When the fine folks behind the wonderful eatery called Terrapin link up with one of the prime movers behind Mountain Jam, good things will happen. In this case, we have the daylong affair known as the Hudson Valley Green Festival. Josh Kroner, the head chef and founder of Terrapin, and Paul Schiavo, co–founder of Mountain Jam, have put together an impressive lineup of artists, educators and locally based organic food producers to converge on Mills-Norrie State Park in Staatsburg this Saturday, September 4. All sorts of Hudson Valley businesses who operate through a greener eco-minded approach will be on hand, as will a beer garden featuring local microbrews, a kids tent and an alternative energy pavilion.

Headlining the affair will be a slate of big-name acts including the great songsmith Amos Lee; the rootsy and melodic Donna the Buffalo; and, to finish off the night, Blues Traveler, the veteran blues-based jam band. Blues Traveler had always been a four-piece, but the death of bassist Bobby Sheehan in 1999 led the band to honor his wish to add a keyboard player – in this case, Ben Wilson. His keyboards have become a perfect complement to the traditional sound, which is an earthy mix of blues-rock, psychedelic rock, Southern rock, soul and folk, punctuated by singer John Popper’s wailing harmonica.

Actually 22 years old, the band is one of the acts that came out of the jam-band circuit of the ‘90s alongside the Dave Matthews Band, Phish and the Spin Doctors, echoing the legacy of the Grateful Dead and the Allman Brothers Band. Inspired by Lollapalooza, the band founded the HORDE festival, which ran from 1992 to 1998.

For tickets and info on this great one-day music, alternative energy, food and beverage festival, visit www.hudsonvalleygreenfestival.com or call 800-594-8499. Kids under the age of twelve get in for free.