Staff Report / July 17, 2025
One of the region’s most beloved summer traditions kicks off today as the 33rd annual Finger Lakes GrassRoots Festival of Music and Dance opens at the Trumansburg Fairgrounds.
Hosted by the Ithaca-based band Donna the Buffalo, the four-day festival draws thousands of music lovers to celebrate an eclectic mix of genres, from rock and folk to hip hop, country, reggae, and world music. More than 80 musical acts are slated to perform across multiple stages throughout the weekend.
A major highlight this year is Saturday night’s headliner, Lukas Nelson, an acclaimed singer-songwriter and frontman of Promise of the Real. Nelson, who boasts over a million monthly Spotify listeners and a Grammy to his name, also carries a rich musical legacy as the son of country legend Willie Nelson.
In addition to nonstop music, the GrassRoots Festival offers camping, food and craft vendors, dance workshops, healing arts, and family-friendly programming—making it a cornerstone cultural event in the Finger Lakes region.
For those who can’t attend in person, select performances from the main stage will be available to stream online.
The festival runs through Sunday, July 20, with tickets and full schedules available at grassrootsfest.org.
