Serious Fun Arts Fest Headliner Announced: Sammy Rae and the Friends
High-energy, spirited and unrestrained. These are the self-defined words used to describe on-the-rise Brooklyn band Sammy Rae and the Friends. The band recently sold out New York City’s Terminal 5 venue, but this fall they make their way to Westchester to headline ArtsWestchester’s Serious Fun Arts Fest in White Plains.
The outdoor concert on October 16 will be the culminating event for the five-day arts festival that is poised to bring live performances, new public artworks, family-friendly arts activities, live mural painting, and more to the City’s downtown from Oct. 12-16.
The fast-emerging band, fronted by singer and songwriter Sammy Rae, pack a punch with rhythm and horn sections, keyboards and backing vocals, labeling their sound as being “rooted in classic rock, folk and funk, sprinkled with soul and jazz.” The band hits the festival circuit this summer on the heels of their new single, Follow Me Like the Moon, and in anticipation of their upcoming single, Time Being, which releases on July 15.
The midday show, which includes two opening acts yet unannounced, will take place on Mamaroneck Avenue between Martine Avenue and Main Street on the closing day of the festival. Early-bird ticket prices ($20) are available through July 31.
The festival’s presenting sponsor is Montefiore Einstein. ArtsWestchester will be making announcements and updates on its website and via the festival hashtag, #SeriousFunArtsFest, as new artists and more performers are announced in the coming months.
A version of this article first appeared in the July-August 2022 issue of ArtsNews, ArtsWestchester’s monthly publication. ArtsNews is distributed throughout Westchester County. A digital copy is also available at artsw.org/artsnews.
About ArtsWestchester
For more than 50 years, ArtsWestchester has been the community’s connection to the arts. Founded in 1965, it is the largest private not-for-profit arts council in New York State. Its mission is to create an equitable, inclusive, vibrant and sustainable Westchester County in which the arts are integral to and integrated into every facet of life. ArtsWestchester provides programs and services that enrich the lives of everyone in Westchester County. ArtsWestchester helps fund concerts, exhibitions and plays through grants; brings artists into schools and community centers; advocates for the arts; and builds audiences through diverse marketing initiatives. In 1998, ArtsWestchester purchased the nine-story neo-classical bank building at 31 Mamaroneck Avenue which has since been transformed into a multi-use resource for artists, cultural organizations and the community. A two-story gallery is located on the first floor of ArtsWestchester’s historic building on Mamaroneck Avenue. artsw.org
