Festival Fever: CountryFest @ Schaghticoke Fairgrounds, 7/13/13

Last summer, there was quite a loud and angry outcry from Local 518 country music fans when the folks at WGNA-FM announced that they were moving the annual CountryFest indoors to the Times Union Center in Albany.

Well, they didn’t make that same mistake again this year…

CountryFest celebrates its 20th anniversary with a move to a new outdoor venue, the Schaghticoke Fairgrounds in Schaghticoke, and a couple of headline acts who have shifted their music from the pop end of the spectrum to embrace a more twang-centric sound – Sheryl Crow and Darius Rucker.

The fest kicks off at 12noon on Saturday, July 13, and rounding out the CountryFest line-up will be Easton Corbin, Mark Wills, heritage artist Joe Diffie and newcomers Greg Bates and Joel Crouse.

Tickets are $35 in advance; $45 at the gate; children ages 10 and under FREE. This year for the first time a limited number of VIP tickets – priced at $65 – will also be available.

ADDITIONAL UPCOMING FESTIVALS FOR 2013:
Knickerbocker Film Festival @ various locations, Albany, 4/2-4/13
Behemoth Music Festival @ Putnam Den, Saratoga Springs, 4/5/13
Rock n Roll Resort v3: Tiny Rager @ the Hudson Valley Resort & Spa, Kerhonkson, 4/12-14/13
MOVE Music Festival @ various locations, Albany, 4/26-27/13
WILDWOODstock @ the Parting Glass, Saratoga Springs, 4/28/13
Mountain Jam @ Hunter Mountain, Hunter, 6/6-9/13
Rhythm On the Ridge @ Maple Ski Ridge, Rotterdam, 6/8-9/13
A Taste of Country Music Festival @ Hunter Mountain, Hunter, 6/13-15/13
Clearwater’s Great Hudson River Revival @ Croton Point Park, Croton-On-Hudson, 6/15-16/13
Old Songs Festival @ Altamont Fairgrounds, Altamont, 6/28-30/13
Freihofer’s Saratoga Jazz Festival @ SPAC, Saratoga Springs, 6/29-30/13
Rock Star Energy Drink Mayhem Festival @ Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga Springs, 7/20/13
The Big Up @ Hemlock Hollow Farm, Clavarack, 8/8-10/13