It is summer time folks and I can tell that by the sweat running down my back without moving a muscle. It is what we begged for all winter long when we were shivering in the -20 winds. This time of year our sleepy valley really comes alive and there are so many things to do that you don't have enough time to fit them all in.
Ithaca, NY is constantly voted one of the best small towns to live in for its great arts and music community. It is like a big old hippie commune with some college students thrown in for fun. It is where the activist go to settle down and the naturalist go to take in the beauty of mother nature.
Just a short ways from Ithaca in Trumansburg there is a festival held every year called Grassroots. It is a three or so day festival filled with world music, hip hop, country, local bands, bluegrass, and zydeco. There are tons of stages, great food, and fun activities for the kids.
Before the inauguration of Grassroots, there was a benefit held at The State Theatre in Ithaca to help raise funds for a local AIDS charity called AIDSwork. One of the participants was a band called Donna the Buffalo. After this charity event, the band decided it would be great to start a 4 day festival filled with local bands and artists as well as international favorites to raise money for local charities.
The first year I went, I took my daughter.
Listening to a band called New Neighbors
Many people from my work go to this festival every year...especially the ER doctors who had been like family. Each year they have a prime spot for camping on the infield stage. They invited us to set up our tent near theirs to help keep people from tromping through the site all day. It was close to everything which I thought was great. It was, however, an utter nightmare outside of theory when you have an 8 year old with you. It was noisy and all the drunk people spent most of the night falling on our tent or stepping on our heads. During the day it was great. If you are going to camp, camp the edges where you'll get some sleep.
Infield camping at its finest
My first year there I went because I was going to get to see Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings and Toots and the Maytals. They were both great shows! My daughter had fun during the day at the Bubble Man's station and enjoying the food.
The Bubble Man aka Dr. Mark
After the rough camping incident, I had a hard time convincing my daughter to go back to the festival. It took several years to remove the bad taste in her mouth and the only way I could get her to go with me is if we didn't camp. It worked out for the best. We went in 2011....the hottest summer on record in our area in a long time. It was brutal, but the music was great and we danced and ate and laughed.
The Folkadelics
Dancing to The Gunpoets
Despite the heat, the crowds, and the long hours spent in a festival setting, it was worth it every time. The festival supports their community, artists get to display their wares, local bands get a leg up, and the community has a chance to come together every year. Friends meet up and enjoy the opportunity to let the rest of the world go.
This festival is always held the second weekend of July so you still have time to enjoy the madness. This years headliner is Dickey Betts. Have a great time!
No comments:
Post a Comment