This past Saturday, the Big Lawn Music Festival took place in Poughkeepsie. The festival took place at Plan Bee Farm Brewery, just outside of the city. The festival, now in its sixth consecutive year, sported a lineup of ten artists.
Big Lawn Music Festival serves as a space for members of the Hudson Valley to gather in an inclusive space. They encourage attendees to talk to one another, create new friendships, and foster community. Founders Emma and Gianna are actively involved in the production of the festival, and directly organize every aspect. Most importantly, the festival also aims to provide a space for minorities to have center stage (literally) and showcase their talents to a fresh audience.
Aside from the music, the festival some other highlights of the festival included a songwriter’s workshop, food trucks, and a beautiful view overlooking the nearby hills. The location of the festival, Plan Bee Farm Brewery, is an active brewery and farm, complete with a taproom, chickens, goats, and beehives. They sourse all ingredients either from there own farm or other areas in New York State, and their signature Barn Beer changes flavors depending on the season it was created in. Also welcome at the festival were dogs, who enjoyed the music just as much.
Doors opened at 1pm with music set to start at 1:30. The day opened with Dassi Rosenkrantz, a bass player showcasing instrumental funk with a backup band. She announced upcoming shows nearby in Beacon. The groovy opening to the festival was followed by Starling Annie, a folky solo artist from the area who played a refreshing mix of originals with a couple covers. Luzmila Taylor followed, playing emotional songs from their soulful new EP, Charlotte’s Web.
Big Lawn lends the stage to a mix of Hudson Valley and New York natives, as well as artists originally from other regions. One of these new residents was the next artist, Kate Prascher, who played an impressive bluegrass set backed by a violin and upright bass. Following her set was Blair Baldwin, who amped up the volume for a fun and punchy rock set. Sarah Anjali then brought a fun and relatable singer/songwriter set to the stage, with some comical audience interaction. Folk was a popular genre at this festival, proven by the next artist, Elbi Lewis, who played a calming set backed by a mandolin.
After all of these talented artists, there were still more to come, and those who were last on the lineup were worth the wait. Eevie Echoes and the Locations brought their punk tunes and attitude all the way from Brooklyn, and a small mosh pit opened for the first and only time that day. Following was Gracie Lou, a country pop artist backed by an enthusiastic band. After explaining that she has lived in California, the south, and New York, she described her genre as “city girl country,” which is fittingly the name of her new record. The night ended with Summer Fling, a seven-piece jazz funk band from NYC, complete with a trumpet and saxophone. They played an enjoyable set (which even included synchronized dancing), and were the perfect closing band for a great festival.
It is no surprise that Big Lawn Music Festival has seen success over its past six years, and it seems that the success only continues to grow. The staff, artists, and even fans show visible dedication to the festival and genuine connection to one another. Though the festival is only one day a year, fans can rest assured that there is no shortage of live music here, because all of these artists can be found performing around the Hudson Valley and NYC areas.
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