5 Stages - Continuous Entertainment:

The Hudson Valley Garlic Festival is known for the taste and smell of garlic, but an aspect that always receives high praise as well is the enjoyable and varied sounds that emanate from the stages located throughout the grounds. Here is last year's entertainment schedule . We will update this to the 2008 schedule as we get toward the beginning of September.

And to give you an idea of the types of entertainers that appear at the Hudson Valley Garlic Festival, here is some brief biographical information about the entertainers who appeared last year:

• Erwin Allen and the Route 7 Ramblers is a band of Middlebury College alumni, steeped in bluegrass, but also able to kick back and rock with the best of 'em. Saugerties' own Ben Campbell (guitar, banjo) and bandmates Caleb Elder (fiddle), Bennett Konesni (guitar and fiddle), Alex Reiser (bass guitar), and Abe Streep (mandolin, fiddle) have toured in the past with Circus Smirkus and have played a number of benefit concerts in the greater Northeast.

• Annie and the Hedonists is a band with a great lead singer and tight harmonies, covering an eclectic mix of acoustic folk, torchy blues, standards, bluegrass, gospel, early jazz and more. To quote a review . . . "The sultry, blues-tinged singing of Annie Rosen and tight group harmonies are framed by a variety of knockout lead instruments including guitar, mandolin, trumpet, keyboards and dobro on an eclectic mix of blues, jazz, swing, folk, and country." Visit their Web site at http://home.nycap.rr.com/anniehedonists to learn more.

• Arm-of-the-Sea Theater Arm-of-the-Sea is a performing ensemble that creates contemporary mask and puppet theatre. For twenty-five years the company's large-scale productions have combined visual storytelling with live music in a potent style of magical realism. Their newest production, Turtle Island Medicine Show, fuses parts of the Lenape Indian origin story with a cautionary tale about global warming. The Lenape along with many other Indian nations, refer to North America as Turtle Island. Their stories describe a great flood and how various animals dove to the bottom to bring up mud. When they spread the mud on Turtle's back, this tiny island grew into a mighty continent. Arm-of-the-Sea enacts this story with enchanting mask and puppet figures, including a 16' tall Tree of Life figure. More about the company and the production is available at http://www.armofthesa.org

• The Barefoot Boys (Rich Bala and Tom White) perform traditional folk music, specializing in mountain ballads, square dance tunes, sea shanties, and folks songs of the Catskill Mountains and the Hudson Valley.

• Edward Leavitt is a pianist well known for his part in theatrical performances of music of various historical eras, including operettas and musical theater. He is a full-time musician performing frequently as soloist accompanist, and chamber musician. Ed is on the music faculty at Ulster County Community College, and also teaches piano to all ages and levels at his studio between Woodstock and Saugerties. He will be playing Swing and Ragtime music at this year's festival.

• The Homegrown String Band is a 21st century incarnation of the traditional family band. The band, which was literally home grown, consists of Georgianne and Rick Jackofsky and daughters Erica and Annalee. Utilizing unique instrumentation and varied musical influences, this quartet of acoustic musicians from Rocky Point, NY has put their own stamp on traditional American music. Their repertoire consists of traditional and original music inspired by the rural string bands that recorded during the 1920s and '30s, as well as all the great American roots music that followed. The family that plays together has been performing atg coffeehouses and music festivals from Maine to Missouri since 1997. At a Homegrown String Band show you will be treated to the sounds of fiddle, guitar, harmonica, mandolin, clawhammer banjo, banjo ukulele, mountain dulcimer, jawharp, and old time family style singing, as well as some percussive flatfoot dancing as The Homegrown String Band takes you on a rollicking ride through the sounds of American music, from the driving rhythms of old-time dance tunes to the mournful sounds of mountain ballads and blues.

• Morris Dancers perform an ancient dance that was traditionally used in the Spring planting time, with the bells, whistles, and pounding sticks of the dancers driving the evil spirits from the newly plowed fields. And again the dancers will be performing their celebration of the harvest, at this fall's Hudson Valley Garlic Festival (Saturday only).

• One World Puppetry & Performance Art's magical friends will be appearing from New York's very own garlic patch. Keep your eyes open throughout the festival grounds and at the kids tent for the Garlic Giant and his friend the Garlic Faery. They will be wandering the festival grounds and having fun with one and all, celebrating this year's garlic harvest.

• Mark Rust's performances showcase an impressive array of instruments, including fiddle, guitar, hammered dulcimer, mountain dulcimer and banjo. He writes his own songs based on personal experiences and sings about family, good feelings and home. Come enjoy a fun, interactive performance by an impressive musical talent.

• The Saints of Swing are a collection of some of the area's finest performers. Providing a fresh and exciting experience in art and entertainment, the Saints of Swing specialize in eclectic and electric selections of foot-tappin' Swing classics . . . hot and cool Jazz served up in spicy New Orleans Dixieland style (complete with a dancin' tuba player!) or as an elegant New York City sizzler . . . Motown, R&B . . . Ballroom favorites . . . and even 1,000,000-watt Gospel, Latin, and Klezmer classics!

• Captain Squeeze and the Zydeco Moshers has been cited as "one of the most versatile zydeco bands in the country". Since their beginning in 1996, they have become one of the busiest zydeco bands from the Northeast and perform throughout the region. Their music appeals to people of all ages and musical tastes. They work hard to involve the audiences by having extra scratch boards for "guest" appearances with the band every set. Zydeco music is infectious and this band wants to help that continue! Once their spicy music flows into your ears you'll definitely catch "Zydecosis". Their third dance party CD "Bayou Party Downtown" was entered in the first running for the Grammy competition in 2004. The musicians are Greg Speck (Captain Squeeze), accordion; Alek Speck, rub board; Bill Lawrence, bass; Brian Egan, drums; and Justin Cross, guitar. The band's unique approach to playing Louisiana Bayou music keeps dancers jumpin' all night long as they mix old time traditional and new zydeco with a flavor all their own.
• Washboard Slim and the Blue Lights is the American Roots Music Band for the 21st century. The perform an eclectic mix of blues, gospel, early jazz and pop, jug band and rock 'n roll, all infused with their own brand of humor and energy. Originally founded in 1986, they continue to peform at major folk and roots music festivals throughout North America. Their first CD was released in 1996 to nationwide critical acclaim and they are presently working on a follow-up CD.

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2008 Hudson Valley
Garlic FestivalT
September 27 & 28, 2008