HOBOFEST 2011 is the 3rd annual, all-day free music event with the themes of railroads, the hobo-lifestyle, and economic depressions. We present the concept in celebration of the volunteer, appreciating the unappreciated, recognizing the overlooked.
This year we will introduce the Carhartt Fashion Show. Attendees are encouraged to assemble their best ensemble of new and vintage wear that expresses the style and look of the Carhartt lifestyle. The show will be judged and prizes awarded.
HoboFest embraces the railroad as a dormant resource in our remote mountain location. While the Scenic Railroad services mostly out-of-towners visiting Lake Placid, Hobofest hopes to attract the local population of Saranac Lake to the train and the area around Depot Street. We also hope to establish an event that is truly a grassroots effort, with community cooperation, and not much overhead. Admission is free.
HOBOFEST IS SEEKING FINANCIAL SUPPORT and ASSISTANCE.
Schedule:
NOON -- Steve Langdon
(train 11:45 – 12:30)
12:30 pm -- DUSTBUNNIES
1:00 pm -- Brian Dewan
1:15 pm -- Kurt Stager & Kary Johnson
Introducing MC Bob Seidenstein
1:45 pm -- BIG SLYDE
2:45 pm -- STONEGROUND EXPRESS
(train 2:45-3:30)
3:45 pm -- CRACKIN FOXY
CARHARTT FASHION SHOW
4:45 pm -- BARN CATS
CARHARTT FASHION SHOW
5:30 pm -- PINE RIDGE ROUNDERS
CARHARTT FASHION SHOW AWARDS
(train 5:30 - 6:15)
Introducing MC Pat MacAvoy
6:30 pm -- Meadow
6:45 pm -- BLIND OWL BAND
7:30 pm -- Rafe Spada & Jeff
7:45 pm -- FRANKENPINE
8:45 pm -- Shaun Ondak & Matthew Chase
9:00 pm -- MONSTERBUCK
Food by Andrew Chase:
New York cheddar-beer soup
Pulled pork sandwiches
Grilled zucchini eggplant sandwiches with pesto and mozz
Warm bacon potato salad
Pasta salad
Double choc cookies, ginger cookies
Dinner (5:00-8:00)
Chili with bread
Bratwurst with sauerkraut
Grilled Seasonal vegetable kebab with hummus
Pasta salad
Double choc cookies/ginger cookies
Hot chocolate
** Waters, Coffee, and General Provisions will be available.
In praise of HoboFest:
"Hobo Fest was as down home as Saranac Lake. The venue was idylic and the music and performers were as outstanding as our little village. Which is to say the whole thing kicked ass!" –Jason Brill
John Cohen and I were pleased to be among the fresh and lively group of performers at the first Hobofest in Saranac Lake in 2009. The opportunity to offer the music of the New Lost City Ramblers and Hally Wood as well as several railroading tunes from the period when the railroads were being constructed in North America was most welcome and the audience responded enthusiastically to the authentic sounds. Songs such as "Ruby" by Cousin Emmy, "Frankie Silver" by The Stanley Brothers, the railroading classic "Jay Gould's Daughter" are rarely heard and Hobofest is the perfect venue to keep this valuable music alive. -Annabel Lee
"From a musician's point of view Hobofest 2009 was a grassroots community event at its best -- well organized and promoted, attracted crowds of people of all ages, involved collaboration and support from local businesses, fantastic music and performances, and lots of smiles all day long. All of this, and a raising of awareness for an Adirondack cultural icon -- the train running from community to community." –Christina Grant (Big Slyde)
Hobofest was a fantastical merry-go-round of talent and entertainment. It smoothly showcased amazing, eclectic talent, and brought the community together in a sea of positively. It was such a delight to be a part of. –Mike Portal (big slyde)
The Hobofest was the right thing at the right time in the right place. It was totally a community effort, and accessible to all. Although it was strictly informal & casual, the focus on the music and on the place was significant. In one simple move, joining the spirit of old railroad with the beautiful landscape, and with local artists. while the music retained a handmade, accessible quality. All these good features kept the audience in good spirits. It was memorable to have so many forces converge at this festival. music, local history, community, and joy. Looking forward and backward are gracefully joined at Hobofest. –John Cohen
Even the world’s biggest bindle stick couldn’t contain the amount of fun we had at Hobofest 2009. Great musicians, great crowd, great scene. And where else can a person flatten a penny on the tracks, square dance barefoot in the grass, sneak off for a dip in the lake and come back for a burger and a few hours of the rootsiest music in the time zone? If it were up to us in Frankenpine, we’d play Hobofest once a month. –Ned Rauch
Last summer’s Hobo Festival was made of happy choices, both in tone and scale.
While it had plenty of spirit, it wasn’t Loud with a big L. The tone was relaxed and inviting; the T-shirts well designed and fun (not “laugh-on-Command”) so you would want to wear them time and time again.
The venue was totally appropriate: visitors actually “heard the whistle blow” and had a train stop in their midst!
The music: many of the musicians were local talent (another plus!), and performed on a cleverly improvised, wooden deck attached to a neighboring building instead of on a metal-tubing stage monstrosity. Amplification was hardly needed; the grassy space being flanked by the railroad station and other buildings.
The experience was one of a good, old-fashioned fair, on the scale of the small Adirondack town we all share, and reminded me of the very early Bennington (VT.) craft fairs of the early 1960s.
