Festival Fever: Athens Street Festival, 7/13/13

According to their Facebook page, “The Athens Street Festival began in 1974 with a parade and one guy selling socks.”

My, how things have changed…

The 39th annual Athens Street Festival will keep things hopping in high gear in Athens on Saturday, July 13, but the fest actually starts at 7pm the previous evening (Friday, July 12) with a performance in the park by country band Peaceful Country.

On the Saturday, the festivities begin at 10am and features include a parade at 11am, as well as fest-closing fireworks at 9:45pm. Inbetween, you’ll find carnival rides, a classic car show, demonstrations of cooking, wood turning, dance and martial arts, as well as more than 150 vendor booths selling art, crafts, food, specialty items and more.

And, of course, there will be music – lots of music on three different stages throughout the fest, including headlining performances by the soulful Solid Smoke and the all-female rockers Antigone Rising.

Here’s the complete schedule of musical performances at this year’s Athens Street Festival:

MAIN STAGE IN THE PARK
12noon: Just in Time (variety)
2pm: Out of the Blue (rock)
4pm: Carmine Dio (country)
6:30pm: Antigone Rising (pop and rock)
8:30pm: Solid Smoke (Motown)

STAGE NORTH (at Second & Franklin)
11am: Sharon Phillips (music in motion)
12:30pm: Chad Churin (magician)
1:30pm: The Good Times Band (’60s)
2:45pm: Melody Newcombe (ventriloquist)
4pm: Gary and Enrico (acoustic)
5:15pm: Ed’s Jazz Trio (jazz)

STAGE SOUTH (at Second & Warren)
11am (roaming): Dented Fenders (barber shop quartet)
11am: Squeeze Play (accordion music)
12:15pm: Peckham Hollow Project (rock)
1:30pm: Kiss and Tell (rock, oldies)
2:45pm: Two Much (variety)
4pm: Head West & Nancy James (country)

ADDITIONAL UPCOMING FESTIVALS FOR 2013:
Camp Bisco @ Indian Lookout Country Club, Mariaville, 7/11-13/13
CountryFest @ Schaghticoke Fairgrounds, Schaghticoke, 7/13/13 (SOLD OUT)
Community Day Parkfest @ Gavin Park, Wilton, 7/13/13 (FREE)
Troy Pig Out & BaconFest NY @ Riverfront Park, Troy, 7/13&14/13 (FREE)
Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival @ Walsh Farm, Oak Hill, 7/18-21/13
Rock Star Energy Drink Mayhem Festival @ Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga Springs, 7/20/13
AmericanaramA @ Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga Springs, 7/21/13
African American Family Day @ the Empire State Plaza, Albany, 8/3/13 (FREE)
The Big Up @ Hemlock Hollow Farm, Clavarack, 8/8-10/13
New York State Food Festival @ the Empire State Plaza, Albany, 8/14/13 (FREE)
The Felice County Fair @ Opus 40, Saugerties, 8/31/13
Restoration Festival @ Contemporary Artists Center at Woodside, Troy, 9/6&7/13
Hispanic Heritage Celebration @ the Empire State Plaza, 9/14/13 (FREE)
FreshGrass Festival @ MASS MoCA, North Adams, 9/20-22/13
Farm Aid @ Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga Springs, 9/21/13 (SOLD OUT)