Marlboro’s beloved music venue, The Falcon, re-opened their outdoor beer garden last Friday. At the moment the hours are Friday from 4 to 9p.m. and on Saturday and Sunday from 1pm until 9 p.m.

The Falcon website notes that their reopening coincided with Juneteenth, “once known as Jubilee Day – a special day in American and African-American history, recognized by 47 states. This holiday observance necessarily underlines the great unfinished business of healing wounds from yesteryear to yesterday, from slavery to Jim Crow, to systemic police and societal brutality.

The Emancipation Proclamation was formally issued on January 1, 1863, however, the news did not reach Texas until Union Army General Gordon Granger, standing on the balcony of Ashton Villa in Galveston Texas, on June 19,1865 announced the total emancipation of those held as slaves. By the 1890s Jubilee Day had become known as Juneteenth.

Falcon proprietor Tony Falco said it is good to be back, even though he is not able to produce his famous music shows on the Main stage or in the Underground setting.

“My heart and soul is in the music and I can’t do the music yet; I was told by the state not until phase IV,” he said.

Falco said people can at least enjoy the beer garden.

“I have people sitting around in the beautiful spot by the waterfall,” he said. “Even though I miss the music, it’s nice to let people focus on the beauty of this spot.”

Falco is serving his beer garden menu, which is little stripped down from his full menu, “but we have burgers, chicken salad sandwiches, knockwurst sandwiches and nice salads.”

Falco said Phase IV may kick in, “as soon as three weeks. It all depends on statistics. I think if the numbers [covid-19] go up in the mid-Hudson region then it will delay opening.” If things go well Falco said he may be allowed to soon present concerts, “but it may be at 50% capacity.” He said he will wait until the state gives the green light because, “I don’t want the $10,000 fine.”

Once back to normal, Falco expects to be hosting music 6 nights a week and will be closed only on Tuesday. He urged people to check the Falcon website to view past shows that dip into his archive.

“Lynn Segarra [Dream Spirit Video] was filming them and we’ve been streaming them and they’re great,” he said.

Over the years Falco has transformed a former button factory into one of the Hudson Valley’s premier musical showcases.

“It seems like it’s my life’s calling; I feel like this is what I was meant to do. I feel at home doing this and I feel it is natural to my spirit,” he said. “It’s very rewarding.”

Falco has always loved and supported the Arts.

“My father and brothers were musicians, so I grew up around music and I played in bands but never at a professional level and never really delved too deep,” he recalled. “Then when I started producing shows and working with artists, it just felt natural and what I should be doing.”

Falco said the inclination to produce shows hit him in 2001, which eventually led to purchasing the former factory and opening it as The Falcon in 2009.

Falco said all of this has rubbed off on his son, Lee, who has played drums for numerous artists, most notably backing Jackson Browne, Norah Jones, Terry Reid [Little Feat] and Donald Fagen [Steely Dan].

“Lee’s a success story in the music business and he’s played with some of my heroes, guys I grew up listening to” he said with a smile. “Some of them came here because of Lee. Donald Fagen wouldn’t have played here if it wasn’t for Lee being in his band.”