Owego Free Academy’s “Making the Band” (MTB) will perform on the big stage at the Courthouse lawn during the Owego Strawberry Festival Friday Night Block Party on June 17 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
The Woodshed Prophets will perform on the big stage at the Courthouse lawn during the Strawberry Festival Friday Night Block Party for the pre-fireworks show on June 17 from 8 p.m. to approximately 9:45 p.m.
The Spelunkers will perform at Ahwaga Park, located next to the Barleycorn on Front Street and at the entrance to the Riverwalk entrance during the Strawberry Festival Friday Night Block party from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Rare Breed will perform at Ahwaga Park, located next to the Barleycorn on Front Street and at the entrance to the Riverwalk entrance during the Strawberry Festival Friday Night Block party from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.
An event in its own right, the Strawberry Festival block party showcases a great line-up of talented musicians and bands this year, along with plenty of other not-to-miss entertainment. So, plan to embrace the peace and love of yesteryear and grab your tie-dye shirts and peace signs for the Friday night Strawberry Festival Block Party that kicks off at 5 p.m. on June 17.
Visitors won’t want to miss the spectacular fireworks show which is slated to begin at 10 p.m. over the river at Draper Park, and is guaranteed to be a sensational ending to a block party like no other in the region.
Music at Ahwaga Park
Rare Breed – First up at Ahwaga Park, located next to the Barleycorn on Front Street and at the entrance to the Riverwalk, is Rare Breed, a four-member band out of Endicott, N.Y. consisting of members Dan Foley, Matt Pitcher, Bob Roessing and Terry Morey. Performing classic hits, along with chart toppers and a mix of high energy originals, Rare Breed’s musical influences come from all four corners of the map. Catch Rare Breed’s unique sound from 5:30 to 7 p.m.
The Spelunkers – Taking the stage from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. is a band hailing from Owego’s own backyard, the Spelunkers. A one-of-a-kind energy weaved with a groovy, spacey sound, the Spelunkers sound is comprised of the drum styling of Tom Sheehy paired with the hand drumming of Tony Montana, along with the bass slapping of Ryan Marchewka and the guitar wielding of Jim Gale, and completed with keyboard/guitar/singer, Tom Sickler. During their set, drum jams spread from the stage to the audience, where the Spelunkers will hand out percussive instruments to Fest-goers interested in participating in the groove, creating a never-a-dull moment show.
Music at the Courthouse lawn
MTB Band – A group of talented, up-and-coming musicians from Owego Free Academy (OFA), students otherwise known as the MTB Band or “Making the Band,” will take the stage from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
MTB will perform selections from well-known and up-and-coming pop music artists. The OFA version of “Making the Band” is a training experience which helps teach high school students to perform popular music.
As described by OFA Director of Bands, Daniel Fabricius, MTB provides students with an experience to learn how to be a professional musician as well as encourages students to set goals to potentially expand their talent and desire to perform after high school.
OFA students involved with MTB include – performing vocals: Anastasia Alexopoulos, Camden Dyer-DeCator, Kristina Jackson and Anna Llewellyn. On horns: Maleah Farr – Alto and Tenor Saxophone, Andrew Caldwell – Trumpet and Jordan Dove – Trombone. On rhythm: Maddy White and Megan Shoen – Keyboards, Trevor Hopler – Guitar, Joe Kuchinski – Bass and Chris Wieckhorst – Drums.
Woodshed Prophets. The featured headliner act Friday evening, the Woodshed Prophets take the stage at 8 p.m. for the Pre-Fireworks Show at the Block Party.
The Woodshed Prophets will play original material encompassing country rock, rockabilly, Americana, bluegrass and straight up rock and roll, and will also perform a selection of rocked-up cover choices like the Beatles, Eric Clapton, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Neil Young, and a tribute to Guy Clark, among others.
Hailing from Sidney, N.Y. and often called a quartet of bearded wild men, consists of members Rob Stachyra on lead guitar and vocals, Dan Hardy on guitar and vocals, Ed Gliha on bass and vocals and Dan “Bird-Dog” Dunham on drums and vocals.
The Woodshed Prophets, whose unique blend of country and rock sound has been coined “power twang” by their fans, some known as “Shed-Heads,” plan to ramp it up a little bit for the Friday Night Block Party and pre-fireworks show.
More entertainment
The Miss/Mister Strawberry Pageant starts at 5 p.m. at the Courthouse Square Gazebo, which starts at 5 p.m. See a separate article about this event in this issue.
Between 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m., juggler and all-around entertainer, Nate the Great, a.k.a., Nate Marshall, will perform at various block party stops.
The popular “Strawberry Shortcake” one-mile run takes off at 6 p.m. and the “Strawberry Shake” 5K Run/Walk begins at 7 p.m.
The Historic Owego Marketplace, in partnership with the Owego Apalachin Foundation for Excellence in Education, invites guests to stop in the Wine and Beer tasting tent on the Front Street Deck. Participants this year include Tioga County’s own The Farmhouse Brewery and Glen Park Vineyards, along with Pazdar Winery, Lakeland Winery and Three Brothers Wineries and Estates. A $5 admission and ID check is required at the tent, which opens Friday at 5:30 p.m. and again on Saturday at 11 a.m.
Since the debut of the Owego Strawberry Festival more than three decades ago, hundreds of thousands of visitors have been drawn to historic downtown Owego to experience the charm of this annual festival. The Historic Owego Marketplace urges everyone to come early and enjoy the excitement of two fun-filled days on June 17 and 18, 2016.
For more information, visit owegostrawberryfestival.com.
