Press Release:
The Ramble Team is once again partnering with the Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council (GO ART!) to bring the Batavia Ramble and Explore Art Festival to Jackson Square and Jackson Street, on Saturday, July 6, from 10 a.m. - 9 p.m.
This fun-filled festival has something for everyone, including 25+ bands performing on two stages, an Explore Art tent for kids, street performances, food, and much more!
The Festival Team thanks local sponsors, Casella, Cedar Street Sales & Rentals, Edward Jones, ESL Federal Credit Union, Genesee Production Group, R.A. Haitz, L & L Transmission, Logan Music, and OATKA Milk Products for their generous support.
GO ART! also receives grant funding from the New York State Council on the Arts, Rochester Area Community Foundation, and the National Endowment for the Arts to support our Explore Art activities.
Stephen Kowalcyk, Ramble Coordinator, says, “We are looking forward to another great year! We have a lot of returning bands from last year as well as some new acts performing at The Ramble for the very first time.”
Ramble performer David Knaudt says, “The Ramble never disappoints! Such a fun time and how lucky are we in Batavia to have a music festival.”
In the time-honored Ramble tradition, local and regional classic and newer bands will entertain from morning to night.
This year’s lineup includes The Royal Halls, Sons Of Luther, Bad Sign, Prospect, Dave Knaudt, Indigo Flow, David Holnbeck, Don Thomas, Steve Fisher, Tom Ryan and Friends, Distant View, Groove, The Real News, Lonesome Road, Driven, The Cowboy Vampires, GumShoe, Surging Motion, Soulshine Band, Paul K Almeter, PD3, The Remediators, Jack Waite, Shotgun Pauly, and The Rock-A-Bully’s.
For decades, the Ramble has been an annual reunion to welcome musicians back who once called Batavia home, while celebrating our continued local and regional musical talents.
From the festival start to 5 p.m., the Explore Art tent will offer hands-on workshops in diverse arts, crafts, and dance, with several mini-concerts and demos. Come make your own bracelet with Ukrainian beadworker and pysanky artist, Irene Grassman (10:15 a.m. and 2:45 p.m.), or craft a clay medallion of Arabic calligraphy and designs with Nada Odeh (11:15 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.).
You’ll see a colorful and exciting demo of Afro Panamanian dance at 11:00 a.m., followed by a workshop at 12:30 p.m. to create a Carnival mask or headdress with the artists from Grupo Cultural Latinos en Rochester.
Local favorites, Troupe Nisaa, will present Middle Eastern dancing at noon. Try easy and fun old-time dancing at 1 p.m. with the Orleans County String Band, who will continue afterwards with a mini concert.
To cap off the day, the Allegany River Seneca Dancers will show and teach you how to do a traditional hoop dance at 2:30 p.m., with a cornhusk doll making workshop at 3:45 p.m.
Everyone is invited to help create our new Explore Art banner throughout the day. Created by local artist, Jill Pettigrew, the banner features dozens of famous artworks in coloring-book design, ready for you to color in to your imagination’s delight. All of our Explore Art activities are family friendly and can accommodate all ages.
Arts vendors on Jackson Street will offer a variety of handcrafted wares including woodcrafts, jewelry, painting, health and beauty products, home decor, ceramics, paper arts, and needlecrafts. Attendees can enjoy caricatures and face painting as well.
Street food includes hot dogs, hamburgers, sausage, chicken fingers and ice cream, with neighborhood restaurants and customary beverages available.
Put Saturday, July 6 on your calendar and come down for a few hours–or the whole day–to enjoy music, arts, food, and fun.
