The final weekend of Berkshire Busk!’s 2024 season is Friday, August 30, and Saturday, Aug, 31. The summer festival will finish out its season with a headlining performance by Cate Great, plus folk, rock, soul, and more.
Friday Highlights: Folk, rock, more poetry
Cate Great, a circus performer who has brought her show to 11 different countries, has closed out the final Saturday night of Berkshire Busk! each season. This year marks her first Friday night performance, so families have an extra opportunity to see her charming, witty, and nail-biting act.
Garrin Benfield will perform a set utilizing live looping opposite Cate on Railroad Street. Benfield is a singer-songwriter who splits time between Brooklyn and Hillsdale, N.Y. He has been out and active in the music scene since 2000, when his song “What You’re Hiding,” a tribute to Matthew Shepard, was used in a production of the Laramie Project.
As attendees walk, shop, and dine their way through the rest of downtown, they will discover acts like folk/rock artist Ryan Leddick, acoustic duo Rick and Marilyn, and more. Busking poet Kevin Devaney and henna artist Poppy, also known as Whole Heart Henna, will deliver artwork that audiences can take home with them.
Saturday Highlights: Sample The Cat, kids’ entertainers
The final evening of the summer festival features Cate Great as well as Sample the Cat on Railroad Street. Sample The Cat is headed by the incredible vocalist Kendrah Bellevue, and the group released three singles in 2024. The band categorizes themselves as “pure Soul flavored with Rock and Jazz.”
Other features of Saturday night include the final Night Market, which features local artisans, nonprofits, fundraisers by local high school teams, and more. Young families will have plenty of buskers to visit, including juggler Timbalanced, face painting, and Balloon Ben. Kevin Devaney and Poppy will be present for an encore on Saturday, and the night’s musicians include GypZBilly and rock duo Kajax.
Extended Schedule on Saturdays
While Berkshire Busk!’s Friday and Saturday evening programming concludes on August 31, the bulk of the extended Saturday programming will continue into the fall. Saturday afternoons at Robin’s Candy will conclude on August 31 with an appearance by Balloon Ben before he returns for the evening.
Saturday mornings at the Great Barrington Farmers’ Market will include music from Berkshire Busk! performers until October 26. This weekend features Roger & Lenny, a folk duo from Millerton, N.Y.
Saturday afternoons at Berkshire Mountain Distillers in Sheffield will continue on through September 21. Mike Cobb and The Crevulators, who play original Americana tunes as well as covers, will perform at the distillery this weekend from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Berkshire Busk! is free to attend and takes place in downtown Great Barrington every Friday and Saturday evening, from June 28 through August 31. Primary festival programming begins at 6:30 p.m. Visit the Berkshire Busk! website for the full schedule of events.
