Nashville, Austin, New Orleans, and Hawley.

Perhaps Hawley is not quite on the same tier when it comes to a music scene, but I have seen some wonderful shows in the area. Not two miles from my home in Hawley, I have seen the first family of jazz, the Marsalis family, the most awarded artist in bluegrass history, Del McCoury, folk legend Arlo Guthrie, reggae artist George Wesley, who has played with The Wailers, Jimmy Cliff, Matisyahu, Jerry Garcia Band, and Santana, among others.

Many of these shows were seen in the Dorflinger-Suydam Wildlife Sanctuary (https://dorflinger.org/wildflower-music-festival/), whose nearly 600-acre grounds are dedicated to the preservation of woodlands and open spaces. Here in a natural amphitheater under majestic pines, there is no better place to listen to music while enjoying a picnic dinner and a glass of wine. The sound in this natural setting is so good that PBS has broadcasted shows from this venue.

When not enjoying a show, Dorflinger is the home to a museum with over nine hundred pieces of cut, engraved, etched, gilded, and enameled crystal, and largest display of Dorflinger glass. Or take one of its natural trails to hike, cross-country ski, or snowshoeing while observing wildlife and waterfowl.

Most impressive is Bethel Woods (https://www.bethelwoodscenter.org/) which is just thirty-one miles away from Main Street in Hawley. The Bethel Woods Center for the Arts is an amphitheater, performing arts center and museum where the Woodstock festival was held fifty-three years ago. Here, in the open air I have seen, among others, legends Santana, Willie Nelson, Rod Stewart, The Who, and Brandi Carlisle as well as comedians Jim Gaffigan and Kevin Hart. In the colder season they have an even more intimate indoor theater for music shows, orchestral concerts, and more where I have seen personal favorites Cowboy Junkies, reggae legends The Wailers, and a future legend, Valerie June. This beautiful octagonal room holds 440 and gives you the feeling of being in the front row when you are in the last.

The wonderful Valerie June at Bethel Woods

Prior to any show you must plan time to go through the multimedia museum housed is a beautiful cedar post and timber building with a beautiful copper roof. The museum not only focuses on the historic Woodstock Festival but also the sixties. It is not to be missed.

Although not concert related the beautiful rolling grounds (eight hundred acres) with the most spectacular views holds wonderful year-round events including a Harvest Festival, where wonderful local bands can be heard while shopping for a variety of local artisans’ products, craft beer and wine festivals, art exhibitions, educational hikes, and theater.

Right in town is the venue, Harmony in the Woods (https://www.harmonyinthewoods.org/). Here you have a chance to see multiple genres of music and theater in a beautiful natural setting for less than the price of a dinner in a beautiful outdoor setting.

The neighboring town, Honesdale (an historic train town), hosts an annual Roots & Rhythm Festival where I have seen Americana artist Dave Alvin of The Blasters fame and enjoyed open mic night in the non-profit Cooperage Project. Here my son, who enjoys the metal scene in nearby Scranton, looks forward to the slide guitar workshop offered here late November by Scott Ainslie who is considered a master of American roots music.

For a different music scene take a drive to the Stroudsburg just 40 minutes away and enjoy a show at the Sherman Theater (https://shermantheater.com/). Through these historic doors, whose opening night act was Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy, you can often hear reggae (Matisyahu), metal (Puddle of Mudd), country (Morgan), punk (Dropkick Murphys) or classic rock acts (Three Dog Night).

Make sure you leave time to hike the beautiful “Niagara of Pennsylvania,” Bushkill Falls which is along the way, before the show.

Many other venues are close enough to see a great show and still be under your own sheets that night. There is The Pavilion at Montage in nearby Scranton (Tom Petty, Neil Young, Emmylou Harris, Don Henley, Ryan Adams and more), The Freedom Mortgage Pavilion (Steely Dan) in Camden, NY, the beautiful sounding cozy Tarrytown Music Hall (Jason Isbell and Amanda Shires) filled with history, and Penn’s Peak (The Mavericks and Ziggy Marely) in historic Jim Thorpe, PA.

No, Hawley is not a mecca of music like the aforementioned cities, but within a few miles drive I have seen dozens of wonderful artists of all genres and have been able to return home the same day to enjoy this warm and endearing town.