The NY Harvest Festival & Freedom Fair are returning to Ithaca for the 26th straight year of celebrating music, arts, and cannabis culture. Taking place October 6-9, 2023 at the Trumansburg Fairgrounds, attendees will get to experience a packed musical lineup along with interactions with local cannabis companies.
2021 NY Harvest Festival Cannabis Cup
Featuring multiple stages, fine art displays, street vendors, workshops, activist & educational speakers, a farmers market, onsite camping, and many more activities, the NY Harvest Festival expects to embody the connection between cannabis and music.
On Friday, October 6, the headliner event features two sets of Dogs in a Pile, whose exploratory music blends psychedelia, jazz, fusion, funk, traditional, and rock n roll. Performing their first-ever festival show here years ago, Dogs in a Pile returns to put on yet another unforgettable showing.
Saturday, October 7th’s lineup will additionally feature more local New York talent, as Sophistafunk, The Garcia Project, Gratefully Yours, and special guest Immortal Technique will all take the stage.
Other artists anticipating performances at the event include The Tyler Neal Band, Tony Vacca & World Rhythms, EARTH, The Cosmic Charlies, and so many other up-and-coming local talents.
Lastly, the festival’s main event, the Cannabis Cup, takes place Sunday, October 8 at 4:20 pm, and festival producer and veteran NY cannabis activist Rob Robinson will be the host. Known as America’s longest-running cannabis cup, everyone over 21 that wants to be, gets the opportunity to be a judge.
“NY Harvest Fest is a celebration of our cannabis culture. A place where the culture could always feel free, despite prohibition. Now that cannabis is legal and its potential is being realized, we are excited to bring this event, this culture, back into the light.”
– Rob Robinson
As the longest-running, largest, private cannabis event in New York, the NY Harvest Festival continues paving the way in the marijuana industry while intertwining it with community involvement. Now, for the 26th straight year, the festival has even more freedom and excitement surrounding cannabis legalization.
A shot of the crowd from the 2022 NY Harvest Festival
Last night, the 76th annual Tony Awards celebrated this year on Broadway by making history and breaking rules, and awarding Kimberly Akimbo the Award for Best Musical.
Ariana Debose hosting, credit to Kevin Mazur.
At the United Palace in Washington Heights, the audience gathered to reflect on and award this past Broadway season. The theatre industry has seen drama offstage this year. Arguments about how much actors should give to their performances, discussions on the industry’s ableism and racism, post-COVID struggles that forced iconic shows to close, and Patti LuPone ripping up her Equity union card were just some of the one-act plays we saw debut on social media.
Ariana Debose hosted the show for the second year in a row. But this year, she did things differently. The show opened to her looking through her script for the 76th annual Tony Awards, only to find blank pages. Unlike most Tony Awards opening numbers, there was no singing. DeBose moved into an impressive dance number choreographed by Carla Garcia. It was started the night with a bang as it married Fosse with modern styles. Once onstage―after catching her breath―DeBose shared the “very good reason” why the Tony’s script pages were blank.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4oQeYx5INE
“Our siblings over at the [Writer’s Guild of America] are currently on strike in pursuit of a fair deal,” DeBose said. “I’m sure some of you at home are thinking, ‘Oh, okay, but what does that have to do with the Tony Awards?…Award shows are traditionally written by members of the WGA. So in order for this show to go on, a whole host of people had to come together in order to find a compromise…And so now you are asking, what’s the compromise? Well, we don’t have a script.”
Without teleprompters, the night felt charged. Just like any Broadway show, this truly was a live performance. But that wasn’t the only part of the Tony’s that made it unlike any other before. Alex Newell and J. Harrison Ghee made history as they became the first out non-binary actors to win Tony awards. Even though Toby Marlow, who won the Tony for best musical score for Six, is non-binary, Newell and Ghee are the first in the Tony’s only gendered category: acting.
Photo by Theo Wargo, Getty Images for Tony Awards Pro.
Newell won best supporting actor in a musical for their performance of Lulu in Shucked, a new musical comedy nominated for 9 Tony awards. Shucked tells the story of Maizy, who travels to find out why all of the corn in her small town, Cob County, is dying. The constant corny humor makes audiences laugh nonstop.
“Broadway, I should not be up here,” Newell said in their acceptance speech. “As a queer, non-binary, fat, black little baby from Massachusetts. And to anyone that thinks that they can’t do it, I’m going to look you dead in your face and tell you that you can do anything you put your mind to.”
J. Harrison Ghee accepts the award for best performance by an actor in a leading role in a musical for “Some Like It Hot” at the 76th annual Tony Awards on Sunday, June 11, 2023, at the United Palace Theater in New York. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP) Charles Sykes, Charles Sykes/Invision/AP
Soon after, Ghee accepted the Tony for best leading actor in a musical for their portrayal of Jerry/Daphne in Some Like it Hot. They thanked their producers and creative team for letting them lead. “Thank you…for letting me be representation, letting lives be seen.”
Although there were many great shows nominated, one swept overall. New musical Kimberly Akimbo won 5 awards, including best new musical. Even though the night was unscripted, critics and audiences alike were not surprised.
The musical tells the story of Kimberly, a 16-year-old girl born with a rare genetic condition that makes her age almost five times as fast as kids her age. The show is heartwarming and breaking. Other than best musical, Kimberly Akimbo took home beat supporting actress (Bonnie Milligan), best lead actress (Victoria Clarke), best original score, and best book of a musical.
Despite how the show was real and unfiltered, censorship reminded viewers of big differences between stage and screen. After two previous nominations, Michael Arden scored his first win for Direction of a musical for his work on Parade, which won best musical revival. Arden took his acceptance speech as an opportunity to speak out about the need to fight intolerance. “It is so, so important,” Arden stressed, “or else we are doomed to repeat the horrors of our history.”
Michael Arden’s bleeped-out Tony Award speech is instantly iconic:
"Growing up, I was called the F-word more times than I could remember. And all I can say now is I'm a faggot with a Tony!"#TonyAwardspic.twitter.com/pJYzfgIJoh
What viewers remember most about Arden’s speech, though, is something we could not even hear. “to our beautiful trans, nonbinary, queer youth, know that your queerness is what makes you beautiful and powerful,” he expressed. “Growing up, I was called the f word more times than I can remember, and now all I can say is I’m a f***** with a tony.” CBS censored the last words of Arden’s speech. Still, we saw how the live audience stood up and cheered louder than they had all night.
If you missed the 76th Tony Awards, you can stream it on Paramount Plus.
76th Annual Tony Award Winners
Best Play
Ain’t No Mo’ Between Riverside and Crazy Cost of Living Fat Ham Leopoldstadt
Best Musical
& Juliet Kimberly Akimbo New York, New York Shucked Some Like It Hot
Best Revival of a Play
August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson A Doll’s House The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window Suzan-Lori Parks’ Topdog/Underdog
Best Revival of a Musical
Parade Into the Woods Lerner & Loewe’s Camelot Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Best Book of a Musical
& Juliet Kimberly Akimbo New York, New York Shucked Some Like It Hot
Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre
Almost Famous Kimberly Akimbo KPOP Shucked Some Like It Hot
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Suzan-Lori Parks’ Topdog/Underdog Corey Hawkins, Suzan-Lori Parks’ Topdog/Underdog Sean Hayes, Good Night, Oscar Stephen McKinley Henderson, Between Riverside and Crazy Wendell Pierce, Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play
Jessica Chastain, A Doll’s House Jodie Comer, Prima Facie Jessica Hecht, Summer, 1976 Audra McDonald, Ohio State Murders
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical
Christian Borle, Some Like It Hot J. Harrison Ghee, Some Like It Hot Josh Groban, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street Brian d’Arcy James, Into the Woods Ben Platt, Parade Colton Ryan, New York, New York
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical
Annaleigh Ashford, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street Sara Bareilles, Into the Woods Victoria Clark, Kimberly Akimbo Lorna Courtney, & Juliet Micaela Diamond, Parade
Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play
Jordan E. Cooper, Ain’t No Mo’ Samuel L. Jackson, August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson Arian Moayed, A Doll’s House Brandon Uranowitz, Leopoldstadt David Zayas, Cost of Living
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play
Nikki Crawford, Fat Ham Crystal Lucas-Perry, Ain’t No Mo’ Miriam Silverman, The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window Katy Sullivan, Cost of Living Kara Young, Cost of Living
Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical
Kevin Cahoon, Shucked Justin Cooley, Kimberly Akimbo Kevin Del Aguila, Some Like It Hot Jordan Donica, Lerner & Loewe’s Camelot Alex Newell, Shucked
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical
Julia Lester, Into the Woods Ruthie Ann Miles, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street Bonnie Milligan, Kimberly Akimbo NaTasha Yvette Williams, Some Like It Hot Betsy Wolfe, & Juliet
Best Scenic Design of a Play
Prima Facie Life of Pi Good Night, Oscar Leopoldstadt A Christmas Carol
Best Scenic Design of a Musical
New York, New York Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street Lerner & Loewe’s Camelot Shucked Some Like It Hot
Best Costume Design of a Play
Life of Pi Fat Ham Leopoldstadt Ain’t No Mo’ Good Night, Oscar
Best Costume Design of a Musical
Some Like It Hot Parade Lerner & Loewe’s Camelot KPOP & Juliet New York, New York
Best Lighting Design of a Play
Leopoldstadt Prima Facie A Doll’s House Fat Ham Life of Pi Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman A Christmas Carol
Best Lighting Design of a Musical
New York, New York Lerner & Loewe’s Camelot Parade & Juliet Some Like It Hot Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Best Sound Design of a Play
Ain’t No Mo’ Life of Pi A Christmas Carol A Doll’s House Prima Facie
Best Sound Design of a Musical
New York, New York Shucked Into the Woods & Juliet Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Best Direction of a Play
Saheem Ali, Fat Ham Jo Bonney, Cost of Living Jamie Lloyd, A Doll’s House Patrick Marber, Leopoldstadt Stevie Walker-Webb, Ain’t No Mo’ Max Webster, Life of Pi
Best Direction of a Musical
Michael Arden, Parade Lear deBessonet, Into the Woods Casey Nicholaw, Some Like It Hot Jack O’Brien, Shucked Jessica Stone, Kimberly Akimbo
Best Choreography
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street Some Like It Hot New York, New York & Juliet KPOP
Best Orchestrations
& Juliet Kimberly Akimbo Shucked Some Like It Hot New York, New York
Goose has recently announced the release of a landmark concert recording commemorating the band’s two-night performance in June of 2022 at the New York City venue. Live at Radio City Music Hall is now available digitally while a limited edition, vinyl box set is up for pre-order.
Although Goose is no stranger to sold-out shows and incredible success, their performances on June 24th and 25th of last year proved to be a major turning point in their career. The two sold out shows not only allowed them to properly showcase their critically acclaimed breakthrough LP, Dripfield, but brought striking sit-ins from special guests Trey Anastasio and Father John Misty.
Live at Radio City Music Hallincludes the complete setlist from both nights which feature acoustic renditions of Goose fan favorites like “Elmeg the Wise,” covers of Bruce Springsteen, Arcade Fire, and more, as well as a weekend-closing version of The Beatles’ “Tomorrow Never Knows” featuring Anastasio on guitar and Misty on drums.
Goose’s vocalist and guitar player Rick Mitarotonda raves about the band-altering experience saying, “Playing Radio City Music Hall felt like a unifying moment for the band. I was anticipating being nervous considering all of the history and prestige of that room, but it surprisingly ended up feeling really comfortable. I think that speaks to the magic of that venue, and moment for the band. It felt like both reaching a destination and opening a door to a new beginning at the same time.”
Following this stunning release, Goose will be headlining multiple dates this summer on their 2023 tour beginning in June and lasting until November. Their forty date trek includes a sold-out, two-night run at Louisville, KY’s Louisville Palace Theatre; a sold-out, two-night Independence Day celebration at Asbury Park, NJ’s Stone Pony Summer Stage; and visits to famed venues like Saratoga Springs, NY’s Saratoga Performing Arts Center; Detroit, MI’s Masonic Temple Theatre; Santa Barbara, CA’s Santa Barbara Bowl; and Las Vegas, NV’s Brooklyn Bowl.
Thankfully for the “Ganders,” Goose’s hardcore fans, the band will not stop there. They will also continue to be among the headline acts at an array of upcoming festivals and events, including Rothbury, MI’s Electric Forest; Scranton, PA’s Peach Music Festival; and headlining for two nights with four unique sets in Garrettsville, OH at the Resonance Music and Arts Festival.
GOOSE – ON TOUR 2023
June 21 – Chicago, IL – Riviera Theatre (WXRT Summer Solstice Show)
June 22 – Louisville, KY – Louisville Palace Theatre
June 23 – Louisville, KY – Louisville Palace Theatre
June 25 – Rothbury, MI – Electric Forest (SOLD OUT)
June 27 – Columbus, OH – KEMBA Live! Outdoors
June 29 – Scranton, PA – Peach Music Festival
June 29- July 1 – Garrettsville, OH – Resonance Music and Arts Festival (Two Sets)
July 3 – Asbury Park, NJ – Stone Pony Summer Stage (SOLD OUT)
July 4 – Asbury Park, NJ – Stone Pony Summer Stage (SOLD OUT)
July 6 – Portland, ME – Thompson’s Point
July 7 – Saratoga Springs, NY – Saratoga Performing Arts Center
July 8 – Marshfield, MA – Levitate Music and Arts Festival
July 29 – Newport, RI – Newport Folk Festival
September 15 – Buffalo, NY – Borderland Music Festival
September 16 – Detroit, MI – Masonic Temple Theatre
September 17 – Milwaukee, WI – Miller High Life Theatre (SOLD OUT)
September 20 – Salt Lake City, UT – Red Butte Garden Amphitheater (SOLD OUT)
September 22 – Missoula, MT – KettleHouse Amphitheater (SOLD OUT)
September 23 – Spokane, WA – Spokane Pavilion
September 24 – Redmond, OR – Cascade Equinox Festival
September 25 – Oakland, CA – Fox Theater
September 26 – Oakland, CA – Fox Theater
September 29 – Santa Barbara, CA – Santa Barbara Bowl
September 30 – Dana Point, CA – Ohana Fest
October 1 – Las Vegas, NV – Brooklyn Bowl
October 3 – Flagstaff, AZ – Pepsi Amphitheater
October 5 – Morrison, CO – Red Rocks Amphitheatre (SOLD OUT)
October 6 – Morrison, CO – Red Rocks Amphitheatre (SOLD OUT)
October 26-29 – Live Oak, FL – Suwanee Hulaween
November 3 – Paris, FR – Le Trabendo
November 4 – Cologne, DE – Luxor (SOLD OUT)
November 7 – Amsterdam, NL – Melkweg (SOLD OUT)
November 9 – Copenhagen, DK – Hotel Cecil (SOLD OUT)
November 11 – Berlin, DE – Gretchen (SOLD OUT)
November 13 – Brussels, BE – AB Club (SOLD OUT)
November 15 – Glasgow, UK – Baad
November 16 – Manchester, UK – Manchester Academy 2
Hot 97 and WBLS-FM, for the first time, jointly announced Hip Hop Forever, a celebration of Hip Hop’s 50th anniversary featuring Wu-Tang Clan, Mary J. Blige, Mariah Carey, and more, coming to Madison Square Garden on Sept. 15.
Hip Hop Forever is part of New York City’s ongoing celebration of Hip Hop’s 50th anniversary, falling just one month after the Hip Hop 50 celebration at Yankee Stadium, which includes Run-DMC, Lil Kim, Snoop Dogg, and more. The Hip Hop Forever event at MSG features one of the greatest hip-hop groups of all time, Wu-Tang Clan. Since their triple-platinum debut record Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) came out in 1993, the group has gone on to release eight albums and created legendary live shows, the band’s prolific careers as individuals and especially as the most storied group in hip-hop history.
Other can’t-miss acts to see include Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter, actress, producer, and philanthropist, Mary J. Blige. With a track record of eight multi-platinum albums, nine Grammy Awards (plus a staggering 32 nominations), two Academy Award nominations, two Golden Globe nominations, a SAG nomination, and more, she has cemented herself as a powerhouse that can truly do it all. The best-selling female artist of all time with more than 200 million albums sold to date and 19 Billboard Hot 100 #1 singles, Mariah Carey, makes a special appearance. She is truly the template of modern pop performance, leaving a cultural and indelible imprint on the industry and the world at large.
One of the most prolific dancehall and reggae performers, Sean Paul, will perform a set at Hip Hop Forever, as well as Tyrese, Maxwell, and EPMD. Tickets will go on sale via a presale on Thursday, June 15 at 10 a.m. ahead of the general on-sale on Friday, June 16 at 10 a.m. To purchase, visit here.
Corning, NY’s Gaffer District is returning with their “Summer in Downtown” series this summer with a suite of events ranging from music to stories to farmers markets. This year, the program is sponsored by Williams Toyota, enabling free and accessible events to all attendees.
For over 30 years, the Gaffer District has served as a place of community engagement and marketing. Originally built following the reconstruction of Corning’s historic downtown in the wake of a flood in 1972. Today, the district is home to over 250 businesses, galleries, museums, and a full schedule of events throughout the year.
We are thrilled to partner again with Williams Toyota to present the Summer in Downtown event series. Their tremendous passion for this community is evident in the many ways they help us provide free entertainment and wonderful memory-making experiences for area residents and visitors alike.
Coleen Fabrizi, executive director of Corning’s Gaffer District
Summer in Downtown Series Events
Community Nights
Home to vendors, live music, and kid-friendly activities, Gaffer District will be holding two Community Nights. The first, “Crusin’ Community Night” is on July 28 from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. and will feature the bands Chasing Neon as well as Blue Eyed Soul. The second, “Bites on Bridge Community Night” in on Aug. 25 from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. and will include the band Double Barrel.
Storytime in the Square
Every Tuesday from June 13 to Aug. 22 is at 10:00 a.m. at the Centerway Square stage for an hour. Each day has a different theme, from “In the Good ol’ Summertime” to “Christmas in July.”
Corning Farmers Market
At the Riverfront in Corning on every Thursday from June 1 to Oct. 26 is the Corning Farmers Market. From 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., local farmers and vendors will be there to sell their wares. A community favorite, Ella’s Acres food truck, will be there all summer long to serve locally-sourced cuisine.
Northside Music Series
All events for the Northside Music Series are from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.. This Corning Summer in Downtown will feature the following artists:
Can’t Count Trio – July 11
Sandra Esparza – July 18
Payton Clark – July 25
Dragonfly Acoustic – Aug. 1
3’s a Crowd – Aug. 8
Pat Comstock – Aug. 15
Jeremy James – Aug. 22
Tremayne Harer- Aug. 29
Music in the Square
All events for the Music in the Square series are from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.. This series will feature the following artists:
New York Giants Hall of Famer Lawrence Taylor and Led Zeppelin tribute band Get The Led Out highlighted the Music Beats Cancer event on June 8, a night of music, reaching out to the community, and recognizing the importance of cancer research innovations.
Get The Led Out performing at the first annual Music Beats Cancer event on June 8, 2023.
Held at Terminal 5 in New York City, Music Beats Cancer’s first annual event successfully raised awareness and money for cancer research. The non-profit organization focuses on the significance of connecting music to boost cancer-fighting treatment techniques, all while promoting new artists and their music.
Live and silent auctions, a two-part performance from Get The Led Out, and a passionate speech from Lawrence Taylor were all factors in providing a night to remember for the foundation.
Before the event, Taylor took the time to emphasize the importance of cancer research innovations, a big reason why he supports Music Beats Cancer’s organizational goals. Through personal experience in knowing people who have battled the illness and expressing the significance of helping those in need, he believes this event is a step towards an answer.
“I have friends who have cancer, had cancer, I feel that it’s a worthy cause…at the end of the day we got to take a hold of it [cancer] and somewhere there is an answer and somewhere there is a cure.”
– Lawrence Taylor
Taylor’s involvement in the group effort to promote cancer cure innovations stems from how important he believes the organization is, which assists in fighting against the disease in a unique way.
Lawrence Taylor attending the Music Beats Cancer event on June 8, 2023
“This is a good program, I mean that it’s a bigger program than we can put out at my organization in Florida, this is well on a bigger stage,” Taylor said. “I am impressed [with the event], and hopefully more people get involved.”
Raising thousands of dollars through donations while providing a tie to the music industry, the event’s success will leave an imprint on the future of start-ups and supporting up-and-coming artists for years to come.
This Father’s Day, the City of Albany and the Air Force Reserve will hold the free annual event Dad Fest in Washington Park. The event features a classic car show and live music from a variety of bands. Festivities begin at 10:00 a.m. and will conclude by 6:00 p.m., allowing for a full day of celebration.
This is the ninth year of the celebration, allowing families to relax and enjoy the early summer in Albany’s Washington Park. The event is open to all, not just Dads, with a bit of fun available for everyone.
From 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. will be the classic car show, which is being presented by Park Albany in partnership with Capital Car Shows & Air Force Reserve. 20% of the $15 registration fee will be going to the Henry Johnson Vet House of Albany. Spectating the event is free. 32 awards are available for those that participate.
From 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. are the Gentlemen of Soul LSM, a soul, rhythm, and blues tribute band.
From 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. is the band E.R.I.E., an indie rock quartet. The band was originally dreamt up on a hospital bed, with songwriter T.J. Foster writing and recording Don’t Wanna Live, Don’t Wanna Die as a reflection of his ordeals bringing him to the hospital and his past as a songwriter. Other members of the band include guitarist Matt Delgado, drummer Chad Flewwelling and bassist Levi Jennes.
From 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Mixed Roots, an AfroBeat and reggae band, will play. While they all now consider Albany home, Mixed Roots’ members come from a wide variety of backgrounds. The leader of the band, drummer and vocalist George, grew up in Accra, Ghana. He has shared his vocabulary of AfroBeat and reggae with the rest of the band, which includes: Irishman and bassist Brian; Irishman and guitarist Pete; Dave and Catherine playing trombone; and sax man Scott.
The final performance from 4:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. is Yesterday – The Beatles Tribute. They are the longest running show at the Tropicana Hotel in Atlantic City, and were recently voted the #1 tribute act in Las Vegas by The Fremont St. Experience.
For more information, check out the Albany Office of Cultural Affairs website’s page for the event. More information for the car show can be found here. The rain date for Dad Fest is June 25.
Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts (LCPA) has announced the second annual Summer for the City, the ultimate New York festival.
Over three months, Lincoln Center turns its campus into a summer festival. It features hundreds of free events, thousands of artists and food from across the city, inviting New Yorkers of all kinds to come together and celebrate the city’s vibrant communities through the arts.
“We are blessed to be in the heart of the most diverse city in the world, and to have sixteen acres of outdoor space to celebrate the magic of this bustling global city,” Shanta Thake, Ehrenkranz Chief Artistic Officer of LCPA said. “This summer builds on a city reimagining itself—finding hope in community, and planting seeds for the future. Over three months, we welcome all New Yorkers to come dance, love, and celebrate together with long-standing traditions of social dance and classical music, and new traditions like our wedding for hundreds of couples, and a ‘second line’ processional to honor lives lost.”
Summer of the City Events
Summer for the City honors New York’s multifaceted communities with dynamic new works and reimagined classics. This includes a week-long celebration of Korean cultural traditions during Korean Arts Week, the New York City premiere of Octavia E. Butler’s Parable of the Sower, the return of the BAAND Together Dance Festival, globalFEST, Mostly Mozart Festival Orchestra concerts. Furthermore, it will all culminate in a week-long celebration of the 50th anniversary of Hip-Hop with performances by J. PERIOD, Rakim, Big Daddy Kane, a trap choir, and more. The summer also shines a light on accessibility and disability artistry, with Big Umbrella Day, the return of Deaf Broadway, and a series of events curated by disability artistry guest curator Kevin Gotkin.
This season builds on the successes of last year’s inaugural Summer for the City. The event brought all of Lincoln Center’s summer festivals under one collective banner, welcoming New Yorkers back together after so much time apart. The inaugural Summer for the City season served an audience of over 300,000 on campus. More than three quarters of these people had never before reserved a ticket to a Lincoln Center presentation.
Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts
In recent years, Lincoln Center has expanded its role as an artistic and civic cornerstone. It hosted dozens of blood drives, food distributions, graduations, and serving as a polling place, core to its broader commitment to the city and a statement of confidence in its enduring vitality.
“Nothing captures the spirit of New York better than our arts, and this summer, thanks to Lincoln Center, thousands of New Yorkers will have access to hundreds of free cultural events,” said New York City Mayor Eric Adams. “Summer for the City will include performances by critically acclaimed music artists and curators and be a celebration of our city’s creativity, diversity, and, most importantly, our resilience. New York City isn’t coming back—New York City is back. And we can’t wait to see everyone enjoying the arts the city has to offer.”
A team of curators programmed the 2023 edition of Summer for the City. Additionally, it centers artists and art forms historically underrepresented on campus and welcome wider audiences and communities. Events throughout the summer are inclusively designed. They integrate access needs with a range of accommodations for all performances. This includes ASL interpretation, audio description, live captioning, haptic suits, and more.. The Lincoln Center’s social channel will livestream select performances.
With summer right around the corner, locations all over New York are preparing to hold lively outdoor music entertainment for the public. Schenectady is no different as the city’s concert series “Jazz on Jay” is back for the summer of 2023 and is already well under way.
Jazz on Jay began on June 1st and performances are held every Thursday from 12:00 PM to 1:30 PM on the cobblestone stretch of Schenectady’s beautiful Jay Street Arcade.
The concert series is completely free to the public and works to support the region’s talent as every performance will be carried out by working artists and educators. This year’s line up includes several special visits, including the swing of the well-established, fiddle and vocal-driven Teresa Broadwell Band; the Slam Stewart-inspired musings of the Tarik Shah Trio; the North Country Django Reinhardt fire of the 2022 Eddie Award-winning Hot Club of Saratoga; and the creative jazz of the Michael Bisio Quartet.
In addition to the soothing sounds of jazz, this year’s Jazz on Jay will introduce a new component in which local artists Heather Hutchison and Oscar Bogran will create artwork based on the music they hear being played during a specific performance. Hutchinson will be present for Mike Purcell & Company’s performance on June 22nd while Bogran will create his art on both August 10th and August 31st.
With a rule that performers cannot play “Jazz on Jay” consecutive years in a row, concert goers are in for a summer of fresh talent and smooth jazz.
Binghamton University’s Anderson Center for the Performing Arts announced its annual roster of summer concerts, featuring several opportunities for regional music lovers to get out and boogie.
The Anderson Center, located on the main campus of Binghamton University in Vestal, NY, aims to enhance the local community and support Binghamton University’s educational vision through enriching performances. This summer’s lineup is a testament to their commitment.
Friday, June 30
The Anderson Center presents The Temptations and the Four Tops, iconic Motown groups, for a night of solid gold hits.
The Temptations came to define Detroit’s Motown sound in the ’60s and ’70s with hits like “My Girl,” “Ain’t to Proud to Beg,” and “Papa Was a Rolling Stone.” The Temptations were ranked #1 “Greatest R&B/Hip-Hop Artist of All Time” by Billboard. Additionally, Rolling Stone hailed them as “the greatest black vocal group of the Modern Era,” highlighting their profound influence on the evolution of American music. The group is still touring with founding member Dr. Otis Williams.
The Four Tops emerged from the same Detroit neighborhoods as the Temptations, the Supremes, and Smokey Robinson. They too released their own string of chart-topping hits for the Motown label including “I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch)” and “It’s The Same Old Song.” The Four Tops continue to tour with founding member Duke Fakir.
Friday, August 11
Melissa Etheridge’s tour bus rolls into campus later this summer for a stop on her Summer ’23 Tour. Etheridge’s confessional lyrics and raspy, smoky vocals have made her a beloved singer-songwriter. Her string of ’90s hits solidify her enduring legacy. Familiar favorites include “Come to My Window,” “I’m the Only One,” and “I Want to Come Over.” Etheridge, who previously played at the Anderson Center in 2009 solo, will return with a full band this time.
Tickets and More Information
An additional concert by the Jazz Ambassadors of the United States Army Field Band, scheduled for Wednesday, June 28, has already sold out. However, tickets are available for The Temptations, The Four Tops, and Melissa Etheridge.
Tickets for the Temptations and the Four Tops cost $75/65/55 inside, $30 on the lawn. Tickets for Melissa Etheridge: Summer Tour ’23 cost $65/55/45 inside, $25 on the lawn.
A full 2023-24 season announcement is expected in mid-June. For more information, visit anderson.binghamton.edu, contact 607-777-ARTS, or stop by the Anderson Center Box Office between 12-4 p.m., Monday-Friday
