This Week in Accordion: Cotati, Monsters

It’s another big week on the accordion calendar and it includes two events that I’ve had circled for months:

  • Cotati Accordion Festival (Sat-Sun in Cotati, CA)
    Tony Lovello, Brave Combo, and Brian Jack and the Zydeco Gamblers headline the 17th edition of this legendary festival. In addition to two days of nonstop accordion music, there’ll be dance floors, jam tents, and the releasing of the doves while the crowd plays “Lady of Spain.” There’s also a great raffle; last year, Anna won a new Hohner!
  • Monsters of Accordion (Various dates on West Coast)
    An army of accordion troubadors — Jason Webley, Corn Mo, Geoff Berner, and Duckmandu — storm down the West Coast for a series of shows, with special guests in each city.
  • Sturbridge Polka Festival (Fri-Sat in Sturbridge, MA)
    It wouldn’t be a summer weekend without a polka festival. This time, it’s an all-star lineup in Sturbridge that includes Jimmy Sturr, the Eddie Forman Orchestra, and Stas Golonka.

Just like last year, Anna and I will be in Cotati, checking out the bands and handing out Let’s Polka stickers. We’ll also be at the Monsters of Accordion show in San Francisco on Friday night. So if you see us in either place (I’ll be wearing a red Let’s Polka t-shirt), say ‘hi’ and help yourself to some stickers!

And, as usual, if there’s an accordion gathering in your area that isn’t on our calendar, be sure to let us know.

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