LAKE COUNTY — Organizers have their Is dotted and their Ts crossed in preparation of the third annual Old Time Bluegrass Festival. With an abundance of activities and entertainers, festival coordinators have had their hands full over the past several months preparing for the festival.
“All the preparations are in order,” said event coordinator Anna McAtee. “Now it”s all about getting tickets sold and getting people to the festival. We”ve got all of our tickets out there in the county for people to purchase and we have locations in Santa Rosa and Ukiah as well. Tickets are also available online at www.andersonmarsh.org.”
The third annual Old Time Bluegrass Festival is scheduled to take place on Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 13 and 14 at Anderson Marsh State Historic Park in Lower Lake. Proceeds from the events are directed toward the creation of a standards-based curriculum for third grade teachers in the Konocti Unified School District as well as funding transportation costs to the park.
The festival will host two stages were music will be played throughout both days. Entertainment Coordinator Don Coffin said festival-goers can expect stellar performances from a variety of musical groups that are both locally and nationally renowned. “We”re putting an emphasis on bluegrass music rather than old timing this year,” he said. “We have at least four bands from the Bay Area and central California and some from out of the area that are well-known throughout the state as well as nationally.”
Among the bands coming to Lake County to join the festival is “Sidesaddle & Co,” out of San Jose. According to Coffin, Billboard Magazine has called their music “superbly melodic” while critics have hailed their performances as “sophisticated and highly entertaining” and their harmonies “impeccable.”
“Mountain Laurel Bluegrass Band” will be here from the Grass Valley/Nevada City area. Their”s is a distinctive and engaging blend of contemporary and traditional bluegrass classics, Coffin reported. The group has performed in many California bluegrass festivals and has released two CDs.
According to Coffin, the “Alhambra Valley Band” has been bringing fine bluegrass and original music to California and Nevada since 1986. Known for its award winning original material and vocal harmony arrangements, the band is spreading the gospel according to bluegrass to an ever-growing base of fans.
“The Mighty Crows,” a Bay Area bluegrass band, offers a traditional style and repertoire reminiscent of the seminal bluegrass acts of the ?40s and ?50s, Coffin said. The band is built around the powerful trio singing of Chris Smith, Jeff Zieba and Mark Wardenburg.
“We have a youth group playing, too. ?The Mighty Chiplings” are all of about 11-years-old and they”re real hot pickers,” Coffin stated. “They are just really good so we”re excited to have them with us this year.”
Some of the local favorites include “Public Nuisance” and “Bound to Ride.” “Public Nuisance is named that because they all work for county government in one capacity or another and they all love music,” Coffin said.
“Bound to Ride” will be joining the festival for the third consecutive year. “This is the group everyone talks about when they leave the festival,” Coffin reported. “The harmonies and strength of their musical talents shine and the fact that they come from Lake County makes us even more proud and excited to have them back.”
According to McAtee, all the bands joining the festival from out of the area have reserved their lodging at Lakehouse Inn in the City of Clearlake.
Along with the incredible line of musical talent, the festival will offer a variety of workshops including flat-picking guitar, banjo, clogging, mandolin and fiddle. Also included in the festival will a variety of children”s activities throughout both days, hay rides, a merchant”s faire, a wine and beer garden and local artists will once again be participating in the “Art in the Barn” exhibit. In addition, local culinary students and booster clubs will be selling food and drinks throughout the festival.
Tickets are priced at $20 for Saturday and $15 for Sunday. Presale tickets, limited to 3000, are priced at $25 for both days. For online ticket purchase, a list of locations where tickets can be purchase and further information about the event, visit www.andersonmarsh.org.
The Old Time Bluegrass Festival is sponsored by the Anderson Marsh Interpretive Society, Children”s Museum of Art and Science and the Clear Lake Chamber of Commerce.
Contact Denise Rockenstein at drockenstein@clearlakeobserver.com.
