St. Patrick School to host annual Fall Festival

St. Patrick School is excited to announce its annual Fall Festival planned for Friday, Sept. 19 and Saturday, Sept. 20 at the school located at 309 Front St. in Owego, N.Y.

The festival opens at 5 p.m. Friday, and the music kicks off at 7 p.m. with Band of Strings, a six-piece high-energy acoustic band that stays true to its bluegrass roots performing original music and unique twists on contemporary and traditional standards.

Following Band of Strings at 8:30 p.m. is The Falconers, an uplifting, heavy-hitting, indie-rock group from Binghamton with influences ranging from Joni Mitchell and the Indigo Girls to the Foo Fighters and Pixies.

Saturday evening’s entertainment kicks off with Daphne Braden at 5:30 p.m. and her wide variety of pop, rock, jazz, blues, country and classic hits.  She creates a fun “variety show” atmosphere, with sing-alongs and props for audience participation.

Following Daphne is the jazz, funk, blues and soul of Ultra Vibe at 7 p.m. Ultra Vibe’s brand of music is rooted in the spirit of jazz improvisation, with interpretations and new twists on blues, jazz and soul classics to original music. Capping off the weekend will be Owego Free Academy’s pop-rock cover band Making the Band at 8:30 p.m.

Saturday showcases performances across the musical spectrum beginning at 11 a.m. with the contemporary Christian group Trace of Grace, made up of St. Patrick parishioners and members of the Owego community performing original Christian music.

At 1 p.m., up and coming teen country singer and songwriter Brooke Albright will perform. Giving an acoustic performance at 2 p.m. is singer, songwriter, and guitarist Jack Breidenstein who has played on stage with Gavin DeGraw, Bachman-Turner Overdrive and Cheap Trick.

New Day, a contemporary Christian music group, including three St. Patrick School graduates, takes the stage at 3 p.m. playing original and cover songs. Throughout the weekend, in between and during the live music performances, will be carnival games with prizes, a bounce house, the return of the highly popular haunted house and Halloween “Boo-tique,” shopping at Buy the Book and Irish Alley Treasures, and plenty of food, drink and homemade desserts.

The luminary ceremony takes place Friday at 6:45 p.m. and Saturday afternoon has ZUMBA at noon and a cake walk.

All games, the bounce house and haunted house, plus shopping, and food purchases are ticket-based, and tickets can be purchased at the central ticket booth on the days of the festival. The live entertainment is free and welcome to all ages.

More festival events are being planned for the weekend. For the latest details of the festival in the weeks to come, visit www.stpatrickowego.org or call (607) 687-1770.

The Fall Festival is a tradition the community has looked forward to for over 45 years and is one of the largest fundraisers for St. Patrick School, Tioga County’s only Catholic school serving families of all faiths for 155 years.