The California Bluegrass Association (CBA) is pleased to announce the list of artists selected to appear on the esteemed Vern’s Stage at its 50th annual Father’s Day Bluegrass Festival, taking place Thursday, June 12 through Sunday, June 15 at the Nevada County Fairgrounds in Grass Valley.
Named after Vern Williams, who helped introduce bluegrass music to the West Coast, the stage is dedicated to presenting hardworking performers who play bluegrass and old-time music night after night in tiny bars, out-of-the-way venues, and anywhere else they can find audiences — and make new fans.
Representing the spectrum of traditional, old-time bluegrass and newgrass styles, headliners the Del McCoury Band, the Gibson Brothers, AJ Lee & Blue Summit, and over a dozen other performers have been gathered to celebrate the festival’s 50-year history.
“It is the 50th anniversary, and we’re doing a lot of special shows to commemorate it, on top of all the usual world class acts that we bring in,” Pete Lude, Executive Director of the CBA said.
The family-friendly festival has attracted several generations of fans, who return year after year under the majestic pines of the fairgrounds to enjoy camping, impromptu jamming, square-dancing, free workshops, other activities — and of course, incredible performances.
All together there are about 35 bands playing on three stages over four days, according to Lude.
Visitors can enjoy food, beverages and craft offerings, as well as camping under the stars.
Special events will include Friday and Saturday evening square dances in the Whitney Pavilion, fireside-chat interviews, and performances by artists who were part of the festival’s early years.
Laurie Lewis, a Grammy Award winning songwriter, vocalist and multi instrumentalist, is hosting different bands in a unique performance at 11:30 p.m. — playing all night in an intimate, indoor club environment, according to Lude.
On Sunday morning a gospel jam and service is planned, followed by the popular Father’s Day Brunch, and more workshops, the pre-festival music camp and other attractions.
Several bands from the festival will be performing for a free event during the first Thursday Night Market on the Mill Street Plaza in Grass Valley from 6 to 9 p.m. on June 12 for those who can’t make it to the festival.
Billed as “the best jamming west of the Rockies,” the festival is renowned as a place where lifelong friendships, musical partnerships and alliances of all kinds are forged through participants’ shared love of bluegrass jamming, Lude said.
“We’ve got a lot of excitement about the people we’re able to book for this year, such as The Traveling Quarries, which is one of the most renowned bluegrass bands, and the sons of the famous Del McCoury, who’s been playing bluegrass for 50 years,” Lude said.
For a full list of bands each day of the four-day festival and ticket information go to fathersdayfestival.com.
“In our 50th year, we’re going to be bringing some reunions together,” Lude said. “We’re going to have about six bands on The Pioneer Stage just celebrating longevity. All the old timers can go and relive the days from the 1970s and 80s, when this music first became popular in California.”
Chosen by video auditions, the artists slated to fill Thursday-through-Saturday afternoon Vern’s Stage slots are: Bay Area Special, Blue Birds on a Wire, Charlie Torch, The Corn Likkers, Critical Grass, Dadweed, Deep Thicket Dwellers, Flatpick Hotel, Hey Lonesome!, Jesse Appelman’s West Coast Stringband Project, the Jimmy Touzel Bluegrass Explosion, Marin County Breakdown, Matt & George and their Pleasant Valley Boys, Muddy Mountain West, and Skillet Licorice.
The love for bluegrass is fostered through the festival’s kids’ programming, including an instructional Youth Academy, a music camp for beginner and intermediate students ages 8 to 16.
“It’s a fun but formal, tuition-based program for kids to learn to play music and to collaborate, to share their skills, and learn together,” Lude said. “Some of the world’s best musicians are going to be teaching the next generation.”
The KidFest children’s recreational area offers crafts, games and music for younger attendees, and Kids on Bluegrass is an audition-based training program culminating with a main stage performance.
“AJ Lee & Blue Summit is a young woman that grew up going to this festival,” Lude said. “She was eight years old, and has now come on to be one of the most sought after touring musicians in North America with her band, and this is the first time in years that she’s going to be back in Grass Valley to take the main stage.”
Single-day ticket prices range from $35 to $100; full four-day festival passes are $80 for teens 13 to 17, $275 for adults. Kids 12 and under are free.
Tent, camper-van and tent-trailer camping (without hookups) and parking for one car are included with full festival passes. RV hookups are available on a limited basis; for more information and fees, check the website.
