The Green River Festival is a great combination of different music to celebrate life. Held every July at Greenfield Community College, Greenfield, MA, the festival is a signature summer festival for Western Massachusetts that attracts thousands of people. In addition to excellent lineups, it offers great local food, crafts and art fair, beer and wine, family entertainment, as well as games and activities.
During the day, visitors can enjoy delicious food, while the evenings are reserved for great bands. This sounds like a good plan for a relaxing July weekend. No wonder the New York Times called The Green River "One of 50 essential summer festivals."
Festival Line-Up
The Green River Festival has been held for over 30 years. It features three stages for live music and an impressive lineup of nearly 40 performers. Expect to hear artists and bands like Dakhabrakha, Cake, Joseph, Fleet Foxes, Gregory Isakov, Lawrence, Joy Oladokun, Flipturn, Mduo Moctar, Josiah And The Horseman, Cinafunk, S.G. Goodman, The Nude Party, Son Rompe Pera, Trousdale, Speedy Ortiz, Willi Carlisle, Dobet Ghahore, Pachyman, Twisted Pine, Combo Chimbita, Snacktime, Katy Kirby, Margo Cilker, Oh He Dead, Kelly Willis, Brennen Leigh, and Melissa Carper, Lola Kirke, Yommy Prine, Mon Rovia, Bermuda Search Party, Izzy Heltai, Fantastic Cat, Naia Kete, Julia Pratt, Prewn, Dari Bay, Cloudbelly, Kalliope Jones, and Clover County.
Festival Hours and Location
The gates open at 3 pm on Friday and 11 am on Saturday and Sunday. Music performances take place at The Franklin County Fairgrounds on Friday from 4 pm to 10:55 pm, on Saturday from 12 pm to 10:55 pm, and on Sunday from 12 pm to 8 pm.
Tickets, Parking and Camping
General Admissions range from $79.99 to $199.99, depending on the number of selected festival days. Children 12 and under get a free entrance. A 3-day Parking Pass costs $60. Camping near the festival grounds is also possible; prices range from $225 to $525.
Festival Bans
Pets, single-use water bottles, firearms, fireworks, tools including pocket knives, box cutters, leathermen, pepper spray, mace, or any item that can be used as a weapon, alcoholic beverages, Illegal substances, hard coolers, bags larger than 20x20x10, glass containers, hoverboards, drones, chairs over 30” high, and beach umbrellas are not permitted at the festival area.
The Green River Festival History
The Green River Festival initially began as two distinct events, taking place within a week of each other in 1986 at Greenfield Community College. Initially, the Upcountry Balloon Fair, sponsored by the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce, took place one weekend, followed by the 5th anniversary celebration of local radio station WRSI. Over time, these events merged to form what is now known as the Green River Festival.
During its early years, the festival primarily focused on hot-air ballooning. However, this began to shift in 1990 when the festival featured renowned New Orleans musician Dr. John, along with a lineup of nationally acclaimed artists.
