Ask anyone in the Finger Lakes what the defining music event of the summer is, and the answer comes back without hesitation: GrassRoots. The Finger Lakes GrassRoots Festival of Music and Dance has been the beating heart of Trumansburg’s cultural identity since 1991, when a benefit concert for AIDS awareness at the State Theatre raised over $10,000 and planted a seed that has grown into one of the most beloved multi-day festivals in the Northeast. Now entering its 34th year, GrassRoots runs July 16 through 19 at the Trumansburg Fairgrounds, and it continues to prove that a festival built on generosity, community, and adventurous programming can thrive for decades.
The numbers tell part of the story — 80-plus bands on four stages over four days, drawing around 10,000 people to a small village just north of Ithaca. But numbers do not capture what makes GrassRoots special. This is a festival where the folk singer on the Infield Stage at 2 PM is every bit as compelling as the headliner at 10 PM. Where the dance workshops in the Dance Tent are not an afterthought but a core part of the programming. Where the entire event feels less like a commercial production and more like a massive, joyful, four-day gathering of people who believe that music and movement are essential parts of being alive.
The Music
GrassRoots was founded by Jeb Puryear of Donna the Buffalo, the Ithaca-based roots-rock band that has served as the festival’s house band and spiritual center for over three decades. Donna the Buffalo’s genre-defying sound — part country, part zydeco, part rock, part whatever they feel like playing on a given night — set the template for the festival’s programming philosophy: genre labels are suggestions, not boundaries.
The lineup at GrassRoots is consistently one of the most eclectic on the New York festival circuit. In any given year, you might encounter Appalachian old-time string bands, West African drum ensembles, New Orleans brass bands, Cajun accordionists, reggae sound systems, bluegrass pickers, indie rock bands, and jazz combos — all on the same day. The festival has historically featured artists like The Wailers, Antibalas, Rebirth Brass Band, Railroad Earth, and Rusted Root alongside emerging acts that the programming team discovered on the road or through the tight-knit network of roots music communities.
The four stages — Infield, Grandstand, Dance Tent, and Cabaret — run simultaneously throughout the day, creating a schedule dense enough that you will inevitably face difficult choices. The Infield is the main outdoor stage, where the biggest acts perform under open sky. The Grandstand offers a covered alternative with excellent sightlines. The Dance Tent is the festival’s secret weapon — a dedicated space where music and movement intersect, with genres like old-time, swing, bluegrass, and Cajun paired with instructional dance sessions that turn even the most reluctant dancers into participants. The Cabaret hosts more intimate performances, late-night sets, and the kind of up-close shows where you can see every finger on the fretboard.
The programming ethos rewards curiosity. If you only see the bands you recognize, you are missing the point of GrassRoots. The festival’s greatest gift is introducing you to music you did not know you needed — the Senegalese kora player who reduces you to tears, the old-time fiddler who makes you want to learn an instrument, the DJ set in the Dance Tent that has you dancing until your legs give out.
The Experience
The Trumansburg Fairgrounds provides an ideal festival setting — open fields for the main stages, tree-lined areas for shade and camping, and the fairground infrastructure (including permanent structures) that keeps things running smoothly even when the weather does not cooperate. The grounds are large enough to handle the crowds but small enough that you can walk from one end to the other in ten minutes.
Camping is where GrassRoots truly becomes an immersive experience. The campground fills up with a colorful patchwork of tents, tarps, and RVs, and the community that forms over four days is remarkably warm and welcoming. Campground jam sessions are a nightly tradition — some of the best music at GrassRoots happens around campfires after the stages go dark, with professional musicians and enthusiastic amateurs picking together until dawn.
Food vendors at GrassRoots reflect the Finger Lakes region’s commitment to local and sustainable fare. You will find vendors serving everything from wood-fired pizza to Thai curry to fresh-pressed juice, alongside the expected festival standards. The Finger Lakes wine and craft beer presence is strong, with local producers well-represented among the beverage options.
The festival also runs a robust Culture Camp with workshops in yoga, movement, crafts, and wellness — programming that reinforces GrassRoots’ identity as a holistic experience rather than just a concert series. Kids’ programming is extensive, making this one of the most genuinely family-friendly festivals on the circuit. Volunteer opportunities are available for those who want to trade labor for admission, a model that deepens the community investment in the event.
2026 Lineup
The 34th annual GrassRoots Festival has announced a headliner roster that ranks among the strongest in recent memory. Grammy Award-winning folk visionary Rhiannon Giddens — MacArthur Fellow and Pulitzer Prize winner — leads the bill alongside Delta blues icon Taj Mahal and bluegrass legend Del McCoury Band. Festival founders Donna the Buffalo return as hosts and performers, as they have for every edition since 1991.
The international reach of the 2026 lineup is exceptional even by GrassRoots standards. Venezuelan cuatro masters C4 Trio (Latin Grammy winners), Yemeni punk-folk provocateurs El Khat, Senegalese sabar griot Aba Diop Trio, and Ukrainian folk quartet Dakhabrakha represent four continents and half a dozen musical traditions. Closer to home, American roots reggae originators John Brown’s Body, Ireland’s The Byrne Brothers, and Louisiana Zydeco dynasty Keith Frank & the Soileau Zydeco Band alongside his father, Zydeco legend Preston Frank, round out the announced headliners. Over 80 additional artists fill out four stages across the four-day run.
Getting There & Know Before You Go
Trumansburg is located about 12 miles north of Ithaca on Route 96, in the heart of the Finger Lakes. The fairgrounds sit on the edge of the village, easily accessible from Route 96 and well-signed during the festival. From the New York State Thruway, take Exit 41 (Waterloo) and head south, or approach from Ithaca via Route 96 North.
Festival passes range from approximately $150 for a single day to $250 for a full four-day weekend, with camping included in multi-day passes. Single-day tickets are available and are a good option if you want to sample the festival without committing to the full experience. Volunteer passes offer admission in exchange for a set number of work shifts — a popular option that also serves as an excellent way to meet people and get the insider view of how the festival operates.
Bring layers for the inevitable temperature swings between hot July afternoons and cool Finger Lakes evenings. A good rain jacket is essential — GrassRoots runs in all weather, and a rainy day at GrassRoots is still better than a dry day almost anywhere else. Comfortable shoes, sunscreen, and a refillable water bottle round out the essential packing list.
Why This Festival Matters
GrassRoots matters because it was born from generosity and has never lost that spirit. It started as an AIDS benefit and grew into a festival, but the DNA of that original impulse — using music to bring people together for something larger than entertainment — is still visible in every aspect of the event. The festival donates to local and regional nonprofits, supports emerging artists, and maintains pricing that keeps it accessible to a broad audience.
For the Finger Lakes and Upstate New York more broadly, GrassRoots is proof that a regionally rooted festival can achieve national significance without selling its soul. Thirty-four years in, the Trumansburg Fairgrounds in July remains one of the most joyful, musically adventurous, and genuinely communal places you can be. If you love music and you love people, GrassRoots is where those two things meet.
