Celebrity sightings could soon become commonplace in the Mid Hudson Region. A few have already been spotted in and around the area.

Billy Crystal, Brendan Fraser and, more recently, Woody Harrelson, have all turned up. The latter is currently filming “White House Plumbers” set during the time of the Nixon administration with the Watergate Scandal as the backdrop. Scenes have been shot in and around Newburgh.

Also being filmed in the area is “Redemption in Cherry Springs,” a Hallmark channel mystery movie. Scenes were filmed on Newburgh’s Liberty Street and in Beacon, Middletown and at the iconic Main Line Diner in Maybrook, where Mayor Dennis Leahy was cast as an extra. No word yet on whether any future Hallmark Christmas movies will be filmed here but downtown Milton would look lovely with a fresh coat of fake snow along its Main Street.

The influx is welcome at Newburgh’s Umbra Sound Stages, home of Choice Films, which can boast four stages totaling nearly 100,000 square feet. Umbra recently expanded, acquiring the former Bank of America at 385 Broadway in Newburgh for production companies that need office space in the region.

Umbra is not alone. Anthony’s Pier 9, site of many wedding receptions, proms and Chamber of Commerce Balls over the past four decades, catered its last event in June and is in the process of being converted into a 70,000 square-foot film studio.

Like so many other industries, the region offers access to New York City while providing a service at a fraction of the cost. And unlike many other industries with an eye towards upstate New York, this one generally doesn’t pollute the air or water, clog traffic, or make lots of noise.

And there’s an added bonus when these films finally hit the big (or small) screen. We can look to see if we can spot any friends or neighbors in the crowd.

We are ready for our closeup.