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- 🎆 How Westchester Saved the Revolution
🎆 How Westchester Saved the Revolution
A dozen fireworks displays to celebrate 250 and county pool and beach hours to cool off
Happy Friday, Westchester!
Anyone missing the snow?
It is seriously hot around the county with an official Extreme Heat Warning through Saturday night. To help residents stay cool, Westchester and surrounding counties have opened Cooling Centers for residents who aren’t able to keep cool at home or work. Please take that heat warning to heart and if you need to take the county up on a space to cool off, the full list of centers can be found at Lohud’s page… just click through all of the subscription attempts and pop up ads. It’s there, we promise.
For this edition, we’re changing it up a bit. We know you want to know about fireworks, pools, and beaches for the holiday weekend, so we’ve got a comprehensive list of fireworks displays and County Parks pool and beach opening hours down below. With a dozen separate fireworks displays across the 3rd and the 4th, there should be a celebration kicking off close by no matter where in Westchester you live.
Also, in case you missed it on Tuesday, we’ve got an amazing giveaway over on our Instagram page with prizes from our partner Ardsley Car Wash, The Good Witch in Hastings, standup paddleboard class passes from Rivertown SUP & Yoga in Tarrytown, oh, and two tickets to Pleasantville Music Festival to celebrate its 20th anniversary. Should be heck of a party with headliner OK Go (the guys from the treadmill music video you watched 100 times).
As for today’s edition… here it goes, here it goes, here it goes again…
Happy 4th.
đź“Ť Around Our County
How Westchester Saved the Revolution
America turns 250 tomorrow, and we thought it was worth taking a minute to remember that Westchester played a bigger role in the country's founding than most of us learned in school.
The most dramatic moment happened just north of Tarrytown, on the morning of September 23, 1780. Three local militiamen, John Paulding, David Williams, and Isaac Van Wart, stopped a well-dressed traveler heading south toward Manhattan. He was calling himself "John Anderson." When they searched him, they found detailed plans of the West Point fortress hidden in his boot.
He was actually British Major John André, the head of British intelligence, and he was carrying the blueprint for the greatest betrayal in American history. General Benedict Arnold, the American commander of West Point, had agreed to hand the fortress over to the British for £20,000. If André had made it back to New York City with those papers, the British would have controlled the Hudson River and split the colonies in two. The Revolution likely would have been over.
Offered enough money to change their lives, the three militiamen refused. They turned André over to American authorities. Arnold escaped and defected to the British, but his plot was exposed and West Point was saved. André was hanged as a spy nine days later. The three captors received the Fidelity Medallion, the oldest military decoration in the United States, created two years before what would become the Purple Heart. The medallion was never presented to anyone else.
If you want to see where it happened, Patriots' Park on the Tarrytown/Sleepy Hollow border still marks the site of André's capture with a monument. So the next time you’re at TaSH, check out the monument at the edge of the park that maybe you’ve walked by a dozen times, and think, if André wasn’t stopped in that spot on that day, things could have ended very differently.
Sources: Westchester Magazine, Revolutionary Westchester 250, National Park Service, New York State Archives.
In today’s edition:
The Pulse: Fireworks, pools & beaches… all the fireworks you could ask for with a dozen holiday weekend displays along with the pools & beaches to cool down
More great countywide events… firework shows too late? Kiddos get in on the fun at Westchester Children’s Museum & Westchester SC returns home to take on AC Boise
Worth a drive from Ardsley Car Wash… rub shoulders with Paul Rudd and Amanda Seyfried at an Arrowood Farms fundraiser
Where the heart is… a slice of heaven in Katonah, in our opinion
And a message from our partners, WingWoman by QueenBHive, giving you, your business, or brand the visibility and support it needs, and QueenBPoker, hosting your epic game night.
Now let’s get to it!
đź’“ The Pulse
Fireworks, Pools & Beaches!
🎆 4th of July Festivities!
Friday, July 3rd
Kensico Dam Plaza | Valhalla
Music Fest & Fireworks, pre-concert DJ entertainment from 5p, Naked Soul Band at 7p, fireworks at 9p
Saturday, July 4th
Waterfront | Dobbs Ferry
Thomas Cullen Picnic in the Park, festivities begin at 1p with family entertainment, music and games through the afternoon. Fireworks around 9p.
Matthiessen Park | Irvington
Fireworks begin approx. 9:15p
Caramoor | Katonah
Pops, Patriots, and Fireworks concert featuring the Westchester Symphonic Winds, evening concludes with a fireworks display. Check for ticket availability.
Harbor Island Park | Mamaroneck
Firemen’s Carnival at Harbor Island Park, fireworks start approx. 9:15p
Hudson Park | New Rochelle
Spark the Sound, live music from Full Count Big Band & Parker Barrow starts at 6p, fireworks begin at 9p. Also viewable from Five Islands Park and waterfront restaurant locations.
Riverfront Green & Peekskill Landing | Peekskill
Live music starting at 12p from School of Rock, DJ Esco, The M80’s, Pete Peterson, and Motor City Revue with food trucks and family fun. Fireworks at 9:15p. Check link for live music timing and locations.
High School | Port Chester
Live music from FDR DRIVE, bouncy castles, and food trucks from 6p, pre-show feat. Jeff Provenzano (RedBull Skydive Team) at 8:30p, fireworks at 9p
Pound Ridge Town Park | Pound Ridge
Festivities begin at 5p with food trucks, live music, entertainment, and fireworks. Check the link for parking information and additional details.
Various Locations | Rye
Fireworks around 9p, viewable from Rye Town Park & Beach, Playland Park, Tiki Beach Bar, and Barley Beach House July 4th Beach Party.
Pierson Park | Tarrytown
Live music from Alicia Renee + Jason Marshall Big Band 1-3p, food trucks (Cousin’s Maine Lobster, Duck Donuts, and more) from 5-9p, kids fun zone from 6-8p, live music from KickStart Charlie 7:30-9p, fireworks start after dark.
Yonkers Pier | Yonkers
Live music from 7p, fireworks show at 9p
â›± County Pools & Beaches
Location | Days Open | Hours
Croton Point Beach, Croton-on-Hudson | Sat & Sun | 11a-6:30p
Glen Island Beach, New Rochelle | Fri, Sat & Sun | 11a-6:30p
Saxon Woods Pool, White Plains | Fri, Sat & Sun | 11a-6:30p
Sprain Ridge Pool, Yonkers | Fri, Sat & Sun | 11a-6:30p
The Brook at Tibbetts, Yonkers | Fri, Sat & Sun | 11a-6:30p
Wilson’s Waves Pool, Mount Vernon | Fri, Sat & Sun | 11a-6:30p
Playland Beach, Rye | Fri, Sat & Sun | 11a-6:30p
Playland Pool, Rye | Fri, Sat & Sun | 11a-6:30p
Check the Westchester County Parks page for fees & residence requirements.
Hey, everybody. This is Bec. Before Loving Westchester, I spent 20 years helping businesses, brands, and community organizations build visibility and find their audience. If you're a local business owner who knows you should be showing up more online but can't find the time between running the business and everything else, that's exactly what WingWoman is for. Business and communications strategy, social content, partnerships, launches. Just the right person in your corner connecting the dots and helping you get things done.
Let's talk →
📆 What’s Happening?
More great countywide events…
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🎇 Independence Day Celebration at WCM
Fri., Jul. 3 | Westchester Children's Museum, Rye | 10:30a-4p | Included with admission
Patriotic wand making, stars-and-stripes collages, and a museum-wide parade with instruments and red, white, and blue spirit. Crafts run 10:30a-12:30p and 2p-4p.
🎺 Louis Armstrong Hot Five Centennial Celebration
Fri., Jul. 3 | Caramoor, Katonah | 7:30p | $44
This outdoor concert marks 100 years since Armstrong's landmark Hot Five recordings with a seven-piece band led by Juilliard-trained trumpeter Alphonso Horne. Co-hosted by GRAMMY-winning Armstrong biographer Ricky Riccardi.
🎸 Rumours ATL: A Fleetwood Mac Tribute with 8TRACK Band
Fri., Jul. 3 | The Capitol Theatre, Port Chester | 8p | $27.50+
For over a decade Rumours ATL has been the most faithful live recreation of Fleetwood Mac's golden era. "Go Your Own Way," "Rhiannon," "Songbird," every one of them, played the way they were meant to sound. Opener 8TRACK brings the full horn-driven 70s big band sound.
🎸 Jake Wildhorn at The Grand Croton
Fri., Jul. 3 | The Grand Croton, Croton-on-Hudson | 9p-11p | $10
Hudson Valley rock songwriter who opened for Gordon Lightfoot and toured the Northeast festival circuit. His 2025 album brought a focused set of storytelling inspired by the mythology of outlaws. Late-night show at a great room on the waterfront.
🎉 Independence Day Celebration at Philipse Manor Hall
Sat., Jul. 4 | Philipse Manor Hall, Yonkers | 12p-5p | Free
Lawn games including quoits and lawn bowling, a dunk tank featuring King George III, live music from the Tappan Cowboys, and a family movie marathon inside the air-conditioned museum.
🎸 Stars and Stripes at Harvest Moon Farm
Sat., Jul. 4 | Harvest Moon Farm and Orchard, North Salem | 5p-9p | $15 (under 3 free)
The B Street Band, the nation's premier Bruce Springsteen tribute, plays an outdoor July 4th show on the farm with food trucks, wood-fired pizza, craft beer, kids train rides, and soft serve. Ticket includes one token for a train ride or a pint.
🍺 July 4th Block Party at Yonkers Brewing
Sat., Jul. 4 | Yonkers Brewing Co., Yonkers | 6p-12a | Free entry
DJ Panda, burgers and dogs on the grill from 6p, and a front-row view of the Yonkers Pier fireworks over the Hudson at 9p. Free entry all day.
🎆 July 4th Beach Party at The Barley Beach House
Sat., Jul. 4 | The Barley Beach House, Rye | 6p-10p | $75+
All-inclusive evening on the beach along the Long Island Sound with a DJ, live samba dancing, food, open bar, and fireworks visible over the water. BYO beach blanket or chair.
âš˝ Westchester SC vs. Athletic Club Boise
Sun., Jul. 5 | Memorial Field, Mount Vernon | 7p | $12+
Westchester SC returns home to host AC Boise in a USL League One matchup. Westchester has earned seven points in its last four games as it marches towards the playoff cut line with Boise (6th place) sitting ahead of them in the standings.
Game nights are having a moment in Westchester, and if you've ever wanted to host a poker or casino night without the stress of figuring out the rules or rounding up chips, QueenBPoker is the answer. They come to your home, venue, office, and handle everything you may need from teaching the table to running the night. Casual, corporate, charity. No experience needed, just people who want a good time.
Plan your game night →
🧱 Red, White and BOOM! at LEGOLAND New York
Sat., Jul. 4 | LEGOLAND New York, Goshen | Park hours, Fireworks 9:15p | Included with admission
The park's July 4th event includes a community brick mosaic build, live entertainment from Band CloudNYne, a circus and magic performance, a Lady Liberty meet-and-greet, and a fireworks display designed to look like falling LEGO bricks.
🎆 July 4th Fireworks Spectacular on the Walkway Over the Hudson
Sat., Jul. 4 | Walkway Over the Hudson, Poughkeepsie | Gates 6p, Fireworks 9p-9:30p | $20+, children under 12 free
Have you ever seen a fireworks show at eye level? Catch Poughkeepsie’s display perched 212 feet above the Hudson from the Walkway Over the Hudson’s viewing points. Check the link for tickets as this unique vantage point tends to sell out!
🎬 Make Local Work Benefit at Arrowood Farms
Thu., Jul. 9 | Arrowood Farms, Accord | 6p-9p | Ticket prices vary
Stockade Works raises funds for its scholarship program opening Hudson Valley film and TV careers to underserved communities. Live acoustic Cajun music from Lapin Coquin, food from Phoenicia Diner, Aloha Tacos, and Eat Church, plus lawn games. Honorary hosts include Paul Rudd, Amanda Seyfried, and Vera Farmiga.
🏡 Where the Heart Is
Incredible homes are listed in Westchester every week. Here’s one that caught our eye
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The Key Details: 5 bedrooms, 6 bathrooms, 4,441 square feet on 2.61 acres ($314 / square foot)
What We Love About It: Without fail, we catch ourselves staring at the reservoirs up around northern Westchester… it’s almost always during an early evening drive home from (almost always) King Kone or Trio Pizza when the setting sun hits the perfectly flat water and casts exact reflections of the trees surrounding them. It’s a bit of heaven… or just satisfied King Kone and Trio stomachs… or a combination of the two. Anyway, 52 Lake Road isn’t in the middle of all the action in Westchester, but it might be in the middle of all the action you’re actually looking for. Minutes from those Westchester hot spots, minutes from the beautiful village of Katonah, and right on one of those reservoirs. All on 2.6 acres and over 4,000 square feet. Sounds pretty perfect.
"Thank you for your emails highlighting the wonderful events happening throughout Westchester. They are such a great resource and reminder of how much Westchester has to offer." — A Loving Westchester Reader
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See you Tuesday,
