ROCK the LOCK 2025 at Schoharie Crossing

Music Series Brings Rocking Music to Historic Erie Canal

Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site is excited to host the ever-talented Dust Bowl Faeries as they open for the Nisky Dixie Cats on Saturday, August 23rd at 1pm for the ROCK the LOCK music series. The event takes place at Yankee Hill Lock, 550 Queen Anne Road, Amsterdam.

The Dust Bowl Faeries will perform as a duo, offering their faerie-tale medley of dark cabaret and gothic polka music, infused with a dose of witchcraft and a dusting of woodland magic. The accordion driven freak-folk ensemble hails from the New York Hudson Valley and draws inspiration from circus music, murder ballads and Eastern European folk songs. Singing saw, piano accordion, lap-steel, electric bass, percussion, and acoustic guitar combine to create the Dust Bowl Faeries otherworldly sound.

Our headliner is seven-piece ensemble performing in New York’s Capital District and surrounding areas.  The Nisky Dixie Cats are a family-friendly band dedicated to playing tuneful, Dixieland-style jazz for any occasion calling for those all-time favorites.  Let the Cats help you tap your feet and dance to the songs of Jelly Roll Morton and other greats of America’s original jazz.

Bring a lawn chair, snacks, beverages, dress for the weather, and enjoy the afternoon along the canal and river. Free parking, free open-air event. Right off the Empire State Trail/Canalway Bike Path on Queen Anne Rd.

These events are supported by the Friends of Schoharie Crossing, WEXT Radio, Metroland Magazine, and Karen’s Produce and Ice Cream. Saratoga Arts made this program possible through the Community Arts Regrant Program, funded by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.

The location for this series is Yankee Hill Lock at Schoharie Crossing, 550 Queen Anne Road, Amsterdam, Montgomery County.

These are free open-air events.

Bring a lawn chair and dress for the weather. For more information, please call the Visitor Center: (518) 829-7516 or email SchoharieCrossing@parks.ny.gov. Find more details and updates on our Facebook page.

The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation oversees more than 250 parks, historic sites, recreational trails, golf courses, boat launches and more, which saw a record 88.3 million visits in 2024. For more information on any of these recreation areas, visit parks.ny.gov, download the free NY State Parks Explorer app or call (518) 474-0456. Connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and the OPRHP Blog.