Article Contributed by Dreamspider Publicity
Published on 2026-05-27
July 2–5, 2026 | Sherman, New York
The Great Blue Heron Music Festival returns for its 33rd year over Independence Day weekend, Thursday through Sunday, July 2–5, 2026, at the Heron Farm & Event Center in Sherman, New York. This year’s lineup features more than 48 artists across four stages, with a program that leans into funk and groove while keeping the festival’s rootsy, free-spirited character intact.
The 2026 lineup includes Ripe, The Dip, Donna the Buffalo, Moontricks, Big Something, Bombargo, Pixie & The Partygrass Boys, Driftwood, Hot Like Mars, Daniel Rodriguez, Mosaic Foundation, Smilo & the Ghost, PA Line, Root Shock, Buffalo Zydeco, Surfing For Daisy, and many more.
A summer tradition since 1992, Great Blue Heron Music Festival is a family-friendly gathering that brings thousands of music lovers to the rolling hills of Western New York each July. The festival features live original music, instrument workshops, dance lessons, late-night drum circles, an open mic, and dedicated programming for younger children and teens throughout the weekend.
“One very unique thing about Blue Heron is how many different generations of people attend our festival,” says festival owner Julie Rockcastle. “It’s a very family-friendly event! Over 400 children are here during the weekend along with their parents and, oftentimes, grandparents, too! We believe the magic of this place stems not only from the partnerships made in 30+ years, but also it’s taken hundreds, maybe thousands, of volunteers, plus family and friends, to make this event thrive for so many years. Thank YOU for celebrating with us along this incredible journey!”
The Heron offers camping among breezy fields and shady woods, with a broad trail system winding through its 400 acres. Festivalgoers will also find a spring-fed, lifeguard-protected swimming pond, yoga, meditation, and wellness programming in the Revival Tent, food and craft vendors, and local beer, wine, hard cider, slushies, and other beverages in The Heron’s Keg Room.
Camping opens Thursday, July 2, alongside the official Kickoff Party, also known as the Prefest Barnapalooza Hoedown, at the PFM Barn. The kickoff features Folkfaces, Eastern Boys in Western Shirts, and more. The event is free to all, and a food truck will be on site.
Weekend tickets are on sale now for two-, three-, and four-day passes, with upgrades available for RV and vehicle-side tent camping. One-day tickets are available for Saturday and Sunday. All tickets include free Red Lot parking and walk-in tent camping in the woods. Full details are available at GreatBlueHeron.com.
The festival’s music is spread across four stages: David’s Stage, located in the heart of the festival and named for co-founder David Tidquist; the intimate Tiger Maple Stage, with daily musician-led instrument workshops, an evening Maple Jam, and midnight drum circles on Friday and Saturday; the woodland Dragon Stage; and the big-top Dance Tent, which runs late into the night.
Friday, July 3, is headlined by The Dip, the Seattle-bred rhythm and blues outfit known for tight arrangements, deep grooves, and a three-piece horn section. They are joined by Big Something, the North Carolina jam-rock powerhouse; Canadian-based Bombargo; reggae-rock collective Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad; and Binghamton folk-rock favorites Driftwood. Donna the Buffalo will also do a late-night Dance Tent takeover as their alter ego, Buffalo Zydeco.
Saturday, July 4, is anchored by Ripe, the Boston-born funk-pop and alt-rock collective. Joining them is Donna the Buffalo, the Finger Lakes-rooted roots-rock institution that has served as the Heron’s unofficial house band for decades, performing multiple sets over the weekend. Western Canada’s Moontricks will make a highly anticipated Heron debut, while Sneezy, Pixie & The Partygrass Boys, and Hot Like Mars will help keep the night moving. Sneezy and Hot Like Mars will serve as late-night party bands until 4 a.m. at the Dragon Stage and Dance Tent.
Saturday also brings the festival’s Theme Night: Red After Dark, beginning at 7 p.m. and running through the night. Everyone is encouraged to wear red, from something simple to a full costume, and become part of the art as the lights shift and the evening takes over.
“Red is the color of love. Of fire. Of that feeling when a song hits you somewhere deep and you don’t totally know why. It’s passion, it’s warmth, and it’s the sky doing something unbelievable right before dark. It’s all of us together,” says festival creative director Todd Wagner.
Sunday, July 5, closes the festival with Sun King Warriors, featuring members of the legendary Pittsburgh roots-rock band Rusted Root. Donna the Buffalo returns to the stage again, along with Erie Americana-grit folk band Smilo & the Ghost.
This year’s programming reflects a deliberate embrace of groove-centered music across all stages and all days. Alongside the headliners, the bill includes Tony Camm & the All-Stars of Funk, Root Shock, Mo’ Mojo, Mosaic Foundation, Surfing for Daisy, The Steel Wheels, The Medicinals, Tiger Maple String Band, Sawa Sawa, Folkfaces & Friends, Richie Stearns, Tyler Westcott, Johnny Hart & the Mess, The Fitzkee Brothers, Tsavo Highway, PA Line, Flying Object, and many more.
Festivalgoers will also find a significant new amenity in 2026: a newly constructed bathhouse featuring four private shower units, sinks, flush toilets with full plumbing, and an outdoor sink station for dishwashing throughout the weekend.
“We’re looking forward to helping our guests be more comfortable,” explains Rockcastle. “It’s simple, but these simple things make a big difference.”
The Heron is a campground with safe, chlorinated drinking water, ample porta-john facilities, and firewood and ice for sale at the festival, with proceeds going back to the land for equipment and facility upgrades. The Heron Farm Store, located near HQ and the Main Gate, stocks frozen meats, soups, dips, honey, maple syrup, and other farm goods. The farm uses regenerative and organic practices.
Recycling and waste management are priorities at The Heron. Patrons are asked to sort waste at the Rainbow Recycling stations, avoid bringing glass, leave no trace, and bring reusable containers to help keep the festival as sustainable as possible.
The festival is located at 2361 Waits Corners Rd. in Sherman, NY, just outside Jamestown. Sherman is approximately 30 minutes east of Erie, 90 minutes southwest of Buffalo, about two hours from Cleveland, Akron, and Youngstown, 2.5 hours north of Pittsburgh, and a little over three hours from Ithaca, Wheeling, and Morgantown.
The 33rd Great Blue Heron Music Festival Lineup
Ripe • The Dip
Donna The Buffalo • Moontricks
Big Something • Bombargo
Pixie & The Partygrass Boys • Driftwood • Sneezy
Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad • Sun King Warriors
The Steel Wheels • Hot Like Mars • Daniel Rodriguez
Mosaic Foundation • Smilo & the Ghost • PA Line
Root Shock • Buffalo Zydeco • Surfing For Daisy
Folkfaces & Friends • The Medicinals • Mo Mojo • Richie Stearns
Tony Camm & The All-Stars Of Funk • The Fitzkee Brothers
Funknut • Double Tiger • Lua Flora
Logan B & The Dirty Leaf • Fuzzy & The Rustbelts • Tyler Wescott
Bill Ward & The Allstars • Tiger Maple String Band
Slyboots Circus • Eastern Boys In Western Shirts • Sawa Sawa
Jackson Cavalier • Tsavo Highway • Johnny Hart & The Mess
Act Casual • Flying Object • Yetsu • Summer & Eric
The Sugar Packets • River Glen • Proper Philth
Great Blue Heron Music Festival
July 2–5, 2026
Heron Farm & Event Center
2361 Waits Corners Rd.
Sherman, NY 14781
GreatBlueHeron.com
TheHeron.org
