Hi, I'm pretty new to the bluegrass scene. I play mostly classical, but I love playing bluegrass as well. What are the big bluegrass festivals to go to, and do any of them happen to be located in Colorado? What are some of the big bluegrass events in general that are really worthwhile to attend?

Hi, I'm pretty new to the bluegrass scene. I play mostly classical, but I love playing bluegrass as well. What are the big bluegrass festivals to go to, and do any of them happen to be located in Colorado? What are some of the big bluegrass events in general that are really worthwhile to attend?

Hello TBassist .... welcome to the wide world of bluegrass :D . Here are some leads for you:
http://www.coloradobluegrass.org/ (Check "Events" section)
Also you can just Google "Colorado Bluegrass Festival" and find some leads.
Definitely try to catch the Hit & Run Bluegrass Band sometime. http://www.hitandrunbluegrass.com/band/band
Steve Roy is a fine bass player ... I think he comes from a classical background.
Also catch The Billy Pilgrims when you can http://www.myspace.com/thebillypilgrimsband . They are from Lyons and Fort Collins. Erin Youngberg is also a fine bass player and vocalist.

I know Boulder is a ways from Wyoming but there are some good summer festivals up there:
http://www.bighornmountainfestival.com/bands.htm
http://www.beartrapsummerfestival.com/
http://www.oysterridgemusicfestival.com/2007frameset.html

P.S. I lived in Boulder in the "good old days" ('76 to '80). That's the time I got hooked on bluegrass ..... went to some of the earliest Telluride Festivals .... saw folks like Hot Rize, John Hartford, NewGrass Revival, and The Towne & Country Revue in the small taverns. Ned Alterman and Richie Mintz of Towne & Country wrote a book "Bluegrass Bass" that's pretty good if you can find an old copy. However, I suspect if you play classical double bass, then the basic info in the book would be "old hat" to your talents :p . Supposedly the book is being re-written and updated to be released "soon".

Howdy…in my opinion the best smorgasbord of music for the buck is Merlefest in Wilkesboro, NC in late April early May. This festivals is HUGE, 13 stages, four days, 9:00am-till midnight and the musical choices are overwhelming. This festival is bluegrass, Americana, folk, blues and traditional dance and a whole lot of jamming on stage. This past year there was a two songs, impromptu NGR reunion…it was awesome. You have to love BIG festivals with BIG crowds but lots to see and do…this festival is more music then you can absorb in four days. Here is the link to the web site and discussion board,

www.merlefest.org

Enjoy!

TBassist .... I just thought of another good Colorado band you may want to check out sometime .... High Plains Tradition http://www.highplainstradition.com/ . They have a real traditional "high lonesome" bluegrass sound with great harmony singing. Kenny Pabst plays a 5-string double bass.

Don't forget Telluride, and Winfield is going on as we speak over in Kansas.

Galax Virginia! The muddiest, rawest, kick ass festival of them all....

Here in North Carolina, we host The Red White and Bluegrass Festival. It's been held (and will continue to do so) July 1st thru the 4th each year, no matter where the days fall. In 2008, the days will be Tuesday-Friday.

We're in the process of updating the website for next year, but you can visit it and see who was there this year.

New for next year is Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper, Grasstowne, Junior Sisk & Rambler's Choice, Doyle Lawson, and a few others. Returning is JD Crowe, IIIrd Tyme Out, Randy Kohrs & the Lites, Mountain Heart, Larry Sparks, Cherryholmes, Kenny & Amanda Smith, The Circuit Riders plus more.

www.RedWhiteandBluegrassFestival.com

Western North Carolina. Bluegrass Ground Zero.

Bluegrass ground zero, you've sure got that right Mike!
What a treat the other nite to sit 20 ft from the stage and watch Grasstowne at the Down Home here in Johnson City. Home town boy Jamie Booher is doing an awesome job holding down the bottom end. Gotta eat your Wheaties to keep up with those boys. Next up are my favorites, Blue Highway. I can see where alot of my expendable income's gonna be going... guess there are worse ways to spend your money.
Looks like you've got a great lineup next year, lotsa my favorites. Maybe I can talk the little woman into making a trip over the mountain for a day or two.

I'll also be participating in this fest starting this weekend (Sept 14th-16th) in Pigeon Forge, TN. Go here (http://www.dollywood.com/shows/show_detail.aspx?AttractionID=449). That will take you to a performer listing and what days they will be appearing.

If anyone should attend, come by and say HAY!

...Winfield is going on as we speak over in Kansas.

It was awesome!!! I met many people who had made it over from Colorado (all great people). Around 24,000 people, numerous contests, workshops, campfire pickin' parties, and more bass players this year than you can shake a stick at! Got back today and miss it already!

I could be wrong on the date, but I believe Renfro Valley, Kentucky has thiers around now (September, October).

If you feel like driving east for 15 hours... Guthrie, OK. is having it's annual bluegrass festival on Oct. 4, 5, and 6. This one is around 6,000 people and a cheapie at $50. Sam Bush is headlining, many more acts will be there, and of course the Byron Berline band will be tearing it up. Check out oibf.com for more info if you are interested.

For a good jam, try Tuesday nites at Oskar Blues in Lyons...lots of talented BG musicians. Music starts about 8pm

For those in the heat and humidity laden southeast, we'll be playing tomorrow at The Albino Skunk Festival. Here's a link (http://www.albinoskunk.com/). it's a small, friendly and very eclectic festicval which does feature some bluegrass. The weather is supposed to be a bit cooler for tomorrow and the rest of the weekend, though.

JD Crowe and the New South will be there tomorrow as well.

SON!

It's just across the NC/SC line and is within the Greer mailing area.

I know this is no Merlefest nor Telluride but the Nowoodstock Festival (named for the Nowood River to my surprise) was the most fun I've had in a long time. It's a 3 dayer in Ten Sleep, Wyoming. Small town, beautiful setting, great sound company, decent pay, free beer for participating bands. Even got a great C.D. from the mixing board. In the interest of full disclosure, this is not strictly a Bluegrass Festival which was just fine with me. Also, our band played sets on two days and sold merch. Woohoo.

Ralph Stanley, Bobby Osborne and many others will be playing at the festival in Myrtle Beach Thanksgiving weekend. It's a three day festival at the convention center. Rooms are cheap down there that time of year. There are also many campgrounds. Reserved seat tickets are $85 for all three days.

Not only is there bluegrass in Colorado, there is GREAT bluegrass there, and LOTS of it! :hyper: Check out some of these festivals --

Rockygrass and Teluride - planet bluegrass is a great portal to lots of great music
http://www.bluegrass.com/

Four Corners in Pagosa Springs, CO (southern)
http://www.folkwest.com/fourcorners.htm

North Fork Valley Festival in Hotchkiss, CO (western slope)
http://www.northforkbluegrass.com/

Lyons Bluegrass jam (if you're in Boulder, I believe this is your neck of the woods)
www.myspace.com/lyonsbluegrassjam

Or go to the Colorado Bluegrass Music Society homepage - they have pretty thorough listings and calendar of events for much of Colorado and even some surrounding states.
http://www.coloradobluegrass.org/

Wherever you go, it shouldn't be very hard or take you very long to get plugged into one of the most active bluegrass scenes I've ever encountered.

Have fun,
Andy Moritz
Cadillac Sky

Ya also might want to check out :

http://www.bluegrassmusic.com

tells ya just about anything ya might want to know about the bluegrass music scene . . . also, a cool bg magazine, Bluegrass Unlimited, w/good articles as well as all the festival schedules, etc. is available at the the above link

Check out the Southeast Bluegrass Assoc.
www.sebabluegrass.org

In the Atlanta GA area, the first fest. of the season is on the First Sat. in April.
It is the WRFG Peachblossom Festival benefitting community radio station WRFG.
www.wrfg.org

Every Thursday night is Bluegrass night at the Redlight Cafe in Atlanta
info at www.redlightcafe.com

No one mentioned Bean Blossom!

Just in case anyone is considering a trip 'down under', the Harrietville Bluegrass Convention in Australia every November is the biggest and best in the southern hemisphere. If anyone is considering a holiday here, come in November for this festival. There are always a few basses available for friends from overseas to play.

there is a really good one in live oak florida the last weekend in march. 4 days i believe david grisman, hot buttered rum, peter rowan, larry keel, and lots of others. great place to camp and enjoy a festival. it is on the suwannee river in north florida.not a huge festival like merlefest but seems to be getting larger every year. its called suwannee springfest.

For CO, RockyGrass, Telluride, and Four corners are hard to beat. There is also an event at Copper Mt. that includes bluegrass acts. If you're willing to travel, check out Delfest in Cumberland, Maryland.

Sacajawea Bluegrass Festival :bassist: www.sacajaweabluegrassfestival.com is in its 5th year the 12 thru 15 of June. :hyper: The location is the confluence of the Snake and Columbia Rivers in Washington state near Pasco at Sacajawea State Park. Hosted by MCTAMA a 501c3 non profit organisation made up by the Mid Columbia Bluegrass Association and the Three Rivers Cast Iron Cookers. We have dutch oven cooking and great bluegrass it gets better the main stage is 50 ft from the river and that weekend it is free fishing no licensen needed. Lewis and Clark camped there in 1806. I started the festival the first year just to have more folks to play my bass for and had a lot of help. The park ranger was a ski buddy and a fiddle player the dutch oven folks went to my jam the rest is history.

Wintergrass :)