The calendar of 2019 concerts, cultural celebrations, street festivals, and sporting events kicked off Thursday with the American Music Festival presented by the Albany Symphony Orchestra, and continues through September.
Albany Symphony executive director Anna Kuwabara: “This is our 11th season of having the American Music Festival in Troy and there’s a really wonderful fit because Troy is such a confluence of creativity and innovation and history, and I’m gonna add good food, although we’re not really a food organization, but, all those things are really wonderful and a wonderful place for the Albany Symphony to be, here. Our festival is ‘Sing Out New York’ this year and our tagline is ‘From Seneca to Stonewall,’ and it is anchored by two important anniversaries. So we have the passage of the 19th Amendment, the 100th centennial coming up, so that’s the Seneca part, and then the women’s right to vote, and then Stonewall, the 50th anniversary of Stonewall, an important milestone in LGBTQ rights. So our composers are all working around those themes.”
Another musical event, the Spirit of the Suffragettes music festival and community resource fair, intends to reflect the struggles of people everywhere by speaking to the trajectory of the woman’s movement from a century ago to the present day. Madden says Troy is going to be a hub of summer fun. “We have a great line-up this year. We have food for your stomach, music for your mind, beer for your belly, we have everything going on in Troy.”
Katie Hammon is Executive Director of the Downtown Troy Business Improvement District. “We kick off with Rockin’ on the River next week, on Wednesday, and we’ll be here for 10 straight weeks with an eclectic mix of music for you guys. On Wednesday June 12th we start with ‘Live at the Fillmore,’ they’re an Allman Brothers tribute band.”
Hammon says Rockin’ on the River takes place very Wednesday from June 12th to August 7th.
The Capital Region Vegan Network is hosting its first-ever VEG OUT food festival in Troy on Sunday. And the Tri-City ValleyCats are back to play baseball at “The Joe” for an 18th consecutive year.
Madden adds there are other sporting events along with weekend displays of classic cars along River Street. “If you are bored in the city of Troy this summer, I’m not sure what to say about’cha. There’s something for everyone, lots of kid-friendly events, adult events, come down and join us…”
2019 Summer Events Schedule
Rockin’ on the River
Wednesdays, June 5 through August 7 | 5 pm to 8:30 pm
Riverfront Park, Downtown Troy
A free, 10-week summer concert series held on Wednesday nights in Riverfront Park. This summer’s roster features many talented musicians, both national and local – all excited to give Troy concert goers a memorable experience. The series is situated in historic, walkable downtown Troy with scenic views of the Hudson River and easy access to Shopping, Dining and Exploring before and after the show. For info, visit downtowntroy.org/rockin-on-the-river.
- Wednesday, June 12 | Live at the Fillmore – The Definitive Original Allman Brothers Band Tribute
- Wednesday, June 19 | Speedy Ortiz
- Geoff Gordon + Hate Club
- Wednesday, June 26 | Driftwood
- The Sea The Sea
- Wednesday, July 3 | The BrokenHearted – Tommy Petty Tribute
- Sly Fox & The Hustlers
- Wednesday, July 10 | Classic Stones Live – A Rolling Stones Tribute
- Troy Music Academy Allstars
- Wednesday, July 17 | Balún
- Dark Honey
- Wednesday, July 24 – The Hotelier
- Hasty Page + Bruiser & Bicycle
- Wednesday, July 31 | Pedrito Martinez
- Sten & Maria Z
- Wednesday, August 7 | Kiss The Sky Tribute – World’s Greatest Tribute to Jimi Hendrix
- Soul Sky
Troy River Fest
Saturday, June 15 | 9 am to 4 pm
Monument Square and River Street, Downtown Troy
Locally-crafted, hand-made goods and cuisine unwind through historic downtown Troy’s shop-lined city streets. Shop, dine and explore downtown Troy amidst live music, street performances, community art projects, festival food, and so much more! Bands include Robanic Reggae Band, Brule County Bad Boys, John Rice, Great Mutations, Olivia Quillio, Maurizio, Erin Hanna, Troy Music Academy Allstars, The Jagaloons and more, plus kid friendly activities and entertainment including a magician, fun with bash birthday parties, a train, animals, and more! For info, visit downtowntroy.org/troy-river-fest.
Troy Pig Out
Saturday, July 13 | 10 am to 9 pm + Fireworks!
Riverfront Park, Downtown Troy
One of the most loved events in the Capital Region, the Troy Pig Out is a full day of fun where culinary competitors duke it out for best BBQ, and people flock to Riverfront park to taste some of the area’s best food. Troy Pig Out is an official Empire State competition sanctioned by New York’s Governor Andrew Cuomo, citing New York pride in its place as the site of events that highlight the state and its tradition of excellence in offering unique foods and specialty dishes often based upon tried and true recipes that have endured through the generations. Thousands of BBQ lovers converge on Riverfront Park to enjoy award-winning BBQ, a heated BBQ competition, hot dog and pie eating contests, plus great music from Greg Farley, Wyld Blue Band, Soul Sky, Andrew Mirabile, C.K. & The Rising Tides, and more! Come hungry! For info, visit downtowntroy.org/troy-pig-out.
Fitness In The Park
Sundays, June 23 through August 25, 2019 | 9 am to 10 am
Riverfront Park, Downtown Troy
The perfect way to start your Sundays in Troy. Exercise among the downtown Troy community at Free Fitness in The Park each Sunday, June 23 through August 25. A comfortable environment to exercise among community. Instruction provided by Heartspace Yoga & Healing Arts, as well as Lotus Wellness Studio. Your weekend workout followed by brunch with friends, browse the shops, and enjoy Troy! Sponsored by CDPHP. For info, visit downtowntroy.org/fitness-in-the-park.
Troy Restaurant Week
September 9 through 15
Enjoy the diverse culinary landscape of Downtown Troy each year with a wide selection of discounts, course meals, dinner pairings, events and more. There’s something for everyone so make your way downtown and enjoy troy!
13th Annual Troy ChowderFest
Sunday, October 13 | 12 pm to 4 pm
Monument Square & throughout Troy
ChowderFest welcomes over 20,000 chowder-lovers who turn out and vote for some of the best chowder in the area. Centered in Monument Square, guests purchase their tickets, sample a variety of flavors from vendors and travel to the participating Downtown Troy restaurants distributing chowder from their establishments. There’s vegetarian and vegan options also and don’t forget about the Chowder Trolley. It’s a full day of fall food, live music, and family fun!
American Music Festival – Albany Symphony Orchestra
Sing Out! New York, Albany Symphony’s 2019 American Music Festival, celebrates New York’s leading role as a champion of equal rights. Sing Out! New York draws inspiration from the heroic figures and great passions of two milestone anniversaries: the centennial of the passage of the 19th Amendment giving women the right to vote and the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall uprising, a turning point in LGBTQ rights. Taking place in Troy from May 30 through June 2, the American Music Festival features over 20 events including 26 world premieres, innovative concerts, close encounters with today’s most adventurous artists and composers, film screenings, and collaborative community events. Go to www.albanysymphony.com/2019festivalconcerts for full event listing.
Collar City Cars & Caffeine
Collar City Cars & Caffeine is the largest free car meet in the Capital Region. Come join us the last Sunday of the month on River Street in Troy’s North Central neighborhood from March until September 8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. to see a wide variety of cars, trucks and motorcycles including classics, hot rods and imports. Food vendor Grafoodie will be on hand to serve beverages and food. This year we will have a handful of other specialty vendors as well.
More info, visit www.facebook.com/collarcitycarsandcaffeine
Powers Park Concert Series
The 16th Annual Powers Park Concert Series kicks off Saturday, July 6th, at Powers Park in Troy’s historic Lansingburgh neighborhood. Concerts will be held Saturdays in July and August from 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. All shows are free to the public. Food and non-alcoholic beverages will be available at the event. Alcoholic beverages are prohibited in Powers Park.
The 2019 Powers Park schedule is as follows:
July 6th – Moriah Formica
July 13th – Skeeter Creek
July 20th – Broken Hearted
July 27th – The Accents
August 3rd – Out Of Control R&B
August 10th – True Grit Outlaws
August 17th – Playback
August 24th – Diva and the Dirty Boys
For information, visit www.facebook.com/powersparkconcerts
Spirit of the Suffragettes Concert Series
A weekly music series and community resource fair held at Freedom Square in Troy’s North Central neighborhood, presented by the Sanctuary for Independent Media. The series begins on Saturday, June 8th from 3:00 – 6:00pm, and continues every Tuesday, from 5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. beginning July 16th. A special season closer concert is scheduled for Saturday, September 21st, from 3:00 – 6:00 p.m.
Saturday, June 8th – Fay Victor and Sa-Roc
Tuesday, July 16th – Martha Redbone Quartet and Girl Blue
Tuesday, July 23rd – OKAN and Climbing PoeTree
Tuesday, July 30th – Crys Matthews and Amy Rigby
Tuesday, August 6th – Sammus and Nitty Scott
Tuesday, August 13th – Mourning [A] BLKstar and Oshun
Tuesday, August 20th – Eljuri and Taina Asili
Saturday, September 21st – Toko Telo and KATANI
More info, visit www.mediasanctuary.org
Tri-City ValleyCats Baseball
The Tri-City ValleyCats are entering their 18th season in Troy, with Opening Night at Joseph L. Bruno Stadium on Father’s Day, June 16th against the Staten Island Yankees. The 2019 season features 38 games, each with a special theme night, and plenty of special events. There will be 15 fireworks nights including a July 4th Independence Day Celebration, J.D. Martinez bobblehead giveaway on August 5th, Jimi Hendrix bobblehead on August 14 in recognition of Woodstock’s 50th anniversary, seven Sunday Funday family days, and much more! Special events include a 518 Futures High School Baseball All-Star Game on Saturday, June 8, Father’s Day Home Run 5k on Saturday, June 15, Food Truck Festival on Saturday, August 3rd, and more to be announced. All the details can be found on the ValleyCats website, tcvalleycats.com.
Troy Waterfront Farmers Market
Now in its 20th outdoor season, the Troy Waterfront Farmers Market features more than 100 producer-only vendors, offering fresh local produce, organic dairy, heritage meats, fish, prepared food and craft beverages. New this summer, the market has added 15 additional vendors most of whom can be found in a newly expanded area on Lower River Street. Additionally, the market has introduced a new layout that affords more space between vendors to promote clearer passage to certain storefronts and improved accessibility for all, while maintaining an urban street festival vibe.
The market occurs every Saturday, rain or shine from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. During the months of May through October, the farmers market is located on River Street and around Monument Square in downtown Troy. The market routinely wins “Best of” accolades by regional media and in reader polls.
For information, visit https://www.troymarket.org
Veg Out Vegan Food Festival
VEG OUT is a vegan food festival—in downtown Troy—showcasing appetizer-sized portions of vegan food for sale from diverse area restaurants and food vendors. VEG OUT will run from 11:00 am – 3:00 pm on Sunday, June 2nd in Monument Square (2nd Street & Broadway). More info, visit www.capregionvegans.org/veg-out
EXTERNAL LINK: https://www.wamc.org/post/troy-announces-slate-summer-events
