Sad news for bluegrass lovers in upstate New York. The 2023 Tug Hill Bluegrass Festival in Lowville, NY has been cancelled, and the status of the event going forward is uncertain.
For the past 15 years, the festival has been held over Father’s Day weekend at the Maple Ridge Center near the village of Lowville, located about a 90 minute drive from Syracuse, NY or Kingston, ON. But new management at the Center is not prioritizing the festival, and the Tug Hill festival committee has decided that they can not proceed this year without a level of certainty.
Keith Zehr with the committee tells us that they have not decided to close off the possibility of a return, and are waiting to see if suitable arrangements can be made for the future.
“At this point in time, it’s uncertain whether the festival will return. We’re keeping open the possibility depending what happens with the venue, but as of now, there are no plans.”
Tug Hill has been a successful festival, always well attended by both locals and those who travel in to camp. Let’s hope to hear good news about a resolution in the near term.
