July 10, 2017
NARROWSBURG, N.Y. — Celebrate the beauty of the Delaware River and the artistic bounty of the community at Narrowsburg’s 27th annual Riverfest, a free event presented by Delaware Valley Arts Alliance on Sunday, July 23, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
This annual gathering is the flagship event for the hamlet of Narrowsburg as well as the Upper Delaware River region, attracting visitors from near and far with a full day of art and activities surrounded by breathtaking scenery.
This year’s Riverfest will include more than 40 artists booths, seven information booths, a Kids Korner and a food court. Joyce Prince will offer face painting for kids.
Narrowsburg businesses will be open, and many will feature Riverfest specials. Artists booths include handcrafts in wood, ceramics, textiles, jewelry and stone, and fine art mediums of photography, sculpture and painting.
Among the exhibiting painters, sculptors and photographers are Gregory Pelly, Jim Kingston, Judith Reeve, Seema Goldstein, Rachel Mruczkewycz, Charlie Hoffman and Eli Rodrigues. Jewelry artists include Stephanie Marquette, Louis Marquette, Milton Garland, Darlene Clark, Barbara Raymond, and James Hemmel among others.
Returning this year are ceramic artists Kay Schuckhart, Rachel Brown, Bayard DeNoie and Anthony Biancoviso. Chainsaw artist Brian Harnett will be making his chain saw creations throughout the day, and woodworkers Chris Weslowski and Hank Schneider will be selling their finely crafted wood creations along side the Catskill Artists Gallery who will have a wide range of artists work all in one booth.
Authors are well represented, too. Local authors will be selling their autographed books, including works by Lindsay Barrett George and Natural Contents, selling their new cookbooks.
WJFF Radio, The National Park Service, Catskill Mountainkeeper and Catskill Regional Medical Center will all have information booths, and the Delaware Highlands Conservancy will have telescopes and binoculars to view eagles on the Delaware River.
The centerpiece of the day is the 12:30 p.m. Riverfest poster auction. Over five- dozen original posters created by local artists in every conceivable medium donate their work to be sold, live, to the highest bidder by auctioneer Tony Staffieri.
The posters are on display in the gallery windows of the Delaware Arts Center and can also be previewed online at www.DelawareValleyArtsAlliance.org.
Riverfest features live, local music throughout the day and a performance by NACL theatre.
In the morning, enjoy the blues trio Peter Florance and the New Kings from 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m, featuring Peter Florance on guitar, Don Knothe on bass and Josh Florance on drums.
After the art auction, folk/Americana group Little Sparrow will perform from 2:30 to 4 p.m., featuring Carol Troiani on guitar and vocals, Aldo Troiani on mandolin and guitar and Lester Wilson on bass. Both bands will perform on the balcony of the Elaine Giguere Arts Center, overlooking Main Street.
Check out the Kids’ Korner, full of fun games and activities just for children in the paved area between the Delaware Arts Center and the post office.
Environment and energy efficiency information booths will educate about clean water, clean air, and energy conservation.
Frontier Communications will provide free Wi-Fi hot spots throughout Main Street. Ample free parking can be found at the Fireman’s field/ball field on DeMauro Lane. A complimentary shuttle service from the parking area to the Tusten Theatre will be provided.Admission is free. For more information, call 845-252-7576, or visit www.DelawareValleyArtsAlliance.org.
