The Park, the Music Festival, and The In Crowd

Yesterday, Binghamton, New York's largest free music event, Blues on the Bridge, took place.  It was a 20th anniversary celebration a year late (as the festival was cancelled in 2020, along with so much else.)

 

Some things were the same.  This bridge is no longer used for the festival-the festival outgrew it.  This is the South Washington Street Bridge, built in 1886.  Here is some of its history. 

Musicians set up on a nearby bridge instead and that is where most of the crowds gather. 

But, unless you are familiar with downtown Binghamton, you may have missed some of the best sights.

If you go down a path on one side of the South Washington Bridge, it's an easy walk to a small park called Confluence Park.  Here, the Chenango River flows into the Susquehanna River, hence the name of the park.  For some reason, despite how much I wanted to listen to the music, it seemed so loud that I wanted some peace, so I went down there for a few minutes.

One could say you needed to be a member of "The In Crowd" to know about this little urban oasis.

There was a man with a young boy fishing, and I didn't want to disturb them, so I didn't walk down to the lowest part of the park.  But I got some pictures, nevertheless.

Memories came back to me, of the times I used to visit Confluence Park with my guest photographer.  The four photos after the Chenango River Promenade are hers, taken in 2018. 

The Chenango Promenade leads us on a path from the park to one edge of downtown Binghamton.  Let's take a short walk.

Some wildflowers from one of our 2018 walks, taken by her.  These would be in bloom now.

Mr. And Mrs. Duck (taken by her in March of 2018).  You'd never know you were in downtown Binghamton, New York.

Confluence Park sign.

Thanks go to my guest photographer for these last four photos.

 

I also got this photo, near the Chenango Promonade underpass, of a pollinator garden.  The bridge in this photo is where the festival takes place.

Speaking of the "in crowd", Jazz pianist Ramsey Lewis passed away on Monday.  He was 87.

 This was his big crossover hit with his trio, the Ramsey Lewis Trio.  "The In Crowd", from 1965.

Another great one has joined the jam sessions in musical heaven.

RIP.

Want more music? Join me tomorrow for another episode of Music Moves Me, and come hungry!