Westerleigh Folk Music & Art Festival

WestFest 17 Performer Feature: Avon Faire 🧚🏼‍♀️

Avon Faire - Lively and touching ‘Fairy Baroque Folk’! Avon Faire is the NYC area’s fun, female vocal harmony group, reimagining traditional Celtic and English folk songs, and more! Kath Green and Andriette Redmann, with singer- recorderist Anna Marie Spallina, dancer-harpist Dawn Daniels, singer-bassist Emma Steen and percussionist John Rokosny, hail from the NYC area and perform traditional folk songs from Celtic and British lands, medieval story ballads, sea shanties, rousing pub tunes, and romantic classics.

✨ Catch their performance on our main stage on Sept. 21st in Westerleigh Park on Staten Island! ✨

We will be honoring the memory of Brian Moffett, a founding member of The Westerleigh Folk Festival, at this year's event. Brian's son, Jake, has organized a memorial tent for his father and will be there from 12-6pm. If you knew Brian, please consider stopping by his memorial to share memories, sign his memorial book, and celebrate his life amongst friends!

WestFest 17 Performer Feature: Axel Barragan 🥁

Axel Itto, a NYC-based singer-songwriter and drummer, combines Andean heritage with modern dance and rock. His unique sound blends traditional rhythms with contemporary beats, resonating with diverse audiences. Singing in English and Spanish, Axel explores themes of identity, life, love, and the pursuit of happiness. With an infectious energy, he transcends borders and genres, making him a compelling voice in the music scene. Axel's music is a fusion of tradition and modernity, connecting people across cultures and languages.

✨ Catch his performance on our main stage on Sept. 21st in Westerleigh Park on Staten Island! ✨

Here it is - the performance schedule for WestFest 17! We have a full day of incredible performances lined up and you're not going to want to miss a single one!🎙️

🔹Emerson Woolf
🔹Jackson Pines
🔹Lisa Scherma
🔹Orange Burn
🔹Avon Faire
🔹 Barragan
🔹Plane Station
🔹The Rock-a-Silly Band
🔹
🔹The Suds
🔹
🔹Charlotte Sessions
🔹
🔹The Mind Empire

WestFest totes have arrived with a special new design!

We only have 50 of these available, but don't worry, you can preorder now for pickup at the festival! Message us or email us at [email protected] to order yours! $20 each.

- Size: 14" H x 14" W x 5" D
- Features: front slip pocket, side mesh pocket, key ring

Thank you 4imprint for making these for us!

WestFest 17 Performer Feature: Plane Station 🌄

Plane Station is a singer-songwriter duo comprised of siblings Nick and Brianna Chiapparino, based in Peekskill, NY. Their sound, honed through years of live performance, is built on harmony, memorable melodies and a collaborative approach to songwriting. Plane Station’s music, often driven either by Nick’s acoustic guitar or Brianna’s piano work, weaves seamlessly through the intimate and the grandiose. Whispered lines over finger picked guitar often give way to soaring harmonies and swelling instrumentation.

✨ Catch their performance on our main stage on Sept. 21st in Westerleigh Park on Staten Island! ✨

We need your help spreading the word about WesFest 17! 📣

Please consider displaying a lawn sign to share information about this amazing event with your neighbors!

To request a sign, please reach out to us at [email protected] or send us a message on social media!

Thank you advance for your support! ✨

Just one more month until WestFest 17! Time to start listening to the lineup so you are ready to sing along by September 21st!

⭐ Check out the WestFest 17 Spotify playlist here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4vydFtcXvwtPY1FCEM3q5c

Send a message to learn more

Join us at WestFest 17 for a day filled with live music, art, craft vendors, children's activities, and more!☀️

As always, admission is FREE, so be sure to invite your friends and family out to enjoy the event!

Our WestFest 17 Performers:
⭐ Emerson Woolf ⭐
, Jackson Pines, Plane Station, , Lisa Scherma, , , , , , The Rock-a-Silly Band, & The Suds

A special thank you to Staten Island Arts for providing us with a grant in support of this event!💚

Come celebrate what would have been Brian Moffett's 67th birthday with us next Thursday, August 1st. at Doc Hennigan's (1144 Forest Ave.) from 7 to 9pm. Let's have a drink, tell Brian stories, and wish his spirit well. Sorry, no music this time - just an informal gathering.

It saddens us to announce the passing of our dear friend, Brian Moffett, a founding member of The Westerleigh Folk Festival. Brian's tireless efforts at organizing, fundraising, and recruitment of volunteers helped make WestFest the success that it is today. More than this, he was a friend to all who had the honor of knowing him. Brian was a true gentleman and kind person, always looking for ways to help anyone in need in our community. If a man's wealth is measured in friends, Brian, you are a very wealthy man indeed. One of a kind, he will be greatly missed. We wish to dedicate The 2024 Westerleigh Folk Festival in his honor. Rest in peace, friend.

Meet our WestFest 17 Headliner, the incredible Emerson Woolf & the Wishbones! 🌻

Emerson Woolf & the Wishbones are a Jersey Shore-based Americana band, quickly creating a name for themselves in the folk music scene. Led by songwriter and front woman Emerson Woolf, the songs are often as playful and energetic as they are thoughtful and deeply personal.

The Wishones are comprised of Jason Portizo (multi-instrumentalist), Jen Lopes (lead guitar), and brothers Jacob Moore (bass) and Zack Moore (drums). The seamless connection between Emerson and her band lends to emotive and unforgettable live performances.

✨ Catch their performance at the Westerleigh Folk Music & Art Festival on Sept. 21st in Westerleigh Park on Staten Island! ✨

📷:
🎥:

Calling all vendors and visual artists - Applications for WestFest 17 are now open!

We are seeking vendors with handmade or natural goods, concessions, or visual art. We look forward to hearing from you! 🙂

You can access the application here: https://forms.gle/FKGm7Dy6o63qj2Qn9

Interested in performing at WestFest 17? Submit a performer application at https://forms.gle/hRC27kvgkWFyAWss9 to be considered for this year's lineup!

We look forward to hearing from you!

If you missed the festival, but want to support we still have more WestFest 16 tees available! All proceeds help make WestFest 17 possible!

We have navy crew-necks and black v-neck necks. All tees are $25 each. Message us on social media or email us at [email protected] to order! 👕

PS: These make great Christmas gifts for WestFest fans!

WestFest 16 also had great vendors!

WestFest 16! Don't forget the people behind the scenes!

A wristwatch and a pair of children's gloves were left at the festival on Sunday. If you believe one of these items may be yours, please send us a message!

The 2023 Westerleigh Folk Music & Art Festival with Our Own Yokos, Monika Nova, Joan Caddell & The Midnight Choir, The Rock-a-Silly Band, Brooke Riso, and Tropical Cozadera

Thank you all for coming out to WestFest 16 this year! It has been a rollercoaster planning this event three times, but nonetheless, Sunday was a blast!

Thank you to all of our performers, vendors, sponsors, staff, and volunteers. Without you, this event could not have been what it was! A special thanks to the Wagner High School volunteers who selflessly and efficiently did everything we asked of them!

And last - but certainly not least - a huge thank you to Jim for guiding us along throughout this process and for helping us smoothly transition into this new director role. Your expertise from running this for 15 years was invaluable to us! Your heart for this community cannot be contained!

We are so grateful to the community for supporting us and sticking with us throughout all of the changes. We are looking forward to WestFest 17 in 2024. Let's start praying for the weather NOW! 😉

With thankful hearts,
Brianna & Julia
Community Arts Commission Inc.

Great performances at the 16th Westerleigh Folk Music & Art Festival!

The 16th Westerleigh Folk Festival is in the books! Thank you to all the bands, volunteers, vendors, directors, and all who took part!

It’s on! The Westerleigh Folk Festival starts today at 12pm at Immanuel Union Church (698 Jewett Ave.)

WestFest 16 is FINALLY here! See you all at 12pm at Immanuel Union Church! ✨

WestFest is only 4 days away! Come enjoy this free event that features live music, vendors face-painting, and more!

🔹 Sunday, November 19th, 12-5pm
🔹 Immanuel Union Church (693 Jewett Ave)

Don’t forget to pick up one of our cool WestFest 16 souvenir tees!

Thank you to our WestFest 16 sponsors, Staten Island Arts and Donna Durazzo, NYS Licensed Real Estate Salesperson! 💙

Staten Island Arts is a long-time supporter of the Westerleigh Folk Festival and of our other events and programs! We cannot say enough amazing things about this organization - they have been such a cornerstone in the community and are constantly working to build up the arts! To learn more about their mission, visit their website at statenislandarts.org!

Donna Durazzo is sponsoring for the first time this year and we are so grateful for her support! She is an incredible real estate agent who recently transferred to the DiTommaso Real Estate group. Please support those who give back to the community and consider using Donna's services for your real estate needs! She can be contacted at [email protected] or 917-208-7769.