Think on This

By Sandy Long

Calli-Community

If you think a sense of community is lacking these days, you haven’t been to Callicoon, New York. Recently, the Callicoon Creek Park (CCP), wedged between Main Street and the Delaware River, was the open-air site for a sweet music fest. The event was organized to generate funds for a permanent performance stage as well as to foster an opportunity for community connection.

To say both were accomplished is a bit of an understatement. But don’t take my word for it. Ask Sloan Wainwright, featured singer-songwriter of the evening, whose rich contralto voice and impassioned presence poured over the lawn lined with listeners like some heady mix of fresh cream and wildflower honey. If that description sounds extravagant, the proof is up for purchase on Wainwright’s new CD, “The Song Inside.”

On stage, Wainwright let physical expression flow with movements that clearly channeled the beauty of her musical vision—joyful gratitude, free-spirited fun and the creatively unconventional offerings of her gifted band members.

Wearing a CCP t-shirt and encouraging the crowd to do the same, Wainwright remarked on the evening’s magic—a sunset saturated with fiery tones and studded with cherry cobbler clouds; a former landfill site recycled into a grassy hillside by concerned citizens; children darting around pathways created by the maze of blankets, bodies and lawn chairs—dusk descending over an audience that appeared serene, lighthearted, uplifted, connected.

Even the dogs in attendance got into the spirit, barking their approval of the opening act, Somerville, a pair of Sullivan County-born brothers. Delivering toe-tapping country tunes with positive messages from their new CD, “Slice of Life,” Ken and Barry Somerville reminded the crowd, “Only loving hands can make/Another day in paradise/When you stop and savor every bite/Just another sweet, sweet ripe/Slice of life.” The duo added a dose of delight by inviting their father and his trumpet onto the stage for an impromptu family jamboree.

My companions and I finished off the evening with a stop at the Callicoon Saloon, where “queen bee” Christie O’dell and The Soulmates stung patrons onto their feet with their electrifying performance of funky blues favorites. From her flaming locks to her burning delivery, O’dell was cookin,’ and I don’t mean in the kitchen. A festive and diverse crowd hit the floor hopping in response to the groove.

Driving home, we marveled at the simple pleasures of the evening—heart and soul-stirring music, children tumbling under a sky darkening into starwash and a community connected by positive goals taking joy in the fruits of its efforts. Pondering the mix of music we enjoyed, there appear to be healthy signs of the birth of an annual music festival. Way to go, Callicoon! Add economic viability to your list of outcomes. Think Newport and Falcon Ridge and Bethlehem’s Musikfest. Think “Music Under a Callicoon Moon.”

Just what makes a community connect? Callicoon has showed us one way. Narrowsburg, New York, recently showed us another with its successful Riverfest. What positive connections might your community be capable of?