For Immediate Release:
Press Release Contact: Linda Hubbard, 221-3662
Fifth Annual Beacon Hat Parade: 400 Years of Hats
June 6, 2009
The sun shone, the music played and the hats were amazing!
Many came to participate in and watch the fifth annual Beacon Hat Parade Saturday, June 6th. It was an afternoon festival of wildly personal wearable art, music and family fun to celebrate Beacon's history as the hat manufacturing capital of the Northeast.
Jacqueline Weissner, organizer of the Hat Parade, and the Grand Marshal Gail Boschia, proprietor of Every Everything for 18 years, lead the parade. The Hudson Valley Federal Credit Union celebrated their opening a branch in Beacon with lots of great hats. Many children marched in their hats that they made at the Beacon Community Center Workshop or the morning Hat Workshop at the BumbleBee Art and Music. The Rombout Middle School Marching Band stepped lively…the Renegade Mascotts waved….the Red Hot Mamas wowed the crowd with their hats and the creativity of the many hats worn by marchers was fabulous. The Beacon Fire Trucks brought up the end with a wonderful last float carrying the NCM Band with Pete Crotti and crew - great music!!
Judging of the hats in the Hat Parade began afterwards at the Howland Center. The judges had a tough time - there were so many choices and such great creativity! The following prizes were given:
Most Fantastic: Terry Lesco (HVFCU) - lots of big flowers!
Most Fashionable: Olivia Lynch - age 7, Audry Hepburn Hat
Most Freaky: Les Wolf - the rat hat
Most Edible: Minnee Hammond - a real birthday cake!
The Largest: Jeanine McQueen - Damsel in Distress Tower
The Smallest: Catherine Welshman - little flowers
Best Kid's Lid: Rory MacElroy - 8 yrs, the Eagle Hat
Best TV Character Hat: Liam Murphy - 2 yrs, Thomas the Train
Best Victorian era Hat: Andrea Barry Williams
Best River Captain Hat: Dillan Lovell
Most Creative: Andrea Dobert - Mt Beacon Hat
2. The Beacon Hat Parade was sponsored by the Beacon Arts Community Association (BACA). Additional support for the Hat Parade festivities has been provided by the Explore NY 400 Mini-Grant Program, the Howland Cultural Center and the Beacon Business Association (BBA). For more information, visit www.beaconarts.org
    Attached Images:
1. Gail Boschia and Jacqueline Weissner
2. Renegades Mascots
3. Rory MacElroy
4. Minnee Hammond
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For Immediate Release:
Press Release Contact: Linda Hubbard, 221-3662
Fifth Annual Beacon Hat Parade: 400 Years of Hats
June 6, 2009 (rain date June 7th)
Parade Activities
10:30 – 1:30 Free Workshop for Making Hats
1:30 - 2:30 Parade Staging
2:30 - 3:30 Hat Parade
3:30 Hat Contest
Other Activities
11AM, 12PM & 1PM Madame Brett Homestead – Special Tours of 7 Generations of Hats
Come one and all to the fifth annual Beacon Hat Parade Saturday, June 6th (Rain date: Sunday, June 7th). It's an afternoon festival of wildly personal wearable art, music and family fun to celebrate Beacon's history as the hat manufacturing capital of the Northeast. This parade also celebrates the anniversary of Henry Hudson's sailing up the Hudson River by taking a look at the history of hat design dating back to 1609. The Grand Marshal will be Gail Boschia, proprietor of Every Everything for 18 years. Come see our 400 Years of Hats!
And need a hat to wear in the Hat Parade? Nancy Lautenbach will lead a free workshop 10:30 – 1:30 for kids (and their parents!) and anyone else who would like to join on how to make "outrageous paper bag hats" from a simple brown paper grocery bag. Workshop will be held at – BumbleBee Art and Music 163 Main St. 765-2322. Nancy is an interdisciplinary artist and long-time hat maker and collector. She will be on hand to demonstrate several styles of construction and many styles from the past 400 years. You then get to decorate the hat according to your own individual style. Join us in creating your own handmade headwear!
Parade staging begins at 1:30pm in the Tompkins Hose parking lot. The parade kicks off at 2:30pm and travels east along Main Street. Anyone wishing to march in the parade may participate providing they are wearing some type of hat. Floats from organizations or citizens are gladly welcome.
Judging of the hats in the Hat Parade begins immediately after in the garden at the Howland Center. Prizes will be given for the Most Fantastic, Most Fashionable, Most Freaky, Most Edible, the Largest and the Smallest. A prize for the Best Kid's Lid will also be given. This year we are adding Best TV Character Hat, best Victorian era Hat and River Captain Hat.
Come hungry - there will be great food and beverages at the variety of local restaurants. And don't forget to visit the galleries and shops along Main Street, which offer fine art, unique objects of desire, and great antiques.
And at Madam Brett Homestead, Oldest House in Dutchess County, 50 VanNydeck Ave, they are celebrating 300 years and presenting 7 Generations of the Brett Family Hats - displayed in Period Rooms of the Homestead. There will be special tours on Saturday June 6 before the Hat Parade at 11 am, 12pm and 1pm. Admission: $5 Adults / $2 Students. Tours are not handicap accessible.
The Beacon Hat Parade: 400 Years of Hats is sponsored by the Beacon Arts Community Association (BACA). Additional support for the Hat Parade festivities has been provided by the Explore NY 400 Mini-Grant Program, the Howland Cultural Center and the Beacon Business Association (BBA).
For more information, visit www.beaconarts.org ; questions about the Hat Parade, call Jacqueline Weissner at 845-838-1737.
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