BUCOLIC VALLEY, A NEW PSYCH ROCK FESTIVAL, COMING TO THE WESTERN CATSKILLS IN AUGUST

EAST MEREDITH — The West Kortright Center (WKC) is excited to announce Bucolic Valley, an intimate one-day music festival focused on psychedelic rock and set to take place on Saturday, August 22, 2026. The event will feature a full day of music, colorful psychedelic visuals, and offerings from various hand-picked local vendors and is co organized by the West Kortright Center with Diana McShane and Chris McShane. 

The Mystery Lights, known for playing incredible live shows, will headline the festival, and they’re joined on the preliminary lineup by Windows, Kid Bess and the Magic Ring, Gracie Gray, uncleshake, Pleasure Dome, and Düül Suns. Additional bands will be announced as they are added to the lineup. 

Passes to the festival will go on sale at westkc.org / bucolicvalley.org on Monday, March 9, and discounted pricing will be available to West Kortright Center members. Performances will take place on both the scenic outdoor stage with stunning views from a valley in the western Catskills and the historic indoor stage known for both its great acoustics and its stained glass windows. 

Those who are interested in sponsoring the festival and the non-profit WKC should reach out to info@westkc.org for details, as the event is actively seeking sponsors. 

ABOUT THE WEST KORTRIGHT CENTER 

Set in a bucolic valley in East Meredith, New York, the West Kortright Center is a dynamic non-profit cultural institution dedicated to building community through extraordinary cultural and educational experiences. 

2026 West Kortright Center arts and community programs are funded in part by our members, by contributors to the 2026 Program Fund Drive, by the Bert Santora Trust, the Tianaderrah Foundation, and by grants from the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature, from the A. Lindsay & Olive B. O'Connor Foundation and the Robinson-Broadhurst Foundation. Special thanks to Catskill Country Living for sponsoring our 2026 season. 

ABOUT THE MYSTERY LIGHTS 

The Mystery Lights story begins in 2004 in the small town of Salinas, California when

friends Michael Brandon and Luis Alfonso — whose shared fondness for groups like The MC5, Velvet Underground, Dead Moon, and The Fall (to name a few) — joined forces to craft their own brand of unhinged rock and roll. From there they spent the better part of 10 years touring relentlessly before migrating to Queens, New York in 2014. 

With a live show known for its visceral energy and relentless assault — leaving little to no stoppage between songs — they barreled through countless NYC haunts and DIY venues, quickly amassing a fervent local following. The buzz soon caught the attention of Daptone Records execs who were in the beginning stages of launching a new rock-centric imprint, Wick Records. Impressed by the groups’ groove, endless supply of energy, and understanding of musical history, The Mystery Lights were quickly signed to Wick. Though a rock band at heart, the parallels to what Daptone Records had traditionally looked for in their soul artists was undeniable. 

The Mystery Lights’ new LP Purgatory released September 13th 2024. 

The Mystery Lights are: Mike Brandon (lead vocals / guitar), LA Solano (lead guitar), Alex Amini (bass), Lily Rogers (keys), and Zach Butler (drums). 

“Vintage hit-writing techniques, powerhouse performances.” -Pitchfork 

“The Mystery Lights are as good as it gets, one of New York’s finest garage rock bands.” -NME 

ABOUT WINDOWS 

Windows is a Los Angeles–based country-psych band founded in 2018 by Matteo Arias, former bassist of Golden Animals. Blending classic California country, surf rock, and West Coast psychedelia through a distinct Mexican-American lens, their music reflects a rich fusion of heritage and place. They debuted in 2019 with The Ballad of Whiskey Pete and continued releasing music through the pandemic. In 2024, they released their debut EP Raindrops on the Open Road, and in 2025 they dropped new singles “That’s When” and “Light in the Dark”. The band made their debut on Los Angeles radio at KCRW and are currently recording their next full-length with producer Tyler Fogerty.