Chalk drawing at the 2015 Cortland Arts and Wine Festival
The 12th annual Cortland Arts & Wine Festival will be back in historic Courthouse Park Saturday, August 4, with activities for the whole family from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Here are the highlights of this year's festival:
Art for the Whole Family
You can explore diverse products of talented artists/artisans from across the region that will make for great birthday and holidays gifts. In addition to paintings, pottery, wooden and gift items of other media, there will be a puppeteer on hand demonstrating and selling hand-made puppets. The “Kids' Art Tent” will offer art activities from noon - 3pm for children and adults even better than last year. In the tent, families can explore a pirate ship and castle and try out some pirate-themed crafts. You can work alongside Stacey from Magpie as she heads up a tapestry-making workshop in the tent. Children and adults can enter or observe the sidewalk art contest beginning at 11am. Or, join the Foto Frenzy, which is coming to the festival for the first time for children, teens, and adults. Take photos at the festival with your cell phone and submit up to two for a chance to win a prize. Stop by the Cultural Council booth to learn more!
The “Kids' Art Tent” will offer art activities from noon - 3pm for children and adults even better than last year. In the tent, families can explore a pirate ship and castle and try out some pirate-themed crafts.
In addition to the visual arts, there will be performing arts to enjoy; you can dance, do yoga, have lunch, or pull up a chair in the shade all day long while you listen to live music.
Music All Day Long
10AM: Music begins with Crown City Brass playing a diverse repertoire of music spanning a wide period of time-from the Renaissance to modern jazz and popular classics. This ensemble premiered at Cortland's 2005 Arts in the Park Festival, the forerunner of the Cortland Arts & Wine Festival and has been delighting audiences around the region ever since.
11AM: The Clinton String Duet featuring violinist Michael Bosetti and cellist George Macero will delight with light, familiar melodies from the classical repertoire, some popular tunes, including music of Bach, Handel, Vivaldi, Mozart. And Gershwin. Bosetti served as assistant concertmaster with several orchestras including the Syracuse Symphony. Macero has been a member and soloist of the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra, and now Symphoria.
NOON: Answer the Muse will take you on a musical journey that integrates original music, covers, theatre, meditation, and movement that uplifts. The group has performed at many impressive venues including Pete Seeger's Clearwater Festival and the Finger Lakes Grass Roots Festival.
1PM: John West, an accomplished national and international recording and performing singer, song writer and guitarist has had a successful solo and collaborative career.
2-2:30 and 2:40-3PM: If you have never seen Morris dancers, you will find this form of dance performed by the B.F. Harridans from Binghamton to be fascinating. Morris dancing is a tradition of dance and music designed to shake off the dark of winter and celebrate the coming of spring.
2:20-2:40: Stop by, to hear James VanDeusen, you won’t be disappointed! Jim is a popular local musician and extraordinary sound engineer who started playing guitar in the early 70s. Now retired, Jim still plays a few times a month to stay with the music.
3-4PM: FALL CREEK BRASS BAND is an exciting, youthful, celebratory group that entertains with highly danceable funk, rock, pop, brass, and hip-hop on horns and drums. Originally formed at Dryden High School a decade ago, FCBB evolved over time. Now there is a new cadre of Ithaca’s and Cortland’s funk masters who have joined the band and Fall Creek Brass Band has been reinvigorated.
4PM: The JazzHappensBand, well known and beloved traditional Dixieland jazz band operating out of Cortland, will entertain with a repertoire of Dixie, blues, and quick stepping jazz.
Food for Every Palate
The food court will have vendors selling food and beverages that are sure to please: On the Street Pitas; The Chicken Bandit; Yakisobas; 307 Sports Bar & Grill; Lu Lulu’s Kettlecorn; Anderson’s Market & Store; and Birdsong Café.
Wine for those 21+
The wine tent opens at noon for attendees 21 and over where you can try out beverages from new and returning wineries and two breweries. Tickets can be purchased at the wine tent on the day of the festival or at a discounted price online https://www.culturalcouncilofcortlandcounty.org/artsandwine. ID will be checked at the wine tent.
The Council could not continue to offer events like the Arts and Wine Festival without the support of the Cortland Common Council, Cortland County Legislature, CNY Arts, and sponsors such as Equus Advisors, Merrill Lynch/William Maffei, Cinch Arts Space, The Local Food Market and Cafe, CFCU, J.M. McDonald Sport Complex, and Family Dentistry.
For more information about the festival and to order tickets to the wine tent, please visit our website www.culturalcouncilofcortlandcounty.org, contact us via email [email protected] or phone (607) 753-1188. We look forward to seeing you Saturday, August 4, to celebrate the arts!
Editor's Note: This is a press release from the Cultural Council of Cortland County and was not written by the editorial staff of the Cortland Voice.
