To follow up on our recent announcement, hopefully answering some common questions:
First and foremost, the event will still be free!
As for some of the other factors in this decision: expansion in the borough has been a challenge. Before the 2024 festival, we had plans to grow, but unfortunately, those were not approved.
Next, funding has been tricky, and it comes in three parts:
1. The stage in the park isn’t really suitable for Roots & Rhythm. We let Parks & Rec know, and while it was purchased anyway, it wasn’t the right fit for what we need. If the stage had been suitable, it might have helped offset some of the funding challenges.
2. Government grants—over half of our funding comes from grants, and two major ones were cut or removed entirely.
3. Local donations—while we are grateful for longtime supporters, local businesses, and our banks who donate each year, the overall contributions just haven’t been enough to make up for the lost grants.
The festival costs roughly $70k to put on each year. To keep it going as a free, community-focused event, we needed a way to expand—more vendors, more visitors, more opportunities for support.
That’s where the move to the Fairgrounds comes in. The space allows us to grow: more vendors, more people, more music, and more room to enjoy it all. Plus, the stage fits our needs, electricity is already in place, and we can avoid expensive generator rentals.
We hope this sheds more light on this decision, we did not make it lightly, and we plan on keeping the music playing!
