Festival Fever: The Green River Festival, 7/16-17/11

The Green River Festival is celebrating its 25th anniversary this weekend, and they’re doin’ it up big with a whale of a two-fest musical party.

Wanda Jackson, Emmylou Harris, Toots & the Maytals, NRBQ, Black Joe Lewis & the Honey Bees, the Old 97’s…

Yes, the musical line-up is mind-boggling, but there’s plenty of other activities going on, too, including hot air balloon shows (both days), a giant puppet parade (5:10pm on Saturday), food, crafts, dancing and a wide array of kids activities.

It all takes place on the campus of Greenfield Community College in Greenfield, Mass. Tix at the gate are $55 per day. But you have until 10pm tonight to buy advance tix – $65 for both days, or $45 per day.

Here’s the schedule for Saturday on the Main Stage:
1pm: Zoe Muth & the Lost High Rollers
2pm: Terry Adams’ new NRBQ
3pm: Kermit Ruffins & the Barbecue Swingers
4:10pm: The Carolina Chocolate Drops
5:30pm: The Old 97’s
6:55pm: Black Joe Lewis & the Honey Bees
8:30pm: Toots & the Maytals

And that’s just on the Main Stage. There are two other stages jam-packed with great music all day long, too. Bands like Bella’s Bartok, Rosie Ledet & the Zydeco Playboys, Rubblebucket, Locos Por Juana and lots more.

Then on Sunday, the Main Stage schedule looks like this:
12:30pm: The Two Man Gentleman Band
12:55pm: Patty Larkin
1:40pm: The Pine Leaf Boys
2:40pm: Wanda Jackson
3:45pm: Eilen Jewell
5pm: JJ Grey & MoFro
6:25pm: Emmylou Harris

And the other stages on Sunday keep the music pumpin’ with Grupo Fantasma, Thomas Mapfumo & the Blacks Unlimited, Sacred Shakers and Alchemystics, to name just a few.

MORE FESTIVALS ON THE SUMMER 2011 CALENDAR:

The Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival @ Walsh Farm, Oak Hill, July 14-17
Canalfest @ Mabee Farm, Rotterdam Junction, July 16, FREE
SAWFest @ Salem Art Works, Salem, July 16
Troy Pig Out @ Riverfont Park, Troy, July 16-17, FREE
Green River Festival @ Greenfield Community College, Greenfield, July 16-17
The Big Up @ Sunnyview Farm, Ghent, July 28-30
Bluestock Music Festival @ Hunter Mountain, Hunter, August 26-28
Jazz at the Lake: Lake George Jazz Weekend @ Shepard Park, Lake George, September 17-18, FREE