29th Annual Blank-fest
Nyack, NY – What began in 1997 as a small local music benefit has grown into a nearly three-decade tradition of giving. On Sunday, December 14, the 29th Annual Blank-Fest returns to Nyack’s Hudson House (134 Main Street) with a full day of live music and community support to collect blankets for the homeless. Admission is simple: bring a new or gently used blanket.
Since its founding, Blank-Fest has collected and distributed more than 20,000 blankets across New York City and beyond. The blankets collected at the Nyack show are delivered directly to people experiencing homelessness on the streets of NYC beginning Christmas Eve—no agencies, no middlemen, just volunteers giving warmth where it’s needed most.
“From the start, we weren’t thinking about building a tradition—we were just hoping the first show would come together,” says founder and host Kenn Rowell, who borrowed $75 to launch the inaugural event. “But every year, people show up—musicians, volunteers, and neighbors—because they believe in helping others. That’s what keeps this going.”
This year’s show will feature 19+ acts from the Hudson Valley, New York City, and beyond, spanning indie, rock, punk, folk, blues, and spoken word. Returning favorites include Patti Rothberg, Bobby Steele (Misfits/The Undead), Joe D’Urso, The Horse You Rode In On, and Rowell’s own band, The Baghdaddios, who will close the night with their signature Lower East Side punk energy. Also returning is bilingual poet Yvonne Sotomayor (aka “Mrs. Blank-Fest”), whose “Blank-Fest Poem” serves as a rallying cry for the cause.
Blank-Fest has also inspired satellite concerts in New Jersey, Wisconsin, Florida, Virginia, Canada, and the UK, extending its impact far beyond its Hudson Valley roots.
“Blank-Fest works because it has heart,” Rowell says. “People drive in from hours away, some fly in, some donate equipment, some just show up to help us hand out blankets. It’s about generosity. It’s about seeing others.”
The event runs Noon to Midnight. Attendees are encouraged to bring blankets of any size—new or gently used—to help ensure no one is left out in the cold this winter.
Blank-Fest 29 – Event Details:
Date: Sunday, December 14
Time: 12:00 PM – 12:00 AM
Location: Hudson House, 134 Main Street, Nyack, NY
Admission: One blanket (new or gently used)
For more information, visit www.blankfest.org or contact Kenn Rowell at [email protected].
It’s about the homeless. Nothing more. Nothing less.
