Falling for Fall for Art

Since 2009, the Millerton Business Group (MBG) and the 14th Colony Artists, along with the support of countless village merchants and local residents, have put on Fall for Art. It’s a day focused around the work of regional artists, who showcase their paintings, photography and more at businesses up and down Main Street in Millerton.

Now, Fall for Art had an impressive beginning. Back all those years ago, thousands attended. Since then attendance has dipped, but it’s still a popular outing for those looking to do something a little different on an autumn weekend.

Sometimes the weather cooperates and sometimes it doesn’t. But it doesn’t really matter much. Most of the exhibits are inside shops and restaurants, as well as at the Irondale Schoolhouse and at North Elm Home Furnishings. There is an outdoor exhibit at Veterans Park opposite Thes Moviehouse this year,  but if it rains, that exhibit will move inside the Millerton Methodist Church, adjacent to the park.

It’s great to see those in the village pull together, to offer something bigger than themselves, as MBG leader Dick Hermans put it.  It’s for a good cause — to promote Millerton as an arts destination and to entice visitors to shop, dine and enjoy all the village has to offer. The hope is that those visitors will continue to return throughout the year.

And it’s a great opportunity for artists, too. The 14th Colony is a group of multimedia artists from New York, Connecticut and Massachusetts. That they have a place to show off their talent and try to sell some work is really wonderful. It’s not always easy for artists to access a buying public, so anything done to facilitate that, we think, is pretty great.

Fall for Art is the weekend of Sept. 24 and 25 this year. Though early reports promise decent weather, we hope people from near and far make it a point to stop by — rain or shine.

It’s a day when promoting art, and promoting Millerton, go hand-in-hand. These kinds of events are exactly what make Millerton so lovely. With the Millerton Business Group sponsoring so many worthy events year round, we applaud them for doing one more. There’s a special place for grass roots organizations in Millerton — whether the MBG, 14th Colony or Townscape, just to name a few — they all exemplify that spirit of community at the heart of what makes this country so great. 

The fact the Harlem Valley can support weekends like Fall for Art just speaks to the commitment its residents have made to embracing their towns and villages. Other recent examples include Amenia’s Indian Rock Schoolhouse Community Day and Picnic, which was held on Sept. 17 with great success, and Millbrook’s Community Day, held on Sept. 10 with throngs of people attending. Such events strengthen the connection among community organizations, local businesses and the people they serve. 

In short, we love living in the Harlem Valley — and we have fallen head over heels for activities like Fall for Art. The two-day arts event is right around the corner. Check it out for yourself. We’re sure you’ll feel the same.