The Adirondacks Through an Artist's Eyes: Inside the First Glens Falls Plein Air Festival

This summer, Glens Falls becomes an open-air art studio.The Hyde Collection’s first Glens Falls Plein Air Festival invites more than 30 artists to capture the Southern Adirondacks as it happens, from the changing light on Lake George to the energy of downtown streets, historic buildings, gardens, bike paths, and summer gatherings.In this episode of ADK Talks, Caitlin Foley, Curator of Education and Engagement at The Hyde Collection, explains how plein air painting turns an ordinary moment into a work of art and why you do not need to be an art expert to enjoy watching it happen.Listen before visiting Glens Falls for a behind-the-scenes guide to the festival, the best places to find artists at work, and the public exhibition where the week’s paintings will come together.The Glens Falls Plein Air Festival runs July 27 through August 2, 2026. The week concludes with an exhibition, awards, Community Day, and a high-speed painting challenge at The Hyde Collection.What you’ll hear in this episodeDiscover what plein air painting means and why Impressionist artists left their studios to capture light, movement, and everyday life.Find out where artists may set up their easels, including downtown Glens Falls, The Hyde Collection, The Shirt Factory, Lake George, Bolton Landing, and the Warren County Bikeway.Learn the etiquette for watching an artist work outdoors and why visitors should not be afraid to stop, ask questions, and take a closer look.Hear how a blank canvas can become a finished Adirondack landscape in just a few hours, even when wind, rain, bugs, and changing light refuse to cooperate.Plan a Glens Falls arts getaway with museums, murals, restaurants, historic architecture, local events, and creative spaces all within easy reach.Resources:Glens Falls Plein Air FestivalThe Hyde Collection: World-Class Art Museum in Glens FallsProduced by NOVA