Weekend-long music festival takes over Millerton farm

MILLERTON — Hundreds of concert-goers came from far and wide for the “Festival of Family,� a three-day event held on Sanford Kaplan’s farm just south of the village of Millerton from Aug. 6 to 8.

The event, organized by Mike Rooney, was a fundraiser for the Dutchess County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (DCSPCA) as well as The Rex Foundation. Dozens of musical acts were featured, many of which could be connected back to The Grateful Dead. The Rex Foundation is a not-for-profit organization benefiting the arts and social causes that deceased Grateful Dead guitarist Jerry Garcia had a hand in founding.

The former livestock auction barn on the property has, over the past few years, slowly become a vibrantly colored music venue with purple and turquoise walls and vents. There have been several shows held on the property, each of them increasing in size.

Last fall a one-night event was held. Although at first there weren’t enough proceeds for a contribution to the Rex Foundation, the headlining act, Moonalice, decided to donate its performing fee, and $1,000 eventually made its way through The Rex Foundation to the local Gerry Cook Memorial Fund. That fund eventually paid for two bass guitars and amplifiers, which were donated to the Webutuck Central School District’s jazz band.

This year’s festival featured two full days of touring bands, many of which performed at reduced rates for the cause. The third day, Sunday, Aug. 8, was a showcase for nearly a dozen local artists.  Several local groups and residents donated their time, including Troy Ramcharran. His company, Handy Boys Enterprise, has put on the “Events Under the Starsâ€� series of free activities at Eddie Collins field, and Ramcharran donated the use of some of his video projection and lighting equipment to the festival.

“I think people saw this for what it is,� said Kaplan, fresh off a musical performance of his own with Denise Finley, his guitar teacher. “It was a family-oriented weekend, and no one was out of place. Even the dogs were happy running around together!�

“I’ve never been to a music festival held on a farm like this,� said Kevin Waites, who drove from upstate New York for the event. “The barn is such a cool place for a show and the bands really took advantage of the space.�

And even a few (if not a lot) of the local residents came down to see the event.

“There was some wonderful, terrific music,� said Millerton resident Ralph Fedele, who came down Sunday for the local showcase. “I’ve always said, if you scratch the surface in Millerton, you’re going to come up with lots of talent.�

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