Joy, in Our City by the Sea

My last essay spoke of Long Beach, New York’s Artists in Partnership's plan to celebrate Woodstock and Hedy Page’s final large painting. The work is a gift from this ninety-five-year-old artist to Long Beach. The celebration was to be at Kennedy Plaza.

But as we all have found through experience, you make plans, and then—life happens.

Rain swept across Long Island on Sunday, August 18th, damaging many homes on our north shore, but it only inconvenienced us in Long Beach.

The rain may have soaked some of us, but it hardly dampened our spirits.

Johanna Mathieson-Ellmer, director of Artists in Partnership, moved the venue indoors with the help of the regulars who often come to the rescue.

Many celebrants, I suspect weren’t too sad to hear the new venue was the Bright Eye Brewery in Long Beach. I could read their minds, “Oh well, if we really have to...”

There was music, vendors, and beer. But more importantly, good cheer.

When the rain stopped, the crowd spilled out onto the sidewalk for photos and fun. I captured much of it for you in,

Joy, in Our City by the Sea.

Be well,
Leebythesea