Bard Music Festival, Annandale On The Hudson, NY: Usually held in mid- to late-August, this classical music festival on the campus of Bard College focuses on a single composer. Bard is a small Liberal Arts College on the banks of the Hudson River. If you remember the Steely Dan song "Barrytown" you can orient yourself accordingly.

Contact info: Bard College, PO Box 5000, Annandale-on-Hudson, NY 12504; (845) 758-6822; http://www.bard.edu

Belleayre Music Festival, Belleayre Mountain: Belleayre Music Festival offers a blend of classical, Broadway, blues, rock and its Catskill Mountain Jazz Series. The season runs from July 4th weekend through Labor Day weekend at Belleayre Mountain.

Contact info: Belleayre Music Festival, Highmount Road, Box 198, Highmount, NY 12441; (845) 254-5600 ext 344; www.belleayremusic.org

Clearwater Music and Environmental Festival, The Great Hudson River Revival: The festival is sponsored by the Hudson River Sloop Clearwater, Inc., and was created by Pete Seeger, legendary musician and environmental activist. The festival takes place over a weekend in June and promotes the beauty and environmental necessity of the Hudson River through the arts.  Proceeds are used to restore the river, as well as support environmental research and education.

Contact info: Clearwater, 112 Little Market Street, Poughkeepsie, NY 12601; (845) 454-7673. http://www.clearwater.org/festival.html

Highland Cultural Arts Center: The Highland Cultural Arts Center holds an annual Hudson Valley Summer Music Festival every July, offering free outdoor concerts in Dutchess and Ulster counties. The concerts take place on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights and feature Hudson Valley musicians, specializing in a genre of music, such as jazz, country, rock and classical.

Contact info: Highland Cultural Arts Center, 257 South Riverside Road, Highland, NY 12528; (845) 691-6008; http://www.hcc-arts.org

Rosendale Street Festival, Rosendale, NY: Located 30 minutes south of Woodstock in Rosendale, this festival is usually held in August. The gathering includes arts vendors, musical performers, food and the backdrop of an interesting, funky town on the outskirts of New Paltz.

Contact info: Rosendale Street Festival, PO Box 457, Rosendale, NY 12472; (845) 658-7340; http://rosendalestreetfestival.com

Up-State Reggae Woodstock: The Up-State Reggae Foundation is a non-profit organization that promotes awareness and appreciation for reggae music and culture in the Hudson Valley. The reggae festival is generally held in the summer months and features local artists.

Contact info: Up-State Reggae Woodstock, Box 1042, Woodstock, NY 12498; (845) 679-3382

Wall Street Jazz Festival, Kingston: The Wall Street Jazz Festival is typically held in June in downtown Kingston.  The event is free and features well-known local jazz musicians.

Contact info: Wall Street Jazz Festival, Peggy Stern; (845) 657-7371; www.wallstreetjazzfestival.com  

Woodstock Guitar Festival: The Woodstock Guitar Festival is an annual event that sponsors fireworks display, as well as other year-round activities. It's generally held over a 4-day period in August and features opening and closing night parties, fireworks and endless guitar jams that include up-and-coming artists and prominent legends in the business.

Contact info: Woodstock Guitar Festival, Glasco Turnpike, Woodstock, NY 12498; (845) 247-0449; http://www.woodstockguitarfestival.com

Woodstock Jazz and Folk Festival: This annual event is sponsored by Hudson Valley Technology and Commerce and is usually held in July to promote awareness of jazz and folk music. Bar Scott, John Herald and Laurel Masse, founding member of Manhattan Transfer, have performed at this annual event. HVTC donates all profits from the festival to "Music in the Schools," a program for local artists that teaches singing, songwriting, production and sound engineering.

Contact info: Woodstock Jazz and Folk Festival, 31 Mill Hill Road, Suite 200, Woodstock, NY 12498; (845) 679-9868; www.woodstocklive.com