A couple of music festivals of note in the Northeast take place during the first weekend in July — one along the cobblestoned streets of the old whaling port city of New Bedford, Massachusetts, the other at the Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts in Katonah, New York.

Greater New Bedford Summerfest
July 2-3, 2011
New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park
New Bedford, Massachusetts
www.newbedfordsummerfest.com

One of the Northeast’s most pleasant, refined and enjoyable music festivals takes over the streets of this historic New England port city for one weekend each July, enabling visitors to soak in the city’s rich maritime history by strolling its streets while listening to world-class contemporary and traditional acoustic performers and Celtic artists under tents set up along them and in the air-conditioned comfort of the fabulous New Bedford Whaling Museum’s auditorium. As in years past, this year’s schedule includes a wealth of talented performers, many of them performing in song-swap style workshops with folks whom they may have never even met, making for unique musical pairings. It also poses a dilemma of choices that may prompt you to consider running from one stage to another to catch certain artists.

Seven sound stages, ranging from intimate ones with seating for 100 or less to the 1,200-seat “Custom House Stage” will run throughout the day and evening on Saturday and Sunday. Among this year’s performing artists are the inimitable Quebecois accordionist, dancer and showman Benoit Bourque, Antje Duvekot, Cliff Eberhardt, Mark Erelli, Beppe Gambetta, Eliza Gilkyson (whose new album currently tops the Roots Music Report Folk Radio Chart), John Gorka, Livio Guardi, Kim & Reggie Harris, Caroline Herring, Diana Jones, The Kennedys, Le Vent Du Nord, Zoe Lewis, Liz Longley, Jez Lowe, Danielle Miraglia, NewFound Road, The Outside Track, Ellis Paul, Claudia Russell and Bruce Kaplan, Steve Tilston, Vishten, Sloan Wainwright, Cheryl Wheeler, Chuck Williams and a number of other local artists. The festival concludes on Sunday night with a Celtic Extravaganza, preceded by a short tribute to Jack Hardy.

In addition to the music, nearly 100 juried artisans and crafters will exhibit and sell their works at booths along the cobblestoned streets, as well as inside the Whaling Museum. Admission to the festival is quite affordable at $25 for the weekend or $20 for one-day. Children under 12 will be admitted free with an adult. Parking also is free at the nearby municipal garage.

While in New Bedford, you also can enjoy fresh seafood and sample tasty cuisine at one of the whaling city’s many Portuguese restaurants.

American Roots Music Festival
July 2, 2011
Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts
Katonah, New York
www.caramoor.org

WFUV Radio’s John Platt hosts the inaugural American Roots Music Festival, a day-long event on the beautiful grounds of this majestic Italianate-style villa, at which a diverse array of musical performances take place throughout the year. The festival will feature a mix of bluegrass, folk, string band, country, blues, gospel and jazz.

The David Grisman FolkJazz Trio — fronted by one of the most influential and innovative mandolin players and featuring Jim Hurst on guitar and Samson Grisman (David’s son) on bass — headlines and closes out the festival. Preceding the trio’s East Coast debut will be performances by Brother Sun (the new harmonic trio comprised of singer-songwriters Greg Greenway, Joe Jencks and Pat Wictor), James Maddock (an emerging talent among indie singer-songwriters), Ollabelle (a New York roots-gospel quartet), Spuyten Duyvil (an eight-member, Yonkers, NY-based Americana band whose repertoire is a lively and eclectic mix of traditional and original roots music), and the country swing group The Sweetback Sisters.

Tickets for the American Roots Festival are priced at $20-40, with children under 16 (for whom there will be free activities) admitted for half-price. Besides some wonderful music, visitors can wander around the gardens and enjoy picnicking. Food and beverages will be available for sale or you can bring your own, along with blankets or lawn chairs. Caramoor’s gates open at 10:30 a.m., while the music begins at 12:30 p.m. and extend through the early evening.