BlueGrass
Julian Festival Oldest in the State

By Amber Ward

The 36th Annual Bluegrass Festival and Banjo/Fiddle Contest will bring the music of Appalachia to Julian Sept. 16 and 17.

Presented by the Julian Lions Club, the Julian Bluegrass Festival is the oldest of its kind in California. A Lions Club fundraiser, all money raised will benefit programs like community sight and hearing screening and diabetes awareness. Proceeds will also go toward scholarships and the maintenance of Frank Lane Park.

Headlining bands are Connie Allen & Bill Dempsey, 7th Day Buskers, Susie Glaze & the Hilonesome Band, Donner Mountain Bluegrass Band, Pacific Ocean Bluegrass Band, and Trails & Rails.

Each year, new acts are added to the program. This year, there will be an interactive clawhammer or frailing banjo workshop with 7th Day Buskers front man Shawn Rohlf, and an improvisational fiddle workshop with Annie Staninec from the Donner Mountain Bluegrass Band.

From beginners to professionals, both young and old, all are invited to participate in the Banjo/ Fiddle Contest. Divided into two days, the Banjo/Guitar contest will take place from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Sept. 16, and the Fiddle/Mandolin contest will take place from 9 a.m. to noon on Sunday, Sept. 17. The banjo and fiddle contests will take place on the Workshop Stage and the headlining bands will perform on the Main Stage. To enter the Banjo/ Fiddle contests on either day, you can register online at www.julian bluegrassfestival.com

Attending the Bluegrass Festival is a family event, and the music is all acoustic. Musicians of all levels can band together for a simple jam, while others participate in technical and musical workshops. There will be several food and merchandise vendors on site, along with the opportunity to purchase the CD's of those performing at the festival.

The event will take place at Frank Lane Park, located at the northwest end of Main Street in Julian. Festival hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. Advance tickets are $15, and include free parking (a $5 value), and are available online, or at the Julian Chamber office located inside the Julian Town Hall. The advanced ticket purchase deadline is Sept. 15. For more information and a complete event schedule go to www.julianbluegrassfestival.com or contact the Julian Chamber of Commerce at 760-765-1857.