The arrival of June heralds the beginning of the summer festival season, which means it’s time — if you haven’t already — to assess the array of musical events that will be happening in the coming months.
Below is a selective, chronological list of many of the music festivals scheduled throughout New York and northern Pennsylvania this summer. It’s worth noting that a couple of big events are not returning this year: the Syracuse Jazz Festival, due to the loss of its major corporate sponsor; and, after returning from a three-year break last year, Turin’s moe.down is on hiatus again, as the band moe. headed out to Illinois to headline the Summer Camp Festival last weekend.
Still, there are plenty of other choices to satisfy area music fans of all types. From rock and blues to classical and jazz — not to mention the many festivals that make a point of blurring boundaries among genres — you’re sure to find something to your taste.
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JUNE
Xerox Rochester International Jazz Festival
•Where: Various venues, Rochester
•When: June 22-30
•Why go: One of the biggest festivals in the Northeast has long outgrown its jazz roots to encompass everything from indie rock and Cajun to country and retro rock. Features outdoor stages, club shows and headline concerts at the Eastman Theatre.
•Headliners: Seal, Boz Scaggs, Alison Krauss (sold out), Jill Scott, Lake Street Dive, Bela Fleck and the Flecktones
•Other acts: Free street shows include Stephane Wrembel, Soul Stew, Sultans of String, Butcher Brown and Tempest. The Club Pass series will present Mindi Abair, Joey Alexander Trio.
•Camping: No
•Tickets: Club pass, $250; individual club and headline shows vary in price
•Website:rochesterjazz.com
Old Songs Festival
•Where: Altamont Fairgrounds, Altamont
•When: June 22-24
•Why go: This family-friendly festival of folk, Celtic and world music and dance is known for its interactive sessions and workshops, hands-on experience and participatory nature.
•Headliners: Christine Lavin, Blind Boy Paxton, Bob Franke, Low Lily
•Other acts: Happy Traum and Jim Kweskin, Joel Mabus, Joe Jencks, John Roberts
•Camping: Yes
•Tickets: Advance weekend pass $125; daily, $25-$75
•Website:festival.oldsongs.org
Ithaca Reggae Fest
•Where: Stewart Park, Ithaca
•When: June 23
•Why go: Now in its second year, this festival will feature Central New York reggae and dub bands as well as some international artists.
•Headliners: Clinton Fearon, Sister Carol, the Meditations
•Other acts: Double Tiger, Mosaic Foundation, Fall Creek Brass Band, Thousands of One, Crucial Reggae Social Club
•Camping: No
•Tickets: $40 in advance, $50 at the gate
•Website:ithacareggaefest.com
Freihofer’s Saratoga Jazz Festival
•Where: Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga
•When:June 22-23
•Why go: This iconic festival continues into its fifth decade with jazz, blues and pop legends on board.
•Headliners: Herbie Hanco*ck, Chris Botti, Joey Alexander, Jon Batiste with The Dap-Kings, Gregory Porter, Mavis Staples.
•Other acts: Todd Barkan, Christian Sands Trio, Anat Cohen Tentet, TEN, Mark Whitfield, the Jazz Passengers
•Camping: No
•Tickets: $20-$105
•Website:spac.org
New York State Blues Festival
•Where: Clinton Square, Syracuse
•When: June 28-30
•Why go: This free festival will showcase many shades of the blues, including top regional bands.
•Headliners: Larkin Poe, Paulie Cerra, Erin Harpe and the Delta Swingers, C.J. Chenier, Anders Osborne
•Other acts: Nate Gross, The Hi-Jivers, Todd Fitzsimmons, Bruce Katz Band
•Camping: No
•Cost: Free general admission; VIP tickets, $60-$225
•Website:nysbluesfest.com
JULY
The Sterling Stage Ameribeat Festival of Arts
•Where: Sterling Stage Kampitheater, Sterling
•When: July 5-8
•Why go: Roots, folk and jam bands will converge on this unique venue near the shores of Lake Ontario.
•Headliners: Roots of Creation, Pink Talking Fish
•Other acts: Pearly Baker’s Best, Gerry Jarcia String Band, Bear Tread
•Camping: Yes
•Tickets: Weekend pass: $85; daily pass: $50 at gate
•Website:sterlingstage.com
Busy Bird Bluegrass Festival
•Where: 231 Ketchumville Road, Berkshire
•When: July 5-8
•Why go: This family-friendly festival has a down-home vibe that has made a regional favorite since 2004.
•Headliners: Lonesome River Band, Dave Adkins Band, Carolina Blue, Blue Mafia, 7 Mile Bluegrass
•Other acts: Slewfoot, Jersey Corn Pickers, Melanie & the Boys, Molly and the Badly Bent Boys, Gospel Way, Terry and the Busybirds, host band Bug Tussle
•Camping: Yes
•Tickets: $50 in advance, $60 at gate for weekend pass; daily passes are $10-$25
•Website:busybirdbluegrass.com
Binghamton Music and Jazz Festival
•Where: Downtown Binghamton
•When: July 6-8
•Why go: The Binghamton Music and Jazz Festival is part of the city’s downtown July Fest, now in its 56th year.
•Headliners: TBA
•Camping: No
•Tickets: free
•Website:julyfestbinghamton.com
Great Blue Heron Music Festival
•Where: 2361 Waits Corners Road, Sherman
•When: July 6-8
•Why go: More than 30 bands will be featured at this eclectic roots-music gathering in western New York.
•Headliners: Donna the Buffalo, The Felice Brothers, Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad
•Other acts: The Town Pants, Danielle Ponder and Tomorrow People, Suitcase Junket, Gunpoets, Driftwood
•Camping: Yes
•Tickets: Weekend pass, $115 in advance, $130 at gate; One-day passes: $40-$60
•Website:greatblueheron.com
Camp Bisco
•Where: Montage Mountain, Scranton, Pa.
•When: July 12-14
•Why go: In 2015, host band Disco Biscuits moved Camp Bisco, now in its 16th year, to their home state for the first time since 2002.
•Headliners: The Disco Biscuits, Bassnectar, STS9, Excision, Lotus, Tipper
•Other acts: Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad, Boombox, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Lettuce, Tauk
•Camping: Yes
•Tickets: Three-day pass, $170-$270; VIP, $549
•Website:campbisco.com
Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival
•Where: The Walsh Farm, Oak Hill
•When: July 19-22
•Why go: Hosted by the Dry Branch Fire Squad, this long-running event features some of the biggest names in bluegrass, along with other roots bands.
•Headliners: Del McCoury Band, Hot Rize, Jerry Douglas, Sam Bush Band, Billy Strings, the Wood Brothers
•Camping: Yes
•Tickets: Weekend pass, $225; Daily passes, $80
•Website:greyfoxbluegrass.com
Peach Music Festival
•Where: Montage Mountain, Scranton, Pa.
•When: July 19-22
•Why go: Founded by the Allman Brothers Band, this festival includes a horde of like-minded jam bands that also place an emphasis on strong songwriting.
•Headliners: c, Dickey Betts Band, Umphrey’s McGee, Phil Lesh and Terrapin Station
•Other acts: Michael Franti and Spearhead, moe. + Little Feat (performing “Waiting for Columbus”), Blackberry Smoke, Chris Robinson Brotherhood, Twiddle, Cabinet, Marcus King Band
•Camping: Yes
•Tickets: Four-day passes only: $165 and up; VIP, $500-$1140
•Website:thepeachmusicfestival.com
Finger Lakes GrassRoots Festival of Music and Dance
•Where: Trumansburg Fairgrounds, Trumansburg
•When: July 19-22
•Why go: More than 80 bands will perform on four stages over four days, playing everything from rock, Zydeco, reggae, African and blues to country, folk, Cajun and Latin.
•Headliners: The Wood Brothers, Valerie June, Eilen Jewell, Patty Griffin, Toots and the Maytals, DhakaBraka, and host band Donna the Buffalo
•Other acts: Johnny Dowd, The Blind Spots, Jim Lauderdale, Root Shock, Sidi Toure, the Campbell Brothers, Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys, and many more local, regional and international favorites.
•Camping: Yes
•Tickets: 4-day pass, $125 in advance, $150 at gate; Daily passes: $47-$67 at gate
•Website:grassrootsfest.org
More:Donna the Buffalo, Toots and the Maytals to take stage at 2018 GrassRoots Festival
Endless Mountain Music Festival
•Where: Various locations in the Southern Tier and northern Pennsylvania
•When: July 20-Aug. 4
•Why go: This classical music festival offers performances in Mansfield, Wellsboro and Tioga, Pa.; and Elmira and Corning, N.Y.
•Headliners: Matthew Graybill, Abbie Gardner, Asiya Korepanova, Asi Matathias, Bram Wijands, Peggy Duttweiler
•Camping: No
•Tickets: Various prices
•Website:endlessmountain.net
Rotary Ribs Rhythm & Blues Festival
•Where: Deauville Island at Emerson Park, Auburn
•When: July 21-22
•Why go: Features a mix of local and regional roots-rock bands.
•Headliners: Professor Louie & the Crowmatix, Maria Aurigema and The Red Hot Band
•Other acts: The Ripcords, Ron Spencer Band, The Rhythm Dogs
•Camping: No
•Tickets: $10 per day ($5 for kids)
•Website:auburnrotarybbq.org
Vans Warped Tour
•Where: Darien Lake Performing Arts Center, Darien Center
•When: July 25
•Why go: After serving as a one-stop shopping mall of punk, indie-rock and punk-pop bands, the Warped Tour will call it quits after this year.
•Headliners: Frank Turner, Asking Alexandria, 3OH!3
•Other acts: Knuckle Puck, the Interrupters, Reel Big Fish, Less Than Jake, Twiztid
•Camping: No
•Tickets: $43
•Website:vanswarpedtour.com
Oswego Harborfest
•Where: Parks and other venues around Oswego
•When: July 26-29
•Why go: Music, fireworks, food and fun will again be on tap on the shores of Lake Ontario.
•Headliners: Don Felder, Enter the Haggis
•Other acts: Almost Queen, Hard Promises
•Camping: No
•Tickets: free
•Website:oswegoharborfest.com
Brantling Bluegrass Festival
•Where: Brantling Ski Slopes, Sodus
•When: July 26-29
•Why go: Hosted by the Linabelle Bluegrass Band, this festival welcomes regional and national bluegrass acts to this lakeside village.
•Headliners: The Little Roy and Lizzy Show, Nothin’ Fancy, Remington Ryde and Bear Tracks
•Other acts: Higher Mountain Bluegrass, Molly & the Badly Bent Bluegrass Boys, Melanie and the Boys
•Camping: Yes
•Tickets: $65 for weekend pass; daily passes available for $25-3$0 daily
•Website:brantlingbluegrass.com
Panorama Festival
•Where: Randall’s Island, New York City
•When: July 27-29
•Why go: This festival from the organizers of Coachella features top rock and pop acts.
•Headliners: Janet Jackson, The Killers, The Weeknd, David Byrne, Fleet Foxes
•Other acts: St. Vincent, the War on Drugs, Dua Lipa, SZA and the xx and many more.
•Camping: No
•Tickets: $295 for three-day pass; $125 for daily pass
•Website:panorama.nyc
Northeast Jazz and Wine Festival
•Where: Clinton Square, Syracuse
•When: July 27-28
•Why go: The anchor event for Syracuse Artsweek also includes the Syracuse Arts & Crafts Festival and the Stage of Nations.
•Headliners: TBA
•Camping: No
•Tickets: TBA
•Website:nejazzwinefest.org
AUGUST
Seedstock X
•Where: 3336 Route 215, Cortland
•When: Aug. 4-6
•Why go: This house party-turned-festival in the hills overlooking Cortland marks its 10th anniversary of offering a laid-back vibe for music fans of all ages.
•Headliners: Sophistafunk, Digger Jones, The Blind Spots, Root Shock
•Other acts: The Unknown Woodsmen, Gunpoets, Thousands Of One, Mike Powell and the Black River, the New York Rock, Kitestring, Small Town Shade, Molly and the Badly Bent Bluegrass Boys
•Camping: Yes
•Tickets: $10-$20 for day passes, $45-$85 for weekend passes
•Website:seedstockfest.com
Falcon Ridge Folk Fest
•Where: Dodds Farm, Hillsdale
•When: Aug. 3-5
•Why go: Three days of singer-songwriters on four stages, including a dance and family stages.
•Headliners: SloanWainwright, Vance Gilbert, Dar Williams, Tom Paxton and the Don Juans
•Other acts: The Kennedys, Greg Greenway, Kim and Reggie Harris, the Clayfoot Strutters
•Camping: Yes
•Tickets: Three-day pass: $125 ($170 with camping) through July 10; $150 and $190 at gate. Single-day: $20-$55
•Website:falconridgefolk.com
Bluegrass Ramble Picnic
•Where: Dwyer Memorial Park, Little York
•When: Aug. 5
•Why go: Hosted by Bill Knowlton since 1973, this is the oldest bluegrass festival in Central New York.
•Headliners: The Delaney Brothers and other regional favorites
•Camping: No
•Tickets: free
•Website:wcny.org
Skaneateles Festival
•Where: Various locations in Skaneateles
•When: Aug. 7-Sept. 1
•Why go: This four-week festival — each week has a separate theme — presents world-class performers (classical and beyond) in several venues around this lakeside village, including Anyela’s Vineyard.
•Headliners: Joshua Redman, Mark O’Connor Band, Jupiter String Quartet, Danish String Quartet, Tai Murray
•Camping: No
•Tickets: Prices vary; available in advance and the door.
•Website:skanfest.org
Chenango Blues Festival
•Where: Chenango County Fairgrounds, Norwich
•When: Aug. 17-18
•Why go: This long-running, two-stage festival brings in fast-rising blues or roots bands as well as better-known headliners.
•Headliners: Elvin Bishop’s Big Fun Trio, Samantha Fish, Cash Box Kings
•Other acts: Hubby Jenkins, Toronzo Cannon, AJ Ghent, Brandon Santini
•Camping: Yes
•Tickets: $25 in advance, $35 at the gate
•Website:chenangobluesfest.org
Curveball
•Where: Watkins Glen International, Watkins Glen
•When: Aug. 17-18
•Why go: Three years after Magnaball, Phish returns to upstate New York to host another big festival at the racetrack.
•Headliner: Phish
•Other acts: none
•Camping: Yes
•Tickets: $250 in advance for weekend pass (camping costs extra)
•Website:phish.com/curveball
Pickin’ in the Pasture
•Where: Alexander Sheep Farm, Lodi
•When: Aug. 23-26
•Why go: Hosted by the Alexander family, this is one of upstate New York largest bluegrass events and features a family-friendly atmosphere and lots of parking-lot jamming.
•Headliners: Blue Mafia, Kody Norris, Ralph Stanley II and the Clinch Mountain Boys
•Other acts: Remington Ryde, Mark Miklos, 5 Mile Mountain Road, Junior Sisk and Rambler’s Choice
•Camping: Yes
•Tickets: Advance four-day pass, $80; daily, $25-$30
•Website:pickininthepasture.com
Night Lights Music Festival
•Where: The Heron Farm & Event Center, Sherman
•When: Aug. 23-25
•Why go: Held on the grounds of the Great Blue Heron Festival, this event will feature top jamtronica bands.
•Headliners: Lotus, The Motet, Aqueous
•Other acts: Bumpin’ Uglies, Wild Adriatic, Upstate Rubdown, Root Shock, Lazlo Hollyfeld
•Camping: Yes
•Tickets: Weekend pass, $99-$125
•Website:nightlightsfest.com
Big Mean BBQ IV
•Where: 3150 Agard Road, Trumansburg
•When: Aug. 24-25
•Why go: Hosted by Big Mean Sound Machine at the former GrassRoots offsite camping area, it features a variety of top local and regional bands.
•Headliner: Big Mean Sound Machine, Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad, Marco Benevento, Driftwood
•Other acts: Kat Wright, Blind Owl Band, Danielle Ponder and the Tomorrow People, djGOURD, Ithaca Bottom Boys, Rose and the Bros, Grey Gary, Honey Cave and more.
•Camping: Yes
•Tickets: $25-$75
•Website:bigmeansoundmachine.com/bbq
Afropunk Fest
•Where: Commodore Barry Park, Brooklyn
•When: Aug. 25-26
•Why go: Marking 14 years of bringing “live music and good vibes” to Fort Greene, with Spinthrift Market, Bites & Beats, Activism Row and other features returning.
•Headliners: Erykah Badu, Janelle Monáe, Miguel, the Internet, and Tyler, the Creator
•Camping: Yes
•Tickets: $60-$160
•Website:afropunkfest.com
Electric Zoo
•Where: Randall’s Island, New York City
•When: Aug. 31-Sept. 2
•Why go: Some of the world’s top DJs will perform at this annual event.
•Headliners: Marshmello, Tiesto, Kaskade, Alesso, Martin Garrix
•Other acts: Troyboy, Zomboy, Boombox Cartel, Jauz
•Camping: No
•Tickets: $239 ($499 VIP) for weekend pass
•Website:electriczoo.com
Last Daze of Summer
•Where: Sterling Stage Kampitheater, Sterling
•When: Aug. 31- Sept. 2
•Why go: Roots, folk and jam bands converge on this unique venue near the shores of Lake Ontario.
•Headliners: Max Creek, Ryan Montbleu
•Other acts: Dirty Blanket, Creamery Station
•Camping: Yes
•Tickets: Weekend pass: $85; daily pass: $50 at gate
•Website:sterlingstage.com
SEPTEMBER
Oldtone Roots Music Festival
•Where: Cool Whisper Farm, North Hillsdale
•When: Sept. 6-9
•Why go: More than 30 bands will perform on three stages.
•Headliners: Foghorn String Band, Karl Shifflet and Big Country Show
•Other acts: Jesse Lege, Cedric Watson, Hubby Jenkins, Tuba Skinny
•Camping: Yes
•Tickets: Weekend pass: $95; daily pass: $15-$38
•Website:oldtonemusicfestival.com
Colorscape Chenango Arts Festival
•Where: East and West Parks, Norwich
•When: Sept. 8-9
•Why go: A free exhibition of juried art and crafts in an interactive atmosphere with top-notch acoustic and folk-rock acts.
•Headliners: Slambovian Circus of Dreams, John Hall
•Other acts: The Kennedys, Mustard’s Retreat, Adam Ezra Group, Answer the Muse, Jeremy Wallace Trio
•Camping: No
•Tickets: free
•Website:colorscape.org
SophistaFEST!
•Where:Sharkey’s, Liverpool
•When:Sept. 9
• Why go: Syracuse hip-hop/funk-rock trio Sophistifunk launches its own festival, featuring some of Syracuse’s top bands.
•Headliners:Sophistifunk
•Other acts: Black River, Skunk City, Spring Street Family Band, Barroom Philosophers, Major Player and Strange to Look At.
•Camping: No
•Tickets: $20 in advance, $25 at the dor
•Website:sophistafest.com
Cayuga Sound
•Where: Stewart Park, Ithaca
•When: Sept. 21-22
•Why go: Hosted and curated by X Ambassadors, led by Ithaca natives Sam and Casey Harris, this festival expands to two days in its second year.
•Headliners: X Ambassadors, Young the Giant
•Other acts: Matt and Kim, Sofi Tukker, Talib Kweli, Buddy, morgxn, Lady D & The Shadow Spirits, No-Comply, KNEW
•Camping: No
•Tickets: Two-day pass, $99.50; VIP, $225-$300
•Website:cayugasoundfestival.com
More:Cayuga Sound festival expands to two days
