(HUDSON, N.Y.) – Over 400 musicians representing over 130 acts performing at more than 30 venues throughout this small riverfront city are expected to participate in the second annual Hudson Music Festival from Friday,August 10, 2012, through Sunday, August 12, 2012. The festival features in performers ranging from rock, folk, jazz, blues to klezmer, noise, metal, reggae, dance, indie, Kirtan, and world music.

Performers include Chris Merenda, Frank Cuthbert, Unbroken Chain, the Tommy Keys Band, The Matchstick Architects, The Knee Benders, SwampDaWamp, Sheila Raye Charles, Professor Louie & The Cromatix, Pamelech Klezmer Orkester, Justin Allen Band, Jeb Barry of the Pawn Shop Saints, Jesse Statman, Esterhazy, Christopher Lynn McMullen, C.B. Smith & the Lucky Devils, Abby Lappen with Steve Collins, and Benjamin Herndon.

City officials estimated over 8,000 people attended the first year’s festival. With more venues and sponsors taking part, and the confluence of the festival and the city’s Black Arts & Cultural Festival happening over the same weekend, this year’s festival is expected to top that number.

Partnering with the festival will be American Glory’s Blues, Brews & BBQ Festival, which will have a large tented stage at the corner of Warren Street and Fifth Street. The Basilica Music Festival takes place both Friday and Saturday with cutting edge performances and dance music. Helsinki Hudson excels as a state of the art venue and restaurant and there will be a Festival Showcase at Helsinki on Saturday night with two stages featuring twelve bands.

The Hudson Black Arts & Cultural Festival features performances on all three days at the Henry Hudson Riverfront Park and a parade down Warren Street on Saturday starting at 2pm, beginning at Seventh Street Park and continuing to the Riverfront.

On Sunday, artist Marina Abramovi? will open the doors at the soon to be Marina Abramovi? Institute for the Preservation of Performance Art, located at Columbia Street and Seventh Street starting at 11 a.m. This 1929, 20,000 square foot building has been quiet for almost five years and will soon begin its transformation into a state-of-the-art performance center. Doors will remain open till 5 p.m.

There will be music in local restaurants, stores, and galleries. Tented stages will be placed along Warren Street from the Seventh Street Park and continuing down to Henry Hudson Riverfront Park. Performances on Friday start at 5 p.m., Saturday Noon to Midnight, and Sunday Noon to 6 p.m.

The Hudson Music Festival is a sponsored project of Artspire, a Program of the New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA), a 501(c)(3), tax exempt organization.