CALLICOON, NY — This summer, the PorchFest movement is coming to Callicoon on the weekend of the original Woodstock Festival.

This two-day event will kick off on Friday, August 16 at 6 p.m. with a Callicoon Pub Crawl, featuring music on the porches of the new Callicoon Brewing Company, Mathews on Main, the Western and Rafters Tavern, just to name a few. On Saturday, August 17, eight hours of outdoor performances beginning at 12 noon will have people wandering all over town for a wide variety of entertainment. A map will be available for visitors, as the fest will stretch across Upper and Lower Main Streets and residential porches throughout town.

The fest will mainly focus on music, but art, culture and local non-profit organizations will also be showcased. Applications for musicians, performers, vendors, workshop facilitators and sponsors are being accepted and can be found at www.facebook.com/fest69. Performers of all kinds are welcome to apply: spoken word, dance and theater troupes, etc. Local environmental organizations such as Damascus Citizens will have their own space in the festival free of charge at the Indie Market at Callicoon Creek Park.

“We want artists to present their visions and celebrate the spirit of Woodstock,” Irene Nikolai, owner of the Western Supper Club and one of the main organizers for the event, shared. “Back [in 1969], so many movements were starting... [Now] we’re living in such a crazy time, so I think it’s important for statements to be made.”  Nikolai hopes that, with this festival, the local communities can become involved with and stimulated by all the festival action Bethel Woods is bringing into the area. PorchFest will help put Callicoon on the map for tourists who otherwise wouldn’t know it exists.

With the festival in its planning stages, the PorchFest organization committee is reaching into the community for their talents and support. The planning meetings are held bi-weekly, please email ilovecallicoon@gmail.com if you would like to attend or for more information.