Hamilton, NY Continues Over 100 Year “Thursday’s On The Village Green” Concert & Family Events Series

HAMILTON, NEW YORK- Thursdays on the Village Green is back in 2023 with five weeks of free kids activities and concerts for all ages in downtown Hamilton, NY.

Music will start each week at 7 pm and kids activities will start at 5 or 5:30 pm as noted below. A rotating selection of food trucks will be on the Village Green including Brake From The Grind, Motley Chew, Oh Crepe, Oscar’s, Ray Brothers Barbeque, Rio Grande, Squeezers Lemonade, and TacoCat. Gilligan’s Ice Cream will also provide free ice cream every week.
Blankets, chairs, and dancing are always encouraged!

The series kicks off on July 13th with live music from Transient Kicks with special guests Jes Sheldon and Mike Davis. Transient Kicks is a rock band from Syracuse, NY that blends lyrical storytelling with musical improvisation and sound exploration across many genres including funk, jazz, bluegrass, folk, R&B, psychedelic groove, soul, and blues. Their unique style and diverse sound is guaranteed to create a new experience every show, and their community cultivates an environment of love and acceptance for any and all. Featuring Mike Callaghan (keyboards, vocals), Peter Dowling (percussion, vocals), Ryan Drescher (guitar, vocals), Bailey Elmore (guitar, vocals), and Matthew McIntyre (bass, vocals).

Leading up to the music, there will be a family-friendly night of illusion drag show with Courtney Wells & Friends starting at 5 pm. Drew’s Balloons will also be on-site. This evening is presented in partnership with BRiDGES, the Madison County Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse. Learn more at bridgescouncil.org.

July 20th brings Mark Shiner and the National Endowment with special guest Dave Montanye. The children’s activity, Move Entertainment Presents Sammy’s Family Dance Party, runs from 5 to 6:30 pm.

July 27th is a Women in Folk evening featuring Alyssa Rose and Liz Fiddle. Alyssa Rose of Sherrill, NY, has just relocated back to the East Coast and is excited to return to Hamilton, where she played her first-ever show in 2016. Her acoustic-folk originals tell the story of life on the road, love, loss, and healing, and her covers range anywhere from Taylor Swift and Justin Bieber to Bruce Springsteen and The Band. Liz Fiddle is a long-time CNY performer, a singer and multi-instrumentalist, and the first violinist in the Opus Black String Quartet, to name just a few of her projects. The Friends of Rogers will present Rogers Environmental Education Center: Past, Present and Future from 5:30 to 6:30 pm.

On August 3rd Harmonic Dirt will take the stage performing original Americana music written by Susan Coleman (bassist and lyricist) and Mike Gridley (guitar, vocals, and composer) with the solid backbone of drummer James DaRin and melodic influence of Taylor Bucci on the banjo. Their 2020 album “Live at the Ridge” won a SAMMY award for “Best Americana Album.” The band’s tight-knit group of seasoned musicians exudes positive energy and camaraderie, providing an enjoyable experience for all. The Henry Howard Family Music Show will kick off the night from 5:30 to 6:30 pm.

Mark Sherwood and The Skeleton Crew, a Grateful Dead Experience, will close out the series on August 10th. This group features wonderful talent from Central New York, primarily Chenango and Madison counties. The band performs the classic music of the Grateful Dead and Jerry Garcia Band. With an ever evolving group of musicians, there’s always a surprise in each show they perform, currently featuring Mark Sherwood, David Burch, Zach Fleitz, and Stephen Jackowski. The kids activity before the music will be Alex Perrine’s Bodies of Waste Sculpture Exhibit and Workshop with Found Material starting at 5 pm. Drew’s Balloons will also be on-site.

The series will give locals and visitors alike a chance to enjoy downtown Hamilton’s eateries and boutiques. From home goods and fashion to antiques and gifts, there’s something for everyone to explore and enjoy just a stone’s throw from the Village Green.

Thursdays on the Village Green is brought to you by the Village of Hamilton with the support of the following sponsors. Platinum sponsor: Colgate Inn. Silver sponsors: Colgate University, Stan and Sylvia Roe, and the Town of Hamilton. Bronze sponsors: Community Bank, Dougherty Pharmacy, and the Morrisville Lions Club. Valued community supporters: Susan and Roger Bauman, Jessica Gray, Ruthann Loveless, and Price Chopper. Donations in kind: Flour and Salt and Martha’s on Madison, Gilligan’s Ice Cream, Jeff Haywell, Jeremy Daniel Johnston, M&M Press, Sean Nevison, and Scrap Paper Social.

The rain location for this year’s events is Arts at the Palace at 19 Utica St. in Hamilton. For more information, please visit @thursdaysonthevillagegreen on Facebook and Instagram or head to thursdaysonthevillagegreen.com.