West Kortright Fair 2018

(EAST MEREDITH) The West Kortright Centre presents its 13^th Annual West Kortright Fair on Sunday, September 2, from noon-6PM, rain or shine. Admission to this event is pay-what-you-can. Enjoy a full afternoon of foot-stompin’ music under the big tent, a huge rummage sale and silent auction, a multitude of local artisans, a group art exhibit, and lots of family fun.

The day’s live music lineup features indie folk-rock band PALEFACE (12:30-2pm), old-time fiddle & banjo duo Richie and Rosie (2:30-4pm), and reggae-roots dance party favorites, The Big Takeover (4:30-6pm).

Indie folk-rock icon PALEFACE has collaborated, recorded, and toured with Ramseur Records labelmates The Avett Brothers; Grammy Award-winning Beck counts him as a friend and big influence. Think early Neil Young meets Bob Dylan…and come see this influential artist kick off the Fair celebrations at 12:30.

By her junior year of high school, Rosie Newton was playing fiddle and touring with folk-rock band The Mammals. Richie Stearns, a well-established singer and banjo player, has performed around the world with such luminaries as Bela Fleck, Pete Seeger, David Byrne, Bill Bragg & Wilco, Old Crow Medicine Show, Joan Baez, and Natalie Merchant. Together, Richie and Rosie play a blend of Americana, old-time, and folk that highlights their incredibly refined musicianship and draws on the intimacy, power, and simplicity of two people playing.

Six-piece reggae-roots band The Big Takeover has been fulfilling the mission implied in their name, packing clubs in the city and upstate since 2007. The Big Takeover features bass, trombone, saxophone, drums, guitar, and percussion, taking their cues from Desmond Dekker and the first wave of Jamaican pop music, as well as from the soulful energy and sophistication of Motown (rather than the pop-punk of American ska). At the center of this tight, grooving ensemble is the live-wire singing and deceptively subtle songwriting of the Jamaican-born NeeNee Rushie, a powerhouse performer who makes the audience feel like accomplices more than spectators. Traditional and experimental, The Big Takeover’s global blend reveals deep fluency in reggae and world music, hints of soul, and a pop classicism that is their own thing entirely.

The Fair also features family-friendly entertainment for all ages. Perennial fair-favorite Wacky Wendy returns with her whimsical paper craft hats and comedy from 2-5pm. The Amazing Great entertains and enchants audiences with his skilled magic and sleight of hand from 1-5pm. Oneonta World of Learning will be onsite with interactive children’s exhibits, activities, and open-play invitations throughout the day. Plus, local sound artists and musicians offer an opportunity for hands-on discovery and experimentation in the Sound Technology Exploration Tent.

This year’s family-friendly West Kortright Fair is sponsored by The Daily Star, The Center for Agricultural Development & Entrepreneurship (CADE), and Pure Catskills, and is funded in part by a grant from Delaware County Tourism and Development. Children’s activities are sponsored by grants from the Robert B. and Addie P. Thomson Trust and Walmart. The Sound Technology Exploration initiative is funded in part by Ioxus, a firm believer in STEM.

The West Kortright Centre is located midway between Oneonta, Delhi, and Stamford. Follow signs from state Route 23 in Davenport Center or state Route 10 east of Delhi. For exact travel directions, visit www.westkc.org