Bluegrass fans and pickers: mark your calendar for the Ocean State Bluegrass Festival to be held Friday, August 14th through Sunday, August 16th at Frerichs Farm, 43 Kinnicutt Ave., Warren, RI. The event is sponsored by the Rhode Island Bluegrass Alliance (RIBA) with generous support from The Carter Fund at the Rhode Island Foundation.
The event includes jamming for bluegrass musicians throughout the weekend, an open mic on Friday night, workshops and a show featuring four bluegrass bands on Saturday, a Band Scramble on Sunday, and jamming, camping, and food throughout the weekend.
The following bands will perform on Saturday night: Thunder and Rain, JB and Cardineau Sin, Simon Brogie and the XLTs, and Ernie Loiselle and Friends.
On Sunday there will be a Band Scramble, a tradition at bluegrass festivals. In a Band Scramble, anyone who plays an instrument (at any level) is invited to participate. Participants put their names in a bucket for the instrument they wish to play. Names are drawn to make up bands that may include a bass, a banjo, a mandolin, a fiddle, a guitar, a dobro and singers. These impromptu bands will come up with a few songs that they will perform on stage.
Tickets may be purchased here on the RIBA website (ribluegrass.org) or at the gate.
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