Committee Representatives
Logo on T-Shirt (plus 5 free shirts)
Logo included in Program
Logo on Bathroom and Parking Signs
Logo displayed on Website
Social Media Mentions
RIVER - $550
Logo on T-Shirt (plus 1 free shirt)
Logo displayed on Website
Social Media Shout-out
SPIRIT - $250
Business or Name listed on Website
Business or Name listed in Program
Social Media Shout-out
1 free shirt
The Spirit of Beacon Committee has opened the 2023 Volunteers round for those who want to help make this day happen. Jobs include:
Parade Duty: Helping parade participants get to where they need to be.
Vendor Table Duty: Helping vendors get to their tables.
Social Media: Someone to run the Instagram and Facebook channels.
Table Sitters: A few people to represent the Spirit of Beacon at events where the table and tent are set up.
And more.
Please see the Volunteer Page to sign up and get onto the Volunteer Email List.