Local Artists to Perform at "Take Me to the River" Festival in Hastings

It is almost impossible to imagine Hastings' Draper Park transformed—as if by magic—into full-blown festival grounds. But the scenic spot, usually reserved for picnics and stargazing, will be the venue for local arts organization 12 Miles North's fourth annual "Take Me to The River" music and arts festival on Saturday, featuring: music, food, art installations, a nature tent, a children's area and a cutting-edge technology display.

"We have a fantastic amount of talent in this village," Niki Armacost, one of the three founders of 12 Miles North, along with Liz Liebeskind and Barb Prisament, said. "A large part of why we started this festival was to celebrate all the great musicians we have right here." 

The event will feature two separate stages—a main stage and a second, solar-powered stage—with many of the performers hailing from the Rivertowns.

Main stage performers include: Hazmat Modine, The Kennedys, Milton, The Ebony Hillbillies, and Tim Armacost & Hastings Jazz All Stars, Joe Crookston, Electric Junkyard Gamelan, Julia Joseph, Hope Machine, Matt Turk, YaYas, Bluesmothers, Take Me To The River Children's Community Chorus and Nancy Rockland.

Those performing on the solar stage will be: Ken Butler, MEG, Whiskey Logic, New Irrelevants, Scott Urgola, Leo Liebeskind, Greetings From Anywhere, Native Earthling Band, Skyfactor, Greg Smith and the Broken English, Primate House, Adams Clare and Caleb Flood Goldstick.

"We have a whole range of music—jazz, folk, blues and rock," Armacost said. 

The artistic directors of Saturday's festival, Liebeskind and Prisament, have designed an event that will be pleasing to a multi-generational crowd.

"It's very important to us that the parents are entertained by the music while the kids are also having fun," Liebeskind said. 

New to the festival this year is an art walk, featuring eight different exhibits.

"Three of the pieces are sound installations," Liebeskind said.  "Artists will actually make music on beautiful sculptures."

Niki Armacost has arranged for the display of innovative technology.  In addition to serving on the Hastings Board of Trustees and planning local music festivals, she is also co-founder of Arc Finance, an organization that helps bring renewable energy to poor countries.  

"We'll be able to bring some of these devices and show how they work," Armacost said.  "Given Hastings residents' interest in environmentalism and sustainability, I think it will be a great addition."

There will also be a nature tent hosted by Sustainable Hastings and resident Haven Colegate. Besides providing the usual green attractions such as eco-games, composting demos and pet rocks, Armacost said this year's tent will be significantly more creative.

"There will be opportunities to make headdress wreaths, found-object mobiles and Indian hoop toys," she said. 

And the kids' section should also be a crowd-pleaser, featuring a defunct Volkswagen Bug children paint and then re-paint every year.

The festival is scheduled for the 11^th of September, and its organizers stressed that while it was not planned to coincide with that day, there would be a memorial component.

"We will have a 9/11 memorial art installation in which visitors can meditate over tea," Liebeskind said.

Chutney Masala Indian Restaurant will be serving up some of their highly-rated cuisine, Carl Carvalho will offer massages and artist Vicky Youngman will be making pottery. 

"This is truly a community event," Armacost said. "Liz [Liebeskind] is a creative genius, and she and Barb [Prisament] have organized a festival that will be inspiring, fun and gorgeous to look at." 

"Take Me to the River" begins Saturday, September 11 at 11:30 a.m. and continues until 9:30 p.m. at Draper Park in Hastings on-Hudson. The rain date is Sunday, September 12.

Adult tickets are $15.00 in advance, $20 at the door, $5 seniors; kids 17 and under are free.  Click here to reserve tickets in advance.