In the tradition of the Farm Aid benefit concerts established by Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp, and Neil Young, the Meadowlark Festival was founded to bring farmers and musicians together as collaborators in celebration of the musical and agricultural heritage of the Hudson Valley. Internationally renowned musical acts, farm-to-table fare, and the spirit of shared community will take over historic Stone Ridge Orchard when Meadowlark, now in its third iteration, returns under the shade of the orchard's centuries'-old mother oak tree this September 13-15.
Saturday and Sunday will feature indie rock icons Blonde Redhead; the "forward-thinking music...bright, observant...sweet, jangly rock" (NPR Music) of Fruit Bats; "Artist to Watch" (WXPN) Slaughter Beach, Dog; Newport Folk Fest favorites Deer Tick; NPR Tiny Desk concert alum and Hudson Valley artist Laura Stevenson; "one of NYC's musical treasures" (Brooklyn Vegan) Jeffrey Lewis; Joan Shelley; Daddy Long Legs; Lulu Lewis; Kidbess and the Magic Ring; Ryan Lee Crosby; and Honeycrush.
On Friday evening, three to-be-announced solo artists will warm up the intimate indoor Cider House stage with "Meadowlark in the Round" in collaboration with Keepsake House, a New York City-based, women-owned artist collective known for roundtable shows where emerging artists share the stage and create community. On Saturday and Sunday afternoon, the Cider House Stage will host the Writers' Room, showcasing local indie artists playing acoustic.
(For those who want a taste of what's to come, there will be a Meadowlark Preview show at Levon Helm Studios in Woodstock on Saturday, August 17. The lineup includes Fruit Bats, performing solo, Ryan Lee Crosby, and Lulu Lewis.)
"The Hudson Valley has an incredibly rich and diverse musical heritage and an equally rich and diverse agricultural heritage," says organizer Dan Leslie. "Our goal is to bring the music-loving, food-loving public into a shared experience that celebrates that heritage through our curated program of Americana/roots and independent music."
The site of Meadowlark, Stone Ridge Orchard, is a 200-year-old orchard that was purchased and rescued from development by farmer-activist and award-winning cidermaker Elizabeth Ryan in the early 2000s. Aside from producing some of the finest artisanal cider around, Ryan loves hosting a good gathering for the tribe. July through November, the orchard's cider bar offers tastings of its bottle-conditioned Hudson Valley Farmhouse Ciders, in addition to a wood-fired pizza oven and live music performances. "We feel that this farm is a gift and it's a gift that we want to share with other people," she says. "You know, we're lucky enough to be in this place. We want you to really enjoy it."
During Meadowlark, Stone Ridge Orchard will be serving up its finest Hudson Valley Farmhouse Cider varieties, including single varietal specialties like Northern Spy, along with other locally sourced beer, wine, and cocktails that are sure to pair well with the wood-fired pizza and baked goods on offer. Throughout the festival, attendees can also peruse and purchase locally produced goods from a variety of artisans and makers.
Tickets for Meadowlark range from $100 for one-day general admission (with early bird pricing currently at $70) to a VIP all-access weekend pass for $320 (currently $240 with early bird pricing). A portion of ticket proceeds will be donated to farm advocacy organizations including the Rondout Valley Growers Association; the Hudson Valley Center for Food, Culture, and Agriculture; and to Farm Aid.
"We're hoping our lineup, which features some truly outstanding roster of indie and roots music, will draw in some people who might not have spent much time at the Hudson Valley's orchards or farms," says Leslie. "Everybody needs to pull together around our farmers if we want to thrive."
