Tickets, please! Live entertainment thrives in Ulster County, and our economy thrives in kind

On any given Friday or Saturday night in Kingston, Woodstock, or New Paltz, venues, bars, and restaurants are abuzz with crowds of revelers. New York City never sleeps? Ulster County is up plenty late. Even in more far-flung rural destinations like Saugerties, Marlboro, Kerhonkson, and Accord, you’ll find plenty of folks soaking up local culture and celebrating life with their community.

Ulster County’s economy has always been energized by our well-above-average live entertainment destinations—countless trailblazing music venues, historic theaters, and venerable community gathering spaces. Having been established for so long, we must be careful not to take for granted the contribution our local live entertainment scene makes to what makes our area special.

Some facts: 9–10% of Ulster County’s total employment is in tourism-related industries (including live entertainment and hospitality). Our tourism sector generated $80–$90 million in total local and state tax revenues during the late 2010s. The average event attendee spends $20–$40 per person on top of event admission. Room Occupancy Tax revenue shows noticeable spikes during large entertainment events. Before Covid, we were pulling in $652 million per year in visitor spending (2019). The latest estimates indicate we are on track to match those pre-pandemic numbers this year or next.

Live events in Ulster County are back and bigger than ever. Simply put, there are more events at more venues, enjoyed by more people than ever before.

Colony in Woodstock

Ulster County culture is trending

Today, we see nothing short of a renaissance in the local arts. Our music scene expanded dramatically with groundbreaking new venues like the 450-capacity Assembly in Kingston, folk mecca The Local in Saugerties, and the mega-upgraded Bearsville Theater in Woodstock. Art galleries and craft studios have proliferated in our cities and hamlets. Dozens of food and music festivals, fairs, and community events pack the summer and fall calendars.

While pent-up demand for live gatherings was expected, locals agree the scene has exceeded all projections—thanks in part to an influx of transplants from bigger cities who bring a taste for nightlife and cultural happenings. That momentum doesn’t just benefit venues and entertainers; it’s boosting a broad spectrum of workers—from sound technicians to service staff—now in high demand.

This surge aids countless other businesses: bars, restaurants, hotels, retailers, cafes, thrift shops, record stores, gas stations, liquor stores, cannabis retailers…the list goes on.

Another trend following pandemic-era isolation is the shift to in-person events. After being quarantined and screen-bound, the allure of face time with friends has never been higher. Social media amplifies these gatherings, as audiences share photos and videos of performances—creating a feedback loop that builds a virtual fanbase eager to experience artists in person.

Ask anyone in the local scene—playing and getting paid has never been easy, but in Ulster County, it’s never been easier than it is right now. Venues abound, crowds come built-in, and visitors are eager to be entertained. The influx of culture-seeking transplants has turbocharged the arts and music scene for creators able to hang on through housing and employment headwinds. Many creative folks are the same service industry workers keeping these live-entertainment establishments afloat as bartenders, servers, and more.

Breathtaking scenery

In Kingston, you don’t have to look far to see the dramatic impact that entertainment events have on the economy. Assembly is the newest kid on the block, and with a capacity finally rivaling the long-shuttered BSP, you’d be wise to make hotel and dinner reservations in advance on show nights. Ditto for hot-spot local businesses like Chleo, Stockade Tavern and Hotel Kinsley.

Midtown Kingston businesses have long appreciated the UPAC effect. From longtime local institutions like Frank Guido’s Little Italy to newer, trendier spots like Sonder, Masa, and Mirador, anyone within dining distance of UPAC notices a bump in business on theater nights.

Holding its own in UPAC’s shadow is Tubby’s, a 100-capacity club that regularly sells out shows by independent and underground musicians who attract fans from other states. It doesn’t take a sold-out UPAC show to give Midtown’s many bars and restaurants a boost.

Kingston’s festivals are massive annual boons for local businesses, especially downtown during the summer and fall. Always a tourist magnet, the city’s family-friendly waterfront neighborhood is the perfect contrast to Uptown’s luxury and Midtown’s melting pot. Kingston’s kaleidoscopic entertainment options are a key reason the city’s home prices grew more in 2024 than in any other metro area.

Woodstock’s musical heritage has always been exceptional, stretching back well before the iconic 1969 festival that put the town on the map (and led to the eternal, annoying question: “Where was the festival held?” Not in Woodstock!). But you’ll still find more venues per capita here than in most cities. The list is staggering: Bearsville Theater, Levon Helm Studios, Maverick Concert Hall, Byrdcliffe Theater, Colony, Pearl Moon, Station Bar & Curio, The Pines, Tinker Street Tavern—even Catskill Mountain Pizza occasionally hosts live music. And when Woodstock’s venues light up, so do the local businesses catering to them.

Kingston and Woodstock are undoubtedly Ulster County’s entertainment heavyweights, but they’re not alone in drawing crowds. New Paltz’s college-town, tourist-magnet atmosphere fosters both a thriving after-hours scene and a round-the-clock level of economic activity rare for upstate towns. Saugerties draws national acts beyond its weight class, from frequently sold-out shows at The Local to secret venues drawing hundreds.

The reach of the county’s entertainment scene beyond its population centers is astounding, from honky-tonk headquarters at Outpost BBQ’s Kerhonkytonk Roadhouse in Kerhonkson to the musician-worshipping, dinner-and-music destination The Falcon in Marlboro. World-class venues abound, even in the woods.

Ulster County’s cultural appeal is undeniable. Less appreciated is its economic impact, which is equally undeniable—though not fully captured by statistics alone. For many, it’s the very reason to live in or visit this area. Local businesses keep their fingers on the pulse of local culture because it’s the lifeblood of our region. Locals and tourists alike flock here to be part of the magic—and spend in kind.