Cluck Yeah! Parksville’s Fourth Annual B'Kawk Festival Celebrates Chickens, Community, and Creativity

Get ready, Parksville—because Saturday, August 16, the chickens are coming home to Main Street.The B'Kawk Festival —a now-beloved local tradition celebrating all things chicken—is back for its fourth year on Saturday, August 16, and it’s bigger, bolder, and more bird-brained than ever.From noon to 6 p.m., the small Catskills hamlet will transform into a lively celebration of community spirit, artistic expression, and, yes—chickens. Expect live music, a bustling lineup of food vendors, interactive art, quirky contests, and even a stilt-walking band.“It’s a full-on celebration,” said festival co-organizer Todd Perlmutter during a recent live interview, accompanied by wife Adrian Perlmutter "speaking" in character for the chickens. “Most people love chicken, and we decided that it was a good canvas to do a lot of other things—vendors, art, music—and we just center it around the chicken.”A Family-Friendly Flock PartyThe B'Kawk Festival is packed with playful nods to its feathered mascot. Festival-goers can expect a chicken crowing contest, egg toss, a kids’ chicken art contest, and even appearances by real chickens—thanks to the return of the event’s beloved “chicken mobile.”For younger attendees, there will be an arts and crafts tent, games, and early entertainment from the Shimbone Alley Stilt Band, who juggle and roam the street on stilts.This year, the food scene is clucking impressive. Visitors can sample:Jerk chicken from 876 JerkRotisserie creations from Beast TroiaSmoked chicken from Van SmokeyTacos and empanadas from Julia’s Market in MountaindaleMusic That Ruffles Feathers (In the Best Way)The festival’s music lineup mixes local talent with returning favorites. The Giraffes, who headlined the first-ever B'Kawk, return from Brooklyn with their powerhouse rock set to close the event around 5 p.m.Other performances include:Gorilla TossThe Boss’s WifeCreaturesA DJ set from Livingston Manor’s FineFrom Ghost Town to Cultural NestParksville has been experiencing a quiet renaissance, thanks in large part to efforts like B'Kawk and venues like New Memories and The Double Up. “Every year, we’re getting more and more people who just can’t believe that this is all happening in Parksville—in the ghost town," Perlmutter said. The festival is organized by volunteers and artists, with support from the Parksville Arts Center and a grant from the Sullivan Catskills Visitors Association.“There's a lot of scheduling. We need a lot of volunteers,” said Perlmutter. “Adrian is getting all the food... and [she’s] complaining about all the social media she has to do,” he added with a laugh.Dreaming Bigger for 2026With each year, B'Kawk continues to grow—and the organizers are already dreaming about what’s next.“I feel like we just want to keep amping it up,” Perlmutter said. “Like right now this year we've gotten more food vendors and more chicken options and then next year we want to have even more… maybe by next year we'll go into the night. As of right now it's just 12 to 6.”But for now, the co-organizers are urging people to come and experience the magic in person.If you’re on the fence—or, as Perlmutter put it, “in the roost”—he had this to say: “The variety of entertainment and food that's going to happen... I don't think you're going to see anything [like it]. I'm pretty sure we have the only band on stilts.”🎟 More info:parksvilleartscenter.com/eventsInstagram: @parksvillebkawkFacebook: The Parksville Bkawk Festival