Blue Heron Music Festival

THE GREAT BLUE HERON MUSIC FESTIVAL
Event Type:	Festival
Event Description:	July 6, 7, and 8 have been announced as this year's dates for the 16th annual Great Blue Heron Music Festival, held each year since 1992 near Sherman, NY in Western Chautauqua County. The event will feature performances by 26 regional, national, and international acts, embracing many styles, including rock, folk, blues, bluegrass, celtic, old-time, country, and Cajun/zydeco. This year's edition will be a reunion of sorts, featuring many of the festival's recent fan favorites. Those scheduled to appear include perennial headliners Donna the Buffalo, national recording artists The Horse Flies, and The Avett Brothers, whose star continues to rise, playing sold-out shows from coast-to-coast. Also returning, will be Vancouver, BC celtic rockers The Town Pants, and Philadelphia lap steel rock/hip-hop hybrid Slo-Mo. Also returning will be African/reggae-influenced roots rockers The Sim Redmond Band, and percussion and horn-driven jam rockers Entrain. Other former Blue Heron bands will also be represented this year: Rusted Root vocalist Jenn Wertz will bring her latest project, Isabella to the stage, while original member Jim Donovan will host drum workshops. 10,00 Maniacs co-founder John Lombardo and former lead vocalist Mary Ramsey, along with their band, The Valkyries will also perform. Continuing the festival's tradition of presenting the leading names in Louisiana Cajun/zydeco music, the legendary Willis Prudhomme will host a late-night party in the dance tent, backed by Redline Zydeco. Along with The Avett Brothers, North Carolina will also offer up the everybody-join-in vibe of multi-instrumentalists Bombadil, and retro-country group Kelly & the Cowboys. Others appearing this year include local ambassadors to the national music scene, Big Leg Emma, as well as The Tiger Maple String Band, Boy With a Fish, Buffalo Zydeco, The Chicken Chokers, and regional favorites Smackdab. Also on hand will be Crow Greenspun, Shoot the Moon, The Talk To Me's, Pine Ridge, and Yankee Zydeco. Representing Jamestown's Infinity Project again this year will be The Bruce Peterson Blues Project and Steel Pan Alley. In addition to the main-stage performances and virtually around-the-clock dances in the tent, the festival offers performer-hosted music workshops, organized children's activities and supervised swimming, hiking & biking, drum circles, dance instruction, and dozens of food & merchandise vendors. Also featured will be the official opening of the newly-constructed coffee house in the woods. Organizers attribute the success and longevity of the festival, mainly, to its attractive rural setting and the entertainment's appeal to a broad range of ages and tastes. The site includes hundreds of acres of parking and campsites, both wooded and open, which include family-friendly locations designated as "quiet areas". The festival will be staffed by over 600 volunteers who donate a set amount of time in return for a weekend pass. Children under 12 will be admitted at no charge. A youth ticket is available, allowing those aged 12-15 to attend, with their families, at a reduced rate.
Start Date:	07/06/2007
End Date:	07/08/2007
Time:	Gates open at 9:00am, Friday (no public admittance before that time) Music starts at about 3:00pm that day. The festival ends at dusk on Sunday. No camping will be allowed that night.
Venue:	Western Chautauqua County
Venue Address:	Wait Corners Road
Venue City:	Sherman, NY, 14781 Show Map
Cost:	Weekend tickets can be ordered by phone at: 716/484-7070. They can also be acquired in person at The Reg Lenna Civic Center box office, Hollyloft Ski & Bike, both in Jamestown; and at Terrapin Station in Buffalo, and Grasshopper in Erie, PA. One-day passes and vehicle-camping permits are available at the gate only. There is no charge for tent-camping in designated locations. Those interested in more information can contact the festival by phone at: 716-487-1781, or by e-mail at: gbhfest@netsync.net. More details, including artist profiles, onsite photos, and directions can be found on their website: greatblueheron.com where on-line tickets are also available.
Contact:	Great Blue Heron
Contact Phone:	716-487-1781
Contact Email:	gbhfest@netsync.net
Event URL:	http://www.greatblueheron.com     For more information on Chautauqua Lake Real Estate & Living visit: www.chautauqualakehomes.com