Editor's pick: The beat goes on

Roots & Rhythm rocks Honesdale’s streets

WHEN: Saturday, June 20

WHERE: Central Park and other locations in downtown Honesdale, PA

COST: Free

CONTACT: honesdalerootsandrhythm.com

HONESDALE, PA — The Roots & Rhythm Music & Arts Festival returns to Honesdale for its fourth year this weekend. The event will consist of several major parts, starting with a kickoff party at JJ Macks on Friday, June 19. The next day, there will be a warm-up from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Main Street with three bands performing; main events at the Central Park main stage; a Kids Tunes and Tales Art Tent from 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., held on the space between the Presbyterian Church and the Methodist Church on Church Street; and a post-festival event on Saturday night beginning at 10:00 p.m. at The Limerick Pub located at 548 Main Street.

The free one-day musical and art event will showcase an eclectic mix of popular musical genres, from country, blue, blue grass, jazz and American rock. Two stages will be set up in the park with acts alternating all afternoon.

The Tunes and Tales tent for will offer kids the chance to create art, make music and play games. The tent will feature actor and artist Richard Grunn and multicultural storyteller and drummer Lisa Facciponti.

The festival, which in the past has attracted as many as 13,000 people, will hold a popular raffle that has been a major source of funding for the organization. The raffle will feature an array of gifts from two high-end guitars, a five-day get-away in Maine, Flex tickets to the Wildflower Festival in Hawley, a 26-inch LCD HD TV, a Roots & Rhythm wall hanging and a number of other items.

Along the periphery of the park will be numerous food vendors, artisans showing their wares, local authors with their books and other attractions.

A giant step toward future viability

Looking to the future, the Roots and Rhythm group has recently made a major step toward putting the festival on a sound financial footing. It has obtained incorporation and is now seeking tax-free status under 401(c)3.

“This will give us stability and help us seek funding from various agencies, so that we can continue to do our thing without depending on soft funding,” said Gail Tucker, director of the Greater Honesdale Partnership, who conceived of the idea for the musical festival with photographer/artist John Rocklin of Honesdale.

“This status, with the strong possibility of funding, will take some of the pressure off our local businesses,” she said.

All of which is not to say that the event does not continue to rely on—and value—its business and household sponsors. “The festival would not be possible without the continued support of our festival sponsors, community donations, downtown band sponsors and hundreds of manhours dedicated by each committee member and volunteer,” Tucker said.