Steeple Coffeehouse will kick off its fifth season when doors open the evening of Sept. 25.
Binghamton Vibrations, a 13-member a capella group, will entertain the first night’s crowd.
“We like to have a little bit of variety,” said organizer Cindy Burke about the music, listing bluegrass, Barbershop, and contemporary folk among the musical categories they book each year.
The coffeehouse, run by members of the United Church of Fayetteville, is located inside Fellowship Hall on East Genesee Street. Set in the heart of the village, its location is ideal for Fayetteville residents to patronize by car or by foot. Burke said its mission has been to reach out as a community-gathering place, and so far, it has succeeded.
“Initially, when we started, a large majority [of patrons] were from the church,” she said. “Now we’ve gotten to the point where I would say we’ve got more outsiders than insiders.”
Big names such as Sammy award-winners Isreal Hagan (of STROKE) and John Cadley are regular returning performers.
In fact, Burke joked that she has no plans to change the name from Steeple to Cadley Coffeehouse, even with Cadley’s unwavering loyalty. Aside from drawing his own fans, Cadley has been instrumental in bringing in groups like The Lost Boys, a local bluegrass band who have proven to be quite popular, Burke said.
Burke hopes that at some point this season, she can find calendar time for the band that performed at last season’s final night. The Tired Hand String Band, which often plays at Kellish Farm on Pompey Center Road in Manlius, brought “half of CNY with them,” Burke said.
“The room was packed,” she said. “They were so delightful and entertaining.”
The Steeple Coffehouse is open from 7:30 to 10 p.m. on specific dates throughout its season, which runs from September through April. Refreshments are provided and there is a suggested donation fee of $10. For more information, call 637-3186.
Season 2010-11
Saturdays
Sept. 25: Binghamton Vibrations (A capella)
Oct. 23: The Guise (Popular/folk)
Nov. 13: The Music Masters (Barbershop)
Nov. 27: Diamond Someday (Bluegrass)
Jan. 8: Holiday Party (Variety of entertainment)
Jan. 22: Isreal Hagan (Guitarist/singer)
Feb. 12: Tim & Steve Schmidt (Classical, folk guitar)
Feb. 26: Price/Cadley/Wenthen (Contemporary folk)
March 12: Joanne Perry & the Unstoppables (Contemporary)
March 26: Larry Hoyt & the Good Acoustics (Traditional folk)
April 9: The Lost Boys (Bluegrass)
