ITHACA, N.Y. — This year, Triphammer Arts, the Cayuga Waterfront Trail Initiative and the Friends of Stewart Park will host Watermusic/Dancing on the Trail at the Stewart Park section of the Cayuga Waterfront.
On Friday, July 13 from 5:30 to 9 p.m., the park will come alive with a spontaneous festival of music and dance. The third annual collaboration between Watermusic and Dancing on the Trail takes a fresh outlook for 2018, with a move to Stewart Park. Musicians will perform along the Waterfront Trail and the edge of Cayuga Lake and Fall Creek from 5:30 to 7:30 pm with a party and performances at the Picnic (Large) Pavilion from 8 – 9 pm. The new setting brings the bands closer together for ease of walking and the enjoyment of multiple performances – it’s more accessible for the whole family. Bring a picnic and spend the evening with us.
We have lined up a great group of performers (bluegrass, jazz, folk, Celtic, swing music) including The Catscratchers (Susan Waterbury and Dave Whiting), John Bunge & Friends, Arise & Go, Stan Stewart, Mike Ludgate & Friends, David Coester, Ithaca Ukes, Fall Crikker Jug Band, Steve Stull and the Oklahoma! cast, and Jeanne Goddard and Dancers. And it’s free!
Dancers from across central New York will walk, skip, shimmy, amble and flow to join the popular Watermusic event. Dancing on the Trail, conceived and directed by Jeanne Goddard and Steve Stull of Triphammer Arts Inc. will place dancers in grassy groves near the Picnic (Large) Pavilion to perform choreographed and improvised movement happenings, both subtle and surprising, to celebrate the environment, the season, and the architecture and history of Stewart Park. The dances can be seen, and the music can be heard, from the trail or from the water – so bring your kayak, paddleboard, bicycle, or walking shoes and come on down!
The original Watermusic event was initiated by Rick Manning as a festival of music performance on and near the water at the Cayuga Lake inlet, celebrating the wealth of musical talent in the area, as well as the accessible natural beauty we enjoy. With support from two Community Celebration grants and generous sponsors, Watermusic/Dancing on the Trail has grown to include over forty performers. Boaters, bicyclists, runners, and walkers, can enjoy dance and music from the water and from the trail.
For a map of locations and performers, please check triphammer.org closer to the performance date.
The Watermusic/Dancing on the Trail project is made possible in part by a grant from the Tompkins County Tourism Program.