Beginning at 2 P.M. and ending at 9 P.M., the festival is a one-day event but will hold various activities to enjoy in the days leading up to the annual fest on the 28. Known as one of Buffalo’s most diverse festivals, the event hosts multiple genres of music, art, and culture for attendees to enjoy.
The Beau Fleuve Music & Arts celebration will bring international musical acts across multiple stages including Stove God Cooks, DNTWATCHTV, Q Brock, Lindsay Niccs, Grace Greenan, and many more. Audiences can expect the festival to represent multiple genres throughout the day.
Festivalgoers can also enjoy art installations, a silent disco, poetry-spoken word, speaker events, fashion, backyard games, street art, and a family-fun area. Food and drink will also be available with a beer and wine garden and food trucks.
In addition to the traditional Beau Fleuve Music & Arts Festival on Aug. 28, there will be fun events for attendees to enjoy leading up to the event in Buffalo. Entertainment includes a comedy show on Aug. 25, a happy hour on Aug. 26, and a field day with a softball game on Aug. 27.
For more information about additional music performances, art curators, and ticket purchasing, visit the Beau Fleuve Music & Arts Festival’s website. Single and group general admission tickets are now on sale.
The 10th annual Summer Hoot Festival will return to Olivebridge, NY, from Aug. 26-28 for three days of music, food, nature, and community. The festival will feature nearly two dozen musical performances in a family-friendly environment.
Folk-roots musicians Mike Merenda and Ruth Ungar Merenda of The Mammals together produce and host the event. The duo started the Hoot Festival back in 2013 with friends and hold the event twice a year in the winter and summer to celebrate music and nature.
This year’s lineup features the talents of NY-based Naiika Sings, Catalan instrumentalist Lau Noah, Hudson Valley’s What?, dancers City Stompers, The Mammals, and many more. The Hoot has long attracted some amazing acts, including previous performances from Pete Seeger, David Bromberg, Natalie Merchant, Ani DiFranco, and Amy Helm, among others.
The Summer Hoot Festival promotes environmental sustainability alongside its intention to spread a love of music. The festival is completely powered by solar energy and uses reusable pint cups to reduce waste. Additionally, festival proceeds will benefit the year-round cultural and environmental education programs at the Ashokan Center.
It’s not every day that people of all ages can safely explore nature and enjoy new music together, but here at the Hoot that’s just the beginning. This festival lets us share the joy and freedom I was privileged to experience in my own childhood at Ashokan, and keep the party going for generations to come.
– Ruth Ungar Merenda, Hoot Event Producer and Director of Community Outreach for the Ashokan Center
The Summer Hoot Festival musical acts will take place across two stages with speakers in between sets offering talks on nature, nutrition, fitness, and more. Guided hikes to the Ashokan Center’s Cathedral Gorge and historic Covered Bridge will also be made available.
Information about ticket prices, additional programming, camping, and more, can be found on the festival’s website. The Summer Hoot Festival will take place at the Ashokan Center, located at 477 Beaverkill Road in Olivebridge, New York.
The Northern Current Music Festival in Saranac Lake returns for Labor Day weekend, featuring local and international artists representing contemporary music’s past, present, and future.
The festival’s mission is to enrich Saranac Lake’s cultural diversity by celebrating various musical heritages. The event is free, and family-friendly, with various activities for kids and adults. The daylong celebration will happen in Riverside Park in Saranac Lake on September 4.
TEKE is a female-fronted Montreal-based Japanese psych-rock group that features traditional Japanese instruments, flute, and trombone alongside raging guitars and a pulsing rhythm section. They create a sound reminiscent of the 1960s and 1970s era psychedelic Japanese soundtracks.
Leading The Big Takeover is Jamaican-born singer and songwriter NeeNee Rushie, creating a horn-powered global blend of reggae and world music, with hints of soul and Motown, and their infectious brand of pop classicism.
Hailing from Brooklyn, Ghost Funk Orchestra is the brainchild of producer and multi-instrumentalist Seth Applebaum. The band has evolved from a one-man band to a ten-piece powerhouse live band that draws heavy influence from the worlds of soul, psych rock, salsa, and beyond.
Rooted in southern dance tradition and the addition of soft vocal harmonies, Rose & The Bros from Ithaca will serve with their Lousiana sound and reggae undertone.
The Outcrops are from the woods of Northern New Jersey, presenting original blues-infused rock and roll. The four-piece was formed in 2016 by lead vocalist Cassidy Rain and lead guitarist Bryan Schroder.
Crackin’ Foxy is a ukulele-driven ensemble, featuring tight instrumental arrangements and close vocal harmonies inspired by 30s swing, Hawaiian, and NOLA jazz.
For more information about the Northern Current Music Festival happening in Saranac Lake on September 4, go here.
The annual Chenango Blues Festival will return for its 29th year on August 19 and August 20. The festival features Blues Hall of Fame inductee and multiple Grammy-winning guitarist Jimmie Vaughan, who returns after last year’s cancellation.
The Chenango Blues Festival is a family-friendly event open to all at the County Fairgrounds in Norwich. The Friday performances will kick off with the Rock N’ Roll band the Hi-Jivers from 5:30 pm to 6:45 pm. Canadian singer Angel Forrest takes the stage next, with an impressive career spanning over three decades. To close out the first day of the festival, blues rocker Popa Chubby will perform. The parking gate opens at 4 pm and the festival gate at 5 pm with music starting at 5:30 pm.
On Saturday, at the Infield Stage, festival gates open at 11:00 am with Massachusetts-based Misty Blues playing at 11:30 am. Duo Annika Chambers band will be performing next bringing blues fused with influences of gospel music. Altered Five will follow from 2:45 pm to 4:00 pm and then fest favorite Nick Moss returns from 5:00 pm to 6:15 pm. To close out Saturday’s Infield Stage performances, Jimmie Vaughan will perform an exciting set of songs from 7:30 pm to 9:00 pm.
The Chenango Blues Festival’s Tier Pet Tent Stage also includes even more performances on Saturday. The first act, Corey Harris and Cajun fiddler Cedric Watson, will open the stage from 1:45 pm to 2: 45 pm. Americana and blues band EG Kight Trio will play next followed by Los Angeles-based Teresa James & the Rhythm Tramps. The tent stage, and the entire festival, will be closed out in style by the returning Grammy-nominated band Southern Avenue, who average 150 shows in a typical year.
Attendees of the festival can enjoy food from different vendors, and on-site camping in addition to the great live music. The Chenango Blues Association also presents a series of free shows in East Park every Thursday in July and August and will feature the Mike Zito Big Band on August 18. This show is the unofficial kickoff to Blues Fest weekend. Attendees of the Blues Fest can spend the day exploring the area before heading to the fairgrounds for the concert and the official start on August 19.
For further information on tickets, camping, vendors, and artists you can visit the Chenango Blues Festival website at here.
On Sunday, September 4, Buffalo Jazz Festival brings four acts to the area for a full day of live music during Labor Day Weekend.
From noon until 6:30 pm, the West Plaza of the Seneca One Tower in Buffalo will bring audiences live music, food trucks, refreshments, and entertainment for all ages. In the second year of the festival using the venue space, people can enjoy a free community concert.
To open up the Buffalo Jazz Festival, NYC-based John Troy Quartet will perform from 12 noon until 1:15 pm. John Aaron Troy is a saxophonist, multiple woodwind musician, and educator. The artist picked up the saxophone at age 10 and his music is ever-evolving since then.
From 1:45 pm to 3:00 pm, Trigger & the Sermon will take the spotlight. Trigger & the Sermon Organ Jazz Quartet play classical soul-jazz while mixing in unique rhythm and groove. The group has played at multiple venues in the Buffalo area, including at the Four One Six and Duende at Silo City.
Trigger & The Sermon
The Dave Hill Group brings more entertainment to the Buffalo Jazz Festival, with a performance from 3:30 pm to 4:45 pm. Dave Hill Group consists of Jim Linsler (drums), Pat Georger (keys), Tim Sheldon (bass), Colin Brydalski (bass), and Matt Harris on saxophone.
To close out the festival Wendell Rivera Latin Jazz Ensemble will play from 5:15 pm to 6:30 pm. A Buffalo Music Hall of Fame Inductee who has played with the likes of Aretha Franklin, Arthuro Sandovar, and Ben Vereen, the performance is sure to be one to remember.
Wendell Rivera
JazzBuffalo promotes the genre of jazz in the Buffalo area with news, live performances, festivals, events, education, and more. The organization uses music and events to bring the community together and the Buffalo Jazz Festival is one such event. For more information about the organization and ways to get involved, visit the website available here.
On September 10 and 11, AFROPUNK Festival returns with headliners The Roots and Burna Boy. This fall homecoming marks the first time the fest has come back to Brooklyn since 2019.
AFROPUNK began as a single-day event in Brooklyn in 2004 before evolving into a worldwide phenomenon. This year’s lineup brings some of the most exciting artists to Commodore Barry Park for two days of celebration.
The legendary hip-hop band The Roots will headline night one. Their expansive set will cover decades of the bands’ music as they celebrate 30 years together. On the night of the 11th, Burna Boy will close the festival and promote his upcoming album Love, Damini.
Other performers include TDE rhymer Isaiah Rashad, Lucky Daye, Freddie Gibbs, Tierra Whack, Earl Sweatshirt, and many more. AFROPUNK also welcomes Brooklyn-based artists to the lineup, including rapper Rodney Chrome, R&B artist Alex Mali, and hip-hop artist Talia Goddess.
AFROPUNK aims to highlight the diverse talent and depth of the Brooklyn Black music community. Audiences can expect performances from various genres and origins including rock, R&B, AfroBeats, and more.
The festival offers more entertainment than just a place to enjoy live music. Attendees will be able to peruse local foods from NYC chefs and food trucks at AFROPUNK’s Bites ‘n Beats. The Spinthrift Market will also operate, providing event goers with makers and curators from the area.
After hosting festivals around the world, including Miami, Atlanta, Bahia, and Johannesburg, AFROPUNK’s long-awaited return to Brooklyn is sure to be one to remember. More additions to the lineup, as well as more entertainment with added activations, are set to be announced. Stay tuned with the festival on Instagram here, and visit their website for tickets, here.
After a two-year COVID hiatus, the 16th Pleasantville Music Festival returned on July 9. The all-day event featured a cornucopia of musical performances with 18 acts between three stages.
We try to check off as many boxes as we can so there is something on our stages that everybody will appreciate.
Festival Director, Bruce Figler
Under a bright blue sky, attendees moved freely between the Chill Tent, Pamnation Party, and main stages. With each location offered its own style of music. Superbcoordination of stage starttimes allowed most fans to catch most if not all of the performances.
Platinum Moon
Pleasantville music festival has prided itself on the promotion of local musicians. Staying true to their mission statement, the opening acts on each of the three stages were winners in the Lagond Music School ‘s 2022 “Battle of the Band” competition, where first place winners, Platinum Moon, were rewarded with opening the main stage. Rounding out the triumvirateof winners was Westchester based Noshows — who appeared on the Pamnation stage — along with Carter Quinn Tanis (hailing from Cromwell-on-Hudson) who performed in the Chill Tent.
The Pamnation stage, set up between the Chill Tent and the main stage, offered a separate dance area. The Narrowbacks from Pearl River took full advantage by getting the crowd up and moving with their Irish rock. Pamnation stage closers, Illiterate Light, raised the bar with a guitar and drum duet from the Virginia natives. The audience roared along with enough liveliness to mimic an arena.
The Narrowbacks
Resembling a circus big top, the Chill Tent offered an oasis for acoustic performers. Located at the back of the festival grounds, the Chill Tent lived up to its name: benefiting from a constant breeze flowing through the performance area. Throughout the day solo, duo, and trios graced the stage. Paula Cole closed out this space backed by a three-piece band. Under a subdued purple glow, Cole and band shared an intimate performance filled with songs and insights from her lengthy career.
Glenn Tilbrook
The main stage was not to be outdone. Highlights included Glenn Tilbrook of Squeeze performing solo. Tilbrook played a host of Squeeze songs including “Take Me I’m Yours” and “Black Coffee in Bed,” to the crowd’s enjoyment. Standing tall with his custom-made red Squire Telecaster, Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears followed, sharing a powerful blues set. Festival headliners, X Ambassadors, closed out the evening with lead singer Sam Harris singing and dancing from one end of the stage to another. Teenage girls lined the front of the stage giving their approval after every song. The Ithaca band presented a dynamic performance of their music, capping a stellar day.
X Ambassadors
With its 16th event in the books, the Pleasantville Music festival has proven itssustainability, offering top-notch performers in a suburban setting while mixing in crafts, food and family-oriented activities.
Main Stage
Platinum MoonClare Maloney & The Great AdventureGlenn TilbrookBlack Joe Lewis & The HoneybearsCrash Test DummiesX Ambassadors
The Rockland County Jazz & Blues Society is a non-profit arts organization whose mission is to promote the heritage, performance, appreciation, and vitality of jazz, blues, and related music forms in Rockland County, NY, and surrounding regions. For the first time, the week will open with an all-day, outdoor, free festival featuring local jazz artists.
We support musicians and audiences by creating opportunities for performances and educational events, identifying sources of funding to support the creation of new musical works, and by facilitating communications between musicians and their audiences. We foster the development of musicians and audiences of the future through educational programs and mentoring, so music remains a vital and relevant cultural force in the region.
Rockland County Jazz & Blues Society
Nyack Jazz Week Lineup
Opening Jazz Fest-July 17 1:00 P.M. to 5:00 P.M.
The opening day jazz fest will take place July 17 from 1-5 P.M. outside on Broadway in Nyack featuring local jazz artists.
Second Showing: 9:30 P.M. Arturo O’Farrill-piano, Adam O’Farrill-trumpet, Zack O’Farrill-drums, Liany Mateo-bass, Carlos Maldonado-percussion
Arturo O’Farrill, pianist, composer, and educator, was born in Mexico and grew up in New York City. A technically virtuosic pianist, Arturo’s professional career began with the Carla Bley Band and continued as a solo performer with a wide spectrum of artists including Dizzy Gillespie, Lester Bowie, Wynton Marsalis, and Harry Belafonte. Arturo is the internationally acclaimed leader for Afro-Latin Jazz and has won an impressive 7 Grammy awards for his recordings. He will be performing at Maureen’s Jazz Cellar in Nyack, tickets are $30.
Arturo O’Farrill
July 23- Vincent Herring Quartet
First Showing: 7:30 P.M.
Second Showing: 9:30 P.M.
Vincent Herring-alto sax, Mike LeDonne-piano, Jason Clotter-bass, Joe Farnsworth-drums
Alto Saxophonist Vincent Herring’s intense, soulful, multi-noted style and ebullient swing have excited audiences worldwide. With his sound strongly influenced by Julian “Cannonball” Adderley, Vincent’s virtuosity and promise led to a nine-year relationship with Nat Adderley. After Nat’s death, Louis Hayes collaborated with Vincent to form the Cannonball Adderley Legacy Band. Vincent worked and recorded with Cedar Walton for more than 20 years. He has also performed and/or recorded with Lionel Hampton, Freddie Hubbard, Dizzy Gillespie, Art Blakey, Horace Silver, Kenny Barron, and Nancy Wilson among many others. He will be performing at Maureen’s Jazz Cellar in Nyack, tickets are $30.
Vincent Herring
For more information about Nyack Jazz Week and to purchase tickets, go here.
The NBT Summer Concert Series is back in Norwich’s East Park, featuring artists hailing from all corners of the country, every Thursday night this summer.
Besides the fabulous music, East Park is the perfect place to set up some chairs and blankets, relax, and eat some good food.
The summer concert series kicked off July 7 with Fruition from Portland, Oregon. They fuse acoustic, bluegrass, and rock and roll music, and just released their newest album Broken at the Break of Day.
The McCoury brothers- Ronnie (mandolin) and Rob (banjo) -were born into the bluegrass tradition, with their father Del McCoury being one of the most successful musicians in the history of the genre. The group became the only group to have each member recognized with an International Bluegrass Music Association Award for their instrument at least once.
Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes first achieved prominence in the mid-1970s, emerging from the same New Jersey area as his friend Bruce Springsteen. Their song “I Don’t Want To Go Home” became their signature song, a mix of horn-based melodic riffs and sentimental lyrics. Rolling Stone voted their album Hearts of Stone among the top 100 albums of the 70s and 80s.
Shinyribs is a band based out of Texas, that blends Texas blues, New Orleans R&B, Memphis soul, and more. The nine-piece supergroup is led by Kevin Russell, who continuously swaps out an electric guitar for a ukelele. They were named Best Austin Band at the Austin Chronicle’s Austin Music Awards (2017, 2018), awarded Album of the Year for I Got Your Medicine (2017), and Best 2020-Themed Song for “Stay Home” (2020).
The Garcia Project’s performances are recreations of full, classic Jerry Garcia Band set lists from 1976-1995, using thoughtful arrangements and proper instrumentation. Maria Muldaur is best known worldwide for her 1974 mega-hit “Midnight at the Oasis,” which received several Grammy nominations. She has worked closely with Jerry Garcia and joined the band officially from the fall of 1977 through 1978.
Blair Crimmins began his music career in Atlanta, Georgia, with the determination to bring Ragtime and 1920s-style Dixieland Jazz to new audiences. He has toured the country playing large venues and has opened for acts such as Mumford & Sons and Preservation Hall Jazz Band.
Mike Zito is an American guitarist, singer, record producer, and songwriter from St. Louis, Missouri. He is regarded as one of the most lauded artists in the contemporary blues genre today, he has won BMAs in the categories of Blues Rock Artist as well as Blues Rock Album of the Year.
Trigger Hippy’s music has roots in country, Delta blues, R&B, gospel, and Southern rock. Made up of Steve Gorman and Nick Govrik, the group hit it off when they first met, and have been unstoppable since.
The 30th annual Finger Lakes Grassroots Festival in Trumansburg is back with over 80 performers on five stages during July 21-24 at the Trumansburg Fairgrounds.
The festival is held at the Trumansburg Fairgrounds in Trumansburg which is located about 10 miles north of Ithaca on the west side of Cayuga Lake in the Finger Lakes region of Central New York. Since the birth of the festival, the guiding quote has always been “to create joy in the midst of crisis is a powerful thing and brings magic to the table.”
Grassroots was founded by Donna the Buffalo, and is a mission-based organization that focuses on nurturing local artists and talent while reaching around the globe to bring world music and culture to new audiences to inspire creativity and foster community building. Four days before the festival there is a Culture Camp, which helps community building by having attendees going to four days of music and dance workshops led by regional and national artists.
Grandstand of Finger Lakes Grassroots Festival of Music and Dance.
