THAT GOTTA-HEAR-IT SONG: Do you wait all year long to hear particular ditties played at particular destinations? Perhaps you look forward to hearing "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" on the organ at your favorite Golden State baseball stadium. And would a trip to Disneyland Park be complete without encountering "Grim Grinning Ghosts" inside the Haunted Mansion or "Yo Ho (A Pirate's Life for Me)" at The Pirates of the Caribbean? There are just those particular pieces of music that we need to hear in particular spots during particular times of year, whether it is baseball season or a summer's day at a theme park. Likewise, many an accordion aficionado waits throughout the calendar for August, and...
A VISIT TO COTATI, to hear "Lady of Spain" performed by multiple musicians in the famous and annual Lady of Spain-A-Ring at the bellows-packed event. Maybe you listen to the classic tune throughout the year, but hearing it at The Cotati Accordion Festival each summer proves to be something quite special, each and every year. And the festival is coming back around, like a timeless song that starts over again, on Aug. 18 and 19, 2018. That means fans of this evocative instrument can enjoy it in numerous incarnations, from polka to rock to classic to eclectic.
ON THE SCHEDULE? A Friday night kick-off on Aug. 17 with The Mad Maggies at Lagunitas Brewing Co., with Saturday performances by The Great Morgani, Hernandez Hideaway, and, yes, that Lady of Spain-A-Ring. On Sunday? More major accordo-artists, and music from Future Accordion Stars, and another Lady of Spain-A-Ring, and the Grand Finale featuring a host of bellow-tastic powerhouses. Finding a full-on festival devoted to one instrument? Not that easy, especially when it comes to a festival that's rolling into its 30th annual outing very soon. A bonus? Kids ages 15 and under are admitted free; get your ticket info pronto. It's a "non-profit community event benefitting local youth groups," so your attendance helps the local creative scene out, for sure.
