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Caramoor Presents a Myriad of Family-Friendly Offerings This Summer, from Day-Long Jazz and Roots Festivals to Perennially Popular Dancing at Dusk, Picnicking and Fireworks
May 11, 2017
There’s something for everyone this summer at Caramoor, especially families and kids. The celebrated Westchester cultural paradise – with 90 acres of picturesque Italianate architecture and gardens for kids of all ages to explore – is the perfect summer escape for the whole family. Activities include picnicking, family-friendly Dancing at Dusk programs featuring music from around the world, an all-day American Roots Music Festival and an all-day Jazz Festival with two special sets designed for children, Independence Day fireworks, and much more – all just one hour’s drive from Manhattan. Food and drink tents provide a variety of organic and locally-sourced snack options; the Katchkie Food Truck offers burgers and similar fare; or you can even order in advance and have a picnic packed for you. Whether young or young-at-heart, for seven summer weeks Caramoor is the ideal place to indulge a love for culture and fun in beautiful and casual surroundings. Click here for a video highlighting the Caramoor experience.
Dancing at Dusk
A highlight of Caramoor’s family-friendly offerings, Dancing at Dusk takes place on the spacious lawn of Friends Field, where guests are treated to music from around the globe and invited to watch and learn the distinctive dance traditions that accompany them. Japanese dance specialists Sachiyo Ito & Company lead “A Voyage to Japan” on June 28; Pat Cannon’s Foot and Fiddle Dance Company provides a patriotic “Hoedown in the USA” on July 5; the Calpulli Mexican Dance Company leads “Celebrating Mexico” on July 19; and the Russian folk musicians and dancers of the ensemble Barynya celebrate “Traditional Russia” on July 26. All Dancing at Dusk programs include crafts activities from 5-5:30, an hour of dancing, and a chance to meet and greet the artists afterward. With all ages getting into the act, these family offerings at Caramoor are perennial favorite events of the summer season.
Roots: Rhiannon Giddens headlines all-day American Roots Music Festival
Caramoor’s American Roots Music Festival returns with a full day of music spanning the spectrum from bluegrass to blues to folk and takes place throughout the idyllic Caramoor estate. Headlining this summer’s festival are 2016 Grammy nominee Rhiannon Giddens, making her Caramoor debut, and Grammy winner Sarah Jarosz. Daytime acts include The Mammals featuring Mike + Ruthy, River Whyless, Michaela Anne, Kaia Kater, the Lonely Heartstring Band, Anthony da Costa, and The Brother Brothers, all likewise making festival debuts. Also playing the daytime session are the Eddie Barbash Band, making a Roots Festival debut after appearances at the Jazz Festival; Cole Quest & The City Pickers; and Spuyten Duyvil (June 24). Last season, the popularity of Caramoor’s Jazz and Roots Festivals prompted the Record Review to note: “Attendance records were broken during several of the daytime jazz and roots shows by two to three times their previous highs. And, in a scene that embodies everything to which Caramoor aspires, multiple generations of families often enjoyed the music and surroundings together.”
Jazz: McCoy Tyner headlines all-day Jazz Festival
Now celebrating its 24th season, Caramoor’s annual day-long Jazz Festival will be presented, as it has been for the past two years, in collaboration with the world-renowned Jazz at Lincoln Center. Crowned by an evening set from incomparable jazz pianist McCoy Tyner – “without a doubt, one of the most important jazz figures of all time” (CBS News) – with Geri Allen and Craig Taborn, the festival also boasts daytime performances from the Pedrito Martinez Group, the Zaccai Curtis Quartet, the Christian Sands Trio, Camille Thurman with the Darrell Green Trio, Michael Mwenso and the Shakes, Riley Mulherkar, Vibes in the Garden with Joseph Doubleday and Simon Moullier, The Westerlies, Mary Halvorson and Stephan Crump, Citizens of the Blues, Fernando Saci, and the Mariel Bildsten Trio, along with two special sets for children – Riffin’ with Riley Mulherkar, and Swingin’ with Camille Thurman (July 15). The festival will also include a special celebration of Thelonious Monk’s centennial with Sullivan Fortner, Christian Sands and Helen Sung.
Pops, Patriots and Fireworks
Celebrating Independence Day in style, audience favorites Curt Ebersole and his 60-piece Westchester Symphonic Winds offer a family-friendly event steeped in American heritage. After appearances by Broadway star Ryan Silverman and trumpeter Amy McCabe, the evening’s festivities conclude with fireworks and stilt walkers to celebrate the patriotic holiday (July 1).
Food and Drink
The Food + Drink Tents offer a variety of delicious, organic, and locally-sourced snacks and beverages provided by Great Performances catering and events company. The Katchkie Food Truck offers the mouth-watering Caramoor Burger, Farmer's Bowl, Grilled Cheese, and Treble Dog, and at the Concessions and Tap Tents you'll find a wide range of snacks, plus water, soda, local wine and beer, and coffee and tea, not to mention Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream. For maximum convenience and to avoid the lines, Great Performances also offers pre-ordered picnic boxes. The menu is available here, and you can either order online or call the Box Office at 914.232.1252. Order by Tuesday at 5:00pm for the upcoming week's performance.
About Caramoor
Caramoor is a performing arts center located on a unique 90-acre setting of Italianate architecture and gardens in Westchester County, NY. It enriches the lives of its audiences through innovative and diverse musical performances of the highest quality. Its mission also includes mentoring young professional musicians and providing educational programs for young children centered around music. Audiences are invited to come early to explore the beautiful grounds, tour the historic Rosen House, and on special Sundays enjoy a delicious Afternoon Tea or unwind with a pre-concert picnic, and discover beautiful music in the relaxed settings of the Venetian Theater, Spanish Courtyard, and the magnificent gardens. Summer concerts take place in two outdoor theaters: the acoustically superb Venetian Theater, which seats approximately 1,500, and the more intimate, romantic Spanish Courtyard, which seats around 470. In the fall and winter, concerts are presented in the magnificent Music Room in the Rosen House. Caramoor’s gardens, also used for concerts and the sound exhibition Sonic Innovations, are well worth the visit and include nine unique perennial gardens. Among them are a Sense Circle for the visually impaired, the Sunken Garden, a Butterfly Garden, the Tapestry Hedge, and the Iris and Peony Garden.
Getting to Caramoor
Getting to Caramoor is simple by car, train or public transportation. All parking is free and close to the performance areas. Handicapped parking is also free and readily available. By car from New York City, take the Henry Hudson Parkway north to the Saw Mill River Parkway north to I-684 north to Exit 6. Go east on Route 35 to the traffic light (0.3 miles). Turn right onto Route 22 south, and travel 1.9 miles to the junction of Girdle Ridge Road where there is a green Caramoor sign. At the junction, veer left and make a quick right onto Girdle Ridge Road. Continue on Girdle Ridge Road 0.5 miles to the Caramoor gates on the right. Approximate drive time is one hour. By train from Grand Central Station, take the Harlem Division Line of the Metro-North Railroad heading to Southeast, and exit at Katonah. Caramoor is a 3.5-mile drive from the Katonah station, where taxi service is always available and free shuttle service is available for select performances. For current information, check the Metro-North schedule. For the performances of Il pirata and Petite messe solennelle, Caramoor offers ticketed, round-trip transportation from NYC on the Caramoor Coach, a luxury air-conditioned coach traveling from Grand Central/Lexington Ave to Caramoor’s front door and back. To learn more, contact the Box Office.
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Caramoor: 72nd summer music season
June 24American Roots Music FestivalEvening Headliners: Rhiannon Giddens Sarah Jarosz
Daytime Artists: The Mammals (feat. Mike + Ruthy)* River Whyless* Lonely Heartstring Band* Michaela Anne* Kaia Kater* Spuyten Duyvil Anthony da Costa* Cole Quest and The City Pickers Eddie Barbash Band+ The Brother Brothers* *Caramoor debut +Roots Festival debut June 28Dancing at DuskA Voyage to Japan Sachiyo Ito and Company Friends Field July 1Pops, Patriots & Fireworks Venetian Theater Ryan Silverman, vocalist Amy McCabe, trumpet Curt Ebersole, conductor Westchester Symphonic Winds Robert Sherman, host July 5Dancing at DuskHoedown in the USA Pat Cannon’s Foot and Fiddle Dance Company Friends Field July 15Jazz Festival Presented in Collaboration with Jazz at Lincoln Center Venetian Theater 8pm Headliner: Echoes with a Friend: McCoy Tyner Trio with Special Guests Geri Allen & Craig Taborn Daytime Artists: Pedrito Martinez Group Zaccai Curtis Quartet featuring Little Johnny Rivero Christian Sands Trio Camille Thurman with the Darrell Green Trio Michael Mwenso and the Shakes Monk Centennial Celebration with Sullivan Fortner, Christian Sands and Helen Sung Riley Mulherkar: In the Land of Oo-Bla-Dee Vibes in the Garden with Joseph Doubleday and Simon Moullier The Westerlies Mary Halvorson and Stephan Crump Citizens of the Blues Fernando Saci Mariel Bildsten Trio Jazz at Lincoln Center Youth Orchestra Ensembles The Mini Shakes (Members of Michael Mwenso and the Shakes) Riffin' with Riley (children's program) Swingin' with Camille Thurman (children's program) Pre-Concert Lecture by Seton Hawkins July 19Dancing at DuskCelebrating Mexico Calpulli Mexican Dance Company Friends Field July 26Dancing at DuskTraditional Russia Barynya Friends Field
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All concerts made possible, in part, by ArtsWestchester with funds from the Westchester County Government. | All concerts made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature.
© 21C Media Group, May 2017