Throughout Schenectady County this summer, you’ll find free music series in towns big and small. Whether at Schenectady’s Central Park, Scotia’s Freedom Park or Glenville’s Park at Indian Meadows, the county offers multiple chances to see some great live music throughout the rest of the season.
Schenectady’s Central Park also continues their summer concert series until August 27. After an impressive lineup of Steel Pulse, Nathan & the Zydeco Cha Chas, and Sammy Miller & The Congregation, the Lemon Bucket Orkestra will perform on July 31. Other performances, such as the Spanish Harlem Orchestra, and Steep Canyon Rangers, are set to perform later in August.
Steep Canyon Rangers
Residents and visitors to the county can also stop by Scotia’s Freedom Park for more fantastic performances. The Refrigerators, a popular party-rock band, are set to perform on July 27. Other great talents contributing to the summer lineup include Quintocracy, SIRSY, Heard, and many more.
Come out to any of these concert series above and enjoy some great summer events!
The first-ever Wild In The Trees Music and Skate Festival hosted by Mirth Films will happen from October 1-2 on the grounds of the Lake George Skate Plaza in Lake George.
The musical artists range from punk and jam bands to alternative rock and feature well-known artists like Annie in the Water, Glass Pony, Neon Avenue, El Modernist, and more. Also included during the two-day festival is a skateboarding competition at the Lake George Skate Plaza, with competitions including a spot-based jam session, best trick, high ollie, game of S.K.A.T.E, and Skate -or- Dice.
The festival was born as a way to pay homage to all efforts made to raise money to build the Lake George Skate Plaza while embracing all the local talent. The skate plaza came about in 2008 when local skateboarders brought to the attention of the town the need to have a skate park. Through town board meetings and the creation of a skateboard committee, the town came together and raised over $100,000.
By 2014, the park was designed with oversight from the local skaters, and in 2015 it was finally done. The Lake George Skate Plaza attracts skateboarders from all across the northeast and beyond each year and gives them a safe place to skate and have fun without getting into trouble.
For more information about The Wild In The Trees festival, go here. To buy tickets to the festival, happening October 1-2, go here.
The Glimmerglass Festival in Cooperstown will return indoors to its theater after presenting this past summer’s performances outdoors in “Glimmerglass on the Grass.” The 2022 season will run from July 8 to August 21 in the Alice Busch Opera Theater.
Artistic & General Director Francesca Zambello has announced the 2022 Festival will be her 12th and final season with the company.
My years with The Glimmerglass Festival have been the best of my life. I got married and built a home here with Faith and our son, Jackson, and the Cooperstown community has become an integral part of our lives. I am so proud of this company and all we have accomplished over the last decade. This is not goodbye; it is a time of transition and excitement for this company I adore. I am excited to witness and support the beginning for the next era of the ever-evolving Glimmerglass Festival/
Francesca Zambello
She has done a lot during her time at the company. She initiated the annual appointment of Artists in Residence, including internationally-renowned stars Bill Burden, Christine Goerke, and more. During her tenure, the Festival added original youth operas to the summer season, established an Attica Correctional Facility initiative, and introduced second-stage events with adaptations of classics, cabarets, gospel and klezmer concerts, and more.
Francesca Zambello.
Zambello will remain in her position through the conclusion of the 2022 Festival and will continue her role as Artistic Director at Washington National Opera and as an independent opera and theater director.
The 2022 Festival will feature productions of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s The Sound of Music, as well as Bizet’s Carmen, directed by 2022 Artist in Residence Denyce Graves. In August, she will also reprise her role in an extended version of The Passion of Mary Cardwell Dawson in a two-night-only presentation.
Following the festival will be the releases of the Festival’s first two commissioned works on film: The Knock, by Aleksandra Vrebalov and Deborah Brevoort, which is about military wives; and On Trac I<, a dance piece, composed by Nicolas Lell Benavides and choreographed and performed by Amanda Castro, which looks at the intersection of human and machine in rural America.
The 2022 festival is happening right now, and tickets are on sale here.
Live After 5 is the local Friday night Summer music series in the Finger Lakes town of Geneva. On select Fridays, listen to music while sitting in a lawn chair on the beautiful waterfront at the Geneva Wyndham.
Geneva has been settled by Americans since the late 18th century, being inhabited previously by the Algonquin, Senaca Nation who were members of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy. The shores of Seneca Lake served as a military outpost for British Loyalists, with settlers moving in after 1792, bringing in others from New England, Maryland, Virginia, eastern New York and Pennsylvania for farming. Geneva itself was incorporated as a village in 1806 and a city in 1897.
One of the largest music events in the Finger Lakes, music for Live After 5 begins at 5:30pm and ends at 9:30pm, with performances held rain or shine.
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.
Lunchtime live music returns to Downtown Albany this summer as “Tunesday” in Albany’s Tricentennial Park features free performances every Tuesday in July and August from 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM. From flamenco guitar to hip-hop turntablism, a wide variety of acclaimed local performers will appear each week.
Tricentennial Park is located at Broadway & Columbia Street with parking available here. All events are weather-dependent. Tunesday is supported by the Downtown Albany Business Improvement District.
Whether you’re looking to slow down with a morning meditation or to dance it out on your lunchbreak, Downtown has you covered this summer. These free events showcase the best of the Capital Region, and add to the lively landscape of restaurants, retailers, and entertainment venues that makes this such an attractive neighborhood to live in, work in, and visit.
Georgette Steffens, Executive Director of the Downtown Albany BID
Please note, alcoholic beverages are not permitted at these events. Please do not attend the event if you have tested positive or display any symptoms of COVID-19, or if you have been in close contact with anyone that has tested positive in the past 14 days. COVID-19 is still a risk and attendees acknowledge that they are responsible for their own safety at the event.
Additionally, Downtown Albany hosts State Street Yoga, a free outdoor fitness series on the lawn at the H. Carl McCall State University of New York Administration Building (Broadway & State Street), has returned as of Saturday, July 9. Certified instructor Tiana Taylor of local wellness studio Root3d leads free, 60-minute all-levels yoga classes every Saturday at 10:00 AM through August 27. Pre-registration is optional, but attendees may sign up for State Street Yoga events via Eventbrite for email updates.
A variety of music is presented by the Schroon Lake Arts Council this summer, with “Schroon Lake Live — a World of Music on Schroon Lake.”
Located near the historic 1874 Boathouse Theater overlooking Schroon Lake, “The Pearl of the Adirondacks,” the Schroon Lake Arts Council brings affordable events for all residents and visitors in the North Country, and as such, all concerts and programs are free this summer.
The concert series, which began back in the 1970’s, has long featured the best in traditional folk, bluegrass and Adirondack roots music, most often performed in the intimate and acoustically wonderful 1874 Boathouse Theater.
After there were no concerts in the summer of 2020 due to Covid, we were one of the few series that returned to live music during summer 2021. That said, we had a wonderful season last year, featuring 5 concerts as well as our Adirondack Folk Festival.
Forging a unique affiliation with the Schroon Lake Chamber of Commerce, the Arts Council can now reduce costs and share marketing with the Chamber, allowing for greater collaboration on all arts programs. “The businesses and residents of Schroon Lake have stepped up to the plate with increased donations and sponsorships”, said Dr. Namerow.
On Wednesday nights, the local Chamber of Commerce sponsors their popular Twilight Dance and music programs from 7 to 9 pm outdoors and FREE for all. “We are very proud of our musical history and want people to know that if you want Live music in the summer, Schroon Lake is your destination.”, said Dr. Namerow.
A special family and children’s concert will be held on Saturday morning, July 16, at 11 am in the Boathouse, featuring Mark Rust, a wonderful instrumentalist and singer who promises to have all kids and families singing and playing along.
The jewel of the summer is the 32nd Adirondack Folk Festival on Sunday, August 14 from 12 pm to 5 pm, featuring the best in classic Adirondack roots music.
In addition, the Schroon Lake Arts Council sponsors Monday night Jam Sessions all summer long from 7- 10 p.m. in the Boathouse, featuring guitarists, banjo folks, singers or just listeners who enjoy an evening of FREE music. This series is overseen by Dave Insull, who amazes all with the variety of songs and stories he knows.
July 2: Feinberg Brothers July 5: Get Up Jack July 12: Hot Club of Saratoga July 19: Jamcrackers July 26: The Kennedys Aug. 2: Meadowmount Music Camp Aug. 9: Cold Chocolate Aug. 14: Adirondack Folk Festival
The Boathouse Theater is located at 20 Dock St. View photos of past events and a little history below.
Rensselaer County holds a great deal of small towns in Eastern New York, with free summer concert series found throughout the county.
From Hudson River and Hoosic River towns to the hills of the Rensselaer Plateau and the Taconic Mountains at the Massachusetts state line, these small towns offer quiet settings with lively music during the week each summer. See details on a dozen summer concert series found throughout Rensselaer County.
July 9: Adirondack Muscle Cars Car Show, Emerald City, Brokenhearted/Tom Petty Stevie Nicks Tribute July 16: Tom Atkins & Berkstar Guitar Wars July 23: Chain Reaction July 30: Nite Train Blues Aug. 6: M-16 Ultimate Rock Night Aug. 13: The Accents Aug. 20: Ten Most Wanted Aug. 27: Brian Kane’s Beginning
Schodack Music in the Park Held in Schodack Park, 512 Poyneer Road, Schodack
June 7: Peaceful Country Band June 14: Gone Grey June 21: Triskele June 28: Kyle Bourgault Band July 5: Yankee Dodole Band Aug. 2: Jarrod Aug. 9: Scarlett Fever Aug. 16: Pete and Friends
West Sand Lake Summer Concerts Held at Sand Lake Butler Park from 6-8pm on Thursday nights.
July 7th Whiskey Highway July 14th Ricochet July 21st Diva and the Dirty Boys July 28th Beatin’ the Odds August 4th 10-01 August 11th The Schmooze August 18th Double D Trio August 25th The Refrigerators
Schaghticoke Summers Eve Concerts Held at the Schaghticoke Town Hall Gazebo in Melrose.
6/23 – Brian Kane 6/30 – 5 Daze Out 7/7. – Soul Provider 7/14 – Nostalgia – Car Show 7/21 – Matt Mirabile Band 7/28. – Kyle Bougault – Xmas in July & Fireworks 8/4 – Skeeter Creek 8/11 – Lustre Kings – Car Show 8/18 – Legacy 8/25 – Harmory Rocks Happy 15th Anniversary and Fireworks
Schodack Summer Music In The Park 2022 Schodack Town Park, Tuesdays @6pm
6/07 / Peaceful Country Band (Rain Date 6/08) 6/14 / Gone Gray (Rain Date 6/15) 6/21 / Triskele (Rain Date 6/22) 6/28 / Kyle Bourgault Band (Rain Date 6/29) 7/05 / Yankee Doodle Band (Rain Date 7/06) 8/02 / Jarod (Rain Date 8/03) 8/09 / Scarlett Fever (Rain Date 8/10) 8/16 / Pete & Friends (Rain Date 8/17)
East Greenbush Town Concerts Held at Onderdonk Park. All shows are 6pm – 8pm, bring your lawn chair!
July 26th Matt Mirabile Band Aug 2nd Roxie & the Rollers Aug 9th Band of Gold Aug 16th The Rhythm Pilots Aug 23rd The Lost Art Band Aug 30th The Schmooze
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.
Each week through mid-September, The Shirt Factory in Glens Falls hosts the Thursday Market and Food Truck Corral, bringing together local bands and the largest collection of food trucks between NYC and Montreal.
The Shirt Factory is located between Lawrence and Cooper Streets and is a cornerstone of the Glens Falls arts and health communities. In the 1930’s after purchasing the Troy Shirt Makers Guild label, they separated the shirt making from dressmaking side of the business; thus, The Shirt Factory is the name given to the property, within which numerous small businesses are housed.
The Shirt Factory, early 1900s, photo via Chapman Museum
Inside this more than century-old historic building you’ll find signage, posters, and items including old sewing machines throughout the hallways, as the building pays homage to its own rich history of dress-making that dates to the late 1890s. This effort by the owners preserves the building’s history and honors the local community where the shirt manufacturing business found great success in the early 20th century.
In 1902, a fire devastated the Joseph-Fowler Shirt Makers building on Glen Street in downtown Glens Falls. Owners Walter and JR each owned part of that business and after the fire they took their portion of the insurance and the shirt making side of the business, while their partner kept the detachable collar portion of the business. They purchased the empty lot where the current building stands in part because the railroad depot that just across the street and were able to get a dedicated railroad spur for deliveries.
The building was built in 1902, at that time the tavern across the street was a boarding house that was in the Shirt Factory yard, before moving across the street several years later. Consisting of two buildings, one was built in 1902 and the second added on in 1910, with two short hallways on each floor connecting the buildings. In addition, there is an annex that includes Rock Hill Bakehouse, Sweet Side Records, KFancillo Photography, Dakine Cuisine, Freedom Machines and Glens Falls Distilling.
Purchased in 1999 by the current owner, The Shirt Factory is now nearly 100 creative, talented, and passionate individuals call this building their second home. Among these are a variety of classes, shops offering a wide range of products, professional services, working artists, galleries, three bookstores, and other hidden gems you can find among the three floors. There is a wide range of goods in each shop, including salt lamps, loose leaf tea, pottery, trading cards, locally made food, reclaimed furniture and more.
The building today
The Shirt Factory hosts a number of events throughout the year, and summer 2022 sees the return of the Thursday Market & Food Truck Corral, taking place weekly each Thursday from May through September. The spacious property allows plenty of space for food trucks, picnic tables, seating areas, vendors, farmers, and kids activities.
Sample layout of Food Trucks on Thursdays
A sampling of the various food trucks that have attended Thursdays at The Shirt Factory include:
Screaming Eagle Concessions: Hot dogs, pulled pork, mac & cheese, lemonade
Adirondack Mobile Hibachi: Hibachi, noodles, rice, chicken, shrimp, steak
Euro Delicacies: Greek/Mediterranean, spanakopita, stuffed peppers, more
Tres Mijas: Enchiladas, tacos, taquitos, burritos, tostadas
Say Cheez: Grilled Sandwiches, tater tots, lemonade
The Shirt Factory is open to the public from 8am to 5pm daily. You can find a full list of events here and learn even more about the history of The Shirt Factory here.
Thursday Market and Food Truck Corral Music Lineup:
June 23
Lawrence Street Stage – Pete Moss Rockhill Stage – Keanen Stark & Orion Kribs Cooper Street Stage – Dan Mellon
June 30 Lawrence Street Stage – Tom Keller Rockhill Stage – Drew Wardle & Brian Fitzgerald Cooper Street Stage – Mark Rabin
July 7 Lawrence Street Stage – Jim Brown Rockhill Stage – Terrallite Cooper Street Stage – 42nd Draft
July 14 Lawrence Street Stage – Jason Irwin Rockhill Stage – Chatterbox Cooper Street Stage – Chris Cronin
July 21 Lawrence Street Stage – iRod+Aux Rockhill Stage – Across the Pond Cooper Street Stage – Zack Ryan
July 28 Lawrence Street Stage – Thom Powers Rockhill Stage – Curious Comet Cooper Street Stage – SoulSky Duo
August 4 Lawrence Street Stage – James Mullen Rockhill Stage – Up the River Cooper Street Stage – Kelly Rock
August 11 Lawrence Street Stage – Drew Wardle Rockhill Stage – Kenny T & DC Steve Cooper Street Stage – Mikki Bakken
August 18 Lawrence Street Stage – PR Project Rockhill Stage – The Musicats Duo Cooper Street Stage – Brian Fitzgerald
August 25 Lawrence Street Stage – Jim McArdle Rockhill Stage – The Schmooze Cooper Street Stage – Jason Irwin
September 1 Lawrence Street Stage – James Mullen Rockhill Stage – Margo Macero Band Cooper Street Stage – Alan Dunham & Elizabeth Winge
September 8 Lawrence Street Stage – Matthew Ames Rockhill Stage – The Tradition Cooper Street Stage – Mike Grosshander
