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X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Gowanus Dredgers Canoe Club
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260919T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260919T170000
DTSTAMP:20260428T021519
CREATED:20260425T230243Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260425T230243Z
UID:10001166-1789822800-1789837200@gowanusdredgers.org
SUMMARY:FREE Walk-Up Paddling - 2nd St.
DESCRIPTION:Hop into a Gowanus Dredgers canoe and paddle at your own pace inside the protected Gowanus Canal. Enjoy discovering the canal’s unique mix of wildlife and urban waterway infrastructure\, practice your paddling skills\, or take a guided audio tour and learn more about the history\, cleanup and revitalization of our favorite urban waterway. \nWe’ll outfit you with a life jacket (which must be worn at all times) and paddle\, offer some basic instruction on how to paddle and safety tips on how to use a canoe\, and help you set off on your own self-guided journey. Trips may be limited to 20 minutes if there’s a crowd — but usually we just expect you to return to the dock 15 min. prior to closing. \nWho can participate? Paddling is for everyone! Free walk-up canoeing is open to all ages. Groups\, families\, solo paddlers\, and intrepid first dates are all welcome! Minors require a guardian’s signature to participate\, and all participants must sign a waiver. \nWhat should I wear? Dress for the weather: wear sunscreen\, hats\, and bring a water bottle — and bring layers if there’s a breeze! Close-toed shoes are recommended\, and wear clothing you don’t mind potentially being splashed. \nIs it really free?  Yes! But donations are encouraged to help us continue offering these and other programs. \nCan I volunteer? Yes! You can sign up to volunteer on our event registration page. Volunteer shifts run from 30-minutes before the start of the program through the first two hours\, or from the middle of the program to 30 minutes after the end of the scheduled time.
URL:https://gowanusdredgers.org/event/free-walk-up-paddling-2nd-st/2026-09-19/
LOCATION:Gowanus Dredgers Canoe Club Boathouse\, 165 2nd St\, Brooklyn\, NY\, 11231\, United States
CATEGORIES:On the Water
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://gowanusdredgers.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Open-Paddle-2nd.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260920T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260920T170000
DTSTAMP:20260428T021519
CREATED:20260425T230243Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260425T230243Z
UID:10001167-1789909200-1789923600@gowanusdredgers.org
SUMMARY:FREE Walk-Up Paddling - 2nd St.
DESCRIPTION:Hop into a Gowanus Dredgers canoe and paddle at your own pace inside the protected Gowanus Canal. Enjoy discovering the canal’s unique mix of wildlife and urban waterway infrastructure\, practice your paddling skills\, or take a guided audio tour and learn more about the history\, cleanup and revitalization of our favorite urban waterway. \nWe’ll outfit you with a life jacket (which must be worn at all times) and paddle\, offer some basic instruction on how to paddle and safety tips on how to use a canoe\, and help you set off on your own self-guided journey. Trips may be limited to 20 minutes if there’s a crowd — but usually we just expect you to return to the dock 15 min. prior to closing. \nWho can participate? Paddling is for everyone! Free walk-up canoeing is open to all ages. Groups\, families\, solo paddlers\, and intrepid first dates are all welcome! Minors require a guardian’s signature to participate\, and all participants must sign a waiver. \nWhat should I wear? Dress for the weather: wear sunscreen\, hats\, and bring a water bottle — and bring layers if there’s a breeze! Close-toed shoes are recommended\, and wear clothing you don’t mind potentially being splashed. \nIs it really free?  Yes! But donations are encouraged to help us continue offering these and other programs. \nCan I volunteer? Yes! You can sign up to volunteer on our event registration page. Volunteer shifts run from 30-minutes before the start of the program through the first two hours\, or from the middle of the program to 30 minutes after the end of the scheduled time.
URL:https://gowanusdredgers.org/event/free-walk-up-paddling-2nd-st/2026-09-20/
LOCATION:Gowanus Dredgers Canoe Club Boathouse\, 165 2nd St\, Brooklyn\, NY\, 11231\, United States
CATEGORIES:On the Water
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://gowanusdredgers.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Open-Paddle-2nd.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260921T183000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260921T203000
DTSTAMP:20260428T021519
CREATED:20260427T165629Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260427T165629Z
UID:10001179-1790015400-1790022600@gowanusdredgers.org
SUMMARY:Monthly Meeting + Paddle
DESCRIPTION:Socialize with the Dredgers at our BUNKER (2 19th St\, off of 3rd Ave) for a casual member catch-up and paddle! We’ll gather at 6:30 for some chatting and aim to be on-water around 7:15. \nMeet at the Gowanus Dredgers Canoe Club 19th St. Launch\, 2 19 St\, Brooklyn\, (off of 3rd Ave.). If you plan to join the paddle\, wear sunscreen and bring a bottle filled with water. Close-toed shoes are recommended\, and wear clothing you don’t mind potentially being splashed. Use a restroom before arrival\, as we have limited facilities on-site. All paddlers must sign a waiver. \nWeather (wind\, waves or evidence of storm) may cancel the paddling portion with one hour advance notice. In case of inclement weather\, meeting will be relocated follow us on Instagram or sign up for our mailing list to stay informed.
URL:https://gowanusdredgers.org/event/monthly-meeting-paddle-2/2026-09-21/
LOCATION:NY
CATEGORIES:Arts,Community,On the Water
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://gowanusdredgers.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Dredgers_NVergalla-01245-scaled.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260922T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260922T203000
DTSTAMP:20260428T021519
CREATED:20260306T202919Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260326T160755Z
UID:10001036-1790100000-1790109000@gowanusdredgers.org
SUMMARY:Gowanus Jug & String Band Sessions
DESCRIPTION:Tuesday evenings\, 6-8:30 April through October. \nAt the Gowanus Dredgers Boathouse 165 2nd Street between Bond and the Gowanus Canal. We are excited to expand our musical offerings with this new weekly jam.\nDredger Host: Liz Rabson Schnore\nJam Leader: Papa Ernie Vega \nWhat Jug band and String band music?\nLet’s start with String band music. Black String band music\, which will be our focus\, was created by Southern Blacks and pre-dates the Blues & Jazz. Groups which consisted of mostly stringed instruments (guitar\, banjo\, bass\, violin\, mandolin\, ukulele\, etc) performed a wide variety of songs and styles for all manner of social functions and for personal enjoyment; two-steps\, waltzes and breakdowns for dances\, ballads and love songs\, humorous & novelty songs\, as well as blues\, jazz\, and pop tunes as they came into fashion. This genre\, sadly\, was under-represented by the burgeoning recording industry in the 1920’s and 30’s\, which helped contribute to its already declining popularity in the wake of the success of the Blues and Jazz: though groups like the Mississippi Sheiks and the Dallas String Band did make great and popular recordings. The genre never completely died out\, however\, and is alive and well today thanks to the perseverance of its practitioners and the dedication of its fans\, which has led to a rediscovery and a new appreciation by audiences young and old. \nJug band music developed in the early 20th century within Southern Black communities and was essentially a string band with a jug used as a “poor man’s tuba”\, in the role of a bass instrument. Other household items as instruments were popular as well; washboard and/or spoons for percussion\, washtub bass\, and kazoo. These combined with the guitars\, banjos\, mandolins/violins of the traditional string band\, along with the harmonica\, made for a unique sound that won the hearts of the public in the early days of the recording industry. The Memphis Jug Band and Cannon’s Jug Stompers recorded well over a hundred examples of blues\, ballads\, pop and dance numbers – and they’re just the tip of the iceberg. The genre found new life in the Folk Music Revival of the 1960’s and remains popular to this day.\nThese sessions will be open to Intermediate and above players\, and we encourage you to sing along and bring a song to lead. To lead a song\, you will be expected to sing it loudly enough for those around you to hear\, to know the key you will sing in\, and to explain the chord changes and form of the song if need be. We may also discuss some ideas for performing in an ensemble to help everyone find their place in the music. \nPapa Ernie Vega is a NYC singer\, instrumentalist\, bandleader\, teacher\, songwriter and performing/recording artist. He has over 20 years of professional experience and has performed at the Newport Folk Festival\, the Jug Band Jubilee and the Osaka Jug Band Festival. He also taught and performed at the Port Townsend Acoustic Blues Festival from 2016-2021. He is a lover of fine cheap food\, old movies\, humor\, and photography.
URL:https://gowanusdredgers.org/event/gowanus-jug-string-band-sessions-3/2026-09-22/
LOCATION:Gowanus Dredgers Canoe Club Boathouse\, 165 2nd St\, Brooklyn\, NY\, 11231\, United States
CATEGORIES:Music
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/heic:https://gowanusdredgers.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/IMG_2581-scaled.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260923T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260923T203000
DTSTAMP:20260428T021519
CREATED:20260306T195758Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260326T160606Z
UID:10000872-1790186400-1790195400@gowanusdredgers.org
SUMMARY:Boathouse Bluegrass Jam
DESCRIPTION:The Boathouse Jam every Wednesday evening 6-8:30 April-Oct. Just come\, bring an acoustic instrument. \nThe Boathouse Jam is hosted by the Gowanus Dredgers Canoe Club to activate our shoreline while fostering the continued resurgence of acoustical collaborations in Brooklyn. We are inclusive of all – young & old\, new & seasoned musicians. Just bring a smile and your musical instrument and/or your voice to join our one night makeshift band. \nChristian Apuzzo leads most sessions. He is a Brooklyn-based vocalist\, guitarist\, and music educator. Long Island-raised\, this musician started his journey as a certified public school music teacher but has since found the wide-open pastures of the freelance music world in NYC. Playing mostly folk\, bluegrass\, and country music\, Christian plays with numerous groups all over our five boroughs including bluegrass group Cole Quest and the City Pickers and local supergroup the Grass Messengers. He also teaches music lessons and classes for all ages at Jalopy Theatre in Red Hook\, Brooklyn. \nFree but a $5 suggested donation is encouraged\, limited beverages are provided. \nThe Boathouse is located at 165 2nd Street\, Brooklyn NY between Bond Street and the Gowanus Canal. Sessions are rain or shine\, we gather outside the Boathouse unless it’s cold or raining then we move inside. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSince 1999\, the Dredgers have empowered people to care for the Gowanus Canal through advocacy\, conservation\, and education. Our organization promotes waterfront stewardship and is raising awareness of sewer overflow issues that affect our Gowanus Canal in Brooklyn\, NY.
URL:https://gowanusdredgers.org/event/boathouse-bluegrass-jam/2026-09-23/
LOCATION:Gowanus Dredgers Canoe Club Boathouse\, 165 2nd St\, Brooklyn\, NY\, 11231\, United States
CATEGORIES:Music
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/heic:https://gowanusdredgers.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/IMG_1751-scaled.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260929T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260929T203000
DTSTAMP:20260428T021519
CREATED:20260306T202919Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260326T160755Z
UID:10001037-1790704800-1790713800@gowanusdredgers.org
SUMMARY:Gowanus Jug & String Band Sessions
DESCRIPTION:Tuesday evenings\, 6-8:30 April through October. \nAt the Gowanus Dredgers Boathouse 165 2nd Street between Bond and the Gowanus Canal. We are excited to expand our musical offerings with this new weekly jam.\nDredger Host: Liz Rabson Schnore\nJam Leader: Papa Ernie Vega \nWhat Jug band and String band music?\nLet’s start with String band music. Black String band music\, which will be our focus\, was created by Southern Blacks and pre-dates the Blues & Jazz. Groups which consisted of mostly stringed instruments (guitar\, banjo\, bass\, violin\, mandolin\, ukulele\, etc) performed a wide variety of songs and styles for all manner of social functions and for personal enjoyment; two-steps\, waltzes and breakdowns for dances\, ballads and love songs\, humorous & novelty songs\, as well as blues\, jazz\, and pop tunes as they came into fashion. This genre\, sadly\, was under-represented by the burgeoning recording industry in the 1920’s and 30’s\, which helped contribute to its already declining popularity in the wake of the success of the Blues and Jazz: though groups like the Mississippi Sheiks and the Dallas String Band did make great and popular recordings. The genre never completely died out\, however\, and is alive and well today thanks to the perseverance of its practitioners and the dedication of its fans\, which has led to a rediscovery and a new appreciation by audiences young and old. \nJug band music developed in the early 20th century within Southern Black communities and was essentially a string band with a jug used as a “poor man’s tuba”\, in the role of a bass instrument. Other household items as instruments were popular as well; washboard and/or spoons for percussion\, washtub bass\, and kazoo. These combined with the guitars\, banjos\, mandolins/violins of the traditional string band\, along with the harmonica\, made for a unique sound that won the hearts of the public in the early days of the recording industry. The Memphis Jug Band and Cannon’s Jug Stompers recorded well over a hundred examples of blues\, ballads\, pop and dance numbers – and they’re just the tip of the iceberg. The genre found new life in the Folk Music Revival of the 1960’s and remains popular to this day.\nThese sessions will be open to Intermediate and above players\, and we encourage you to sing along and bring a song to lead. To lead a song\, you will be expected to sing it loudly enough for those around you to hear\, to know the key you will sing in\, and to explain the chord changes and form of the song if need be. We may also discuss some ideas for performing in an ensemble to help everyone find their place in the music. \nPapa Ernie Vega is a NYC singer\, instrumentalist\, bandleader\, teacher\, songwriter and performing/recording artist. He has over 20 years of professional experience and has performed at the Newport Folk Festival\, the Jug Band Jubilee and the Osaka Jug Band Festival. He also taught and performed at the Port Townsend Acoustic Blues Festival from 2016-2021. He is a lover of fine cheap food\, old movies\, humor\, and photography.
URL:https://gowanusdredgers.org/event/gowanus-jug-string-band-sessions-3/2026-09-29/
LOCATION:Gowanus Dredgers Canoe Club Boathouse\, 165 2nd St\, Brooklyn\, NY\, 11231\, United States
CATEGORIES:Music
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/heic:https://gowanusdredgers.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/IMG_2581-scaled.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260930T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260930T203000
DTSTAMP:20260428T021519
CREATED:20260306T195758Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260326T160606Z
UID:10000873-1790791200-1790800200@gowanusdredgers.org
SUMMARY:Boathouse Bluegrass Jam
DESCRIPTION:The Boathouse Jam every Wednesday evening 6-8:30 April-Oct. Just come\, bring an acoustic instrument. \nThe Boathouse Jam is hosted by the Gowanus Dredgers Canoe Club to activate our shoreline while fostering the continued resurgence of acoustical collaborations in Brooklyn. We are inclusive of all – young & old\, new & seasoned musicians. Just bring a smile and your musical instrument and/or your voice to join our one night makeshift band. \nChristian Apuzzo leads most sessions. He is a Brooklyn-based vocalist\, guitarist\, and music educator. Long Island-raised\, this musician started his journey as a certified public school music teacher but has since found the wide-open pastures of the freelance music world in NYC. Playing mostly folk\, bluegrass\, and country music\, Christian plays with numerous groups all over our five boroughs including bluegrass group Cole Quest and the City Pickers and local supergroup the Grass Messengers. He also teaches music lessons and classes for all ages at Jalopy Theatre in Red Hook\, Brooklyn. \nFree but a $5 suggested donation is encouraged\, limited beverages are provided. \nThe Boathouse is located at 165 2nd Street\, Brooklyn NY between Bond Street and the Gowanus Canal. Sessions are rain or shine\, we gather outside the Boathouse unless it’s cold or raining then we move inside. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSince 1999\, the Dredgers have empowered people to care for the Gowanus Canal through advocacy\, conservation\, and education. Our organization promotes waterfront stewardship and is raising awareness of sewer overflow issues that affect our Gowanus Canal in Brooklyn\, NY.
URL:https://gowanusdredgers.org/event/boathouse-bluegrass-jam/2026-09-30/
LOCATION:Gowanus Dredgers Canoe Club Boathouse\, 165 2nd St\, Brooklyn\, NY\, 11231\, United States
CATEGORIES:Music
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/heic:https://gowanusdredgers.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/IMG_1751-scaled.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261003T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261003T170000
DTSTAMP:20260428T021519
CREATED:20260425T230243Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260425T230243Z
UID:10001168-1791032400-1791046800@gowanusdredgers.org
SUMMARY:FREE Walk-Up Paddling - 2nd St.
DESCRIPTION:Hop into a Gowanus Dredgers canoe and paddle at your own pace inside the protected Gowanus Canal. Enjoy discovering the canal’s unique mix of wildlife and urban waterway infrastructure\, practice your paddling skills\, or take a guided audio tour and learn more about the history\, cleanup and revitalization of our favorite urban waterway. \nWe’ll outfit you with a life jacket (which must be worn at all times) and paddle\, offer some basic instruction on how to paddle and safety tips on how to use a canoe\, and help you set off on your own self-guided journey. Trips may be limited to 20 minutes if there’s a crowd — but usually we just expect you to return to the dock 15 min. prior to closing. \nWho can participate? Paddling is for everyone! Free walk-up canoeing is open to all ages. Groups\, families\, solo paddlers\, and intrepid first dates are all welcome! Minors require a guardian’s signature to participate\, and all participants must sign a waiver. \nWhat should I wear? Dress for the weather: wear sunscreen\, hats\, and bring a water bottle — and bring layers if there’s a breeze! Close-toed shoes are recommended\, and wear clothing you don’t mind potentially being splashed. \nIs it really free?  Yes! But donations are encouraged to help us continue offering these and other programs. \nCan I volunteer? Yes! You can sign up to volunteer on our event registration page. Volunteer shifts run from 30-minutes before the start of the program through the first two hours\, or from the middle of the program to 30 minutes after the end of the scheduled time.
URL:https://gowanusdredgers.org/event/free-walk-up-paddling-2nd-st/2026-10-03/
LOCATION:Gowanus Dredgers Canoe Club Boathouse\, 165 2nd St\, Brooklyn\, NY\, 11231\, United States
CATEGORIES:On the Water
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://gowanusdredgers.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Open-Paddle-2nd.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261004T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261004T170000
DTSTAMP:20260428T021519
CREATED:20260425T230243Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260425T230243Z
UID:10001169-1791118800-1791133200@gowanusdredgers.org
SUMMARY:FREE Walk-Up Paddling - 2nd St.
DESCRIPTION:Hop into a Gowanus Dredgers canoe and paddle at your own pace inside the protected Gowanus Canal. Enjoy discovering the canal’s unique mix of wildlife and urban waterway infrastructure\, practice your paddling skills\, or take a guided audio tour and learn more about the history\, cleanup and revitalization of our favorite urban waterway. \nWe’ll outfit you with a life jacket (which must be worn at all times) and paddle\, offer some basic instruction on how to paddle and safety tips on how to use a canoe\, and help you set off on your own self-guided journey. Trips may be limited to 20 minutes if there’s a crowd — but usually we just expect you to return to the dock 15 min. prior to closing. \nWho can participate? Paddling is for everyone! Free walk-up canoeing is open to all ages. Groups\, families\, solo paddlers\, and intrepid first dates are all welcome! Minors require a guardian’s signature to participate\, and all participants must sign a waiver. \nWhat should I wear? Dress for the weather: wear sunscreen\, hats\, and bring a water bottle — and bring layers if there’s a breeze! Close-toed shoes are recommended\, and wear clothing you don’t mind potentially being splashed. \nIs it really free?  Yes! But donations are encouraged to help us continue offering these and other programs. \nCan I volunteer? Yes! You can sign up to volunteer on our event registration page. Volunteer shifts run from 30-minutes before the start of the program through the first two hours\, or from the middle of the program to 30 minutes after the end of the scheduled time.
URL:https://gowanusdredgers.org/event/free-walk-up-paddling-2nd-st/2026-10-04/
LOCATION:Gowanus Dredgers Canoe Club Boathouse\, 165 2nd St\, Brooklyn\, NY\, 11231\, United States
CATEGORIES:On the Water
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://gowanusdredgers.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Open-Paddle-2nd.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261006T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261006T203000
DTSTAMP:20260428T021519
CREATED:20260306T202919Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260326T160755Z
UID:10001038-1791309600-1791318600@gowanusdredgers.org
SUMMARY:Gowanus Jug & String Band Sessions
DESCRIPTION:Tuesday evenings\, 6-8:30 April through October. \nAt the Gowanus Dredgers Boathouse 165 2nd Street between Bond and the Gowanus Canal. We are excited to expand our musical offerings with this new weekly jam.\nDredger Host: Liz Rabson Schnore\nJam Leader: Papa Ernie Vega \nWhat Jug band and String band music?\nLet’s start with String band music. Black String band music\, which will be our focus\, was created by Southern Blacks and pre-dates the Blues & Jazz. Groups which consisted of mostly stringed instruments (guitar\, banjo\, bass\, violin\, mandolin\, ukulele\, etc) performed a wide variety of songs and styles for all manner of social functions and for personal enjoyment; two-steps\, waltzes and breakdowns for dances\, ballads and love songs\, humorous & novelty songs\, as well as blues\, jazz\, and pop tunes as they came into fashion. This genre\, sadly\, was under-represented by the burgeoning recording industry in the 1920’s and 30’s\, which helped contribute to its already declining popularity in the wake of the success of the Blues and Jazz: though groups like the Mississippi Sheiks and the Dallas String Band did make great and popular recordings. The genre never completely died out\, however\, and is alive and well today thanks to the perseverance of its practitioners and the dedication of its fans\, which has led to a rediscovery and a new appreciation by audiences young and old. \nJug band music developed in the early 20th century within Southern Black communities and was essentially a string band with a jug used as a “poor man’s tuba”\, in the role of a bass instrument. Other household items as instruments were popular as well; washboard and/or spoons for percussion\, washtub bass\, and kazoo. These combined with the guitars\, banjos\, mandolins/violins of the traditional string band\, along with the harmonica\, made for a unique sound that won the hearts of the public in the early days of the recording industry. The Memphis Jug Band and Cannon’s Jug Stompers recorded well over a hundred examples of blues\, ballads\, pop and dance numbers – and they’re just the tip of the iceberg. The genre found new life in the Folk Music Revival of the 1960’s and remains popular to this day.\nThese sessions will be open to Intermediate and above players\, and we encourage you to sing along and bring a song to lead. To lead a song\, you will be expected to sing it loudly enough for those around you to hear\, to know the key you will sing in\, and to explain the chord changes and form of the song if need be. We may also discuss some ideas for performing in an ensemble to help everyone find their place in the music. \nPapa Ernie Vega is a NYC singer\, instrumentalist\, bandleader\, teacher\, songwriter and performing/recording artist. He has over 20 years of professional experience and has performed at the Newport Folk Festival\, the Jug Band Jubilee and the Osaka Jug Band Festival. He also taught and performed at the Port Townsend Acoustic Blues Festival from 2016-2021. He is a lover of fine cheap food\, old movies\, humor\, and photography.
URL:https://gowanusdredgers.org/event/gowanus-jug-string-band-sessions-3/2026-10-06/
LOCATION:Gowanus Dredgers Canoe Club Boathouse\, 165 2nd St\, Brooklyn\, NY\, 11231\, United States
CATEGORIES:Music
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/heic:https://gowanusdredgers.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/IMG_2581-scaled.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261007T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261007T203000
DTSTAMP:20260428T021519
CREATED:20260306T195758Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260326T160606Z
UID:10000874-1791396000-1791405000@gowanusdredgers.org
SUMMARY:Boathouse Bluegrass Jam
DESCRIPTION:The Boathouse Jam every Wednesday evening 6-8:30 April-Oct. Just come\, bring an acoustic instrument. \nThe Boathouse Jam is hosted by the Gowanus Dredgers Canoe Club to activate our shoreline while fostering the continued resurgence of acoustical collaborations in Brooklyn. We are inclusive of all – young & old\, new & seasoned musicians. Just bring a smile and your musical instrument and/or your voice to join our one night makeshift band. \nChristian Apuzzo leads most sessions. He is a Brooklyn-based vocalist\, guitarist\, and music educator. Long Island-raised\, this musician started his journey as a certified public school music teacher but has since found the wide-open pastures of the freelance music world in NYC. Playing mostly folk\, bluegrass\, and country music\, Christian plays with numerous groups all over our five boroughs including bluegrass group Cole Quest and the City Pickers and local supergroup the Grass Messengers. He also teaches music lessons and classes for all ages at Jalopy Theatre in Red Hook\, Brooklyn. \nFree but a $5 suggested donation is encouraged\, limited beverages are provided. \nThe Boathouse is located at 165 2nd Street\, Brooklyn NY between Bond Street and the Gowanus Canal. Sessions are rain or shine\, we gather outside the Boathouse unless it’s cold or raining then we move inside. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSince 1999\, the Dredgers have empowered people to care for the Gowanus Canal through advocacy\, conservation\, and education. Our organization promotes waterfront stewardship and is raising awareness of sewer overflow issues that affect our Gowanus Canal in Brooklyn\, NY.
URL:https://gowanusdredgers.org/event/boathouse-bluegrass-jam/2026-10-07/
LOCATION:Gowanus Dredgers Canoe Club Boathouse\, 165 2nd St\, Brooklyn\, NY\, 11231\, United States
CATEGORIES:Music
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/heic:https://gowanusdredgers.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/IMG_1751-scaled.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261013T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261013T203000
DTSTAMP:20260428T021519
CREATED:20260306T202919Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260326T160755Z
UID:10001039-1791914400-1791923400@gowanusdredgers.org
SUMMARY:Gowanus Jug & String Band Sessions
DESCRIPTION:Tuesday evenings\, 6-8:30 April through October. \nAt the Gowanus Dredgers Boathouse 165 2nd Street between Bond and the Gowanus Canal. We are excited to expand our musical offerings with this new weekly jam.\nDredger Host: Liz Rabson Schnore\nJam Leader: Papa Ernie Vega \nWhat Jug band and String band music?\nLet’s start with String band music. Black String band music\, which will be our focus\, was created by Southern Blacks and pre-dates the Blues & Jazz. Groups which consisted of mostly stringed instruments (guitar\, banjo\, bass\, violin\, mandolin\, ukulele\, etc) performed a wide variety of songs and styles for all manner of social functions and for personal enjoyment; two-steps\, waltzes and breakdowns for dances\, ballads and love songs\, humorous & novelty songs\, as well as blues\, jazz\, and pop tunes as they came into fashion. This genre\, sadly\, was under-represented by the burgeoning recording industry in the 1920’s and 30’s\, which helped contribute to its already declining popularity in the wake of the success of the Blues and Jazz: though groups like the Mississippi Sheiks and the Dallas String Band did make great and popular recordings. The genre never completely died out\, however\, and is alive and well today thanks to the perseverance of its practitioners and the dedication of its fans\, which has led to a rediscovery and a new appreciation by audiences young and old. \nJug band music developed in the early 20th century within Southern Black communities and was essentially a string band with a jug used as a “poor man’s tuba”\, in the role of a bass instrument. Other household items as instruments were popular as well; washboard and/or spoons for percussion\, washtub bass\, and kazoo. These combined with the guitars\, banjos\, mandolins/violins of the traditional string band\, along with the harmonica\, made for a unique sound that won the hearts of the public in the early days of the recording industry. The Memphis Jug Band and Cannon’s Jug Stompers recorded well over a hundred examples of blues\, ballads\, pop and dance numbers – and they’re just the tip of the iceberg. The genre found new life in the Folk Music Revival of the 1960’s and remains popular to this day.\nThese sessions will be open to Intermediate and above players\, and we encourage you to sing along and bring a song to lead. To lead a song\, you will be expected to sing it loudly enough for those around you to hear\, to know the key you will sing in\, and to explain the chord changes and form of the song if need be. We may also discuss some ideas for performing in an ensemble to help everyone find their place in the music. \nPapa Ernie Vega is a NYC singer\, instrumentalist\, bandleader\, teacher\, songwriter and performing/recording artist. He has over 20 years of professional experience and has performed at the Newport Folk Festival\, the Jug Band Jubilee and the Osaka Jug Band Festival. He also taught and performed at the Port Townsend Acoustic Blues Festival from 2016-2021. He is a lover of fine cheap food\, old movies\, humor\, and photography.
URL:https://gowanusdredgers.org/event/gowanus-jug-string-band-sessions-3/2026-10-13/
LOCATION:Gowanus Dredgers Canoe Club Boathouse\, 165 2nd St\, Brooklyn\, NY\, 11231\, United States
CATEGORIES:Music
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/heic:https://gowanusdredgers.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/IMG_2581-scaled.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261014T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261014T203000
DTSTAMP:20260428T021519
CREATED:20260306T195758Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260326T160606Z
UID:10000875-1792000800-1792009800@gowanusdredgers.org
SUMMARY:Boathouse Bluegrass Jam
DESCRIPTION:The Boathouse Jam every Wednesday evening 6-8:30 April-Oct. Just come\, bring an acoustic instrument. \nThe Boathouse Jam is hosted by the Gowanus Dredgers Canoe Club to activate our shoreline while fostering the continued resurgence of acoustical collaborations in Brooklyn. We are inclusive of all – young & old\, new & seasoned musicians. Just bring a smile and your musical instrument and/or your voice to join our one night makeshift band. \nChristian Apuzzo leads most sessions. He is a Brooklyn-based vocalist\, guitarist\, and music educator. Long Island-raised\, this musician started his journey as a certified public school music teacher but has since found the wide-open pastures of the freelance music world in NYC. Playing mostly folk\, bluegrass\, and country music\, Christian plays with numerous groups all over our five boroughs including bluegrass group Cole Quest and the City Pickers and local supergroup the Grass Messengers. He also teaches music lessons and classes for all ages at Jalopy Theatre in Red Hook\, Brooklyn. \nFree but a $5 suggested donation is encouraged\, limited beverages are provided. \nThe Boathouse is located at 165 2nd Street\, Brooklyn NY between Bond Street and the Gowanus Canal. Sessions are rain or shine\, we gather outside the Boathouse unless it’s cold or raining then we move inside. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSince 1999\, the Dredgers have empowered people to care for the Gowanus Canal through advocacy\, conservation\, and education. Our organization promotes waterfront stewardship and is raising awareness of sewer overflow issues that affect our Gowanus Canal in Brooklyn\, NY.
URL:https://gowanusdredgers.org/event/boathouse-bluegrass-jam/2026-10-14/
LOCATION:Gowanus Dredgers Canoe Club Boathouse\, 165 2nd St\, Brooklyn\, NY\, 11231\, United States
CATEGORIES:Music
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/heic:https://gowanusdredgers.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/IMG_1751-scaled.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261019T183000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261019T203000
DTSTAMP:20260428T021519
CREATED:20260427T165629Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260427T165629Z
UID:10001180-1792434600-1792441800@gowanusdredgers.org
SUMMARY:Monthly Meeting + Paddle
DESCRIPTION:Socialize with the Dredgers at our BUNKER (2 19th St\, off of 3rd Ave) for a casual member catch-up and paddle! We’ll gather at 6:30 for some chatting and aim to be on-water around 7:15. \nMeet at the Gowanus Dredgers Canoe Club 19th St. Launch\, 2 19 St\, Brooklyn\, (off of 3rd Ave.). If you plan to join the paddle\, wear sunscreen and bring a bottle filled with water. Close-toed shoes are recommended\, and wear clothing you don’t mind potentially being splashed. Use a restroom before arrival\, as we have limited facilities on-site. All paddlers must sign a waiver. \nWeather (wind\, waves or evidence of storm) may cancel the paddling portion with one hour advance notice. In case of inclement weather\, meeting will be relocated follow us on Instagram or sign up for our mailing list to stay informed.
URL:https://gowanusdredgers.org/event/monthly-meeting-paddle-2/2026-10-19/
LOCATION:NY
CATEGORIES:Arts,Community,On the Water
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://gowanusdredgers.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Dredgers_NVergalla-01245-scaled.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261020T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261020T203000
DTSTAMP:20260428T021519
CREATED:20260306T202919Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260326T160755Z
UID:10001040-1792519200-1792528200@gowanusdredgers.org
SUMMARY:Gowanus Jug & String Band Sessions
DESCRIPTION:Tuesday evenings\, 6-8:30 April through October. \nAt the Gowanus Dredgers Boathouse 165 2nd Street between Bond and the Gowanus Canal. We are excited to expand our musical offerings with this new weekly jam.\nDredger Host: Liz Rabson Schnore\nJam Leader: Papa Ernie Vega \nWhat Jug band and String band music?\nLet’s start with String band music. Black String band music\, which will be our focus\, was created by Southern Blacks and pre-dates the Blues & Jazz. Groups which consisted of mostly stringed instruments (guitar\, banjo\, bass\, violin\, mandolin\, ukulele\, etc) performed a wide variety of songs and styles for all manner of social functions and for personal enjoyment; two-steps\, waltzes and breakdowns for dances\, ballads and love songs\, humorous & novelty songs\, as well as blues\, jazz\, and pop tunes as they came into fashion. This genre\, sadly\, was under-represented by the burgeoning recording industry in the 1920’s and 30’s\, which helped contribute to its already declining popularity in the wake of the success of the Blues and Jazz: though groups like the Mississippi Sheiks and the Dallas String Band did make great and popular recordings. The genre never completely died out\, however\, and is alive and well today thanks to the perseverance of its practitioners and the dedication of its fans\, which has led to a rediscovery and a new appreciation by audiences young and old. \nJug band music developed in the early 20th century within Southern Black communities and was essentially a string band with a jug used as a “poor man’s tuba”\, in the role of a bass instrument. Other household items as instruments were popular as well; washboard and/or spoons for percussion\, washtub bass\, and kazoo. These combined with the guitars\, banjos\, mandolins/violins of the traditional string band\, along with the harmonica\, made for a unique sound that won the hearts of the public in the early days of the recording industry. The Memphis Jug Band and Cannon’s Jug Stompers recorded well over a hundred examples of blues\, ballads\, pop and dance numbers – and they’re just the tip of the iceberg. The genre found new life in the Folk Music Revival of the 1960’s and remains popular to this day.\nThese sessions will be open to Intermediate and above players\, and we encourage you to sing along and bring a song to lead. To lead a song\, you will be expected to sing it loudly enough for those around you to hear\, to know the key you will sing in\, and to explain the chord changes and form of the song if need be. We may also discuss some ideas for performing in an ensemble to help everyone find their place in the music. \nPapa Ernie Vega is a NYC singer\, instrumentalist\, bandleader\, teacher\, songwriter and performing/recording artist. He has over 20 years of professional experience and has performed at the Newport Folk Festival\, the Jug Band Jubilee and the Osaka Jug Band Festival. He also taught and performed at the Port Townsend Acoustic Blues Festival from 2016-2021. He is a lover of fine cheap food\, old movies\, humor\, and photography.
URL:https://gowanusdredgers.org/event/gowanus-jug-string-band-sessions-3/2026-10-20/
LOCATION:Gowanus Dredgers Canoe Club Boathouse\, 165 2nd St\, Brooklyn\, NY\, 11231\, United States
CATEGORIES:Music
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/heic:https://gowanusdredgers.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/IMG_2581-scaled.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261021T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261021T203000
DTSTAMP:20260428T021519
CREATED:20260306T195758Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260326T160606Z
UID:10000876-1792605600-1792614600@gowanusdredgers.org
SUMMARY:Boathouse Bluegrass Jam
DESCRIPTION:The Boathouse Jam every Wednesday evening 6-8:30 April-Oct. Just come\, bring an acoustic instrument. \nThe Boathouse Jam is hosted by the Gowanus Dredgers Canoe Club to activate our shoreline while fostering the continued resurgence of acoustical collaborations in Brooklyn. We are inclusive of all – young & old\, new & seasoned musicians. Just bring a smile and your musical instrument and/or your voice to join our one night makeshift band. \nChristian Apuzzo leads most sessions. He is a Brooklyn-based vocalist\, guitarist\, and music educator. Long Island-raised\, this musician started his journey as a certified public school music teacher but has since found the wide-open pastures of the freelance music world in NYC. Playing mostly folk\, bluegrass\, and country music\, Christian plays with numerous groups all over our five boroughs including bluegrass group Cole Quest and the City Pickers and local supergroup the Grass Messengers. He also teaches music lessons and classes for all ages at Jalopy Theatre in Red Hook\, Brooklyn. \nFree but a $5 suggested donation is encouraged\, limited beverages are provided. \nThe Boathouse is located at 165 2nd Street\, Brooklyn NY between Bond Street and the Gowanus Canal. Sessions are rain or shine\, we gather outside the Boathouse unless it’s cold or raining then we move inside. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSince 1999\, the Dredgers have empowered people to care for the Gowanus Canal through advocacy\, conservation\, and education. Our organization promotes waterfront stewardship and is raising awareness of sewer overflow issues that affect our Gowanus Canal in Brooklyn\, NY.
URL:https://gowanusdredgers.org/event/boathouse-bluegrass-jam/2026-10-21/
LOCATION:Gowanus Dredgers Canoe Club Boathouse\, 165 2nd St\, Brooklyn\, NY\, 11231\, United States
CATEGORIES:Music
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/heic:https://gowanusdredgers.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/IMG_1751-scaled.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261025T173000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261025T193000
DTSTAMP:20260428T021519
CREATED:20260420T181357Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260420T185120Z
UID:10001128-1792949400-1792956600@gowanusdredgers.org
SUMMARY:Full Moon Gowanus Voyage - OCTOBER
DESCRIPTION:Join our Crew on a full-moon guided adventure!! Meet at the the Gowanus Dredgers Bunker\, at the end of 19th St / off 3rd Ave\, 11232 – NOT our 2nd St. boathouse. \n🎟️ Tickets required\, get yours here. 🎟️ (Tickets go on sale Thursday\, October 1 at 12:00 PM) \nMoonrise 17:58 |Sunset 18:01 | Civil End 18:29 | Nautical End 19:00 \nThe stars should be on display along with harbor lights. We will provide lights for each canoe\, you’re welcome to bring/wear your own head lamp as well. Each canoe will have up to 3 people. Solo paddlers are welcome\, you will be paired with other members of the group based on experience and comfort in a canoe. Close-toed shoes are recommended\, and wear clothing you don’t mind potentially being splashed. Use a restroom before arrival\, as we have limited facilities on-site. \nDue to EPA cleaning of the Gowanus Canal\, voyage will head towards the 9th St bridge and return to Gowanus Bay and our new South Gowanus Bunker. \nIf raining or threatening weather (high winds\, lightning) by 3:30 pm we may cancel. Attendees will be notified via the email used to purchase tickets. Tour is not cancelled due to clouds but let’s hope for a clear sky for the moon rise! \nTickets are nonrefundable for any event that proceeds as planned. We will offer the option to transfer your ticket to another event if we have to cancel for weather. Transfer must be requested before the tour starts. If you choose not to transfer\, the cost of your ticket becomes a tax-deductible donation to the Gowanus Dredgers.
URL:https://gowanusdredgers.org/event/full-moon-gowanus-voyage-may/
LOCATION:Gowanus Dredgers Bunker (19th St.)\, 2 19th St.\, Brooklyn\, NY
CATEGORIES:Guided Tours,On the Water
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://gowanusdredgers.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/FullMoon-Paddle.jpg
GEO:40.66731229192;-74.000079337986
X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=Gowanus Dredgers Bunker (19th St.) 2 19th St. Brooklyn NY;X-APPLE-RADIUS=500;X-TITLE=2 19th St.:geo:-74.000079337986,40.66731229192
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261027T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261027T203000
DTSTAMP:20260428T021519
CREATED:20260306T202919Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260326T160755Z
UID:10001041-1793124000-1793133000@gowanusdredgers.org
SUMMARY:Gowanus Jug & String Band Sessions
DESCRIPTION:Tuesday evenings\, 6-8:30 April through October. \nAt the Gowanus Dredgers Boathouse 165 2nd Street between Bond and the Gowanus Canal. We are excited to expand our musical offerings with this new weekly jam.\nDredger Host: Liz Rabson Schnore\nJam Leader: Papa Ernie Vega \nWhat Jug band and String band music?\nLet’s start with String band music. Black String band music\, which will be our focus\, was created by Southern Blacks and pre-dates the Blues & Jazz. Groups which consisted of mostly stringed instruments (guitar\, banjo\, bass\, violin\, mandolin\, ukulele\, etc) performed a wide variety of songs and styles for all manner of social functions and for personal enjoyment; two-steps\, waltzes and breakdowns for dances\, ballads and love songs\, humorous & novelty songs\, as well as blues\, jazz\, and pop tunes as they came into fashion. This genre\, sadly\, was under-represented by the burgeoning recording industry in the 1920’s and 30’s\, which helped contribute to its already declining popularity in the wake of the success of the Blues and Jazz: though groups like the Mississippi Sheiks and the Dallas String Band did make great and popular recordings. The genre never completely died out\, however\, and is alive and well today thanks to the perseverance of its practitioners and the dedication of its fans\, which has led to a rediscovery and a new appreciation by audiences young and old. \nJug band music developed in the early 20th century within Southern Black communities and was essentially a string band with a jug used as a “poor man’s tuba”\, in the role of a bass instrument. Other household items as instruments were popular as well; washboard and/or spoons for percussion\, washtub bass\, and kazoo. These combined with the guitars\, banjos\, mandolins/violins of the traditional string band\, along with the harmonica\, made for a unique sound that won the hearts of the public in the early days of the recording industry. The Memphis Jug Band and Cannon’s Jug Stompers recorded well over a hundred examples of blues\, ballads\, pop and dance numbers – and they’re just the tip of the iceberg. The genre found new life in the Folk Music Revival of the 1960’s and remains popular to this day.\nThese sessions will be open to Intermediate and above players\, and we encourage you to sing along and bring a song to lead. To lead a song\, you will be expected to sing it loudly enough for those around you to hear\, to know the key you will sing in\, and to explain the chord changes and form of the song if need be. We may also discuss some ideas for performing in an ensemble to help everyone find their place in the music. \nPapa Ernie Vega is a NYC singer\, instrumentalist\, bandleader\, teacher\, songwriter and performing/recording artist. He has over 20 years of professional experience and has performed at the Newport Folk Festival\, the Jug Band Jubilee and the Osaka Jug Band Festival. He also taught and performed at the Port Townsend Acoustic Blues Festival from 2016-2021. He is a lover of fine cheap food\, old movies\, humor\, and photography.
URL:https://gowanusdredgers.org/event/gowanus-jug-string-band-sessions-3/2026-10-27/
LOCATION:Gowanus Dredgers Canoe Club Boathouse\, 165 2nd St\, Brooklyn\, NY\, 11231\, United States
CATEGORIES:Music
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/heic:https://gowanusdredgers.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/IMG_2581-scaled.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261028T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261028T203000
DTSTAMP:20260428T021519
CREATED:20260306T195758Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260326T160606Z
UID:10000877-1793210400-1793219400@gowanusdredgers.org
SUMMARY:Boathouse Bluegrass Jam
DESCRIPTION:The Boathouse Jam every Wednesday evening 6-8:30 April-Oct. Just come\, bring an acoustic instrument. \nThe Boathouse Jam is hosted by the Gowanus Dredgers Canoe Club to activate our shoreline while fostering the continued resurgence of acoustical collaborations in Brooklyn. We are inclusive of all – young & old\, new & seasoned musicians. Just bring a smile and your musical instrument and/or your voice to join our one night makeshift band. \nChristian Apuzzo leads most sessions. He is a Brooklyn-based vocalist\, guitarist\, and music educator. Long Island-raised\, this musician started his journey as a certified public school music teacher but has since found the wide-open pastures of the freelance music world in NYC. Playing mostly folk\, bluegrass\, and country music\, Christian plays with numerous groups all over our five boroughs including bluegrass group Cole Quest and the City Pickers and local supergroup the Grass Messengers. He also teaches music lessons and classes for all ages at Jalopy Theatre in Red Hook\, Brooklyn. \nFree but a $5 suggested donation is encouraged\, limited beverages are provided. \nThe Boathouse is located at 165 2nd Street\, Brooklyn NY between Bond Street and the Gowanus Canal. Sessions are rain or shine\, we gather outside the Boathouse unless it’s cold or raining then we move inside. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSince 1999\, the Dredgers have empowered people to care for the Gowanus Canal through advocacy\, conservation\, and education. Our organization promotes waterfront stewardship and is raising awareness of sewer overflow issues that affect our Gowanus Canal in Brooklyn\, NY.
URL:https://gowanusdredgers.org/event/boathouse-bluegrass-jam/2026-10-28/
LOCATION:Gowanus Dredgers Canoe Club Boathouse\, 165 2nd St\, Brooklyn\, NY\, 11231\, United States
CATEGORIES:Music
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/heic:https://gowanusdredgers.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/IMG_1751-scaled.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261103T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261103T203000
DTSTAMP:20260428T021519
CREATED:20260306T202919Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260326T160755Z
UID:10001042-1793728800-1793737800@gowanusdredgers.org
SUMMARY:Gowanus Jug & String Band Sessions
DESCRIPTION:Tuesday evenings\, 6-8:30 April through October. \nAt the Gowanus Dredgers Boathouse 165 2nd Street between Bond and the Gowanus Canal. We are excited to expand our musical offerings with this new weekly jam.\nDredger Host: Liz Rabson Schnore\nJam Leader: Papa Ernie Vega \nWhat Jug band and String band music?\nLet’s start with String band music. Black String band music\, which will be our focus\, was created by Southern Blacks and pre-dates the Blues & Jazz. Groups which consisted of mostly stringed instruments (guitar\, banjo\, bass\, violin\, mandolin\, ukulele\, etc) performed a wide variety of songs and styles for all manner of social functions and for personal enjoyment; two-steps\, waltzes and breakdowns for dances\, ballads and love songs\, humorous & novelty songs\, as well as blues\, jazz\, and pop tunes as they came into fashion. This genre\, sadly\, was under-represented by the burgeoning recording industry in the 1920’s and 30’s\, which helped contribute to its already declining popularity in the wake of the success of the Blues and Jazz: though groups like the Mississippi Sheiks and the Dallas String Band did make great and popular recordings. The genre never completely died out\, however\, and is alive and well today thanks to the perseverance of its practitioners and the dedication of its fans\, which has led to a rediscovery and a new appreciation by audiences young and old. \nJug band music developed in the early 20th century within Southern Black communities and was essentially a string band with a jug used as a “poor man’s tuba”\, in the role of a bass instrument. Other household items as instruments were popular as well; washboard and/or spoons for percussion\, washtub bass\, and kazoo. These combined with the guitars\, banjos\, mandolins/violins of the traditional string band\, along with the harmonica\, made for a unique sound that won the hearts of the public in the early days of the recording industry. The Memphis Jug Band and Cannon’s Jug Stompers recorded well over a hundred examples of blues\, ballads\, pop and dance numbers – and they’re just the tip of the iceberg. The genre found new life in the Folk Music Revival of the 1960’s and remains popular to this day.\nThese sessions will be open to Intermediate and above players\, and we encourage you to sing along and bring a song to lead. To lead a song\, you will be expected to sing it loudly enough for those around you to hear\, to know the key you will sing in\, and to explain the chord changes and form of the song if need be. We may also discuss some ideas for performing in an ensemble to help everyone find their place in the music. \nPapa Ernie Vega is a NYC singer\, instrumentalist\, bandleader\, teacher\, songwriter and performing/recording artist. He has over 20 years of professional experience and has performed at the Newport Folk Festival\, the Jug Band Jubilee and the Osaka Jug Band Festival. He also taught and performed at the Port Townsend Acoustic Blues Festival from 2016-2021. He is a lover of fine cheap food\, old movies\, humor\, and photography.
URL:https://gowanusdredgers.org/event/gowanus-jug-string-band-sessions-3/2026-11-03/
LOCATION:Gowanus Dredgers Canoe Club Boathouse\, 165 2nd St\, Brooklyn\, NY\, 11231\, United States
CATEGORIES:Music
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/heic:https://gowanusdredgers.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/IMG_2581-scaled.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261104T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261104T203000
DTSTAMP:20260428T021519
CREATED:20260306T195758Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260326T160606Z
UID:10000878-1793815200-1793824200@gowanusdredgers.org
SUMMARY:Boathouse Bluegrass Jam
DESCRIPTION:The Boathouse Jam every Wednesday evening 6-8:30 April-Oct. Just come\, bring an acoustic instrument. \nThe Boathouse Jam is hosted by the Gowanus Dredgers Canoe Club to activate our shoreline while fostering the continued resurgence of acoustical collaborations in Brooklyn. We are inclusive of all – young & old\, new & seasoned musicians. Just bring a smile and your musical instrument and/or your voice to join our one night makeshift band. \nChristian Apuzzo leads most sessions. He is a Brooklyn-based vocalist\, guitarist\, and music educator. Long Island-raised\, this musician started his journey as a certified public school music teacher but has since found the wide-open pastures of the freelance music world in NYC. Playing mostly folk\, bluegrass\, and country music\, Christian plays with numerous groups all over our five boroughs including bluegrass group Cole Quest and the City Pickers and local supergroup the Grass Messengers. He also teaches music lessons and classes for all ages at Jalopy Theatre in Red Hook\, Brooklyn. \nFree but a $5 suggested donation is encouraged\, limited beverages are provided. \nThe Boathouse is located at 165 2nd Street\, Brooklyn NY between Bond Street and the Gowanus Canal. Sessions are rain or shine\, we gather outside the Boathouse unless it’s cold or raining then we move inside. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSince 1999\, the Dredgers have empowered people to care for the Gowanus Canal through advocacy\, conservation\, and education. Our organization promotes waterfront stewardship and is raising awareness of sewer overflow issues that affect our Gowanus Canal in Brooklyn\, NY.
URL:https://gowanusdredgers.org/event/boathouse-bluegrass-jam/2026-11-04/
LOCATION:Gowanus Dredgers Canoe Club Boathouse\, 165 2nd St\, Brooklyn\, NY\, 11231\, United States
CATEGORIES:Music
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/heic:https://gowanusdredgers.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/IMG_1751-scaled.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261110T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261110T203000
DTSTAMP:20260428T021519
CREATED:20260306T202919Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260326T160755Z
UID:10001043-1794333600-1794342600@gowanusdredgers.org
SUMMARY:Gowanus Jug & String Band Sessions
DESCRIPTION:Tuesday evenings\, 6-8:30 April through October. \nAt the Gowanus Dredgers Boathouse 165 2nd Street between Bond and the Gowanus Canal. We are excited to expand our musical offerings with this new weekly jam.\nDredger Host: Liz Rabson Schnore\nJam Leader: Papa Ernie Vega \nWhat Jug band and String band music?\nLet’s start with String band music. Black String band music\, which will be our focus\, was created by Southern Blacks and pre-dates the Blues & Jazz. Groups which consisted of mostly stringed instruments (guitar\, banjo\, bass\, violin\, mandolin\, ukulele\, etc) performed a wide variety of songs and styles for all manner of social functions and for personal enjoyment; two-steps\, waltzes and breakdowns for dances\, ballads and love songs\, humorous & novelty songs\, as well as blues\, jazz\, and pop tunes as they came into fashion. This genre\, sadly\, was under-represented by the burgeoning recording industry in the 1920’s and 30’s\, which helped contribute to its already declining popularity in the wake of the success of the Blues and Jazz: though groups like the Mississippi Sheiks and the Dallas String Band did make great and popular recordings. The genre never completely died out\, however\, and is alive and well today thanks to the perseverance of its practitioners and the dedication of its fans\, which has led to a rediscovery and a new appreciation by audiences young and old. \nJug band music developed in the early 20th century within Southern Black communities and was essentially a string band with a jug used as a “poor man’s tuba”\, in the role of a bass instrument. Other household items as instruments were popular as well; washboard and/or spoons for percussion\, washtub bass\, and kazoo. These combined with the guitars\, banjos\, mandolins/violins of the traditional string band\, along with the harmonica\, made for a unique sound that won the hearts of the public in the early days of the recording industry. The Memphis Jug Band and Cannon’s Jug Stompers recorded well over a hundred examples of blues\, ballads\, pop and dance numbers – and they’re just the tip of the iceberg. The genre found new life in the Folk Music Revival of the 1960’s and remains popular to this day.\nThese sessions will be open to Intermediate and above players\, and we encourage you to sing along and bring a song to lead. To lead a song\, you will be expected to sing it loudly enough for those around you to hear\, to know the key you will sing in\, and to explain the chord changes and form of the song if need be. We may also discuss some ideas for performing in an ensemble to help everyone find their place in the music. \nPapa Ernie Vega is a NYC singer\, instrumentalist\, bandleader\, teacher\, songwriter and performing/recording artist. He has over 20 years of professional experience and has performed at the Newport Folk Festival\, the Jug Band Jubilee and the Osaka Jug Band Festival. He also taught and performed at the Port Townsend Acoustic Blues Festival from 2016-2021. He is a lover of fine cheap food\, old movies\, humor\, and photography.
URL:https://gowanusdredgers.org/event/gowanus-jug-string-band-sessions-3/2026-11-10/
LOCATION:Gowanus Dredgers Canoe Club Boathouse\, 165 2nd St\, Brooklyn\, NY\, 11231\, United States
CATEGORIES:Music
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/heic:https://gowanusdredgers.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/IMG_2581-scaled.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261111T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261111T203000
DTSTAMP:20260428T021519
CREATED:20260306T195758Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260326T160606Z
UID:10000879-1794420000-1794429000@gowanusdredgers.org
SUMMARY:Boathouse Bluegrass Jam
DESCRIPTION:The Boathouse Jam every Wednesday evening 6-8:30 April-Oct. Just come\, bring an acoustic instrument. \nThe Boathouse Jam is hosted by the Gowanus Dredgers Canoe Club to activate our shoreline while fostering the continued resurgence of acoustical collaborations in Brooklyn. We are inclusive of all – young & old\, new & seasoned musicians. Just bring a smile and your musical instrument and/or your voice to join our one night makeshift band. \nChristian Apuzzo leads most sessions. He is a Brooklyn-based vocalist\, guitarist\, and music educator. Long Island-raised\, this musician started his journey as a certified public school music teacher but has since found the wide-open pastures of the freelance music world in NYC. Playing mostly folk\, bluegrass\, and country music\, Christian plays with numerous groups all over our five boroughs including bluegrass group Cole Quest and the City Pickers and local supergroup the Grass Messengers. He also teaches music lessons and classes for all ages at Jalopy Theatre in Red Hook\, Brooklyn. \nFree but a $5 suggested donation is encouraged\, limited beverages are provided. \nThe Boathouse is located at 165 2nd Street\, Brooklyn NY between Bond Street and the Gowanus Canal. Sessions are rain or shine\, we gather outside the Boathouse unless it’s cold or raining then we move inside. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSince 1999\, the Dredgers have empowered people to care for the Gowanus Canal through advocacy\, conservation\, and education. Our organization promotes waterfront stewardship and is raising awareness of sewer overflow issues that affect our Gowanus Canal in Brooklyn\, NY.
URL:https://gowanusdredgers.org/event/boathouse-bluegrass-jam/2026-11-11/
LOCATION:Gowanus Dredgers Canoe Club Boathouse\, 165 2nd St\, Brooklyn\, NY\, 11231\, United States
CATEGORIES:Music
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/heic:https://gowanusdredgers.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/IMG_1751-scaled.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261117T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261117T203000
DTSTAMP:20260428T021519
CREATED:20260306T202919Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260326T160755Z
UID:10001044-1794938400-1794947400@gowanusdredgers.org
SUMMARY:Gowanus Jug & String Band Sessions
DESCRIPTION:Tuesday evenings\, 6-8:30 April through October. \nAt the Gowanus Dredgers Boathouse 165 2nd Street between Bond and the Gowanus Canal. We are excited to expand our musical offerings with this new weekly jam.\nDredger Host: Liz Rabson Schnore\nJam Leader: Papa Ernie Vega \nWhat Jug band and String band music?\nLet’s start with String band music. Black String band music\, which will be our focus\, was created by Southern Blacks and pre-dates the Blues & Jazz. Groups which consisted of mostly stringed instruments (guitar\, banjo\, bass\, violin\, mandolin\, ukulele\, etc) performed a wide variety of songs and styles for all manner of social functions and for personal enjoyment; two-steps\, waltzes and breakdowns for dances\, ballads and love songs\, humorous & novelty songs\, as well as blues\, jazz\, and pop tunes as they came into fashion. This genre\, sadly\, was under-represented by the burgeoning recording industry in the 1920’s and 30’s\, which helped contribute to its already declining popularity in the wake of the success of the Blues and Jazz: though groups like the Mississippi Sheiks and the Dallas String Band did make great and popular recordings. The genre never completely died out\, however\, and is alive and well today thanks to the perseverance of its practitioners and the dedication of its fans\, which has led to a rediscovery and a new appreciation by audiences young and old. \nJug band music developed in the early 20th century within Southern Black communities and was essentially a string band with a jug used as a “poor man’s tuba”\, in the role of a bass instrument. Other household items as instruments were popular as well; washboard and/or spoons for percussion\, washtub bass\, and kazoo. These combined with the guitars\, banjos\, mandolins/violins of the traditional string band\, along with the harmonica\, made for a unique sound that won the hearts of the public in the early days of the recording industry. The Memphis Jug Band and Cannon’s Jug Stompers recorded well over a hundred examples of blues\, ballads\, pop and dance numbers – and they’re just the tip of the iceberg. The genre found new life in the Folk Music Revival of the 1960’s and remains popular to this day.\nThese sessions will be open to Intermediate and above players\, and we encourage you to sing along and bring a song to lead. To lead a song\, you will be expected to sing it loudly enough for those around you to hear\, to know the key you will sing in\, and to explain the chord changes and form of the song if need be. We may also discuss some ideas for performing in an ensemble to help everyone find their place in the music. \nPapa Ernie Vega is a NYC singer\, instrumentalist\, bandleader\, teacher\, songwriter and performing/recording artist. He has over 20 years of professional experience and has performed at the Newport Folk Festival\, the Jug Band Jubilee and the Osaka Jug Band Festival. He also taught and performed at the Port Townsend Acoustic Blues Festival from 2016-2021. He is a lover of fine cheap food\, old movies\, humor\, and photography.
URL:https://gowanusdredgers.org/event/gowanus-jug-string-band-sessions-3/2026-11-17/
LOCATION:Gowanus Dredgers Canoe Club Boathouse\, 165 2nd St\, Brooklyn\, NY\, 11231\, United States
CATEGORIES:Music
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/heic:https://gowanusdredgers.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/IMG_2581-scaled.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261118T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261118T203000
DTSTAMP:20260428T021519
CREATED:20260306T195758Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260326T160606Z
UID:10000880-1795024800-1795033800@gowanusdredgers.org
SUMMARY:Boathouse Bluegrass Jam
DESCRIPTION:The Boathouse Jam every Wednesday evening 6-8:30 April-Oct. Just come\, bring an acoustic instrument. \nThe Boathouse Jam is hosted by the Gowanus Dredgers Canoe Club to activate our shoreline while fostering the continued resurgence of acoustical collaborations in Brooklyn. We are inclusive of all – young & old\, new & seasoned musicians. Just bring a smile and your musical instrument and/or your voice to join our one night makeshift band. \nChristian Apuzzo leads most sessions. He is a Brooklyn-based vocalist\, guitarist\, and music educator. Long Island-raised\, this musician started his journey as a certified public school music teacher but has since found the wide-open pastures of the freelance music world in NYC. Playing mostly folk\, bluegrass\, and country music\, Christian plays with numerous groups all over our five boroughs including bluegrass group Cole Quest and the City Pickers and local supergroup the Grass Messengers. He also teaches music lessons and classes for all ages at Jalopy Theatre in Red Hook\, Brooklyn. \nFree but a $5 suggested donation is encouraged\, limited beverages are provided. \nThe Boathouse is located at 165 2nd Street\, Brooklyn NY between Bond Street and the Gowanus Canal. Sessions are rain or shine\, we gather outside the Boathouse unless it’s cold or raining then we move inside. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSince 1999\, the Dredgers have empowered people to care for the Gowanus Canal through advocacy\, conservation\, and education. Our organization promotes waterfront stewardship and is raising awareness of sewer overflow issues that affect our Gowanus Canal in Brooklyn\, NY.
URL:https://gowanusdredgers.org/event/boathouse-bluegrass-jam/2026-11-18/
LOCATION:Gowanus Dredgers Canoe Club Boathouse\, 165 2nd St\, Brooklyn\, NY\, 11231\, United States
CATEGORIES:Music
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/heic:https://gowanusdredgers.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/IMG_1751-scaled.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261124T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261124T203000
DTSTAMP:20260428T021519
CREATED:20260306T202919Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260326T160755Z
UID:10001045-1795543200-1795552200@gowanusdredgers.org
SUMMARY:Gowanus Jug & String Band Sessions
DESCRIPTION:Tuesday evenings\, 6-8:30 April through October. \nAt the Gowanus Dredgers Boathouse 165 2nd Street between Bond and the Gowanus Canal. We are excited to expand our musical offerings with this new weekly jam.\nDredger Host: Liz Rabson Schnore\nJam Leader: Papa Ernie Vega \nWhat Jug band and String band music?\nLet’s start with String band music. Black String band music\, which will be our focus\, was created by Southern Blacks and pre-dates the Blues & Jazz. Groups which consisted of mostly stringed instruments (guitar\, banjo\, bass\, violin\, mandolin\, ukulele\, etc) performed a wide variety of songs and styles for all manner of social functions and for personal enjoyment; two-steps\, waltzes and breakdowns for dances\, ballads and love songs\, humorous & novelty songs\, as well as blues\, jazz\, and pop tunes as they came into fashion. This genre\, sadly\, was under-represented by the burgeoning recording industry in the 1920’s and 30’s\, which helped contribute to its already declining popularity in the wake of the success of the Blues and Jazz: though groups like the Mississippi Sheiks and the Dallas String Band did make great and popular recordings. The genre never completely died out\, however\, and is alive and well today thanks to the perseverance of its practitioners and the dedication of its fans\, which has led to a rediscovery and a new appreciation by audiences young and old. \nJug band music developed in the early 20th century within Southern Black communities and was essentially a string band with a jug used as a “poor man’s tuba”\, in the role of a bass instrument. Other household items as instruments were popular as well; washboard and/or spoons for percussion\, washtub bass\, and kazoo. These combined with the guitars\, banjos\, mandolins/violins of the traditional string band\, along with the harmonica\, made for a unique sound that won the hearts of the public in the early days of the recording industry. The Memphis Jug Band and Cannon’s Jug Stompers recorded well over a hundred examples of blues\, ballads\, pop and dance numbers – and they’re just the tip of the iceberg. The genre found new life in the Folk Music Revival of the 1960’s and remains popular to this day.\nThese sessions will be open to Intermediate and above players\, and we encourage you to sing along and bring a song to lead. To lead a song\, you will be expected to sing it loudly enough for those around you to hear\, to know the key you will sing in\, and to explain the chord changes and form of the song if need be. We may also discuss some ideas for performing in an ensemble to help everyone find their place in the music. \nPapa Ernie Vega is a NYC singer\, instrumentalist\, bandleader\, teacher\, songwriter and performing/recording artist. He has over 20 years of professional experience and has performed at the Newport Folk Festival\, the Jug Band Jubilee and the Osaka Jug Band Festival. He also taught and performed at the Port Townsend Acoustic Blues Festival from 2016-2021. He is a lover of fine cheap food\, old movies\, humor\, and photography.
URL:https://gowanusdredgers.org/event/gowanus-jug-string-band-sessions-3/2026-11-24/
LOCATION:Gowanus Dredgers Canoe Club Boathouse\, 165 2nd St\, Brooklyn\, NY\, 11231\, United States
CATEGORIES:Music
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/heic:https://gowanusdredgers.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/IMG_2581-scaled.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261125T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261125T203000
DTSTAMP:20260428T021519
CREATED:20260306T195758Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260326T160606Z
UID:10000881-1795629600-1795638600@gowanusdredgers.org
SUMMARY:Boathouse Bluegrass Jam
DESCRIPTION:The Boathouse Jam every Wednesday evening 6-8:30 April-Oct. Just come\, bring an acoustic instrument. \nThe Boathouse Jam is hosted by the Gowanus Dredgers Canoe Club to activate our shoreline while fostering the continued resurgence of acoustical collaborations in Brooklyn. We are inclusive of all – young & old\, new & seasoned musicians. Just bring a smile and your musical instrument and/or your voice to join our one night makeshift band. \nChristian Apuzzo leads most sessions. He is a Brooklyn-based vocalist\, guitarist\, and music educator. Long Island-raised\, this musician started his journey as a certified public school music teacher but has since found the wide-open pastures of the freelance music world in NYC. Playing mostly folk\, bluegrass\, and country music\, Christian plays with numerous groups all over our five boroughs including bluegrass group Cole Quest and the City Pickers and local supergroup the Grass Messengers. He also teaches music lessons and classes for all ages at Jalopy Theatre in Red Hook\, Brooklyn. \nFree but a $5 suggested donation is encouraged\, limited beverages are provided. \nThe Boathouse is located at 165 2nd Street\, Brooklyn NY between Bond Street and the Gowanus Canal. Sessions are rain or shine\, we gather outside the Boathouse unless it’s cold or raining then we move inside. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSince 1999\, the Dredgers have empowered people to care for the Gowanus Canal through advocacy\, conservation\, and education. Our organization promotes waterfront stewardship and is raising awareness of sewer overflow issues that affect our Gowanus Canal in Brooklyn\, NY.
URL:https://gowanusdredgers.org/event/boathouse-bluegrass-jam/2026-11-25/
LOCATION:Gowanus Dredgers Canoe Club Boathouse\, 165 2nd St\, Brooklyn\, NY\, 11231\, United States
CATEGORIES:Music
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/heic:https://gowanusdredgers.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/IMG_1751-scaled.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261201T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261201T203000
DTSTAMP:20260428T021519
CREATED:20260306T202919Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260326T160755Z
UID:10001046-1796148000-1796157000@gowanusdredgers.org
SUMMARY:Gowanus Jug & String Band Sessions
DESCRIPTION:Tuesday evenings\, 6-8:30 April through October. \nAt the Gowanus Dredgers Boathouse 165 2nd Street between Bond and the Gowanus Canal. We are excited to expand our musical offerings with this new weekly jam.\nDredger Host: Liz Rabson Schnore\nJam Leader: Papa Ernie Vega \nWhat Jug band and String band music?\nLet’s start with String band music. Black String band music\, which will be our focus\, was created by Southern Blacks and pre-dates the Blues & Jazz. Groups which consisted of mostly stringed instruments (guitar\, banjo\, bass\, violin\, mandolin\, ukulele\, etc) performed a wide variety of songs and styles for all manner of social functions and for personal enjoyment; two-steps\, waltzes and breakdowns for dances\, ballads and love songs\, humorous & novelty songs\, as well as blues\, jazz\, and pop tunes as they came into fashion. This genre\, sadly\, was under-represented by the burgeoning recording industry in the 1920’s and 30’s\, which helped contribute to its already declining popularity in the wake of the success of the Blues and Jazz: though groups like the Mississippi Sheiks and the Dallas String Band did make great and popular recordings. The genre never completely died out\, however\, and is alive and well today thanks to the perseverance of its practitioners and the dedication of its fans\, which has led to a rediscovery and a new appreciation by audiences young and old. \nJug band music developed in the early 20th century within Southern Black communities and was essentially a string band with a jug used as a “poor man’s tuba”\, in the role of a bass instrument. Other household items as instruments were popular as well; washboard and/or spoons for percussion\, washtub bass\, and kazoo. These combined with the guitars\, banjos\, mandolins/violins of the traditional string band\, along with the harmonica\, made for a unique sound that won the hearts of the public in the early days of the recording industry. The Memphis Jug Band and Cannon’s Jug Stompers recorded well over a hundred examples of blues\, ballads\, pop and dance numbers – and they’re just the tip of the iceberg. The genre found new life in the Folk Music Revival of the 1960’s and remains popular to this day.\nThese sessions will be open to Intermediate and above players\, and we encourage you to sing along and bring a song to lead. To lead a song\, you will be expected to sing it loudly enough for those around you to hear\, to know the key you will sing in\, and to explain the chord changes and form of the song if need be. We may also discuss some ideas for performing in an ensemble to help everyone find their place in the music. \nPapa Ernie Vega is a NYC singer\, instrumentalist\, bandleader\, teacher\, songwriter and performing/recording artist. He has over 20 years of professional experience and has performed at the Newport Folk Festival\, the Jug Band Jubilee and the Osaka Jug Band Festival. He also taught and performed at the Port Townsend Acoustic Blues Festival from 2016-2021. He is a lover of fine cheap food\, old movies\, humor\, and photography.
URL:https://gowanusdredgers.org/event/gowanus-jug-string-band-sessions-3/2026-12-01/
LOCATION:Gowanus Dredgers Canoe Club Boathouse\, 165 2nd St\, Brooklyn\, NY\, 11231\, United States
CATEGORIES:Music
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/heic:https://gowanusdredgers.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/IMG_2581-scaled.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261202T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261202T203000
DTSTAMP:20260428T021519
CREATED:20260306T195758Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260326T160606Z
UID:10000882-1796234400-1796243400@gowanusdredgers.org
SUMMARY:Boathouse Bluegrass Jam
DESCRIPTION:The Boathouse Jam every Wednesday evening 6-8:30 April-Oct. Just come\, bring an acoustic instrument. \nThe Boathouse Jam is hosted by the Gowanus Dredgers Canoe Club to activate our shoreline while fostering the continued resurgence of acoustical collaborations in Brooklyn. We are inclusive of all – young & old\, new & seasoned musicians. Just bring a smile and your musical instrument and/or your voice to join our one night makeshift band. \nChristian Apuzzo leads most sessions. He is a Brooklyn-based vocalist\, guitarist\, and music educator. Long Island-raised\, this musician started his journey as a certified public school music teacher but has since found the wide-open pastures of the freelance music world in NYC. Playing mostly folk\, bluegrass\, and country music\, Christian plays with numerous groups all over our five boroughs including bluegrass group Cole Quest and the City Pickers and local supergroup the Grass Messengers. He also teaches music lessons and classes for all ages at Jalopy Theatre in Red Hook\, Brooklyn. \nFree but a $5 suggested donation is encouraged\, limited beverages are provided. \nThe Boathouse is located at 165 2nd Street\, Brooklyn NY between Bond Street and the Gowanus Canal. Sessions are rain or shine\, we gather outside the Boathouse unless it’s cold or raining then we move inside. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSince 1999\, the Dredgers have empowered people to care for the Gowanus Canal through advocacy\, conservation\, and education. Our organization promotes waterfront stewardship and is raising awareness of sewer overflow issues that affect our Gowanus Canal in Brooklyn\, NY.
URL:https://gowanusdredgers.org/event/boathouse-bluegrass-jam/2026-12-02/
LOCATION:Gowanus Dredgers Canoe Club Boathouse\, 165 2nd St\, Brooklyn\, NY\, 11231\, United States
CATEGORIES:Music
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/heic:https://gowanusdredgers.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/IMG_1751-scaled.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261208T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261208T203000
DTSTAMP:20260428T021519
CREATED:20260306T202919Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260326T160755Z
UID:10001047-1796752800-1796761800@gowanusdredgers.org
SUMMARY:Gowanus Jug & String Band Sessions
DESCRIPTION:Tuesday evenings\, 6-8:30 April through October. \nAt the Gowanus Dredgers Boathouse 165 2nd Street between Bond and the Gowanus Canal. We are excited to expand our musical offerings with this new weekly jam.\nDredger Host: Liz Rabson Schnore\nJam Leader: Papa Ernie Vega \nWhat Jug band and String band music?\nLet’s start with String band music. Black String band music\, which will be our focus\, was created by Southern Blacks and pre-dates the Blues & Jazz. Groups which consisted of mostly stringed instruments (guitar\, banjo\, bass\, violin\, mandolin\, ukulele\, etc) performed a wide variety of songs and styles for all manner of social functions and for personal enjoyment; two-steps\, waltzes and breakdowns for dances\, ballads and love songs\, humorous & novelty songs\, as well as blues\, jazz\, and pop tunes as they came into fashion. This genre\, sadly\, was under-represented by the burgeoning recording industry in the 1920’s and 30’s\, which helped contribute to its already declining popularity in the wake of the success of the Blues and Jazz: though groups like the Mississippi Sheiks and the Dallas String Band did make great and popular recordings. The genre never completely died out\, however\, and is alive and well today thanks to the perseverance of its practitioners and the dedication of its fans\, which has led to a rediscovery and a new appreciation by audiences young and old. \nJug band music developed in the early 20th century within Southern Black communities and was essentially a string band with a jug used as a “poor man’s tuba”\, in the role of a bass instrument. Other household items as instruments were popular as well; washboard and/or spoons for percussion\, washtub bass\, and kazoo. These combined with the guitars\, banjos\, mandolins/violins of the traditional string band\, along with the harmonica\, made for a unique sound that won the hearts of the public in the early days of the recording industry. The Memphis Jug Band and Cannon’s Jug Stompers recorded well over a hundred examples of blues\, ballads\, pop and dance numbers – and they’re just the tip of the iceberg. The genre found new life in the Folk Music Revival of the 1960’s and remains popular to this day.\nThese sessions will be open to Intermediate and above players\, and we encourage you to sing along and bring a song to lead. To lead a song\, you will be expected to sing it loudly enough for those around you to hear\, to know the key you will sing in\, and to explain the chord changes and form of the song if need be. We may also discuss some ideas for performing in an ensemble to help everyone find their place in the music. \nPapa Ernie Vega is a NYC singer\, instrumentalist\, bandleader\, teacher\, songwriter and performing/recording artist. He has over 20 years of professional experience and has performed at the Newport Folk Festival\, the Jug Band Jubilee and the Osaka Jug Band Festival. He also taught and performed at the Port Townsend Acoustic Blues Festival from 2016-2021. He is a lover of fine cheap food\, old movies\, humor\, and photography.
URL:https://gowanusdredgers.org/event/gowanus-jug-string-band-sessions-3/2026-12-08/
LOCATION:Gowanus Dredgers Canoe Club Boathouse\, 165 2nd St\, Brooklyn\, NY\, 11231\, United States
CATEGORIES:Music
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/heic:https://gowanusdredgers.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/IMG_2581-scaled.jpg
END:VEVENT
END:VCALENDAR