Festival Fever: GottaGetGon, 5/25-27/12

Since 1970, the Pick’n’ & Sing’n’ Gather’n’ has sponsored the GottaGetGon, a Memorial Day weekend getaway and family folk festival. It’s informal, interactive and lots of fun. Camping is encouraged.

Featured performers at this summer’s GottaGetGon include Americana tunesmith Nora Jane Struthers, the high-spirited Beverwyck String Band featuring Peter Siegel, veteran jazz-folk stride guitarist Guy Van Duser and traditional/contemporary Celtic musician Andreas Transø.

Held at the Saratoga County Fairgrounds in Ballston Spa, gates open at 3pm on Friday, May 25, and the fest gets rolling with a pot-luck dinner at 7pm, followed at 8pm by the New Generation Folk Concert featuring performances by Christopher Lawton, M.R. Poulopoulos and the duo of Olivia Gale & Colin de la Barre.

On Saturday, May 26, the fest hosts workshops and concerts all day long, kicking off with the opening sampler concert at 10:25am (oh, those crazy folkies). There’s a family country dance slated for 8pm with Tim Jenkins calling the steps to the tunes of the Beverwyck String Band & Friends.

Concerts and workshops continue on Sunday, beginning with a gospel music session at 9:15am. The fest hosts an open mic session with emcee Don Burger from 4:15-6pm, and after dark, the festivities wrap up with the traditional a cappella sing session.

Tix are $50 for the weekend or $27 per day; students (19-22 years old) are $25 for the weekend or $15 per day; students and children under 19 are free with paying adult. Evening-only tix are also available for $5. Weekend tix include free camping.

ADDITIONAL UPCOMING FESTIVALS FOR 2012:

Mountain Jam @ Hunter Mountain, Hunter, 5/31-6/1/12
Art on Lark @ Lark Street, Albany, 6/9/12, FREE
The Old Songs Festival @ Altamont Fairgrounds, Altamont, 6/22-24/12
Friehofer’s Saratoga Jazz Festival @ Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga Springs, 6/30-7/1/12
CountryFest @ the Times Union Center, Albany, 7/7/12
Scream It Like You Mean It @ Northern Lights, Clifton Park, 7/8/12
Shockwave Festival @ Northern Lights, Clifton Park, 7/20/12
Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival @ Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga Springs, 7/31/12
SAWFest Music Festival @ Salem Art Works, Salem, 8/18/12
FreshGrass Bluegrass Festival @ MASS MoCA, North Adams, 9/21-23/12