Caffè Lena’s fourth annual Fiddles & Foliage festival returns to High Rock Park in Saratoga Springs September 27. The free family-friendly event will go from 12–4 p.m. and feature musicians of all ages.
The festival centers around people of diverse backgrounds, ages and musical proficiency collaborating. The park will be stocked with food and craft vendors, games, a homemade pie auction and a silent auction as students and teachers from the Caffè Lena School of Music perform.
Rooted in folk traditions, the School of Music teaches students of all ages — from toddlers taking their first steps into the world of music to teenagers perfecting their craft and adults learning a new instrument. Classes and private instruction are offered in guitar, fiddle, banjo and mandolin with other programs like the Folk Club Kids, Music with Miss Deb and the Senior Learning Jam.
The school’s ensembles, Rolling Pebbles folk ensemble and Jazz Mode, have had the chance to headline the Saratoga Summer Concert Series in Congress Park and opening for acclaimed jazz pianist Chuck Lamb at Caffè Lena. Students will perform at the festival, bringing their knowledge and music out of the classrooms and into High Rock Park.
Proceeds from Fiddles & Foliage will be used to fund the Matt McCabe Scholarship Fund, which is named after the late owner of Saratoga Springs Guitar. The fund provides tuition and instruments for students who need it. Restocking the funds of the scholarship is one of the key goals of the festival, said Matt Griffin, Director of the Caffè Lena School of Music. Proceeds will also support the programs offered at the school and free community music opportunities.
Caffè Lena has been recognized by The Grammy Foundation for their contributions to the development of American music. Founded in 1960 by Lena Nargi Spencer in a former woodworking shop, the Caffè helped launch songwriters like Bob Dylan in 1961 and the more recent Anais Mitchell in 2008, Billy Strings in 2015, Allison Russell in 2016, Amethyst Kiah in 2017 and many more.
The Caffè became a non-profit in 1989 following the passing of Spencer, financially supported by concert revenue, donors, grants and volunteers.
Find out more about the festival here.
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