Planning a 50th Anniversary isn’t an easy undertaking, especially when the honoree is the Woodstock Music and Arts Festival and, by default, the nearly 500,000 people who descended on the Sullivan Catskills in 1969 for three days of Peace, Love and Music.
Imagine the catering bill? How do you decide who sits with who? Do you get a DJ, a band…who’s responsible for Uncle Fred? Open bar? Yikes!
In 2019, the Sullivan Catskills Visitors Association opted to punt on the single day party in favor of a floppy hat nod to the artist community that sprouted in Bethel and the surrounding area following that historic weekend 50 years earlier.
Creating The Dove Trail
The result was an idea for a county-wide permanent art installation that pays tribute to the vibrant color, friendly winsome culture and the joy of artistic collaboration that was Woodstock.
“The original planners were looking for an idea that could stand as a lasting symbol for peace,” says Skylar Strauss, Communications Manager for the Sullivan Catskills Visitors Association. “It was either something with the peace sign or doves.”
Doves won and so did the local artist community who was commissioned to paint 50 fiberglass sculptures standing 5’ high, 12” wide and 7’ long.
“Placement of the first one at Bethel Woods, the site of the original festival, was a no-brainer,” adds Skylar. “From there, it wasn’t hard to find homes for the others as local organizations and businesses throughout the county quickly volunteered.”
Today, the Dove Trail features 85 hand-painted sculptures, which Skylar estimates to stretch between 120 and 150 miles throughout the entirety of the Sullivan Catskills.
The Dove Trail Artists
The doves feature the creative vision of dozens of local artists, each with a background as unique as the Woodstock Festival itself.
Take Kim Simons, who has painted 13 doves, and was featured on Episodes 1 and 5 of Cake Toppers now streaming on Hulu. Or Mikey Randels, who calls himself the “Dove Dude.” In addition to painting numerous doves, Randels is one of 12 artists who painted the three-mile-long “Wall of Peace” featured, and then destroyed, at the now infamously violent Woodstock 1999 celebration. Watch Trainwreck: Woodstock ’99 on Netflix for that story.
And that’s just two examples. If you’d like to see them all, Skylar suggests starting in Liberty, which is centrally located in the county and is home to several doves, including two by Randels.
From there:
- Head west to Roscoe → Callicoon → Bethel
- Continue south through Monticello → Wurtsboro → Bloomingburg
- Head north again via Fallsburg → Grahamsville → back to Liberty
Psst… unofficially, Skylar’s favorite is No. 61, located at the Animal Hospital of Sullivan County in Ferndale.
Dove Trailing
Pack the snacks, it’s time to hit the trail. Whether you see them all in one-long-marathon day, stretch it out over a weekend or even a year, the beauty of cruising the Sullivan Catskills always includes stops at quirky shops, delicious locally owned restaurants and miles and miles of Insta-worthy lake, mountain and river views.
Here’s the full list of doves for you to discover. Happy hunting!
- Bethel Woods Center for the Arts
200 Hurd Road
Bethel, NY 12720
Artists: Susan Pantaleone & Staff - Gardner & Co General Store on Behalf of Stray Cat Gallery
131 County Road 121
Hortonville, NY 12745
Artist: Kim Flynn - Hector’s Inn
8 Duggan Road
Bethel, NY 12720
Artist: Kim Simons - Town of Bethel – Town Hall
3454 State Route 55
White Lake, NY 12786
Artist: Stephany Lopez - Town of Bethel – The Woodstock Way/Pine Grove Road
10 Waldheim Road
White Lake, NY 12786
Artist: Jessica Mall - The Local Table and Tap
3 Horseshoe Lake Road
Kauneonga Lake, NY 12749
Artist: Deborah Fisher Palmarini - Laughing Ladies Antiques
1095 State Route 17B
Mongaup Valley, NY 12762
Artists: Blake Hays & Ben Lebel - Sullivan County International Airport
57 County Road 183A
Swan Lake, NY 12783
Artist: Terri Ward - Swan Lake Park on behalf of Casa Di Longobardi
1658 Briscoe Road
Swan Lake, NY 12783
Artist: Deborah Fisher Palmarini - Maurice Gerry
9 Ferndale Road
Ferndale, NY 12734
Artist: Kim Simons - Village of Liberty
120 North Main Street
Liberty, NY 12754
Artist: Kim Simons - Garnet Health Medical Center – Catskills
68 Harris Bushville Road
Harris, NY 12742
Artist: Jennifer Bull - Town of Fallsburg
11 Morningside Park Road
Hurleyville, NY 12747
Artist: Carol Smith - The Center for Discovery
218 Main Street
Hurleyville, NY 12747
Artists: Charlie Blume, Chris Kilgore, Mark McNamara, Christine Record, Yaritza Rivera, Emma Stokes & TCFD Students - SUNY Sullivan
112 College Road
Loch Sheldrake, NY 12759
Artists: Computer Graphics/Graphic Design & Boces Auto Body Students - Town of Neversink
273 Main Street
Grahamsville, NY 12740
Artists: Margaret & Chris Helthaler - Town of Liberty
38 Main Street
Parksville, NY 12768
Artist: Lindsey Jardine - Town of Rockland – Hamlet of Livingston Manor
13 Main Street
Livingston Manor, NY 12758
Artist: Valerie Taggart - Catskill Brewery
672 Old Route 17
Livingston Manor, NY 12758
Artist: Robin Nervegna - Town of Rockland – Hamlet of Roscoe
1978 Old Route 17
Roscoe, NY 12776
Artist: Roger Baker - Do Good Spirits
10 Union Street
Roscoe, NY 12776
Artist: Philip Yarnall - Roscoe Beer Company
145 Rockland Road
Roscoe, NY 12776
Artists: Jennifer Bull & Kim Simons - Roscoe Campsite Park
2179 Old Route 17
Roscoe, NY 12776
Artist: Keith Phillips - Buck Brook Alpacas
12 Bestenheider Road
Roscoe, NY 12776
Artist: Diane Hess - Town of Fremont
23 Railroad Avenue
Long Eddy, NY 12760
Artists: Pio Deroda & Bill Polyn - Town of Delaware – Hamlet of Callicoon
36 Lower Main Street
Callicoon, NY 12723
Artist: Mikey Randels - Village of Jeffersonville – Town of Callicoon
4869 State Route 52
Jeffersonville, NY 12748
Artist: Robin Nervegna - Villa Roma Resort & Conference Center
356 Villa Roma Road
Callicoon, NY 12723
Artist: Anna Marie Prono, Joel Peterson & Kaylan Cemelli - Town of Cochecton
1166 County Road 114
Cochecton, NY 12726
Artist: Juan Rigal - Cochecton Fire Station
54 County Road 114
(second parking lot)
Cochecton, NY 12726
Artist: Andre Shank - Town of Tusten
7 Erie Avenue
Narrowsburg, NY 12764
Artist: Brandi Merolla - Lander’s River Trips
69 De Mauro Lane
Narrowsburg, NY 12764
Artist: Mikey Randels - Town of Highland
4 Proctor Road
Eldred, NY 12732
Artist: Catherine Four - Catskill Mountains Resort
211 Mail Road
Barryville, NY 12719
Artist: Todd Anderson - Town of Lumberland
1025 Proctor Road
Glen Spey, NY 12737
Artist: Todd Anderson - Forestburgh Playhouse
39 Forestburgh Road
Forestburgh, NY 12777
Artist: Keith Phillips - Town of Forestburgh
2846 State Route 42
Forestburgh, NY 12777
Artist: Brenda Sywalski - Quickway Diner
68 State Route 17K
Bloomingburg, NY 12721
Artist: Gaby, Creekside Art Company - Town of Mamakating
2948 State Route 209
Wurtsboro, NY 12790
Artist: Stephen Erny - Village of Wurtsboro
134 Sullivan Street
Wurtsboro, NY 12790
Artist: Kim Simons - Canal Towne Emporium
107 Sullivan Street
Wurtsboro, NY 12790
Artist: Gary Eckhart - Village of Woodridge
22 Green Avenue
Woodridge, NY 12789
Artist: Bob Clark, Gemini Graphx - Village of Monticello
479 Broadway
Monticello, NY 12701
Artist: Kim Flynn - Sullivan County Government Center
100 North Street
Monticello, NY 12701
Artist: Terri Ward - Resorts World Catskills
888 Resorts World Drive
Monticello, NY 12701
Artist: Mikey Randels - The Kartrite Resort & Indoor Waterpark
555 Resorts World Drive
Monticello, NY 12701
Artists: TCFD – Charlie Blume, Chris Kilgore, Mark McNamara, Christine Record, Yaritz Rivera, Emma Stokes & Students - Town of Thompson – Hamlet of Rock Hill
23 Rock Hill Drive
Rock Hill, NY 12775
Artist: Laurie Kilgore - Town of Thompson – Collins Memorial Park
47 Kitz Road
Mongaup Valley, NY 12762
Artist: Laurie Kilgore - Sullivan Catskills Visitors Association
15 Sullivan Avenue
Liberty, NY 12754
Artist: Mikey Randels - Sullivan Catskills Visitors Association
15 Sullivan Avenue
Liberty, NY 12754
Artists: Mikey Randels & Keith Phillips - White Lake Homes
4180 West Shore
Bethel, NY 12749
Artist: Kim Simons - The Cabin at Hessinger-Lare
495 Hessinger Lare Road
Jeffersonville, NY 12748
Artist: Denise Cummings - The Eldred Preserve
1040 State Route 55
Eldred, NY 12732
Artist: Keith Phillips - Neversink Agricultural Society – Grahamsville Fair
8230 State Route 55
Neversink, NY
Artist: Kim Simons - Annie’s Ruff Cut
90 Forman Road
Cochecton, NY 12726
Artist: Kim Simons - WJFF Radio Catskill
2758 NY-52
Liberty, NY 12754
Artist: Christi Johnson - Callicoon Hills
1 Hills Resort Road
Callicoon Center, NY 12724
Artist: Lara Masterson - White Sulphur Springs on Behalf of the Town of Liberty
Route 52/Eggler Road
Liberty, NY 12754
Artists: Kath Johansen & Andralyn Lagattuta - The Rose Cottage in De Bruce
1200 De Bruce Road
De Bruce, NY 12758
Artists: M.E. Kocher & Mek Art Studio - Happy Days Campground
454 Horseshoe Lake Road
Bethel, NY 12783
Artist: Kim Simons - Animal Hospital of Sullivan County
667 Harris Road
Ferndale, NY 12734
Artist: Kim Simons - Arthur’s Acres Animal Sanctuary
89 Ahrens Road
Parksville, NY 12768
Artist: Allison Luci - The Arnold House
839 Shandelee Road
Livingston Manor, NY 12758
Artist: Lindsey Jardine - NAMI Sullivan County
20 Crystal Street
Monticello, NY 12701
Artist: William Edward Bentley - Sullivan County Dramatic Workshop
5243 Main Street
South Fallsburg, NY 12779
Artist: Kim Simons - Earth Girl Flowers
60 County Road 122
North Branch, NY 12766
Artists: Jill Weiner & Lara Masterson - Burn Brae Mansion
573 High Road
Glen Spey, NY 12737
Artist: Tracie Hickman - Kadampa Meditation Center
47 Sweeney Road
Glen Spey, NY 12737
Artist: Zoe Greenbaum - Rent My Escape
3512 State Route 97
Barryville, NY 12719
Artist: Catherine Four - Eagle Valley Realty
6569 NY-97
Narrowsburg, NY 12764
Artist: Brandi Merolla - The Domes at Catskills
334 Kelly Bridge Road
Swan Lake, NY 12783
Artist: Keith Phillips - Town of Thompson – Thompson Town Hall
4052 State Route 42
Monticello, NY 12701
Artist: Laurie Kilgore - Prestige Towing
7 Sullivan Avenue
Liberty, NY 12754
Artist: Kim Simons - Thalmann’s Service Center
188 Swan Lake Road
Liberty, NY 12754
Artist: Lindsey Jardine - Shrewd Fox Brewery
552 State Route 55
Eldred, NY 12732
Artist: Catherine Four - Family Foot Care & Chick E Ribs BBQ
1987 NY-52
Liberty, NY 12754
Artist: Deborah Fisher Palmarini - Butternut Grove Campsite
8420 County Road 1
Roscoe, NY 12776
Artist: Kim Simons - Parksville Community
12 Short Avenue
Liberty, NY 12754
Artist: Kim Simons - Lavender Sky Farms
413 Horseshoe Lake Road
Swan Lake, NY 12783
Artist: Kim Simons - Cornell Cooperative Extension – Sullivan County
64 Ferndale Loomis Road
Liberty, NY 12754
Artist: Kim Simons - Unique Escapes (not released yet)
17 Gartner Road
Monticello, NY 12701
Artist: Maria Hincapie - Achieve Rehab & Nursing Facility
170 Lake Street
Liberty, NY 12768
Artist: Kayli Hussey & Lorie Scott - Smallwood Community
Under Construction
Artist: Mary Fellows - Roscoe Mountain Club
Under Construction - Arrowhead Ranch & growingSOUL
Under Construction
487 Cooley Road
Parksville, NY 12768
Artist: Hope Blecher Croney