PREVIEW: Third Annual AP Live: Music & Arts Festival in Averill Park
7/26 @ Butler Park, Averill Park
**This article originally appeared in our July 2025 issue.**
“We want to create something that people will want to put on their calendar, and we want to bring local, talented musicians together to showcase their talents and do it for a good cause…”
What began as a few Averill Park grads seeking out a place (other than their typical garage set-up) to play a show together, blossomed into a full blown festival for the whole community to enjoy.
Returning for its third year, the AP Live: Music & Arts Festival will host a day of live music, good food and artistic talent on display in Averill Park on Saturday, July 26.
From 2 p.m. to 9 p.m., Butler Park will come alive as local acts take both the acoustic stage and the main stage. This year, for the first time, the festival will have a headlining act; none other than local alt rock group favorite, Laveda, will be the top performance of the evening.
Other acts slated to perform include 10:01, Passing Grade, Little Slicer, Stū, Lost Mary’s, Sabrina Trueheart, and The Belle Curves.
Co-founder Wolfgang Balga said that showcasing a mix of genres is an important part of crafting the festival in order to reach community members on the other side of the Hudson River and encourage them to attend.
“We want to create something that people will want to put on their calendar, and we want to bring local, talented musicians together to showcase their talents and do it for a good cause, and bring it to people who might not otherwise hear their music.”
AP Live will also feature vendors selling handmade goods like jewelry and pottery, as well as various baked items. There will also be an outdoor art gallery with larger works on display.
Further tapping into the arts portion of the festival, all of the funds raised, including donations, raffle money and sponsorships from local businesses, will be going to the Nopiates Committee to support their yearly Transformation Project. The local grassroots organization works to raise awareness of the opioid epidemic and provide support for those affected by substance use disorders. The Transformation Project is an initiative that promotes healing and recovery through the power of artistic expression.
The AP Live team is happy the festival has seen enough growth that they are now able to give back to organizations in the Capital Region community, like the Nopiates Committee, something that felt out of reach their first year of the festival.
“The first year we did it, it was just kind of a proof of concept that we could do something like that. We never hosted a day-long event at a public park,” Balga said.
Balga said the turnout was small, but they put themselves on the map, nonetheless. This pushed the creators to buckle down and make sure year two was a real hit.
And a hit it was. The festival saw a larger turnout and community members relishing in the fun. Balga remembers attendees bringing gymnastics equipment to show off their balancing skills, and even a photo captured of someone balancing bean bags on their head during a cornhole game.
This type of camaraderie is what Balga hopes to see at this year’s festival, too, as everyone gathers to celebrate the talent our local scene possesses.
“I think more than anything, I hope they enjoy the music, obviously. I hope they take into account this great, budding art scene that we have here and that they are inspired to pick up an instrument, think more creatively, get other people involved, [and] come next year.”
Entry to AP Live: Music & Arts Festival is free. Head to the grounds of Butler Park in Averill Park Saturday, July 26 from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. to check it out.
Visit aplivefestival.com to learn more.
