PREVIEW: Celebrating 65 Years of Caffe Lena with Sing in the Streets
05/18 in Downtown Saratoga Springs
“Whether it’s a child picking up an instrument for the first time or a senior rediscovering their voice, folk music builds relationships, fosters communication, and strengthens community.”
On Sunday May 18th, the beloved folk venue at the heart of Saratoga Springs, Caffè Lena, will celebrate 65 years of live music and grassroots culture. For this fourth edition of Sing in the Streets, 15 artists will take seven stages across the city streets, including the family stage, from 12:00 to 4:00 PM, all free of charge.
When speaking with Mateo Vosganian, Caffè Lena’s Director of Finance and Operations, he explained that, “Sing in the Streets grew out of a pandemic-era initiative where Caffè Lena hired performers to play from the back of flatbed trucks that paraded through town—bringing music to people where they were. When we reopened our doors, we saw an opportunity to grow that idea into something more lasting and communal.”
Community has been at the center of Lena’s mission to bring music to everyone. Though you may be familiar with their ticketed performances, the venue frequently holds free or pay-what-you-can performances to increase accessibility to the community. One of this year’s artists, Jacob Shipley, discussed how excited he was to be a part of an event that brings music out into the open.
“At the end of the day, music really is for everybody. And I think the more we can break down those accessibility walls, the better. Getting to be part of this historic legacy, getting to do it in the space that is Saratoga and honestly, getting to perform outdoors on the street is really fun.”
The communal aspect isn’t just central to this event, but to Caffè Lena itself. As a dedicated folk venue, Lena’s mission is to foster that small universe in which folk breathes and grows. Mateo notes that, to the crew at Lena and beyond, “Folk music has always been about connection... across generations, communities, and cultures. The traditions we now call ‘folk’ have been passed down in countless ways, and they remain deeply relevant today. At Caffè Lena, we see this every day through our School of Music, where students young and old come together to learn in a circle, listening, responding, and creating music as a group. Whether it’s a child picking up an instrument for the first time or a senior rediscovering their voice, folk music builds relationships, fosters communication, and strengthens community.”
It’s incredible to imagine that, despite how much our world has been altered over the last 65 years, when walking into Caffè Lena, you feel the generations of folk that Mateo references. Jacob, a folk-rocker himself, reiterates how vital it is to be a part of these folk music events in an age of virtual connection, explaining that in listening to these stories about others, “it pulls us away from that inhuman kind of connection.” What better way to connect than viewing local artists with your own neighbors, on your own streets?
Ultimately, this connection found inside and out of Lena is what will be celebrated on Sunday. When asked what Caffè Lena meant to him, Mateo responded, “I think, at its core, Lena’s is a place that holds space for people to be fully themselves. It’s a space for honesty, vulnerability, taking risks, and even making mistakes. In a world that often feels like it’s pulling us apart, being at Lena’s brings people back together.”
For more information, including a schedule of performers, visit https://www.caffelena.org/event/sing-in-the-streets/
