Bluegrass Festivals Enjoy A Wide Popularity

Added: 12/17/2005

Regarded as a significant part of American culture, bluegrass music traces its roots back to the English, Scottish and Irish people, who emigrated from the British Isles. It is also related to jazz and blues, the music of African-Americans. Though often identified as folk music, bluegrass is something different - as the folks at a bluegrass festival will gladly tell you.

From its earliest history until today, bluegrass music has been performed by professional musicians, who have set its direction and succeeded in the creation of a unique sound. Today bluegrass music enjoys a wide popularity and the numerous bluegrass festivals prove it. The most eminent bluegrass festivals are, the Blueberry Bluegrass and Country Festival, Peaceful Valley and Winterhawk Bluegrass Festivals, and Oklahoma International Bluegrass Festival. The last celebration of Blueberry Bluegrass and Country Festival occurred on July 29-31, 2005, in Alberta, Canada. This Festival is held annually in the Stony Plain Exhibition Park and attracts thousands of spectators. The many activities include things like the Festival Souvenir Table, a Kid's Corner, Food Concessions and Craft Tables, Showcase Competition, Sunday Morning Gospel, Slowpitch Jam, and others. From the day of its foundation, the Festival has grown to become the biggest bluegrass event in Western Canada and one of the most prominent bluegrass festivals of the country. Observed during the third weekend in July, Peaceful Valley and Winterhawk Bluegrass Festivals are annual four-day celebrations of love, peace, and music. Both festivals are characterized as the old-time events.
Winterhawk Bluegrass Festival features four stages in addition to the main one, a kid's stage, a dance pavilion and a workshop stage. Among the musicians that visit the Festival annually are: Tim O'Brien, Peter Wernick, Nick Foster, Dr. Banjo and the bands, including Hot Rize, Red Knuckles and The Trailblazers. Peaceful Valley Bluegrass Festival hosts Melvin Goins, the Gibson Brothers, Smokey Greene, Gary Brewer and the Kentucky Ramblers, the Lynn Morris Band, Ellen Harrington, the Stevens
Sisters, the Larkin Family and others.

The Oklahoma International Bluegrass Festival sees its mission to be that of supporting the bluegrass industry through organizing a world class festival, as well as educating people of the state, and beyond, about bluegrass music. The festival is organized annually with the additional aim of promoting the economic development of Oklahoma. It was established by Byron Berline, the bluegrass ambassador to Australia, Mexico, Germany and China. He saw the necessity for such a festival, where local and international musicians could perform together. Ten years after Berline visited Oklahoma in 1984, the first Oklahoma International Bluegrass Festival was held. Having an initial 15,000 spectators, the festival has now grown to nearly 100,000 visitors in the years that followed. This bluegrass fest was incorporated as a charitable organization and is directed by both professionals and volunteers. These bear the responsibility for charitable donations and fund-raising, and they also have contributed greatly to the success and prosperity of the festival. Specialists from various spheres of business and industry were gathered for bluegrass music and the State of Oklahoma promotion. The projects involve professionals in tourism, economic development, volunteer management, fund-raising, public safety, and the bluegrass music business.

Rate this article:

Bad

Good

Article comments:

No comments for this article yet. Post your comment now!

Return to top of the page