The Festival of the Bluegrass will be held June 10-13 near Lexington, Kentucky.  It‘s the 37th year of the festival and I’ve attended five of them -- one back in the 70s and then the other four over the last ten years.  Besides the music, what I enjoy most is the opportunity to see my friends and family and to spend time outdoors.  Sadly, most of my life is spent indoors and I love to have the freedom to just sit outside and enjoy the day. 

I’ve got great memories of last year’s festival .  The weather was cool, a welcome change for us Floridians. Armed with rain gear, coolers and chairs my husband and I, and our good friends Ralph and Stephanie, headed to the Kentucky Horse Park.  The Festival is held next to the campgrounds at the park (click on the map for directions).   Many festivalgoers drove their RV’s or pitched their tents to stay close to the action.  There is ample parking, but in a grassy field. 

Last year, we arrived Friday at about 3:00 and a good crowd was already in place.  We sat our chairs to the left of the stage, about 20 rows back.  The first performers were enjoyable, but we wanted to hear the legendary J.D. Crowe and New South (they’ll be back this year).  From the nostalgia point of view the performance was right on target.  The reality is that J.D. is getting a little older and a little slower.  Aren’t we all?  

It‘s not a formal dress occasion and reading T-shirts is always interesting.  We saw a lot of University of Kentucky shirts (Go Cats), previous festival shirts, Station Inn shirts (a great bluegrass venue in Nashville) and a selection of unique shirts.  One sold by the group IIIrd Tyme Out had Got Grass? on the front.  They were selling well based on the number of people wearing them.  One of my favorites shirts read Oh Brother Where Am I? but my all-time favorite is Paddle Faster, I Hear Banjo Music. 

Another favorite festival activity is meeting and talking with the performers.  Most of them have booths to sell their t-shirts, CDs and promote their next festival.  They spend time autographing and chatting with anyone who walks up.

There will be plenty of food available.  We had our choice of catfish, gyros, fried pies, and other delights.  Not a lot of healthy choices, but you can bring your own and the breaks allow enough time to drive to local restaurants.  

I think the evenings are the best part.  As darkness falls, spaces close in, rough edges smooth out and you are suddenly a part of an intimate group.  A group on this year’s lineup called Nothin’ Fancy was particularly enjoyable last year.  Their music was great and they got the crowd involved.  Nearly every act got a standing ovation.  Were they all great?  Probably not, but we enjoyed each group and hated when they had to leave the stage. 

Part of the fun is getting to know people around you.  My brother is rather outgoing and by the end, a neighborly couple (from Rockcastle, Kentucky) was calling him by name.  We all entered a raffle for some festival giveaways and Ralph and the couple next to us won prizes. 

Other acts that we will look forward to seeing again are Doyle Larson, Mountain Heart, Seldom Scene and the Moron Brothers, whose act includes music and corny jokes.  Check the festival website for the latest lineup and schedule and for camping options. Tickets for the 4-day 2010 Festival of the Bluegrass are $85 in advance, daily ticket prices vary.

As I mentioned, this is my sixth year attending the Festival of the Bluegrass. I’ve also gone to the MACC/Bluegrass Classic at Hoover Y-Park in Columbus, Ohio.  Both seemed like similar experiences to me.  Are there any others that you would recommend that I try to attend?