Kick off the summer with CrowFEST and help area veterans

The second annual CrowFEST will be held on Friday evening, June 21 and all day Saturday, June 22 at Ransom Park off Rte 17C in Tioga Center, N.Y.

A family-oriented event, fest-goers are sure to enjoy a jam-packed line-up of live music that starts at 5:30 p.m. on Friday evening and runs all day Saturday, and even into Sunday’s wee-hours. The event, complete with bonfires, also celebrates the Summer Solstice.

A two-day pass is $20, while a ticket for just Friday is $10 and $15 for Saturday.  Children under 15 are free.

Camping will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis at no additional cost.  Bathrooms will be available however there are no shower facilities. Event organizers ask that you help keep Ransom Park clean by taking out what you bring in.

This year’s festival features local and regional bands from multiple music genres, and as co-promoter Jay Floyd remarked, “There will be a nice mix at the festival,” adding, “CrowFEST brings together talented musicians from our region, and ninety percent of those artists will be performing original music.”

Two stages, a Main Stage, and a Side Stage will be set up to keep the music going throughout the festival.

Triple Down, a self-described jazz-funk-fusion band, will kick off CrowFEST II at 5:30 p.m. on Friday evening on the Main Stage.

Following Triple Down will be rock-and-rollers, A Part of Pluto and Surplus+, along with Chaka playing reggae and funk. Friday concludes with the Tijuana Danger Dogs, a father and son quartet, performing their original rock and roll set list. 

Friday’s Side Stage will feature Asia Toyryla, Keagan Toyryla, and the Mountain Top Wranglers.   

Waking up the crowd at 11 a.m. on Saturday’s Main Stage will be regional and outlaw country favorite, Tim Ruffo.

Following Ruffo will be The Apalachin Annies and Milkweed Electric playing Americana music. Roots and blues fans can look forward to J Floyd, and later in the afternoon get ready for soul and funk performed by Mike Davis and The Laughing Buddha Episodes, along with rock and blues by Digger Jones. The early evening features jam rock by Uncle Uke and The Guise, rock and blues by The Smokin’ Crows and hip hop by Gunpoets.

Just before the clock strikes midnight, DJ Mac and E will take the stage, and concluding the evening with electronic-hop-spins through the early wee hours will be DJ Dizzyyy.

On Saturday’s Side Stage, give a listen to Sydney Rose, Sidewalk Chalk, Brian Tyneway, Devinne Myers, Mary McPherson and Ry.  

All proceeds from CrowFEST II will benefit the Southern Tier Veterans Support Group (STVSG).  Floyd, along with co-promoter Chris Beam, a veteran himself, and both who will perform at the festival, are proud to give back and extend help to area veterans.

STVSG works as a liaison with other agencies to provide services and support to veterans, service members and their families in New York’s Southern Tier and the Northern Tier of Pennsylvania.  

The CrowFEST event is also dog friendly. Representatives from the Owego Dog Owners Group, a.k.a. ODOG, will be on hand with a dog “comfort station.”

Fest-goers can look forward to food, craft and antique vendors, raffles for amazing prizes, fire dancers, and vintage cars and trucks, just to name a few.  In addition, Richford Hills Winery, Waterman’s Distillery and Farmhouse Brewery will be set up at the event.

The Tioga Center Volunteer Fire Department will supply chicken for CrowFEST, and local Boy Scouts from Owego will be volunteering, to include serving up hot dogs and hamburgers. Water and soda will also be available for purchase.

Floyd commented, “Bring your own instrument to play along, too, or gather around a bonfire,” and added, “Motorcycles are welcome, so jump on your bike and take a ride through the countryside to Ransom Park and celebrate the Summer Solstice with us!”

For additional information, visit www.crowfest.org, or email: info@crowfest.org. You can also find the CrowFEST event page on Facebook.

Tickets are available for presale on-line, or you can purchase tickets at the gate on the day of the event.

For additional information about the STVSG, find them on Facebook or visit http://stvsg.org.