GrassRoots Festival of Music & Dance

What GrassRoots Festival of Music & Dance does

The Finger Lakes GrassRoots Festival of Music & Dance is a non-profit organization founded in 1991 in Trumansburg, New York, operating an annual four-day roots music and dance festival at the Trumansburg Fairgrounds (34th annual scheduled July 16-19, 2026). The organization serves music-and-dance enthusiasts, K-12 schools, intermediate-to-advanced traditional musicians, camping attendees, and artisan vendors in the Northeast United States. Beyond the flagship festival, it operates GrassRoots Culture Camp (a four-day pre-festival workshop intensive, 9th annual), Roots in the Schools (a free K-12 outreach program created in 2010), Culture Camp Scholarships for youth musicians, Across The Way premium camping, the Leslie Puryear Community Circle stage, and themed nightly dinners and dances.

The technology stack is light and entirely SaaS-based: Squarespace for the website CMS, Constant Contact for email marketing, Thundertix for online ticketing (festival, Culture Camp, and camping passes), and Eventeny for vendor applications. There is no proprietary technology, no API, no mobile app, and no AI/ML capability. Operations are run by a core staff of approximately 10 employees supplemented by a large volunteer base, with dedicated coordinators for volunteers, vendors, healing arts, composting, and the Art Barn.

The business model is event-driven and community-supported. Revenue is generated primarily through one-time ticket sales (festival admission, Culture Camp passes, dinner-and-dance tickets at $50-$55, dance-only at $15-$20), tiered camping fees ($240-$510 for premium sites), vendor application fees managed through Eventeny, and local sponsorships (Cayuga Health, Liquid State Brewing, Damiani Wine Cellars, WSKG, Renovus Solar, and others). Children 12 and under attend free, and Culture Camp offers youth passes. Distribution is primarily regional via the website, Thundertix online ticketing, the festival box office, phone sales, a 30,000-program print run distributed across central New York, and word-of-mouth through the loyal 'The Herd' community network. The organization also licenses the GrassRoots brand to sister festivals in North Carolina (Shakori Hills) and Florida, and partners with TCAT public transit and GADABOUT for attendee access.

Name

GrassRoots Festival of Music & Dance

Legal name

Finger Lakes GrassRoots Festival of Music and Dance

Website

https://grassrootsfest.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

GrassRoots Festival of Music & Dance is a 1991-founded non-profit that operates an annual four-day roots music and dance festival at the Trumansburg Fairgrounds in New York, alongside GrassRoots Culture Camp, Across The Way camping, and the Roots in the Schools K-12 outreach program.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Live Music Festivals

NAICS

Dance Companies (711120), Civic and Social Organizations (813410)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Music & Dance Festivals (Non-Commercial/Local) (MPAGAEAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Performing Arts Camps (Theater, Musical Theater, Dance) (EDAMALAI), Cultural Festivals & Events Organizations (BPAGAHAG), Dance Festivals & Dance Series (MPAGADAJ)

Keywords

• Live music festivals
• Roots music programming
• Traditional dance workshops
• Event camping services
• Community arts education

Headquarters

HQ city

Trumansburg

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Festival Admission Tickets: The festival generates primary revenue from ticket sales for the annual multi-day festival event (34th Annual in 2026). Ticket categories include adult, youth, and free admission for children 12 and under.
2. Culture Camp Workshops: GrassRoots Culture Camp generates revenue from workshop tickets, including single-day and multi-day passes, as well as dinner-and-dance combination tickets and dance-only tickets.
3. Vendor Booth Fees: The festival charges application and booth fees for food vendors, craft vendors, and Art Barn artists participating at the festival. Applications are managed through Eventeny.
4. Camping Fees: Onsite vehicle camping and Across The Way camping fees are charged for festival attendees who wish to camp during the event. Prices vary by site type (Regular Vehicle, Premium Vehicle, Large Premium Vehicle, Woods Tent).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

GrassRoots Festival produces an annual four-day Finger Lakes roots music and dance festival at the Trumansburg Fairgrounds (34th annual edition, July 16-19, 2026), supported by a pre-festival GrassRoots Culture Camp workshop intensive (4 days, 60+ classes), themed nightly dinners and dances, and an Across The Way Campground. The nonprofit organization also runs the Roots in the Schools K-12 outreach program, vendor marketplaces, and youth Culture Camp scholarships.

Product overview

The Finger Lakes GrassRoots Festival of Music & Dance is a grassroots music festival organization offering a portfolio of live event experiences centered around traditional American roots music. The core offering is the annual 4-day Finger Lakes GrassRoots Festival (34th annual, July 16-19, 2026) featuring multiple stages, food vendors, crafts, and camping. The organization also operates GrassRoots Culture Camp (9th annual, July 12-15, 2026), a 4-day immersive pre-festival intensive with over 60 workshops in music, dance, and arts, complemented by nightly themed dinners and dances. Additional programs include Roots in the Schools (a free outreach program bringing musicians to schools), Culture Camp Scholarships for youth musicians, vendor application opportunities, and the Across The Way Campground for camping. The Leslie Puryear Community Stage provides a platform for cross-cultural exchange throughout the festival weekend.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Finger Lakes GrassRoots Festival The flagship annual four-day multi-stage music and dance festival held at the Trumansburg Fairgrounds, featuring live performances across roots, folk, bluegrass, Cajun, Irish, and world music genres, food and craft vendors, and on-site camping. Targeted at festival attendees, families, and the GrassRoots community ("The Herd").
• GrassRoots Culture Camp A four-day pre-festival intensive held July 12-15, 2026 offering instrument, dance, and movement workshops with themed nightly dinners and dances. Features world-class instructors teaching over 60 workshops across music, dance, yoga, and arts. Targeted at musicians and dancers of all skill levels seeking traditional American folk music instruction.
• Across The Way Campground Festival-adjacent campground at 8669 Falls Road, Trumansburg NY offering tiered vehicle camping (Regular, Premium, Large Premium) and 20'x20' woods tent sites, with amenities including showers, EMS, security, dishwashing station, and a community fire pit area. Targeted at festival attendees who wish to camp during the multi-day event.
• Culture Camp Dinners & Dances

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1,800 students impacted in 2016 and 1,250 students in 2017 through the Roots in the Schools program across 12 and 7 schools respectively.
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• The Highly ConnectedminorGTM or Marketing PartnerListed as a local festival sponsor on the GrassRoots Sponsors page. Helps support the festival through sponsorship.
• Toro Glass GalleryminorGTM or Marketing PartnerListed as a local festival sponsor. Art gallery in the Finger Lakes region.
• CSP ManagementminorGTM or Marketing PartnerListed as a local festival sponsor.
• Cayuga HealthminorGTM or Marketing PartnerListed as a local festival sponsor. Regional healthcare provider.
• Liquid State BrewingminorGTM or Marketing PartnerListed as a sponsor and featured in the festival's beer & wine gardens. Local Ithaca brewery.
• Damiani Wine CellarsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerListed as a sponsor and featured in the festival's beer & wine gardens. Local Finger Lakes winery.
• South Hill CiderminorGTM or Marketing PartnerListed as a sponsor and featured in the festival's beer & wine gardens. Local cider producer.
• Summerhill BrewingminorGTM or Marketing PartnerListed as a sponsor and featured in the festival's beer & wine gardens.
• Trumansburg Conservatory of Fine ArtsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerListed as a sponsor. Local arts organization offering year-round entertainment.
• Trade Design BuildminorGTM or Marketing PartnerListed as a sponsor.
• New Roots Charter SchoolminorGTM or Marketing PartnerListed as a sponsor and Community Circle Stage presenter. Presents the Leslie Puryear Community Stage. GrassRoots' educational outreach partner.
• Ithaca Guitar WorksminorGTM or Marketing PartnerListed as a sponsor. Local guitar shop and music retailer.
• WSKGminorGTM or Marketing PartnerListed as a sponsor. Regional public broadcasting station providing media coverage.
• Ithaca Organics / CannaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerListed as a sponsor.
• TCAT (Tompkins County Area Transit)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerPublic bus service (Route 21) that drops off at the Trumansburg Fairgrounds where the festival is held. Additional rides available Saturday & Sunday of the festival. Recognized as award-winning local transit.
• GADABOUT Transportation ServicesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerProvides free shuttle service from Across The Way parking area to the Festival Site during peak hours for those with accessibility needs.
• Renovus SolarminorGTM or Marketing PartnerProvides solar-powered charging station for cell phones and gadgets at the festival site, located on the track between Grandstand Stage and Infield Stage.
• Shakori Hills GrassRoots FestivalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSister festival of the Finger Lakes GrassRoots. Listed as a related festival on the GrassRoots website. Both festivals share the GrassRoots brand identity and community. There is also a Florida GrassRoots Festival.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Telluride Bluegrass Festival: One of the most established bluegrass/roots festivals in the US, much larger in scale and pricing. Comparable category and audience but significantly broader commercial footprint than GrassRoots.
• MerleFest: Large, established roots/ Americana festival founded in honor of Doc Watson. Operates at a much larger scale with broader programming, but shares the workshop-plus-performance, roots-music, and educational mission model.

Direct peers

• Falcon Ridge Folk Festival: Long-running Northeast US roots/folk festival with multi-day programming, dance workshops, family-friendly camping, and community-driven ethos. Directly comparable in mission, audience, and pre-festival educational programming.
• Shakori Hills GrassRoots Festival: Direct sister festival of the Finger Lakes GrassRoots, sharing brand identity, community ('The Herd'), and Donna the Buffalo ties. Operates a multi-stage roots music festival in North Carolina with camping and Culture Camp programming, making it the closest operational and brand peer.
• FreshGrass at MASS MoCA: Roots and bluegrass festival with a strong workshop and instrument-making competition component. Highly comparable to GrassRoots' Culture Camp educational programming and roots-music focus.
• Northwest String Summit: Annual roots/bluegrass festival in Oregon featuring camping, workshops, and a tightly-knit community culture. Comparable to GrassRoots in its blend of performance, education, and camping-based community experience.
• Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival: Premier Northeast bluegrass/roots festival with workshops, camping, and a strong community following. Closely comparable in audience, programming structure, and the integration of educational workshops with main-stage performances.
• Old Settler's Music Festival: Texas-based roots, bluegrass, and Americana festival featuring camping, workshops, and a juried craft vendor marketplace. Comparable in educational programming (workshops), vendor curation, and camping-integrated festival model.
• Blue Ox Music Festival: Wisconsin-based roots/bluegrass festival with camping, workshops, and a community-first ethos. Comparable audience and operating model, though in a different regional market.

Regional players

• Trumansburg Conservatory of Fine Arts: Local Trumansburg arts nonprofit offering year-round programming and listed as a GrassRoots sponsor. Operates in the same regional cultural ecosystem and shares the community-arts mission focus.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/grassroots-festival

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about GrassRoots Festival of Music & Dance