Whiskey and live music have been intertwined for as long as anyone has been distilling and strumming, but the Hoochenanny Festival makes that relationship explicit and unapologetic. This three-day celebration of American craftsmanship — music, spirits, food, and culture — has grown from a two-day debut in Geneseo in 2023 to a multi-thousand-person event that drew an estimated 8,000 attendees from more than 30 states in 2025. For 2026, Hoochenanny moves to a new home at Center Park West in Fairport, NY, for August 14 through 16, and the expansion signals that this festival is just getting started.
Co-founded by Tommy Brunett (co-owner of Iron Smoke Distillery) and Sean McCarthy (owner of McCarthy Tents and Events), Hoochenanny was born from a simple observation: New York State has the highest concentration of distilleries east of the Mississippi, and nobody was throwing a festival that celebrated that heritage alongside the music it naturally pairs with. The result is an event where around 30 national and regional distillers set up alongside multiple stages of rock, punk, Americana, outlaw country, and ska, creating a festival experience that tastes as good as it sounds.
The 2025 edition at Camp Eastman in Rochester proved the concept at scale. Joan Jett and the Blackhearts headlined, supported by Dark Star Orchestra, The Old 97s, and moe., along with 18 total live acts. The response was emphatic — thousands of attendees, strong regional and national press, and the kind of word-of-mouth buzz that turns a promising event into a destination festival. The move to Fairport for 2026, with its Erie Canal charm and walkable village center, suggests the organizers are thinking about long-term infrastructure, not just year-to-year survival.
The Music
The 2026 lineup had not been announced at the time of this writing, but based on the festival’s track record and stated identity, expect a bill that spans the full spectrum of American roots-adjacent rock. Hoochenanny’s musical personality is built around the intersection of genres that share DNA with whiskey culture — outlaw country, punk rock, Americana, rockabilly, blues, and the kind of guitar-driven rock that sounds best when you are holding a glass of bourbon.
The 2025 lineup set the bar high. Joan Jett and the Blackhearts brought their no-nonsense rock and roll energy — a headliner who embodies the festival’s “cultivate the uncommon” ethos perfectly. Dark Star Orchestra delivered Grateful Dead explorations that connected the jam community to the event. The Old 97s, one of the defining alt-country bands of the past three decades, fit the whiskey-and-twang aesthetic like a glove. moe. added the jam-band contingent. The undercard mixed national touring acts with regional talent across multiple stages.
The festival positions itself at the intersection of music that respects American tradition and music that tears tradition apart and rebuilds it — punk sitting alongside country, ska next to bluegrass, all of it united by an energy that is more roadhouse than concert hall. The curatorial voice is distinct: this is not a festival for polite listening. It is a festival for dancing, drinking, and losing your voice singing along.
Expect the 2026 announcement to continue the pattern — a headline act with broad draw, a strong mid-tier of genre-defining artists, and a regional undercard that showcases the depth of the Western and Finger Lakes New York music scene. The festival’s rapid growth from debut to 8,000-person event gives it the booking power to land names that would have been out of reach just two years ago.
The Experience
The “World of Whiskey” is Hoochenanny’s signature differentiator. Approximately 30 national and regional distillers set up within the festival grounds, offering tastings, education, and the opportunity to discover spirits you would never encounter at a standard bar or liquor store. New York-crafted whiskeys, bourbons, and ryes share space with national names, and the tasting experience is designed for both seasoned enthusiasts and curious newcomers. Wines, craft beers, and aged libations round out the drink program. This is not a beer garden with a whiskey tent — the spirits are woven into the festival’s identity at every level.
Food at Hoochenanny leans into the maker-culture ethos that defines the event. Local food vendors, artisan producers, and the kind of hearty, unpretentious fare that pairs well with whiskey and live music fill the grounds. The cultural programming extends beyond music and spirits to celebrate craftsmanship broadly — think of it as a festival for people who care about how things are made, whether that thing is a guitar riff, a barrel-aged bourbon, or a wood-fired pizza.
The move to Center Park West in Fairport, located in the Town of Perinton, gives the festival a new physical identity. Fairport is an Erie Canal village with a walkable downtown, independent shops, and canal-side dining — the kind of setting that extends the festival experience beyond the gates. The canal towpath, lined with restaurants and pubs, becomes a natural extension of the festival grounds for pre- and post-show exploration. The Fairport location also puts the festival within easy reach of Rochester, the Finger Lakes, and the full arc of the I-90 corridor.
The festival’s tagline — “cultivate the uncommon” — captures a vibe that attracts a specific kind of attendee: music lovers who care about craft, whiskey enthusiasts who care about music, and creative wanderers who want a festival experience that does not feel like every other festival. The crowd is diverse in age and origin — the 30-plus states represented in 2025 attendance speaks to a national draw that most three-year-old festivals can only dream of.
Getting There and Know Before You Go
Center Park West is located in the Town of Perinton, Fairport, NY. From the Thruway (I-90), take Exit 45 (Victor/Fairport) and follow Route 250 north into Fairport. From Rochester, it is approximately 15 minutes east via I-490 or Route 31. Parking details for the new venue will be announced closer to the event — check hoochenanny.com for updates. Given Fairport’s walkability, staying in a nearby hotel and walking or taking a short rideshare is likely the best strategy.
August in the Finger Lakes region means warm days and comfortable evenings. Dress for summer, bring sunscreen, and stay hydrated — especially if you are taking advantage of the whiskey tastings. The three-day format means pacing yourself is important. Eat well, drink water between tastings, and pace your sets. The festival runs Thursday through Saturday, which means you can go hard on Thursday and Friday knowing you have Saturday’s headliners to close out the weekend.
The 2026 lineup and ticket pricing were not yet available at publication. Follow Hoochenanny on social media and check the website for announcements. Given the rapid growth in attendance — from debut to 8,000 in just two years — early ticket purchasing is advisable once sales open. Fairport lodging options include hotels along the I-490 corridor, Airbnbs in the village, and the full range of Rochester-area accommodations.
Why This Festival Matters
Three years in, Hoochenanny has already achieved something most festivals take a decade to build: a distinct identity, a loyal audience, and national recognition. The whiskey-plus-music concept is not gimmick — it reflects a genuine celebration of American craft culture, and the organizers’ roots in distilling (Iron Smoke Distillery) give it authenticity that a corporate brand activation could never replicate. For Upstate New York, Hoochenanny adds something the region has been missing: a festival that unapologetically celebrates the rougher, louder, more irreverent corners of American music, paired with the state’s thriving spirits industry. It is a full-throttle festival for people who like their music loud and their whiskey neat.
Hoochenanny Festival runs August 14 through 16, 2026, in Fairport, NY. Lineup, tickets, and info at hoochenanny.com.
