Albany's LarkFest canceled over COVID, staffing, organizers say

PHOTOGRAPHER: Erica Miller

LarkFest in 2019

ALBANY – LarkFest is a no-go this year because of COVID-19 regulations and staffing levels organizers announced Tuesday.

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Traditionally held in September, the festival draws thousands of people to downtown Albany for a day of live music and vendors. It’s organized by the Lark Street Business Improvement District.

“For a number of reasons, including the size and nature of this particular event, local and CDC COVID regulations, staffing levels amongst the businesses on the street, and limitations on the BID’s Board and staff to fundraise via other events, the BID Board made the difficult decision to not host LarkFest in 2021 but to take the summer, fall and winter of 2021 to focus on smaller events such as the Farmers’ Market, First Friday and the Twilight Market, Art on Lark which will be held this coming Saturday, Small Business Saturday, and the annual Santa Speedo Run,” organizers said in a statement.

Previously, LarkFest has drawn an estimated 80,000 people and featured performances by bands like Prince Daddy and The Hyena, Bear Grass and Ryan Leddick. It was canceled in 2020 because of the pandemic.

The announcement came the same day organizers of Schenectady’s Little Italy Streetfest announced the cancellation of that September event over staffing shortages and employee fatigue.