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Madrid Bluegrass River Festival starts today, runs all weekend

Posted 6/22/12

MADRID – The annual Madrid Bluegrass River Festival will fill the air at the community park on the Grasse River with music today through Sunday, June 22 to 24. Bluegrass artists from around the …

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Madrid Bluegrass River Festival starts today, runs all weekend

Posted

MADRID – The annual Madrid Bluegrass River Festival will fill the air at the community park on the Grasse River with music today through Sunday, June 22 to 24.

Bluegrass artists from around the state and the region are to perform Friday afternoon through Sunday afternoon, and lots of other events are planned, including the Bluegrass Ramble Run/Walk Friday afternoon, a dance on Friday night, instruction on playing instruments on Saturday, the annual fishing derby for kids, big feeds and fireworks.

Featured artists are Amy Gallatin & Stillwaters, a Connecticut-based group who will perform Saturday afternoon and evening and Sunday afternoon.

Others to take the stage include Remington Ryde, Beartracks, Lake Effect Bluegrass, Delaney Brothers Bluegrass, the Atkinson Family Bluegrass Band, and Dave Nichols & Spare Change, along with perennial favorites Pat Ashley, Generation Gap, and the Madrid Gospel Group.

Singer, guitarist and North Country Public radio host Barb Heller is the emcee for the weekend.

Friday at 1 p.m., the music starts with open stage performers. To arrange a performance, contact Les Haas at 322-4093.

The dance Friday night starts at 9 p.m.

The music on Saturday starts at 9 a.m. with Lake Effect Bluegrass. Lots more performers take the stage during the day and night, and there will be workshops in dobro, banjo, and mandolin with the performers in the community building during the day.

Door prize winners will be announced at 10 p.m. Saturday. Right after that is the fireworks show.

Other attractions during the weekend include a large variety of crafters selling their wares, chainsaw carving, the annual children's fishing derby, and several opportunities to sit down and fill up, with an all-you-can-eat spaghetti feed Thursday night, a chicken barbecue Saturday, and an all-you-can-eat breakfast, and on the Wednesday before the festival, an ice cream social with the Norwood Fire Department Band, the Brass Firemen.

The Bluegrass Ramble Half-Marathon and 5 and 10K Walk/Run is on Saturday, starting from Hepburn Library in downtown Madrid at 8 a.m. Registration starts at 7. More info is at http://www.northernrunner.org/ramble/.

Camping sites are available at $7 per night, first come, first served. For more info, call 322-4392.

A ticket for the whole weekend is $32, U.S. or Canadian. Friday alone is $8, Saturday $18, and Sunday $12. Children 12 and under accompanied by an adult get in for free.

Samples of the performers’ music and more information can be found at the festival’s web site, http://www.madridbluegrassriverfestival.com/.