Back in the mid-90’s I went to the Father’s Day Bluegrass Festival on a whim. I was staying nearby, didn’t have plans, and I like bluegrass. Voila. Now, thirty years later, the festival is still around and stronger than ever. So I decided to go up to Grass Valley again and see what’s special about this event.
The Atmosphere. It is, in a word, chill. Someone once told me that in the 70’s, when the hardcore hippies left San Francisco, if they could afford a full tank of gas they went to Oregon. If they could only afford a half tank, they went to Grass Valley. There were certainly plenty of those aging boomers in attendance, and their outlook on life goes hand-in-hand with the attitude of all the volunteers. There’s also the terroir. Plenty of festivals claim to be in the woods. But the stage seating always seems to be out in the open. Here, you sit amongst the 100+ foot pines. Yeah, they cause a few sight line problems, but other than for an hour or two in the middle of the day, it’s easy to find some shade.
Focus on Youth. The California Bluegrass Association, the promoter of the festival, is well aware of the need to keep filling the funnel with young musicians. Whether it’s the Youth Academy, individual mentoring around the campfire, or the Kids on Bluegrass program, there’s something for every skill level in the under-18 set. For the more talented youth, there are a couple of chances to play up on the main stage. Some of the musicians that have been on that stage early in life include Alison Brown, Frank Solivan Jr, AJ Lee, and Molly Tuttle.
Local Bands. The northern CA area has a thriving bluegrass scene, no doubt helped by the CBA. Several of those bands were featured during the festival. Solid Gold Stranger, in addition to having their own sets on both the Main and Pioneer stage, had almost every member of the band playing sets with other bands. Caltucky pushed the envelope of traditional bluegrass during their Main stage and Pioneer stage sets, and then headlined the unofficial wrap party at a nearby pub. Salty Sally is a shining example of the talented youth groups featured at the festival. The female group is all in their teens, with several members having gone through CBA programs like the Youth Academy. For all-round entertainment value, you had to hand it to John Barleycorn, and B*Craft with their custom dance moves.
Other Musical Highlights. I mentioned Frank Solivan earlier, and his father, Frank Solivan Sr, started the Kids on Bluegrass program 35 years ago. Frank Sr passed away earlier this year and Frank Jr (& his band Dirty Kitchen) led a tribute set to his dad that was simultaneously heartwarming and heartbreaking. Another emotional set came from Country Gongbang. A band of youthful members from that hotbed of bluegrass, South Korea, they lit up the stage with their talent and an enormous appreciation for getting to play for the first time in front of an American audience already knowledgable in bluegrass. Acoustic music stalwart Alison Brown highlighted her own history with the Father’s Day festival, having played many times dating back to her first performance there at the age of 14. She and her band were undoubtedly one of the most popular performers of the weekend.
Music festivals have become ubiquitous throughout the summer, and it seems like bigger-is-better has become the goal. The Father’s Day Festival in Grass Valley, CA, is an exception to that rule. It was truly refreshing to spend a weekend listening to great music without the hassle of long lines, over-crowded stages, and nose-bleeding prices.
About the author: I've actually driven from Tehatchapee to Tonopah. And I've seen Dallas from a DC-9 at night.