BETTER FESTIVAL
betterArts offers an annual summer festival in order to explore the space where sustainability and art intersect. Group art projects held during these events allow people of all ages to experience the joy of “art for art's sake” in a safe space surrounded with fresh organic food, music and art. All our events are zero-waste and include free farm tours and delicious, farm-fresh food.
Summer festivals feature galleries with crafts by local artisans and visiting artists, vendors tables, community mural projects, arts workshops for kids, games, and a refreshments and food tent incorporating farm-fresh and locally sourced food. The highlight of these events is a full day of live music performed by local musicians and visiting artists-in-residence. These musicians are of the highest caliber; household names in the North Country who have performed at weddings, concert halls, festivals, and area venues. Visiting artists are professional musicians who have made names for themselves nationally and internationally, and who want to “pay it forward” by bringing their music to Redwood and surrounding communities.
These events increase cultural and artistic diversity in the area by exposing visitors to a wide range of musical styles (everything from barbershop a cappella groups to high school rock bands) and artwork by people local and from around the world.
The events in the past have garnered the attention of media outlets throughout the region including NCPR, Tunes 92.5, Watertown Daily Times, Thousand Islands Sun, MyABC50, and more. After the last band plays at one of these festivals, any musicians in the audience are invited to join the pros on-stage for an “open jam” that stretches into the evening. Campsites are made available to anyone wishing to stay on-premises.
The grounds for the event are 100% handicapped accessible and include a first-floor gallery space in a converted barn, and natural hill amphitheater in front of the stage. Community members are engaged by walking through the art gallery, participating in an on-site workshop or farm tour, participating in the creation of community murals or other projects happening that day, or just sitting on the hillside enjoying the live music. The after-hours jam further incorporates community members by inviting them on-stage to play instruments or sing along.