What an amazing treat! This festival is the best. Do bring your own chairs (to sit in the back) or stadium chairs for the hay bale seating in front. At the very least you need a blanket to cover the hay bale. The music will blow you away. Accordion music from all over the world - Hungarian, Cajun, classical, French - all here, all wonderful. I enjoyed everything. Go early for decent parking. There are tons of vendors. No outside food allowed and only one water bottle per person. They will search your bag. Lots of food vendors - we bought containers of food from Brothers (hummus, garlic spread, olives, pitas, baklava,etc) and the kettle corn was delicious. Also bought lots of merchandise - festival had past years tee shirts and the bands had clothing and CDs. There's a great play area for the kids, and lots of bathrooms - a mix of conventional and porta potties. The people who put this on are epically nice volunteers and they do a magnificent job. I enjoyed every second and I'll be back next year! (We stay in Windsor and go to both days of the festival.) read more

Memorably wonderful. The musicians are of world class quality. Everyone having a fun engaging day. The value is head and shoulders above most events in the area. The other thing I appreciate so much is the food vendors charged reasonable or somewhat high cost for food Unlike most of the other events. (The County Faire is eg laughable in that respect.) This was my 1st time for the Accordion Festival, not the last! I'm still Rockin from it! read more

If your a fan of the sqeezebox, then this is your kind of festival. They feature everything accordion from music to sales to history. We definitely wished we had brought chairs but that didn't stop us from enjoying the music. Some acts were better than other but everyone brought something to the table.our favorite was Nuevo Aventurosas. They had great energy and really got the crowd moving. Food options looks tasty but tended to the pricier side but that's festival cuisine for you. Definitely coming back for this quirky, local party next year. read more

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This is the only festival we are coming again and again for the last 20 years. It is offering something for everyone. if you up to dancing, you have it all day long. If you are tired, you just can rest on the grass with pleasant music background. You have a playground for the kids, so family outings are common there. The cost is more than reasonable. Highly recommended! read more

I go every year! It is my favorite festival. The music is so fun anything from Lawrence Welk to foot tapping Zydeco. The people are fun to watch too. I see young and old enjoying the festival. There are many venders with unusual items and foods trucks with a wide range of foods. read more

Cotati Accordion Festival - Some dancers - Festivals Near Me - Cotati, California

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Fabulous festival. Good fun, great food & fabulous music & dancing! Experience it next year for yourself read more

Cotati Accordion Festival - Festivals Near Me - Cotati, California

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Fun time at 29th annual Cotati Accordion Festival in La Plaza Park. Two days jam-packed, with 3+ venues. Young hip crowd hangs out at the Apocalypse Stage. Main stage has legends and hot stars showing off their amazing talents. This year, Italy and France were showcased by super talented young phenoms. For nostalgia, Sourdough Slim, the yodeling cowboy cannot be equaled. read more

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We came to the first day of the festival with no expectations. We're new to the general area, happened to see a flyer at a park, love polka music and decided to swing by for a couple of hours Saturday morning when they first opened. We stayed for the entire two days. It was so much fun: the music, the food, the vendors, the sheer wholesomeness of it. The kids played and danced for hours and hours. The stage was so close to the playground that it was completely safe to let the oldest play while we listened to the bands because we could still have eyes on him. We even won a basket in a raffle after never winning anything. That's a good sign right there! As long as we are in the area, we will visit this festival every year. read more

Hummmm, I only went because hubby wanted to go. If you're into accordion music GO! I didn't expect to enjoy it, but I did. Several stages, accordion related tents (sales, repair, etc..), general fair vendors (clothing, jewelry, knickknacks...), and typical food & beverage (including alcohol) vendors (very expensive small plates). No outside food or drinks allowed. Limited hay bale seating so bring your own chairs or blanket. Lots of porta potties and hand washing stations. Would I go again? Probably not, but if I could bring my own picnic then maybe read more

Every review posted before this one (Oct 2014) is 5 star. Okay, it ain't a conspiracy. This ostensibly lame theme ( are you kiddin', accordion music?) is actually one of the most unique experiences you'll have In a lifetime. I've attended 6. The theme remains consistent. Home town proud, laid back, festival ambience without being oppressive. Spending the day under the oak trees with the small crowd is totally enjoyable. Ok, but you're a music snob, right? Yeah & so am I. I'll better you one on that. I'm a jazz guitarist who took my 1st lesson in July 1960. I grew up in NYC, was taught by several famous Italian old school jazz guitarists. I've played a LOT in public. I've been recorded many times as a sideman. So my credentials are cool. The music at this festival is NOT lame. I've heard & seen accordianists here who are world class musicians. Mind boggling technic with outstanding musicality. So? Come. Bring some of yer friends. Get here early to grab some close to the stage seats. Patronize the food & beer booths. When some of the main acts hit the stage, prepare to be amazed! read more

Love, Love, Love this festival!! Tejano, Polka, Zydeco...any music that could incoporate the accordian will be played at this event. I love the atmosphere and Cotati is just the cutest little place to host such a festival!! read more

This here squeezebox fest offers up the most fun you'll have with your pants on! Lively bands from 'round the world play everything from polka to conjunto on the main stage Usually held the last weekend in August at La Plaza Park in beautiful downtown Cotati, with a dance tent, vendors selling vintage and new button boxes, food & drink and a drop in jam tent. Brave Combo is the headliner on Sunday for '07, festival dates are August 25 & 26. Be there or be square! read more

Though there are a smattering of accordion events in different parts of the USA, The Cotati Accordion Festival is easily the most unique. Started by Cajun player Jim Boggio in 1990 the festival now is an amazing 2 day international event. The stress is on FUN and most of the acts (including the loopy "Lady of Spain-A-Ring" where doves are released during the iconic tune) are wild, colorful and diverse with Gypsy, Eastern European, Blues, Jazz, Circus, Rock and of course Polka music playing non-stop. And if you think you'd actually like to buy an accordion, there's plenty of new and used models in booths that you'd have to drive far and wide to see anywhere else. read more

Cotati Accordion Festival - The event is a bit eccentric - Festivals Near Me - Cotati, California

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Weekend before last, I spent $250 on the Outsidelands festival and managed to have an okay time despite the odds. It was crowded to the point of ridiculousness. Wine was nine dollars a glass. People stepped on my toes and didn't apologize. Last weekend, in contrast, I went to the Accordion Festival for the first time ever. (Kids, don't be like me. I'd imagined every accordion-player-wanna-be wandering the streets of Cotati, forming pick-up bands and taking on the scourge of small town blight with a one-two oompah beat. I left my accordion in the car when I learned that only the performers bring their instruments. And cars, even parked in shade, are dangerously melty to accordions.) IT BLEW MY MIND. For $17, I got all-day access to as many accordions as I'd ever wanted to see (which, for the record, is a shit-load). There was festival food (Spiro's Gyros! My favorite! Spiro always calls me "lovely" and makes me blush). There was plenty of lawn space for me and my friends to loll around on. Five dollar glasses of wine, and free tastes! There was music, on three stages, all the time. Polkacide killed it, as they do, bringing the crowds to their feet in a polka-fied frenzy. But the very, very, very best part of the whole thing? The part that made me feel better about being a member of the human race again? There's this tent, see, a big one, and under the tent was a band. Five older men played the accordion along with a piano player and a trumpet player. They played Lawrence Welk-type music under the tent, and what was magical was the dancing. EVERYONE danced. As a friend put it, it felt like we were crashing someone else's wedding. Fathers danced with daughters, friends with friends. I saw a very old man dancing with his ancient mother (seriously, when they spun off the dance floor, he sat her in her wheelchair at the side of the tent). A young, tall dark-haired dark-eyed boy waltzed with every female member of his extended family and looked as if he'd been born to do it. A sixty-plus year old couple danced and swayed, crooning the words to each other, and at the end, he dipped and kissed her. A young blond cowboy asked me to dance, and I did, and only THEN did I remember that I've never been able to two-step, but he was all smiles anyway. Everyone was grinning, as a matter of fact. Turns out it's impossible to dance at the Cotati Accordion Festival without smiling. You can keep your Outsidelands. Next year I'm going to Cotati. read more

If you love a well played squeeze box seek no further. There are zydeco folks, cajon players, The Polish contingent and Italiano players as well. Truly something for everybody here. They also serve bbq kielbasa lathered with dark mustard on a hoagie. Infectious at first, you'll reach your fill in a half hour. Wander across the street and check out fenders, gibson's and deals on amps at the music store. But beware, they sell fenders made in Mexico in here. Cavet emptor. read more

My first time at the festival turned out to be a beautiful relaxing day in the park with the strains of any number of different types of accordion music filling the air- tango, polka, zydeco and classical. Amateurs and professionals alike giving their all to an appreciative crowd. Proof positive that the accordion is not just some corny instrument that your grandparents listened to. Will be back next year. read more

This little festival is marvelous. Whether or not you play the accordion, or are even familiar with accordion music, most anyinbe would enjoy the weekend. La Plaza Park is a beautiful, mostly shaded venue in the town square. Food vendors are friendly and offer a wide variety of food and drink, many are fund raisers for local non profits. The festival supports local school music programs. Every volunteer and staff member is friendly, helpful and enthusiastic about the festival. Young and old, there is something for everyone. Smiles abound at the sound of the accordion, with a wide range of accordion styles: Classical, Whimsical, Cultural, Ethnic, Jazz, Cajun, Zydeco, Celtic, Polka, even Rock and Roll,and Contemporary, just plain fund for all. Thank you Cotati Accordion Festival for another fun weekend. read more