GLENS FALLS — The massive main stage for the sixth annual Glens Falls Entertainment and Music Festival, which Eric Unkauf said would be considered a professional stage by anyone, will be set up on Friday for this weekend’s event.
Unkauf, owner of The Shirt Factory, said that the larger stage provided the event with a different feel and atmosphere when the festival set up at The Shirt Factory’s courtyard last year. He was stunned.
“It was amazing that they could shoehorn that thing into the property,” Unkauf said with a chuckle on Thursday. “That thing is enormous.”
Along with multiple stages of live music from more than 20 bands throughout the region, his complex on Saturday will be filled with nearly 40 vendors, food trucks and artist demonstrations including live glass-blowing and artisans selling their wares at the artist pavilion. The event is being held at The Shirt Factory for the second year in a row.
Peter Annello, of Albany, sings one of his originals with his band at the GEM (Glens Falls Entertainment & Music) Festival in 2019, prior to the event’s move to The Shirt Factory. This will be the second year that the festival will take place at the complex.
Brian Michael, co-founder and music director for the festival, said that working with Unkauf to put on the event has been an enjoyable experience.
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“He has a hands-off approach, which is super uncommon for business and property owners,” he said of Unkauf.
Unkauf said he has had no part in the planning for the event. He said that he is only providing the space for Michael and Anthony Richichi, co-founder and arts director for the festival, to put on the event.
Richichi said that The Shirt Factory is the “perfect home” for the festival, which announced a partnership with North Country Arts based out of the complex in April.
“He really trusts what we do, and kind of lets us have a free run at it and really lets us take the lead,” he said.
GEM brings business
Michael said that for three or four straight years prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, when the GEM Festival was put on at multiple locations throughout the city, the event produced the highest-grossing revenue day for the participating and surrounding businesses.
He said that he didn’t realize the festival had that much of an impact until a few local business owners mentioned it to him.
“I can tell you that the businesses surrounding The Shirt Factory benefit from what Eric does in general, so I have no doubt that GEM Festival is starting to attract some attention,” he said.
Michael noted that the festival brings in people from all over the state — not just the greater Capital Region.
Michael said Mean Max Brew Works, one of the event’s sponsors, can make more money with the event being off site. It had hosted one of the stages during the early years of the event.
He said that the brewery will have revenue from a booth set up at the festival and a farmers market, as well as from the taproom on Glen Street.
“In general it’s just brought the whole industry up. There’s a lot of people who come to shop at the event,” Michael said.
Saturday’s event
The festival will have three stages where live music will be performed. The “Sapphire Stage,” which will be the main stage located on The Shirt Factory’s courtyard; the “Ruby Stage” in the Cooper Street parking lot of the property, and the “Emerald Stage,” which will be set up inside Rock Hill Bakehouse.
This year’s live music lineup and featured artists is seen on this poster. There will be three stages set up on The Shirt Factory property, with music starting at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday. Gates open at 10:30 a.m.
The music lineup for each stage can be found on the event’s Facebook page.
Unkauf said that the Cooper Street lot will be where the artists’ pavilion is located. There will be a row of artist tents located at the pavilion with roughly a dozen fine artists as well, according to Richichi.
All of the music and entertainment on the back side of The Shirt Factory — at the property’s Cooper Street lot and Rock Hill Bakehouse — is free for all patrons. Tickets are required for general admission to the “Sapphire Stage.”
General admission tickets for $15 and group passes are available on the GEM Festival website. Admission is free for kids ages 12 and under.
There will be artists painting in both sections of the festival, according to Richichi.
He also said that this year there will be booths set up for bands to sell merchandise throughout the day.
Live music kicks off from the “Sapphire Stage” at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday. Gates open at 10:30 a.m.
Jay Mullen is a reporter for The Post-Star covering the city of Glens Falls, Warren County and crime and courts. You can reach him at 518-742-3224 or [email protected].
