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Finger Lakes GrassRoots Fest Sets Line Up

The population of Trumansburg may be 1,800 people for most of the year, but for July 20-23, 2017, that number will swell considerably when the 27th edition of the non-profit, non-corporate, volunteer-powered Finger Lakes GrassRoots Festival of Music and Dance takes place. The annual event will feature 80 acts on four stages over four days.

Trumansburg, NY (May 2017)—The population of Trumansburg may be 1,800 people for most of the year, but for July 20-23, 2017, that number will swell considerably when the 27th edition of the non-profit, non-corporate, volunteer-powered Finger Lakes GrassRoots Festival of Music and Dance takes place. The annual event will feature 80 acts on four stages over four days.

“Music fests are a dime a dozen nowadays. Yet when GrassRoots started, there weren’t too many that weren’t genre specific,” reflects Nana Monaco, GrassRoots assistant director. “We really have something for everyone. I remember last year when I walked from one stage to the next in the span of a hour and saw zydeco, reggae, bluesy gospel, and an Afrobeat group. People are exposed to all sorts of music.”

“We tend to book bands right before they’ve been discovered. That’s kind of our niche,” Monaco notes. “We do book headliners, but it’s not really about that. Someone might come to see a specific band, but will also leave loving another. GrassRoots is a great place to find your next favorite band.”

They also come to learn. GrassRoots takes the educational facet of its mission very seriously, offering festival goers more than a quick peek or taste, but an extensive schedule of classes, yoga sessions, and other learning opportunities, all free of charge. Fans can immerse themselves in an entire Culture Camp prior to the festival, where they can learn from master artists and eat community meals together.

Powered by approximately 1,500 volunteers, GrassRoots is built to get people involved in every aspect of festival operations. “Our community of volunteers really creates something special,” says Monaco. “We have always prided ourselves as being a nationally prominent large music festival, without having major sponsorship. The only way we can do this is with help, and the volunteer opportunities allow anyone to participate, regardless of their income. It creates a larger sense of ownership and connection.”

Finger Lakes GrassRoots Festival of Music and Dance
https://www.grassrootsfest.org

GrassRoots 2017 Lineup

Donna the Buffalo
Del McCoury Band
Drive By Truckers
Jamestown Revival
Morgan Heritage
Keith Frank & The Soileau Zydeco Band
John Brown’s Body
Las Cafeteras
Mbongwana Star
Preston Frank & His Zydeco Family Band
Locos Por Juana
Mokoomba
DakhaBrakha
Sim Redmond Band
The Horse Flies
Campbell Brothers
Balfa Toujours
Uma Galera
Driftwood
Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad
Walter Mouton & The Scott Playboys
Sophistafunk
Big Mean Sound Machine
Los Texmaniacs
Gunpoets
Danielle Ponder & The Tomorrow People
The Blind Spots
Keith Secola & The Wild Band of Indians
Flying Clouds of South Carolina
Sihasin
Cortadito
Samite of Uganda
FABI
Jones Benally Family Dance Troupe
Elastic Bond
Root Shock
Jennie Stearns
Dara and Nikolai
Thunder Body
¡Viva Mayhem!
Taina Asili
Barroom Philosophers
Stone Cold Miracle
Tenzin Chopak
Mosaic Foundation
Crucial Reggae Social Club
Mac Benford & Up South
Ithaca Bottom Boys
Empire Kings
Thru Spectrums
Richie and Rosie
Johnny Dowd
Hank Roberts
Kevin Kinsella
Western Centuries
Afrobeta
Bobby Henrie & The Goners
Moontee Sinquah
Bomb Pulse
The Grady Girls
Laila Belle
Aaron Lipp & The Slack Tones
Saint Mela
Uniit Carruyo
The Ladles
Kelly Britton
Kenny T & Wildfire
Travis Knapp
Bronwen Exter
The Cat’s Elbow
Bess Greenberg
Readalong Songs
Papa Muse
Sammus
Izzy True
Chris Corsano
Mr. McBean
Imperials
Toivo
Calico Moon
The Horses
Dead Sea Squirrels
Rt 13
Bear Fox
Whistlin’ Dyl
Along the River
Bubba George Stringband
GrassRoots Chamber Orchestra

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