The Caroga Arts Collective announced the events for the fourth annual WinterFest, including music from Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker, Handel’s Messiah, and favorite Christmas singalongs. These events will be happening from Dec. 14-17.
The Caroga Arts Collective presents over 50 performances and community events in the Southern Adirondacks throughout the year, featuring world-class musicians from across the country and from various styles of arts and entertainment.
Before kicking off the WinterFest, there will be the fifth annual tree lighting ceremony at Sherman’s Park on Nov. 26, and the Caroga Arts Collective is asking for volunteers to help light up the park. On Dec. 14, the popular “SAUNDERSFEST Christmas” hosted by Canada Lake-based brothers Geoff and Rich Saunders will be happening at The Nick Stoner Inn & 19th Hole at 7 p.m. Tickets are on sale now.
On Dec. 15 and 16, the Caroga Arts Ensemble will perform the Tchaikovsky Holiday Spectacular at Paul Nigra Center. They will perform selections from Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker Suite and other beloved works. Tickets are on sale now for both events.
The last day of WinterFest brings the free Hallelujah, it’s Handel! event. The Caroga Arts Ensemble will perform music by Handel, Mendelssohn, Tchaikovsky, and more at St. John’s Episcopal Church. There will also be selections from Handel’s Messiah and Christmas sing-a-longs.
The Caroga Arts Collective’s fourth annual WinterFest will take place from Dec. 14-17 at various locations in the Adirondacks, showcasing the talent of the area in different musical forms.
The Caroga Arts Collective began its 11th season of the Caroga Lake Music Festival, featuring 35 concerts, 20 guest artists, and almost 100 resident artists. The collective also announced its new Sherman’s Legacy Campaign.
This season’s festival marks the first time since 2019 that the Caroga Arts Ensemble returns as a full orchestra. The orchestra will perform a variety of music, including Beethoven’s 7th Symphony.
Guest artists include the talents of The Bacon Brothers, guitarist Cory Wong, vocalist Robyn Adele Anderson, and electric guitarist Brandon “Taz” Niederauer, among others. Saxophonist Eddie Barbash, Rushad Eggleston, and Mike Block Trio will also all return to Caroga Lake during the season.
Bill Charlap Trio at Caroga Music Festival – 8-4-2019
Local artists, such as Jocelyn & Chris, North & South Dakotas, FLAME! The Band, Erin Harkes, and others will also make an appearance throughout the summer. Caroga Arts will also be visiting various venues in the area, including The Glove Theatre, The Arkell Museum, Sacandaga Valley Arts Network, Mohawk Valley Center for the Arts, and more.
In addition to the festival going on its 11th season, the Caroga Arts Collective also recently launched the public phase of its Sherman’s Legacy Campaign. As part of phase 1 of a multi-phase project, a new amphitheater is set to be built next to the original Sherman’s building, as is a new year-round artist’s home at Myhill.
Ariel view of the new amphitheater and stagehouse after phase one is complete. Rendering by Lacey Thaler Reilly Wilson
The new amphitheater offers audiences, artists, and visitors a new space and iconic landmark to visit within the town of Caroga. The Myhill property will allow for critically-needed housing for artists, offices, teaching spaces, and spaces for the community to gather.
We are thrilled that these state-of-the-art venues will carry forward the legacy of the Sherman’s Park, attracting artists and audiences of all genres and backgrounds to Caroga for world-class entertainment and a slice of the Adirondacks … both properties have incredible artistic roots, drawing artists such as Fletcher Henderson, Jimmie Lunceford, Irving Berlin and Elvis Presley to the shores of Caroga during the early- to mid-twentieth century.
– Kyle Price, Founder and Artistic Director of Caroga Arts Collective
The new Sherman’s amphitheater and the Myhill residence are expected to start in the spring of 2023, as long as the collective is able to raise enough money for the $5 million-dollar project. Currently Caroga Arts Collective has already raised $2.7 million. For more information about the festival, or Sherman’s Legacy Campaign, visit Caroga Art’s Collective website.
Sherman’s Park at Night with new Amphitheater. Rendering by Lacey Thaler Reilly Wilson.
For the full list of events that the Caroga Arts Collective offers, see below.
Sherman’s Concerts
Sat, May 28 – Memorial Day Weekend Concert, Jocelyn & Chris, Insolent Willies
Fri, Jul 1 – American Modern Opera Company, Utica Dance with Keir GoGwilt
Sat, Jul 2 – Red, White, BLUES & BLUEGRASS, North & South Dakotas, FLAME! The Band, Erin Harkes
Sat, Jul 16 – 80’s Metal Night: The Ultimate 80’s Rock Show with Tommy V Live
Wed, Jul 20 – Sam Reider & The Human Hands
Fri, Jul 22 – Caroga Arts Gala with Eddie Barbash & KASA Quartet
Sat, Jul 23 – Cory Wong with Caroga Arts Ensemble, Mike Block Trio
Wed, Jul 27 – Rushad Eggleston
Fri, Jul 29 – Caroga Arts Ensemble Reimagining Beethoven and Shostakovich
Sat, Jul 30 – The Bacon Brothers Out of Memory Tour with Caroga Arts Ensemble
Wed, Aug 3 – Robyn Adele Anderson
Sat, Aug 6 – Kids Carousel Concert: Bill & Finnegan Ackerbauer
Sat, Aug 6 – Sherman’s JazzFest (Artists to be announced)
Wed, Aug 10 – Afro-Caribbean Jazz Collective
Fri, Aug 12 – Caroga Arts Ensemble plays Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7
Sat, Aug 13 – SAUNDERSFEST (Artists to be announced)
Fri, Aug 19 – Scenes & Stories from the Opera, Caroga Arts Ensemble conducted by Matthew Aucoin
Sat, Aug 20 – Kids Carousel Concert: Cara’s Caterpillars
Sat, Aug 20 – Marvin and his Music: A Celebration of America’s Composer featuring guest vocalists and the Caroga Arts Ensemble led by J. Ernest Green
Sun, Aug 21 – Brandon “Taz” Niederauer
Sat, Sep 3 – Labor Day weekend concert, The Ultimates! with fireworks following the show
Fri, Sep 30 – Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month with Alex Torres & His Latin Orchestra with salsa dancing lessons prior to show and more
Linda Chesis, Alexandre Moutouzkine, Romie de Guise-Langlois “For the Birds” – 10-6-2019
Caroga Lake Music Festival On Tour
Thu, Jul 21 – Caroga Arts Ensemble featuring Eddie Barbash at Mohawk Valley Center for the Arts
Sun, Jul 24 – Caroga Arts Ensemble featuring Eddie Barbash at Peck’s Lake Marina
Thu, Jul 28 – Caroga Arts Ensemble at The Glove Theater
Thu, Aug 4 – Caroga Arts Ensemble at The Arkell Museum
Fri, Aug 5 – CLMF Returns to its Roots: Caroga Chapel 100th Anniversary
Sun, Aug 7 – Caroga Chapel 100th Anniversary Service
Sun, Aug 7 – Caroga Arts Ensemble at Mayfield Presbyterian Church, presented by SVAN
Thu, Aug 11 – Caroga Arts Ensemble at Johnstown Midsummer Concert Series
Sun, Aug 14 – The Barge at Canada Lake Store & Marine
Tue, Aug 16 – Caroga Arts Ensemble at The Otesaga Resort Hotel, presented by Cooperstown Summer Music Festival
Thu, Aug 18 – Caroga Arts Ensemble at Caroga Museum
Sat, Aug 27 – Caroga Arts Ensemble at Maverick Concerts
Sun, Aug 28 – KASA Quartet, Postlude at Maverick Concerts
Lysander Trio “Slavic Serenade” 8-18-2019
Caroga Arts Special Events
Fri, Jul 22 – Caroga Arts Gala with Eddie Barbash & KASA Quartet
The Caroga Arts Collective Gala is the largest fundraising event of the year, providing vital support for the daily operations of the organization. For more information and tickets, visit: www.carogaarts.org/gala
Sat, Aug 13 – Caroga Cornhole Classic hosted by WCLA & Caroga Arts Collective
Sun, Aug 21 – Fourth Annual Caroga Arts Golf Outing
Support Caroga Arts and join us for a fun day of golf at the beautiful Nick Stoner Municipal Golf Course! For more information, visit: www.carogaarts.org/golf
Caroga Arts in Caroga Lake, NY is one of two organizations receiving the $1 million grant from New York State Council for the Arts (NYSCA) that will be used to construct a new state-of-the-art amphitheater.
The Caroga Arts Amphitheater rendering plan.
Founder and artistic director Kyle Price spoke about the grant, and how exciting it is:
We are honored to receive this award and thrilled to be working with renowned historic preservation architect LTRW and Consigli Construction Co from the Capital district. The Amphitheater serves as the first phase of a larger master plan that includes the restoration and renovation of the existing Main Building, Carousel, Bumper Car Pavilion, and Ferris wheel. We look forward to sharing updated renderings and information about the capital campaign for the first phase of both Sherman’s and Myhill properties.
The Caroga Arts Collective plan to construct the amphitheater in Sherman Park, and it will be able to accommodate an 80-person orchestra and a stage house with backstage support, as well as having excellent acoustics. The construction is planned to have a warm, wood design that incorporates classical style elements.
Governor Kathy Hochul announced that the New York Sate Council on the Arts gave 116 Capital Grants out. These reflect the depth of New York State’s art sector and will help spur economic development, job growth, and better access to arts and culture experiences.
The 2022 Caroga Lake Music Festival summer season has also been announced, and will run from July 18 to August 21 and will feature over 30 performances by more than 120 artists. It will have a variety of genres, from pop to rock or folk to jazz.
Caroga Arts Music Festival 2022 poster.
Special guest performers include returning artists like Rushad Eggleston, along with new debuts and over 100 CLMF Resident Artists. The Caroga Arts Ensemble will present the iconic Beethoven’s Seventh Symphony, the first major symphony to be performed in Caroga Lake, as well as other exciting orchestral and chamber works.
The 5th annual Caroga Arts Gala featuring renowned saxophonist Eddie Barbash will take place on July 22 at Sherman’s. The CLMF Lessons and Ensembles Program will take place every Monday during the festival, and will feature general music workshops and individual or small group lessons and is open to anyone.
Caroga Arts Collective have recently announced their spring residency featuring KASA quartet and CLMF artists Brian Shank and Geoff Saunders. They will hold four concerts from March 24-27.
“KASA quartet : An Evening of Music and Friendship” will highlight chamber music’s ability to bring listeners together. The group will perform pieces from films and Broadway, as well popular arrangements from Frank Churchill, Jacob Collier and more.
Originally founded in 2016, KASA quartet uses multiple styles to create their unique performances. With members Andy Liang, Aaron Schwartz, Kyle Price and Stephanie Price-Wong, the quartet has taught and performed at a number of places including Ravinia Festival, SPAC and Chamber Music Connection.
Eddie Barbash
The KASA quartet will also do a special NYC showcase with Eddie Barbash on 3/22. Alongside performances, the group have been working on their debut album with a number of talented collaborators like Glenn Zaleski, WARP trio and Empire Wild.
Two concerts, 3/24 and 3/26, will have free attendance, but optional donations can be made. RSVP will be required for the 3/25 show and the 3/27 show will require a ticket purchase. Tickets can be found here. More information can be found on the Caroga Arts website.
