Fiddlers, Folk and Noah Kahan: Hudson Valley’s Summer Music Festivals
Pete Seeger sings at Croton Point Park on the Hudson River 2009. Photo by Paul VanDerWerf via Flickr
The Hudson Valley is bursting with culture, art and celebrations all year long. However, summer in the picturesque Valley provides the perfect backdrop for its characteristic vibrancy, budding artists and most of all, the coveted tradition of music festivals.
“Music festivals are one of the easiest places to meet new people because the common interest in music itself serves as an icebreaker,” said Ryan Belcher ‘27. “The ability to see a wide range of artists also blends people together.”
Just a short 20 miles from Marist University, Rolling Stone is set to host its first music festival, Stateside Festival, this July 4 at Hutton Brickyards in Kingston, NY. With music, hot dogs, fireworks, local vendors, guitars and an artisan market, the festival aims to channel “the timeless spirit of Americana,” according to the website.
With headliner Noah Kahan, who recently released his fourth studio album “The Great Divide” in late April, along with nine emerging bands and artists, Stateside will provide a variety of indie, folk, country and more across its two stages.
“It’s exciting that Noah Kahan will be so close to Marist at the Rolling Stones festival,” said Morgan Muller ‘27. “I honestly had no idea that festivals of that size and popularity took place around here. It’s an exciting event for the local communities in the Hudson Valley.”
Along with Kahan, Stateside’s Main Stage will feature Gigi Perez, known for her platinum hit “Sailor Song,” alternative indie band Arcy Drive, Sydney Rose, folk and indie singer Bebe Stockwell and Bo Staloch.
Stateside’s website invites music lovers to “come touch grass, taste local, and tap back into the enduring legacy of the Hudson Valley music scene.”
Farther north towards Albany, the Old Songs Festival will return to Altamont Fairgrounds June 26-28. The festival, emphasizing “music with roots,” is family-friendly, celebrating folk, traditional Celtic and other world music.
Performers include songwriter and activist Holly Near, North American folk artist Garnet Rogers, American roots musician Guy Davis, fiddlers Bruce Molsky and Darol Anger and more.
Along with evening concerts, the full schedule also includes interactive sessions and classes, totaling over 100 workshops, dances and performances.
Guests can expect crafts, food, instrument vendors and a children' s area. The weekend of music, community and activities can also be rounded out by camping on festival grounds.
The Ashokan Center, an independent music and nature non-profit in Olivebridge, NY, is also set to continue its festival tradition by bringing back The Summer Hoot from August 28-30. Along with the Hoot, “a celebration of music and nature for all,” the Center hosts educational programs, community events, festivals, and private events.
The Summer Hoot’s lineup, tickets, lodging and camping information are to be announced on June 1, but guests can expect a collection of eclectic roots music.
According to their website, “the Hoot builds community and connects generations through our shared love of music and nature.” The festival was first held in 2013 when Mike Merenda, Ruth Ungar and friends decided to try producing a festival at the Ashokan Center for the surrounding area. Now, it is a biannual tradition as the Center hosts both a Summer and Winter Hoot.
The Hoot aims to combine passion for music, the environment and community, with sliding scale tickets in hopes of making the festival exciting and accessible for all.
Muller noted the increasingly popular, performative and expensive nature of big-name festivals, adding that “pertaining specifically to Marist, I think that they should try to host more festivals around here. There is a large community in the Hudson Valley that is extremely passionate about music and I think it would be really special to cater to them.”
Smaller festivals like the Hoot can provide a mutually beneficial experience for music lovers and emerging artists.
About 40 miles south of Poughkeepsie, Croton Point Park in Croton, NY, will host the Hudson River Music Festival. The festival will be a celebration of music, family, environmental action and community, all while honoring Pete and Toshi Seeker’s legacy of civil rights and workers’ advocacy, equality, environmentalism and outdoor music.
Folk, indie, rock and Americana will take over the festival’s three stages, the main Hudson Stage including folk and rock artist Jesse Welles, Warren Haynes, guitarist for the Allman Brothers Band and blues-rock musician, and Grahame Lesh, son of the Grateful Dead’s Phil Lesh, and Daniel Donato.
The Rainbow Stage will serve as the “classic” festival stage for folk musicians including the Guthrie Family Singers, descendants of Woody and Arlo Guthrie, and Leah Song of Rising Appalachia.
The family-friendly North Star Stage is dedicated to yoga, instrument workshops, and music for all.
Off the stage, the festival also attracts “activists dedicated to protecting the river, our people, and our planet, continuing the legacy of Pete Seeger’s Clearwater movement and the fight for a cleaner, greener future,” along with local craft and art vendors, food and drink, according to the website.
For Muller, music festivals are a great way to have authentic experiences with artists with “low stakes and amazing vibes.”
“I think that many people go to festivals to see their favorite artists,” Muller said. “But the beautiful thing about festivals is that there are so many different people performing at the same time that you’re bound to listen to an artist you're not familiar with and fall in love with them at the same time.”
Belcher shares a similar view, adding that “one of the most fulfilling parts of a festival is supporting local artists. Some of the best shows I’ve seen were people who I didn’t previously know. A culmination of local artists would be great for the community and I know a lot of people that would benefit from it.”
Music festivals pose the perfect setting to explore new genres, rising artists and new venues. Whether it be the grand environment of Rolling Stone’s Stateside Festival, or in the community gathering for the Summer Hoot, the Hudson Valley has a wide range of opportunities to come together for music, the arts and community causes.