The Great Blue Heron Music Festival returns for its 33rd year over Independence holiday weekend, Thursday-Sunday, July 2–5, 2026, at The Heron Farm & Event Center in Sherman, New York. This year's lineup features 48+ artists across four stages, with a program that leans into funk and groove—with old-time mountain music crashing into reggae and funk melting into electro-afrobeat—while weaving together fan favorites and exciting new names, including 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 more! A summer tradition since 1992, the Great Blue Heron Music Festival is an annual family-friendly celebration that brings thousands of music lovers to the rolling hills of Western New York each July. The festival is host to a wide variety of live original music plus instrument workshops, dance lessons, late-night drum circles, an open mic, and dedicated programming for younger children and teens running throughout the weekend. The Great Blue Heron Music Festival fills four days and nights with fun, free-spirited, friendly people who come together each year as a community united by music. The Heron offers camping out among the breezy fields and shady woods that grace the property, and there is a vast system of trails throughout its 400 acres for hiking. There is a spring-fed, lifeguard-protected swimming pond, referred to by some as the "mystic waters," which is an extra bonus on a hot summer day. Visitors can also participate in yoga, meditation, and wellness programming; browse food and craft vendors; and enjoy local beer, wine, hard cider, slushies, and other beverages. Camping opens Thursday, July 2nd, alongside an official Kickoff Party (aka Prefest Barnapalooza Hoedown) at the PFM Barn, featuring 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 at greatblueheron.com.
