HONESDALE, PA — Honesdale’s beloved Roots & Rhythm festival needs room to grow—or it may have to find another venue.

Speaking for the festival at the borough’s tense April 22 meeting, Kelsey Samson of Honesdale proposed closing 9th Street on festival day—Saturday, June 15—to fit in more food and local business vendors. The festival wants to expand, she said, but is currently as big as it can be while staying in the borough.

“Basically [Roots & Rhythm] wants to do what we all want to do, which is bring more business into Honesdale,” Samson told the borough council. “We want to show people how wonderful the town is.”

Organizers want to keep the festival in Honesdale, she said, but will have to consider other options if it’s unable to expand.

The council members praised the event before quickly pivoting to the public safety hazard the road closure would cause.

“I know we have an emergency action plan, but I’m not in a position where I feel like that’s enough to potentially address those concerns,” said councilor Jim Hamill.

Councilors said the borough’s police chief and solicitor advised them about the hazards. Ninth Street is a heavily traveled one-way road through the heart of town. Closing it could cause traffic backups and hazards for pedestrians. The Parks and Recreation Committee also opposes the closure.

At the end of the discussion, the council unanimously denied the street closure in a 7-0 vote.

‘Eager to work with R&R’

After the meeting, Sue Bold Kohrs, a Honesdale business owner, took to Facebook to express her frustration.

“The denial of Honesdale Roots & Rhythm’s expansion and 9th Street closure by the borough council will likely result in the event’s departure from the borough in 2025, much to the dismay of local businesses and residents,” she wrote.

The post generated nearly 40 shares, and about two dozen comments from community members, most of whom are also upset with the denial. 

Hamill also commented on the post, sharing an audio clip from the meeting. “I am eager to work with Roots & Rhythm to continue having the festival in downtown Honesdale,” he wrote. “At times, government and its representatives can be constrained by larger concerns involving liability and public safety, and in that respect..not sure adequate solutions exist for this particular request. It’s not as if the borough limited the festival—it approved use of the park, stage (if desired), 3 closed boro streets around the park, free parking, use of the pavilion and more.”

The Honesdale Roots & Rhythm Music Festival started up in 2006 and, except for the COVID years of 2020 and 2021, has been bringing Americana, blues, rock, and jazz bands to the borough ever since. It’s all free and organized by a not-for-profit organization: “Some call them sponsors, some call them partners, and some call them supporters, but together, they make the Honesdale Roots & Rhythm festival a harmonious celebration of music and creativity,” says its web page.

The show will go on this year as scheduled this year, from 10 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. on June 15 in the borough’s Central Park.

In the meantime, many community members remain hopeful that, by next year, officials and organizers will work out a solution to keep this amazing event in downtown Honesdale.