Songwriter's seminar at the 1998 festival

The Great Blue Heron Music Festival is the event of the summer for many in this area. It's a weekend of great music, camping, and magic. Adults, teens, parents with young children and older folks all enjoy the show. Our family makes it a reunion, and we camp together with our brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends. Our parents even make an appearance sometime during the weekend. We found that our teenagers loved us for introducing them to the festival, and now that they're older they make it a point to come back for the event.

The festival site is in Sherman, in western New York. It is 200 acres of woods, a large pond, and a hillside which forms a natural amphitheater from the stage. There are hiking and biking trails, children's activities, and swimming in the pond. It's a great place to relax and enjoy nature for the weekend.

The Great Blue Heron began with some friends gathering to play music and enjoy the beautiful property, which is owned by Julie Erickson. Julie joined in a partnership with local music organizer David Tidquist. He had been bringing great bands to the area for Keg Room performances, but was looking for a larger venue. The Blue Heron was born in the summer of 1992. Only about 800 people came that year, but they came away so happy and enthusiastic that attendance grew to 1500 the following year, 3000 the third year, to eventually stabilized at about 4000. This year will be the 8th Annual Blue Heron.

The best part of the festival is the music! David Tidquist always does a phenomenal job of scheduling a variety of musical styles. This year will feature Old Time music, Roots Rock, Cajun, World Beat, Zydeco, Folk Rock, Conjunto/Celtic Rock, Folk Blues, South American, Jug-grass Jam, Tejano Rock and Stringband music. Swing and Contra Dancing will be featured in the Dance Tent, which holds several hundred dancers. The dance tent is also the venue for the renowned all night jam with Zydeco Experiment. There will be over 100 performers, including some of our favorites: Donna the Buffalo, Jennie Sterns, Zeta Cauliflower, and Sunny Weather.

Julie Erickson is a wonderful steward of her property. She has worked for years to improve the site, while maintaining the ecosystem and natural beauty of the place. The festival is very well organized and runs on volunteer power. Volunteers trade nine hours of labor for a weekend ticket. Recycling bins are everywhere and the site is kept remarkably clean. Security is friendly but on top of things, and there is a first aid station, lifeguard coverage at the beach, and good supervision of the children's program.

Tent camping is free with a weekend pass, and campers are shuttled from the parking lot (sometime neighbor's hayfield) with their equipment to sites of their own choosing in the woods. Limited vehicle camping is available for a fee. Individual day passes are also sold.

You'll find great food at the concession stands. Vendors sell a variety of ethnic and traditional food. Our longtime favorite is the Burrito Bago, but we have enjoyed natural organic dishes from Planet Earth and middle eastern food as well. Unique merchandise is also sold, including percussion instruments, handmade jewelry, beautiful ceramics, India print dresses, and tie-dyed tee shirts. Many of the products are just not to be had around here at any other time.

Drumming circles are a highlight of the weekend. Other participatory events are instrumental workshops, a songwriter's circle, creative movement and dance instruction, and shape-note singing. There's always time for a leisurely walk through the woods to see the famous Dragon Tree, or to visit a beaver pond on the property.

Besides the sights, music, and activities at the festival, there is a strong feeling of positive, good energy emanating from most of the people you'll meet there. You will come away changed, and the spirit of the Blue Heron will tug your soul back again and again. Take a look at the Blue Heron web site link below. Hope to see you at the Festival this summer!