50th Father's Day Bluegrass Festival Reveals Schedule

The California Bluegrass Association has announced the list of artists selected to appear on the esteemed Vern’s Stage at its 50th annual Father’s Day Bluegrass Festival, taking place June 12-15 at the Nevada County Fairgrounds in Grass Valley, Calif. Named after Vern Williams, who helped introduce bluegrass music to the West Coast, the stage is dedicated to presenting hardworking performers who play bluegrass and old-time music night after night in tiny bars, out-of-the-way venues and anywhere else they can find audiences — and make new fans.

Representing the spectrum of traditional and old-time bluegrass and newgrass styles, they’ll join festival headliners the Del McCoury Band, the Gibson Brothers, AJ Lee & Blue Summit and over a dozen other performers gathered to celebrate the festival’s 50-year history of presenting top national, regional and local artists.

The family-friendly festival has attracted several generations of fans, who return year after year to its site in the beautiful Sierra Nevada foothills to enjoy camping, jamming, square-dancing, free workshops and other activities — and of course, incredible performances. Passes are on sale now here.

Chosen by video auditions, the artists slated to fill Thursday-through-Saturday afternoon Vern’s Stage slots are: Bay Area Special, Blue Birds on a Wire, Charlie Torch, The Corn Likkers, Critical Grass, Dadweed, Deep Thicket Dwellers, Flatpick Hotel, Hey Lonesome!, Jesse Appelman's West Coast Stringband Project, the Jimmy Touzel Bluegrass Explosion, Marin County Breakdown, Matt & George and their Pleasant Valley Boys, Muddy Mountain West, and Skillet Licorice.

This year’s gathering also features singing, songwriting and fiddling legend Laurie Lewis — who will perform with her band, the Right Hands, and in a special “50 years of Togetherness” celebration with fellow Grammy-winning singer-songwriter and guitarist Kathy Kallick, Lewis’ longtime collaborator.

Also performing are Rob Ickes & Trey Hensley, Junior Sisk Band, the Canote Brothers, Crying Uncle Bluegrass Band, the Alum Ridge Boys & Ashlee, Clinton Davis Stringband and California showcase bands Bearcat Stringband, Matt Michienzie Band, Mission Blue, the Town Howlers and Windy Hill.

Special events will include Friday and Saturday evening square dances in the Whitney Pavilion, fireside-chat interviews and performances by artists who were part of  the festival’s early years, and Sunday morning’s gospel jam and service, followed by the popular Father’s Day Brunch, along with workshops, the pre-festival music camp and other attractions.

Billed as “the best jamming west of the Rockies,” the festival is renowned as a place where lifelong friendships, musical partnerships and alliances of all kinds are forged through participants’ shared love of bluegrass jamming. That love is fostered early on through the festival’s kids’ programming, including an instructional Youth Academy; the KidFest children’s recreational area; and Kids on Bluegrass, an audition-based training program culminating in a mainstage performance.

Advance tickets prices range from $34 to $94 for single-day passes; full four-day festival passes are currently $79 for teens 13 to 17, $264 for adults up to age 65 and $254 for ages 65 and up. Children 12 and under attend free; CBA members receive ticket discounts. For tickets, go to fathersdayfestival.com.

Founded in 1976, the family-friendly Father’s Day Bluegrass Festival has become a beloved annual celebration of roots music. Bluegrass fans converge to frolic amid the majestic pines on this nearly 90-acre spot in the Sierra Nevada foothills, swinging their partners during square-dancing sessions, learning from masters during workshops, joining in on or listening to impromptu jam sessions, enjoying food, beverage and craft offerings, and camping under the stars (lodging is also available in Grass Valley and Nevada City). Kidfest, a major component of the event, offers crafts, games and music for younger attendees. The Kids on Bluegrass program gives musically skilled players up to age 18 an opportunity to perform on the festival mainstage. The CBA Youth Academy, for 8- to 16-year-olds, is a music camp for beginner and intermediate students.

Tent, camper-van and tent-trailer camping (without hookups) and parking for one car are included with full festival passes. RV hookups are available on a limited basis; for more information and fees, check the website.

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Father’s Day Bluegrass Festival Schedule

Main Stage Performers

Thursday, June 12

10 a.m. – Mission Blue

11:05 a.m. – Matt Michienzie Band  

12:15 p.m. – Crying Uncle Bluegrass Band

2:20 p.m. – Clinton Davis Stringband

3:30 p.m. – Junior Sisk Band  

4:40 p.m. – Music Camp All-Stars

6:50 p.m. – Clinton Davis Stringband

8:20 p.m. – Crying Uncle Bluegrass Band

9:50 p.m. – Junior Sisk Band

Friday, June 13

10 a.m. – Windy Hill  

11:05 a.m. – Bearcat Stringband

12:25 p.m. – Junior Sisk Band

2:20 p.m. – Crying Uncle Bluegrass Band

3:30 p.m. – AJ Lee & Blue Summit

4:40 p.m. – Kids on Bluegrass

6:50 p.m. – Good ‘Ol Persons

8:20 p.m. – Laurie Lewis & the Right Hands

9:50 p.m. – AJ Lee & Blue Summit

Saturday, June 14

10 a.m. – The Town Howlers

11:05 a.m. – The Canote Brothers

12:15 p.m. – The Gibson Brothers

2:20 p.m. – The Travelin’ McCourys

3:30 p.m. – Laurie Lewis & Kathy Kallick

4:25 p.m. – Lifetime Membership Awards

4:40 p.m. – Kids on Bluegrass

6:50 p.m. – AJ Lee & Blue Summit

8:20 p.m. – Rob Ickes & Trey Hensley

9:50 p.m. – The Travelin’ McCourys

Sunday, June 15

10 a.m. – Rob Ickes & Trey Hensley

11:05 a.m. – The Alum Ridge Boys & Ashlee

12:15 p.m. – The Gibson Brothers

2:20 p.m. – Rob Ickes & Trey Hensley

3:25 p.m. – The Alum Ridge Boys & Ashlee

4:40 p.m. – The Gibson Brothers

Pioneer Stage Performers

Thursday, June 12

1:30 p.m. – Windy Hill

2:35 p.m. – Bearcat Stringband

3:40 p.m. – Sidesaddle & Co.

4:55 p.m. – Arkansas Sheiks

6:10 p.m. – High Country

Friday, June 13

1:30 p.m. – Mission Blue

2:35 p.m. – Matt Michienzie Band

3:40 p.m. – California Bluegrass Pioneers

4:55 p.m. – Blue & Lonesome

6:10 p.m. – Youth Open Mic

7:25 p.m. – The Canote Brothers

Saturday, June 14

Noon – Black Banjo Reclamation Project showcase

1:30 p.m. – The Town Howlers

2:35 p.m. – Youth Academy Show

3:40 p.m. – California Bluegrass Pioneers

4:55 p.m. – The Canote Brothers

6:10 p.m. – Good ‘Ol Persons

Sunday, June 15

9 a.m. – Bluegrass Gospel Jam and Service

Vern’s Stage Performers

Thursday, June 12

Noon – Marin County Breakdown

12:45 p.m. – Muddy Mountain West

1:30 p.m. – Matt and George and Their Pleasant Valley Boys

5:15 p.m. – Hey Lonesome!

6:10 p.m. – Deep Thicket Dwellers

Friday, June 13

Noon  – Flatpick Hotel

12:45 p.m. – The Jimmy Touzel Bluegrass Explosion

1:20 p.m. – Bill & Faye Downs Awards

1:30 p.m. – The Corn Likkers

5:15 p.m. – Dadweed

6:10 p.m. – Charlie Torch

Saturday, June 14

Noon – Bay Area Special

12:45 p.m. – Blue Birds on a Wire

1:20 p.m. – Volunteer of the Year Award

1:30 p.m. – Critical Grass

5:15 p.m. – Skillet Licorice

6:10 p.m. – Jesse Appelman’s West Coast Stringband Project

Sunday, June 15

11 a.m. – Father’s Day Brunch

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