Located in

Saratoga Springs, New York Saratoga Springs is a city in Saratoga County, New York, United States. The population was 28,491 at the 2020 census. The name reflects the presence of mineral springs in the area, which has made Saratoga a popular resort destination for over 2 ...

, Caffè Lena is the oldest continually running

coffee house A coffeehouse, coffee shop, or café is an establishment that primarily serves coffee of various types, notably espresso, latte, and cappuccino. Some coffeehouses may serve cold drinks, such as iced coffee and iced tea, as well as other non- ...

in the United States. Founded in 1960 by William and Lena Spencer (née Nargi), it claims to be the oldest folk-oriented

, in the U.S., featuring acoustic concerts and cultural events showcasing

folk music Folk music is a music genre that includes traditional folk music and the contemporary genre that evolved from the former during the 20th-century folk revival. Some types of folk music may be called world music. Traditional folk music has b ...

, traditional music, and singer-songwriters of a wide range, including artist

Bob Dylan Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan, born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Often regarded as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture during a career sp ...

, who performed for two consecutive nights at the cafè in 1961, a year prior to the release of his debut album. During the

COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by a virus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first known case was identified in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. The disease quickly ...

pandemic of 2020-2021, Caffè Lena began streaming live music on a donation based pay scale, featuring the music of folk musicians like Kate McDonnell and

Natalie Haas Natalie may refer to: People * Natalie (given name) * Natalie (singer) (born 1979), Mexican-American R&B singer/songwriter * Shahan Natalie (1884–1983), Armenian writer and principal organizer of Operation Nemesis Music Albums * ''Nata ...

. Since Lena Spencer's death on October 23, 1989 (she was born on January 4, 1923), Caffè Lena has been a not-for-profit organization.

References

Bibliography

* Kristin Baggelaar and Donald Milton (1976)
Folk Music: More Than A Song, p. 364-7
', . * Kristin Baggelaar and Donald Milton (1977)
The Folk Music Encyclopaedia, p. 364-7
', .

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Caffe Lena Coffeehouses and cafés in the United States Music venues in New York (state) Buildings and structures in Saratoga Springs, New York Tourist attractions in Saratoga Springs, New York