Albany’s 2024 Tulip Festival highlights local music and a weekend of family fun
ALBANY — On Saturday, May 11, and Sunday, May 12, the 2024 Albany Tulip Festival has scheduled a dynamic lineup of music, tradition, and community-oriented events. The cultural landmark festival in the Capital Region is honoring its 76th anniversary with family-friendly activities planned for everyone all weekend. “We’re really excited; the lineup is great, and the people are excited,” said Keith Morales, Deputy Director for the Office of Cultural Affairs. “We’re just hoping for good weather!” To start off the weekend, on Friday is the signature street-scrubbing that honors a 76-year-long tradition. At 7:30 p.m. at the Washington Park Lakehouse, the community is invited to gather for a free screening of the 2024 Oscar-winning Barbie movie.
On Saturday and Sunday, the activities start as early as 9 a.m. on the wellness stages. From 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., bellydancing, yoga, salsa, bachata, hip-hop, cardio dance, and Zumba will provide hours of dancing for all ages.
The festival will be filled with 80 craft vendors, 30 art vendors, over 40 food vendors, and multiple public information and nonprofits such as the American Cancer Society in the Beer Garden. In the Kids Zone, there is rock climbing, pony rides, inflatables, and more.
“We have an influx of new vendors this year from all over, as far as Florida,” said Morales.
In addition to the weekend’s iconic annual events, such as the Tulip Queen Coronation and Procession, music will be the heartbeat of the festival.
The musicians slated to perform are Of The Atlas, Prince Daddy & the Hyena, The Front Bottoms, Side B, Sofia Corts, Camtron5000, The Insolent Willies, Off The Record, Funk Evolution, New York Players, Girl Love, The E-Block, Reese Fulmer & The Carriage House Band, and Oobleck.
“I’ve always gone to Tulip Fest,” said Camtron5000. “I love living in Albany, and Tulip Fest is a really fun spring event. Once I kind of started making music, it became almost like a goal of mine to perform at Tulip Fest. I wanted to perform at this local event that I already loved so much. It just makes things come full circle, getting to perform at my hometown place.”
For Camtron5000’s upbeat set, he will be joined by dancers Emely Sandoval and Laura Vanzetta and co-artists John Glenn Like The Astronaut, Josh Mirsky, Tim Brosnan, John Longo, and Jayson LRX.
“It’ll be high energy, all positive vibes, and just fun,” he said. “For me, fun is the name of the game in terms of making music.”
“It’s this event that’s at the heart of what the city is all about, which is just bringing us all together,” he continued. “I feel like Tulip Fest always kind of embodies the kind of positive nature that Albany has and the diverse population that’s here that comes together to have a good time. I want to represent that.”
“I already know Albany is full of talent, and I can’t wait to see the other performers, and I’m very grateful and proud to be on the lineup with all of them,” said Camtron5000.
Bethlehem Central High School senior Sofia Corts, who just received a scholarship to Berklee College of Music, recently performed at NipperFest, which was her first major festival performance. “It’ll be great,” she enthused. “I’m excited for the community to show up and support the local arts.”
Her set will feature lively songs for attendees to dance to. With R&B horns, acoustic pop, original songs, covers, and even unreleased music, she wants to “keep everybody’s emotions up and keep everyone in a playful, fun mood,” she said. “It’ll constantly be at a high.”
“I think it’s very important for local talent to be featured,” added Corts. “I feel like it makes us stronger as a community, knowing that someone from your area is that talented— it’s insane. I think festivals are a great way to bring people together and community together.”
The Eddie award-winning band consisting of Pascarella, James Soren, Aaron Shields, Devin Tetlak, and Daniel Folds likes to pull all their influences together for a meld of styles: R&B, fusion, singer-songwriter, and more.
With vocals, saxophone, keys, improvisation, and authentic originality, The E-Block’s set at the Tulip Festival will “try to give you a full experience in a wide range in the full scope of our sound,” said guitarist and singer Pascarella.