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Many bands, fireworks, chicken barbecue to be featured at 25th annual Madrid Bluegrass Festival June 26-28

Posted 6/22/15

 By MATT LINDSEY MADRID -- The 25th annual Madrid Bluegrass River Festival will feature live music from about a dozen bands, children's fishing derby, musical workshops and fireworks June 26-28 …

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Many bands, fireworks, chicken barbecue to be featured at 25th annual Madrid Bluegrass Festival June 26-28

Posted

 By MATT LINDSEY

MADRID -- The 25th annual Madrid Bluegrass River Festival will feature live music from about a dozen bands, children's fishing derby, musical workshops and fireworks June 26-28 in the community park.

Other events planned include all-you-can-eat meals, raffles, door prizes, chainsaw woodcarvings, a chicken barbecue and the return of the 5K and 10K run.

Admission Friday is $10, $20 for Saturday and $10 on Sunday. The cost for full weekend camping is $35. Kids 12 and under accompanied by an adult are admitted for free. Rough camping costs $8 per night. There is a community building with shower facilities and a bathroom.

There is a large playground on site, a concession stand and plenty of live music to keep children entertained for the day.

Campers can arrive beginning on Monday, June 22nand will be parked by festival staff.

“We’ve had upwards of 1,000 people in past years and are hoping for a great turnout this year as well,” said Carrie Cooper who helps organize the event.

Barb Heller of North County Public Radio on will serve as the emcee for the festival with music and dancing set to kick off at 1 p.m. with Pat Ashley on Friday, June 26. Open stage will be held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The featured band, Chasing Blue, plays a mix of original and traditional bluegrass material with unique arrangements and hard-driving style, according to their website. Original material holds true to the bluegrass tradition but strong lyrical ideas and progressive musical ideas make the Chasing Blue sound.

Performances for Friday include Spare Change at 2 p.m., Lake Effect Bluegrass at 3 p.m., Beartracks at 4 p.m., Generation Gap at 5 p.m., Possum Haw at 6 p.m., Border Ride at 7 p.m., Chasing Blue at 8 p.m. and county dancing in the community building at 9 p.m.

Get Saturday off to a running start by joining in the Madrid County Road Ramble 5K/10K at 9 a.m. Meet at the Madrid Boat Launch off of State Highway 345 with registration open at 7:45 a.m.

“We brought back the 5K run and will also have the 10K…the race had been gone the past couple years but the fire department organized it this year,” she said.

The cost is $15 the day of the race or $12 in advance. The first 150 people to sign up will receive a free t-shirt. Medals will be given in several age brackets. Proceeds support the Madrid Fire Department.

To register for the race or for more information, contact Scott Hough 528-4773 or scott.hough@madridfire.org.

The music continues Saturday morning with the Atkinson Family at 9 a.m., Spare Change at 10 a.m., Lake Effect Bluegrass at 11 a.m., Possum Haw at noon, Beartracks at 1 p.m., Chasing Blue at 2 p.m., and Border Ride at 3 p.m.

The Atkinson Family returns to the stage at 4 p.m. followed by Lake Effect Bluegrass at 5 p.m., Possum Haw at 6 p.m., Beartracks at 7 p.m., Chasing Blue at 8 p.m. and Border Ride at 9 p.m.

The 14th annual children’s fishing derby will be held from 1 until 4 p.m. Prizes will be awarded. The derby coincides with New York States free fishing weekend June 27-28. Anyone can fish without a license on those two days.

Musical workshops return this year and include a mandolin workshop with Dave Nichols at 1 p.m. and a banjo workshop with Dick Atkinson at 5 p.m. The chicken barbeque will be served from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m.

Fireworks will be set off Saturday, June 27, at dusk following the door prize drawing at 10 p.m.

An all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast will be served Sunday from 8 until 10:30 a.m. The chainsaw carving raffle drawing will be held at noon and a gas grill will be given away at 1 p.m.

The Madrid Gospel group hits the stage at 10 a.m. with Spare Change at 11 a.m., Pat Ashley at noon, Atkinson Family at 1 p.m. and Hickory Stump at 2 p.m.

Concessions will be open 3 until 11 p.m. on Friday, 11 a.m. until 8 p.m. on Saturday and 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. Sunday.

The United Church of Madrid is sponsoring an ice cream social Wednesday, June 24, from 7 until 9 p.m. in the Madrid Community Park. The Norwood Brass Firemen will play live music. Ice cream and cake will cost $2.50. Hotdogs and beverages will also be available.

For general festival info, contact Tammy at 323-5060 or 322-4341.