AcousticMusicScene.com will host a series of late-night song swaps during the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival, July 31-August 3, in partnership with Pirate Camp, which was informally launched by Stuart Kabak and the late Jack Hardy more than a decade ago to provide a warm and welcoming haven for sharing music, food and camaraderie.

Among the Northeast’s most popular music festivals, the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival , now in its 26th year, takes place August 1-3 at Dodds Farm on Route 7D in Hillsdale, New York, located in the foothills of the Berkshires near the tri-state corner of New York, Connecticut and Massachusetts. The festival features dozens of artists performing on several stages, a dance tent, children’s music and activities, and a wide array of crafts, food and other vendors.

Artists slated to perform at the festival this year include Brother Sun, Ronny Cox, The Duhks, Seth Glier, John Gorka, Tracy Grammer, The Grand Slambovians (always a highlight at the dance tent), Kim & Reggie Harris, The Horse Flies, Christine Lavin & Don White, Magpie, Louise Mosrie, Nerissa & Katryna Nields, Aoife O’Donovan, Tom Paxton, Spuyten Duyvil, The Storycrafters, Annie Wenz, Cheryl Wheeler, and more.

Emerging Artists Showcase Their Talents on Friday Afternoon, Aug. 1

As previously reported, 24 artists/duos/groups have been selected by a panel a of judges to perform in this year’s Falcon Ridge/Grassy Hill Emerging Artist Showcase on Friday afternoon, Aug.1, from 12 noon to 4:30 p.m. Listed alphabetically by last name or name of group, not in order of appearance, they are Suzie Brown (Nashville, TN), Wendy Cahill (Bethel, CT), Caitlin Canty (New York, NY), Brianne Chasanoff (New Fairfield, CT), Melanie Dewey (Manilus, NY), Allie Farris (Nashville, TN), Liz Frame and the Kickers (Newburyport, MA), Laney Jones & the Lively Spirits (Boston, MA), Russell Kaback (Greenfield, MA), Libby Koch (Houston, TX), Chris LaVancher ( North Reading, MA), The Levins (Congers, NY), The Lords of Liechtenstein (New York, NY), Matt Nakoa (Brooklyn, NY), Hayley Reardon (Marblehead, MA), Jean Rohe (Brooklyn, NY), Roy Schneider (Fort Myers, FL), Zak Smith (Montclair, NJ), Ashley Sofia (Ticonderoga, NY), Jesse Terry (Stonington, CT), Tumbling Bones (Portland, ME), Avi Wisnia (Philadelphia, PA), Zameer (Hollywood, CA), and Laura Zucker (San Francisco, CA).

The Emerging Artists Showcase is not a contest, and artists won’t be judged per se, although the audience is surveyed as to which showcase artists they’d like to see return the following year to participate in a Most Wanted Song Swap. This year’s Most Wanted Song Swap will feature The Boxcar Lilies, Darlingside, Connor Garvey and Roosevelt Dime.

Late-Night Musical Revelry is a Festival Highlight

Those camping at Falcon Ridge and staying up through the early morning hours can enjoy an array of informal jams, mini-showcases and after-hours song circles that help foster a sense of “folk” community and a different kind of festival experience. Indeed, the late-night musical revelry is one of the festival’s true highlights, and AcousticMusicScene.com has been proud to be a part of it for a number of years – initially in partnership with Tribes Hill and, since 2012, with Pirate Camp.

You will find us under a big white tarp at Pirate Camp festooned with Jolly Roger flags and banners and situated in or near the lower left/northeast section of the 10-acre field (lower meadow). The musical revelry kicks-off with an open song circle late Thursday night, July 31, after the music ends on The Lounge Stage that is hosted by Pesky J. Nixon and friends. Pre-arranged, invitational late-night song swaps will be followed by open song circles on Friday and Saturday overnight after the music ends on the Main Stage. The schedule of pre-arranged song swaps follows.

Friday Overnight under the AcousticMusicScene.com Tent @ Pirate Camp

12:15 – Folk You Should Know: Cosby Gibson, Stuart Kabak, Mike Laureanno, Heather Pierson
1:00 – Three Guys with Guitars: Tony Denikos, Rob Lytle, Jesse Terry
1:30 Mass. Appeal: Darlingside and Pesky J. Nixon

Saturday Overnight under the AcousticMusicScene.com Tent @ Pirate Camp

12:15 2Ks2Ls – Women of Note: Libby Koch, Karen Mal, Kathy Moser, Laura Zucker
1:00 No Fuss and Feathers Roadshow: Karyn Oliver, Carolann Solebello and The YaYas
1:30 Three Duos: Friction Farm, The Levins and The Lords of Liechtenstein

More than four years after Jack Hardy’s passing, Pirate Camp retains much of its initial warm spirit of camaraderie — with folks stopping by throughout the day to share a tune or just schmooze. The partnership with AcousticMusicScene.com and the addition of invitational song swaps has added a new element that is designed in part to help keep Pirate Camp alive and vibrant.