Editor's pick: A town full of music

Roots & Rhythm rocks ‘em for a third year

WHEN: Saturday, June 21.

WHERE: Central Park and downtown Honesdale, PA.

COST: Free.

CONTACT: honesdalerootsandrhythm.com/schedule.htm.

HONESDALE, PA — The Honesdale Roots & Rhythm Music & Arts Festival started only three years ago, but by now it seems like a well-established—and highly welcome—local tradition. It’s an event that permeates the whole town with music, from Central Park to downtown, on the streets and inside local businesses.

There will be a prequel to the festivities in a kickoff party on Friday, June 20 at 8:00 p.m., held at The Fireside Restaurant, located at 5 Oregon Turnpike, just north of downtown Honesdale. The event is co-presented by Bold Gold Media (the festival’s official radio partner), stations 95-Three DNH, Sunny 105 and Thunder 102, and Roots & Rhythm. Studebaker John and the Hawks will provide live entertainment. There is no cover charge.

The festival proper will start the next day on Main Street in downtown Honesdale, with at least four locations featuring an eclectic mix of musical genres from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The downtown music is entirely sponsored and supported by the generosity of the downtown merchants and businesses of Honesdale.

At 1:30 p.m. the music begins in Honesdale’s Central Park, with the Main Stage featuring national and international musical talent. The Holmes Brothers will headline the entertainment, and be joined by Dale Watson, Roy Wilson & The Buzzard and The Evan Goodrow Band. Studebaker John and the Hawks will perform between Main Stage acts on the 9th Street Stage.

Musical entertainment will continue in select locations throughout downtown Honesdale until the wee hours. The swing blues of Big Daddy Dex will be heard at the Honesdale Antique Emporium on Main Street; the Robert Tellefsen Trio, with its open-tuning guitar style, will perform at the city hall by the flagpole; and Kat (percussive guitar) will play at Art’s for Babies on Main Street. A full schedule may be found at www.honesdalerootsandrhythm.com/schedule.htm.

As in past years, the Tunes & Tales arts tent for children, which will be located on the front lawn of the Central United Methodist Church on Church Street between 10th and 11th streets, will be hosted by the Wayne County Arts Alliance from 12:00 noon to 6:00 p.m., featuring performances by Lauren Hooker, Richard Grunn and Linda Goss.

In addition to the entertainment, the park will be filled with an array of artists and artisans exhibiting their creations for sale. Food vendors will offer chicken barbeque, wraps, pizza, sausage and peppers, desserts, smoothies, ice-cream, root beer, lemonade and more.

The Roots & Rhythm Raffle, a major fundraiser for the festival, features a custom built and hand-painted Florance /George Guitar, valued at $5,500 as the main prize (see page 1C).

As in the previous two years, festivalgoers will be able to purchase the official festival T-shirt, this year offered in three different styles. Limited amounts of T-shirts from past festivals will also be available. The festival T-shirts are quickly becoming somewhat of a collector’s item as the committee changes their look from year to year. T-shirt sales are another major source of revenue for the festival.