One of the area’s longest-running summer festivals and one of our newest summer she-bangs will both strike up the band on Sunday, Aug. 5.
Bavarian Fest at Long Branch
At Long Branch Park, the 40th annual Syracuse Bavarian Fest gets underway at noon Sunday, while at Johnson Park the third annual Salt City Sunday starts at 2 p.m. There’s no admission charge at either event.
Bavarian Festers will dance to the music of Die Lustigen Almdudler, a Rochester-based quartet specializing in traditional German and Austrian tunes. The band is primarily a family affair featuring Teresa Mayer on clarinet and keyboard, Andy Mayer on guitar, Erik Mayer on accordion and Lars Meyris on the tenor tuba and trumpet.
Andy and Lars will demonstrate the physically demanding schuhplattler dance style of kicking up the legs and slapping the shoes and thighs. The dancing musicians also play cowbells on a number called “The Glockenplattler” (The Bell Dance). Now that’s some real Old World gemütlichkeit!
As the folk-dancers dance, festers will feast on Black Forest delicacies such as bratwursts, sauerkraut, potato pancakes, sauerbraten, red cabbage and, of course, ice-cold Bohemian-style pilsner beer.
Admission is free at the fest hosted from noon to 7 p.m. by Syracuse’s Bavarian Club Almenrausch. For festival info, dial 447-3268, or visit bavarianclubalmenrausch.org.
Salt City Sunday in village
Meanwhile, the Mario DeSantis Orchestra hosts its third annual Salt City Sunday Music & Art Festival from 2 to 8 p.m., Sunday, July 15, at Johnson Park in Liverpool. Originally scheduled for July 15, the festival was postponed until Aug. 5 due to inclement weather. Besides the music, the festival provides a venue for regional crafters selling jewelry, clothing, watercolors, origami and ceramics.
Salt City Sunday’s opening act will be the Christopher Ames Trio playing tracks from its recent disc, “Journeyman” along with plenty of rock’n’roll covers. Ames et al will be followed at 3:30 p.m. by Lisa Gentile and Tommy Scott. Gentile, a gifted songwriter with a powerful and passionate singing voice, bills herself as “an urban cowgirl with soul.”
At the last-minute, guitarists Loren Barrigar and Mark Mazengarb have been added to the Salt City Sunday bill. Loren and Mark recently returned from their appearance at the Annual Chet Atkins Convention in Nashville.
At 5 p.m. Syracuse Area Music Awards winners E.S.P. will play smooth jazz from the quartet’s 2011 CD, “Reach.”
The DeSantis Orchestra – which is celebrating its 65th anniversary this year — takes the stage at 6:30 p.m. and will feature new arrangements including big band tunes, neo-swing and dance-craze numbers from the 1960s to today. Several of the band’s new arrangements were written by saxophonist Joe Riposo, who lives in Liverpool.
Vocalist Maria DeSantis will sing duets with Keith Condon, a longtime member of the orchestra and a native of Liverpool. Singer Isreal Hagan will also perform.
For info, visit saltcitysunday.com, or call 622-1928.
