Festival recommendations for July?

[Cary Fagan]

Looks like I can get to a festival some time in the first two weeks of July. Any recommendations? Good bands, good location, and possibly good jamming. Driving distance from Toronto would be a help (from Buffalo, more or less, say up to ten hours) but not mandatory. Camp recommendations welcome also.

Thanks!

[man dough nollij]

Rocky grass!!

[adgefan]

I stumbled across the Sally Creek Festival website the other day. Could be perfect for you!

http://www.sallycreekmusicfestival.ca/

Looks like an excellent line-up and right next to Toronto.

[jim_n_virginia]

Hey Cary you should Google "bluegrass festivals AND July" ???

Then Google "whatever festival AND reviews"

Then pick out some that look interesting and then come on here and ask for first hand people who have gone and enjoyed themselves. Because just asking about festivals in July you may get answers about festivals from Alaska to Florida.

Don't know if Virginia is too far for you to drive but I went to the Roanoke FiddleFest last year in Roanoke, VA last July with cwilson, Bucket and a fiddler friend of mine and we had a blast. Mandolin workshops with Herschel Sizemore, Danny Roberts and Alan Bibey. And intimate up close concerts inside an auditorium along with the big concerts outside.

And we got to jam with the Clinch Moutain Boys leading the jam and the next day the Grascals lead a jam. It was the best part jamming with those guys.

http://www.roanokefiddlefest.org

[mandolooter]

altho the June list isn't up yet Bluegrass Unlimited has a festival list for the whole USA...top right on this page...

http://www.bluegrassmusic.com/index.php?issue=190724

hummm, looks like I was wrong unless ya buy the Jan issue with the list inside...sorry!

[mzuch]

No brainer: Grey Fox in upstate New York. July 16-19 on the Walsh Farm in Oak Hill, NY. An easy drive on I-90 from Buffalo. Confirmed artists for this year include DRY BRANCH FIRE SQUAD, RICKY SKAGGS & KENTUCKY THUNDER, MARTY STUART, DAVID BROMBERG, DEL McCOURY BAND, PETER ROWAN'S BLUEGRASS BAND, THE STEELDRIVERS, MOUNTAIN HEART, nTHE WAYBACKS, LAURIE LEWIS & TOM ROZUM, GIBSON BROTHERS, CROOKED STILL, BOSTON BOYS, FOOTWORKS, RED STICK RAMBLERS, FAREWELL DRIFTERS. Many more to be announced.

A group of several hundred regulars camp out at a nearby farm for a week of picking and "lollygagging" before the festival if you want to spend more time. Pete Wiernick also holds a jam camp prior to the festival. Last year, we held a MandoCafe gathering where we passed around mandolins by Gilchrist, Nugget, Mix, Gibson Victorian and others, and D'Addario gave us all free strings!

[Mike Snyder]

Check out Starvy Creek Bluegrass Fest near Lebanon Mo over the weekend of the 4th. Always a top level of pro performers and a chance to see Frank Rays' Loar and visit Morgan Music for a good selection of acoustic goodies.