SYRACUSE, N.Y (NCC News) – Week three of one of the largest music events in Onondaga County is about to begin. There are still plenty of performances to enjoy at the the 43rd Skaneateles Festival.
Founded in 1980, the Skaneateles Festival grew from hiring local chamber artists preforming to having some of the best musical talents in the region. They have also expanded to include talents from orchestra and jazz music.
“From those roots, this has grown into a really, international class festival,” said Julia Bruskin, artistic director of the Skaneateles Festival. “People come from all over the world. We have some of the great artists of today coming to perform.”
This season’s festival is the first in three years to have no restrictions as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. In 2020 the festival was broadcasted though the local PBS stations, and in 2021, they had a smaller season with the entire event taking place outside.
Now the festival has returned to normal, with performances taking place both in and outside the First Presbyterian Church of Skaneateles. The church has been housing the festival for the last 15 years.
Bruskin said with the restrictions gone the festival is more popular than ever.
“It’s really a full on, as big as we’ve ever done season. So that’s very exciting and very gratifying to be back to that,” Bruskin said.
The Skaneateles Festival will conclude on Aug. 20th. Acts that are slated to preform include Gil Shaham, The Catalyst Quartet, Karen Slack and Christian McBride .
Tickets are available on the festival’s official website.
