News from the Noteworthy from Cooperstown Concerts
Series Celebrates Groundbreaking Season
With growing interest in live music across our region, Cooperstown is increasingly recognized as a year-round destination for high-quality performances that attract audiences from near and far. Reflecting that momentum, Cooperstown Concerts—a longstanding nonprofit organization dedicated to presenting live music—has just concluded its 2025-2026 season on a high note, with a vibrant series of events attended by more than 1,200 people from across central New York and beyond.
Cooperstown Concerts’ recent season featured seven diverse performances—six of which sold out—alongside outstanding audience reviews, popular food, beverage, and lodging offerings, enriching educational programs, and strong community support and partnerships. Performances were hosted at premier local venues, reflecting the organization’s commitment to present world-class music close to home. Across the events, Cooperstown Concerts created cultural experiences that welcomed audiences of all ages, strengthening both community connections and the local economy.
Cooperstown Concerts presented a dynamic mix of jazz/funk, country, folk, Indian, rock and roll, and classical music concerts. Season highlights included three all-new events, each reflecting the nonprofit’s commitment to making an impact in different ways:
The organization hosted its first Diwali celebration in November, which was a highlight of the fall season. The community-focused event brought 175 people together across the region in the celebration of light with music, dancing, insights and Indian foods. The Diwali event marked the largest undertaking for the nonprofit’s goal to offer experiential events to wider audiences across the region—events that go beyond performances to immersive and participatory experiences that celebrate different cultures.
Next, Cooperstown Concerts presented its first “doubleheader” concert series during Cooperstown Winter Carnival Weekend, featuring two rock and roll tribute bands celebrating Tom Petty and The Allman Brothers. These high-energy shows helped everyone chase the winter blues away as they forgot the frigid temps for a few hours and danced and sang the night away in the warm company of friends, family, and fellow music lovers.
The nonprofit closed its season in April with a performance by Cerus Quartet, an emerging and award-winning ensemble dedicated to showcasing the saxophone in classical and contemporary music. Cerus is also dedicated to arts education for young students. Before its concert at the Fenimore Art Museum theater, the dynamic group spent time with 400 Cooperstown Central School students, presenting a free, interactive program to show students all different kinds of repertoire that the saxophone quartet can play.
Of course, the season’s success was built on more than outstanding talent—it’s also thanks to strong support from attendees, sponsors, donors, partners and the organization’s volunteer board. As a result of this support, Cooperstown Concerts is further building on its momentum to ensure that our region remains a creative, inclusive, and inspiring home for live music, now and for generations to come. For more information, or to offer your support as a donor or volunteer, visit CooperstownConcerts.org. Cooperstown Concerts’ 2026-2027 season will launch in early fall.
Randy Smith is the president of Cooperstown Concerts.
