CANOs City of the Hills Festival Celebrates Arts and Community in Downtown Oneonta Saturday, September 17

Presented by the Community Arts Network of Oneonta (CANO), City of the Hills Festival is returning to Downtown Oneonta Saturday, September 17th, 2022 noon-past midnight. City of the Hills Festival has expanded this year, with a mural unveiling, yoga, activities for adults and children, drum circle, downtown art walk, craft beer garden, live music and performances, vintage/art/maker vendors and more. This festival is free and open to the public, with the exception of evening entertainment in local venues.

After a 3 year pause due to the pandemic, Oneonta’s largest Arts Festival is back with activities up and down Main Street, 11 Ford Avenue at CANO, Huntington Park, and at participating downtown businesses and organizations. This year’s festival is a celebration of the local artists and performers, businesses, organizations and community partners that make Oneonta a vibrant tourist destination and magical place to live.

City of the Hills Festival will host about 40 artist/maker/vintage vendors throughout Main Street and at CANO. A downtown art walk will feature art exhibitions in galleries and businesses, murals, Augmented Reality art objects, live painting, light projection, and art/craft demonstrations and workshops for children and adults. An online and physical map with a listing all of the “art destinations” will be available.

Over 20 musical and artistic performances will entertain festival goers this year. CANO, Main Street, and Huntington Park will host hip hop, a drum circle, rock, acoustic, and more during the day. Starting at 6pm, Club Odyssey, Bside Ballroom and Supper Club, The Pale Horse, and The Black Oak Tavern are among the evening venues that will feature burlesque, a drag show, local musicians such as Yolanda Bush and Shatter on Impact, New England band SixFoxWhiskey. The evening will end with a COTH after party featuring DJ’s Casey and Gavin.  

While the focus of the festival is visual art and music, this all-day event has something for everyone. Local businesses and organizations will host a variety of free children’s activities. A yoga session, author reading, art/craft demonstrations such as floral arrangement and sewing, and craft beer tastings at Roots Brewing Company and CANO’s Craft Beer Garden will round out festivities for teens and adults.

For more information about the festival, go to cityofthehillsfest.org, or visit facebook.com/cityofthehillsfest/ and Instagram @cityofthehillsfest