Kaatsbaan Cultural Park has announced the lineup for its 2026 Annual Festival in Tivoli, NY. Running Aug. 29, Sept. 5 and Sept. 12, the three-Saturday event will feature concerts, large-ensemble dance performances, playwriting workshops, interactive installations and more.
Many performances will take place on Kaatsbaan’s Mountain Stage, overlooking the sweeping Catskill Mountains.
Aug. 29
Opening day begins at 11 a.m. with free, all-ages art-making activities led by festival artists-in-residence. At 1 p.m., Calpulli Mexican Dance Company will perform Native Mexico: Dances of the First Peoples on the Mountain Stage, honoring Indigenous Mexican cultures through rhythm and ritual.
Later, Ballez will continue the dance programming at 3 p.m. with Travesty Doll Play (after Coppélia), a reimagining of the 1870 story ballet Coppélia. At 5 p.m., Anna Sperber will bring Bow Echo to the Mountain Field, adapting the Bessie Award-winning dance work to the site’s natural landscape. Multi-instrumentalist Valerie June will close the evening with her signature blend of folk, soul, blues and gospel.
Sept. 5
The Labor Day weekend at Kaatsbaan begins at noon with a fire-lighting ceremony in the Meadow Field. Then, at 12:30 p.m., Kaatsbaan will present the first installment of Playwrights’ Platform, a new live anthology centered on boundary-pushing playwrights and the stories behind their work. The program will feature works by Vickie Ramirez, Ty Defoe, Jeanette Harrison, Rachel Jendrzejewski and Rose Jarboe. Another installment of the Playwrights’ Platform will take place at 3 p.m., featuring works by Sylvan Oswald, Jim Fletcher, Lucy Sexton and Adrienne Truscott.
Later in the evening, the Meadow Stage will host a sing-along led by The Bearded Ladies Cabaret. Afterward, CRICKETS, featuring Roddy Bottum, Michael O’Neill and JD Samson, will cap the night off with a concert and dance party fueled by punk, funk and electronic sounds.
Sept. 12
The festival closes with a day of movement, rhythm and reinvention. Ronald K. Brown/EVIDENCE will open with Where the Light Shines Through and Torch, two choreographic pieces performed by the company’s acclaimed dancers.
Afterwards, MasterZ at Work will perform The 24/7 Diner, a dance production inspired by the pace and personalities of a bustling all-night diner. Finally, Sadonna and the Slutinos will bid farewell to summer with slower, blues-soaked versions of Madonna hits.
Festivalgoers who prefer a self-guided experience can explore additional programming throughout the grounds. The Performance Lending Library will offer free audio-guided experiences focused on movement, sound and the surrounding landscape. In addition, visitors can explore Earthly Delights, a visuals arts exhibition inspired by planets, plants, insects and other natural forms.
For more information about programming, schedules and ticketing, visit Kaatsbaan’s website.
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