Bluegrass musicians and fans will return to Toledo in August for the 37th annual Mount St. Helens Bluegrass Festival.
The three-day music event begins with an open mic at noon on Friday and continues through a Gospel concert Sunday morning.
Campers can begin arriving at Kemp Olson Memorial Park for the weekend at 9 a.m. on Thursday and are permitted to stay Thursday, Friday and Saturday night. Dry camping is $25 per campsite. Showers are available and pets must be on a leash at all times.
A weekend event pass is $35, a Friday-only pass is $20, an all-day Saturday pass is $25 and an after-4 p.m. Saturday pass is $20.
Free events include: the open mic from 12-2 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 12; workshops beginning 9:30 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 13; band scrambles at 11 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 13; and the Gospel concert at 9:30 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 14.
The Washington Bluegrass Association is not equipped to handle credit and debit payments so all payments must be made with cash or checks.
The 2022 festival lineup includes:
• The Central Valley Boys — The Central Valley Boys are dedicated to “playing homage to the greats of the beautiful and fertile central valley of California. No frills or fancy stuff, just down-home bluegrass music at its finest,” according to the Washington Bluegrass Association.
• Randy Hackworth and Kentucky Sky — a new traditional bluegrass band featuring Randy Hackworth on guitar, Fred Frank on banjo, Emily Frank on bass and Chad Fadely on mandolin. Hackworth and Emily Frank write a significant portion of the band’s songs in a traditional bluegrass style, which “makes for a refreshing, yet familiar sound the band offers,” according to the Washington Bluegrass Association.
• Annie Staninec and Whiskey Deaf — Whiskey Deaf plays a lively mix of lesser-known traditional bluegrass, old-time and early country tunes, and brings together a unique blend of styles and talents, according to the Washington Bluegrass Association. Staninec is “a uniquely gifted fiddle player, bringing driving rhythm, musicality and joyful exuberance to every performance,” according to the Bluegrass Association.
• Dave Barker and HeartWood Bluegrass Band — The HeartWood Bluegrass Band formed in 2000 around the powerful duet singing of Billy Moore and Dave Baker. A Northwest fiddler will be joining the band.
• Robert Caitlin and Powell Mountain Band — consisting of Jimmy Hall, Robert Catlin, Kelly Erb and John Brogan, the band is “a collection of outstanding bluegrass musicians drawn together from across the U.S.A,” according to the Washington Bluegrass Association. Their style of traditional Bluegrass music includes “driving fiddle tunes, breakdowns, good ol' honky tonk, soulful ballads and gospel from the sacred side,” said the Washington Bluegrass Association.
For more information on the event and the Washington Bluegrass Association, visit www.bluegrassassociation.org or contactGeneral Cothren at 360-520-4524 or generalcothren@gmail.com.
