By Amy Modesti
It was a warm Father’s Day weekend in the City of Troy, as thousands of visitors attended the 16th Annual Troy River Festival on Saturday, June 15, for a day full of art, music, and cuisine.This was the second time the festival has joined forces with the Troy Waterfront Farmer’s Market to form one big gala event.
This yearly gathering provides plenty of fun and exciting things for everybody in the entire community. Visitors could shop and dine at various food and drink vendors, purchase locally produced goods and artisan products from local businesses and the many artisans who were selling their photography, home-made signage, jewelry, clothing, paintings, and home-made outdoor charms to hang outside your home. Some watched area magician, Jeffrey Jene perform some tricks along lower River Street, while others took part in face painting, the making of a pottery bowl at the Broken Mold Studio, and a children’s space where the young participated in a chalk drawing contest that was juried by members of The Arts Center of the Capital Region.
Along with the arts and cuisine is the music and there was plenty of that to go around. Visitors and spectators were entertained all day by local bands, solo musicians, and a music school. Along Monument Square, the Troy Business Improvement District featured music from John Rice, Olivia Quillio, Great Mutations, Brule Country Bad Boys, and the Robanic Reggae Band. Singer/songwriter Will Foley, performed his acoustic set of music along the upper area of River Street near Market Block Books.
In addition to the Monument stage, visitors ventured over to lower River Street and State Street to listen to additional music that could be seen on the RadioRadioX stage. RadioRadioX, Waterford’s first online-based local radio station founded by Art Fredette and Ralph Renna in 2018, featured local entertainment from various musicians and entertainers including Maurizio Russomanno, Erin Hanna, “Son of A Gun,” students from the Troy Music Academy, “The Jagaloons,” and “The Otherside, performing the music of Red Hot Chili Peppers.” Visitors that came to enjoy the live entertainment could purchase some band merchandise, pick up a sticker and the latest edition of the RadioRadioX’s monthly magazine, The Xperience Monthly. The magazine is available at various locations throughout Rensselaer County.