Author: Michael Hall

14th Annual Pick & Gather Festival Will be Held May 26-28 In Livingston

The Pick And Gather Festival, Riverdance Farms

The 14th Annual Pick & Gather Festival has been set forĀ May 26-28 inĀ Livingston (near Merced).

The farm-to-table and bluegrass music (and beyond) festival will be presented byĀ Riverdance Farms and will feature a wide variety of music along with the chance to pick your own blueberries, cherries, and strawberries.

Camping in the walnut orchard is available, while swimming and otherĀ Merced RiverĀ activities will round out the weekend.

The Northern California Bluegrass Society welcomes this event.

FREE Santa Cruz Bluegrass Fair Set For SUNDAY May 6 At The Duck Pond Stage

The Santa Cruz Duck Pond

TheĀ Northern California Bluegrass Society/Santa Cruz Bluegrass Society will present theĀ Santa Cruz Bluegrass Fair onĀ SUNDAY, May 6, 2018. The annualĀ Rite Of Spring at theĀ Duck Pond Stage inĀ San Lorenzo Park will run fromĀ Noon-6:00pm.

The FREEĀ Santa Cruz Bluegrass Fair will feature performances byĀ The Down Beets, The Naked Bootleggers, AJ Lee & Jesse Fichman, The Juncos, Wildcat Mountain Ramblers, and more.

The longest-running bluegrass society gathering has been held on the first weekend in May since 1986.

Remembering Robert Zeien On Saturday April 28 At Holbrook Palmer Park In Atherton

Robert Zeien

The family and friends of the late bluegrass musician Robert Zeien will hold a gathering to celebrate his life onĀ Saturday, April 28 from 1:00pm to 6:00pm at The Pavilion in Holbrook-Palmer Park, Atherton. All are invited.

The Pavilion, Holbrook Palmer Park, Atherton.

Robert was the guitarist and lead vocalist for the Stoney Mountain Ramblers. He passed away onĀ January 30, 2018 after a year-long battle with cancer. The band has performed at many NCBS events over the years.

There will be a service followed by some open mic time for people to share their memories of Robert. Bring your acoustic instrument for some informal jamming later in the afternoon.

Note that parking is very limited, so please carpool or consider alternatives to driving. Please RSVP to Gary Anwyl before Tuesday, 4/24.

— Gary Anwyl

Robert Zeien Obituary

Freight & Salvage To Host The Berkeley Bluegrass Festival May 18-20

Molly Tuttle

TheĀ Northern California Bluegrass Society will welcome theĀ Third Annual Berkeley Bluegrass Festival, which will be held at theĀ Freight & Salvage Coffee House inĀ Berkeley onĀ May 18-20, 2018. Full festival and individual show tickets are available.

FRIDAY, May 18 ā€” Laurie Lewis and the Right Hands with Molly Tuttle, Sean Watkins with the Bee Eaters, Crying Uncle, plus Fog Holler.

SATURDAY, May 19 ā€” Molly Tuttle Band, Phantoms of the High Country, Jeff Scroggins and Colorado, plus Bluegrass Pride.

SUNDAY, May 20 ā€” Darol Angerā€™s Blur-Grass All-Stars, The Get Down Boys, The Page Turners with Bill Evans and Max Schwartz, plus North Country Blue.


NCBS Announces The Band Line-Up For The 25th Annual Good Old Fashioned Bluegrass Festival

The Northern California Bluegrass Society has announced the band line-up for the 25th Annual Good Old Fashioned Bluegrass Festival, set for August 9-12, 2018 at the San Benito County Historical Park in Tres Pinos:

Bean Creek

Blue Summit

Bodie 601 Band

Brookdale Bluegrass Band

Dark Hollow

Faux Renwah

Goat Hill Girls

GrassKickers

Highway One

High Water Line

Jubilee

Kids On Stage

Loganville

Lucky Drive Bluegrass Band

North Country Blue

Red Dog Ash

Rogue River

Sidesaddle & Co

Snap Jackson & The Knock On Wood Players

Stoney Mountain Ramblers

The Hossettes

The Jones Gang

The Quitters

Town Howlers

Wildcat Mountain Ramblers

The Naked Bootleggers Will Perform At The FREE May 6 Santa Cruz Bluegrass Fair

TheĀ Naked Bootleggers will perform at theĀ Santa Cruz Bluegrass Fair onĀ SUNDAY, May 6, 2018.

The relaxed afternoon in the park will also feature performances byĀ The Down Beets, AJ Lee & Jesse Fichman, The Juncos, Wildcat Mountain Ramblers, and more.

The FREE and FUNĀ Rite Of Spring at theĀ Duck Pond Stage inĀ San Lorenzo Park will run fromĀ Noon-6:00pm.

The annual bluegrass fair is presented by theĀ Northern California Bluegrass Society/Santa Cruz Bluegrass Society. The longest-running bluegrass society gathering has been held on the first weekend in May since 1986.

The Naked Bootleggers

The NCBS Good Old Fashioned Bluegrass Festival Began In 1994 And Turns 25 This August

Jamming is a popular activity at the GOF!

The Northern California Bluegrass Society’s Good Old Fashioned Bluegrass Festival will be held at the lovelyĀ San Benito County Historical Park onĀ August 9-12, 2018.

The festival in the tiny community ofĀ Tres Pinos was started in 1994 and turns 25 Years Old this year!

The fun, friendly event features top California bluegrass bands.

The event benefits the year-round work of theĀ NCBS in promoting bluegrass music in theĀ San Francisco Bay Area, theĀ Monterey Bay Area and throughoutĀ Northern California. Free RV & tent camping is included in multi-day tickets. There will be jamming, childrenā€™s activities, open mike stage, shade over the audience area, food & drink, late night shows, a raffle, the annual NCBS elections, and more.

Discount tickets will soon be available on this website.

NCBS Will Welcome The Third Annual Berkeley Bluegrass Festival May 18-20

Crying Uncle will perform on the Main Stage at the Berkeley Bluegrass Festival.

The Northern California Bluegrass Society will welcome the Third Annual Berkeley Bluegrass Festival, which will be held at theĀ Freight & Salvage Coffee House inĀ Berkeley onĀ May 18-20, 2018. Full festival and individual show tickets are available.

FRIDAY, May 18 ā€” Laurie Lewis and the Right Hands with Molly Tuttle, Sean Watkins with the Bee Eaters, Crying Uncle, plus Fog Holler.

SATURDAY, May 19 ā€” Molly Tuttle Band, Phantoms of the High Country, Jeff Scroggins and Colorado, plus Bluegrass Pride.

SUNDAY, May 20 ā€” Darol Angerā€™s Blur-Grass All-Stars, The Get Down Boys, The Page Turners with Bill Evans and Max Schwartz, plus North Country Blue.

NCBS Walker Creek Music Camp Scholarship Fund Announces Spring 2018 Awards

TheĀ NCBS Walker Creek Music Camp Scholarship Fund awarded tuition assistance to help some young Northern California musicians to attend this weekend’s spring camp nearĀ Petaluma.

The scholarships will assist three fiddlers, ages 9, 12 & 12,Ā  to attend the camp, as well as one young adult. These students would not have been able to be at the camp without the fund’s help.

In addition, a separate gift was received to expand faculty support.

Thanks to the generous donors and to the NCBS scholarship committee. The fund will soon begin collecting donations to help deserving students who want to attend the upcoming fall camp. Thanks for your support of music education!

May Is Bluegrass Month — Plenty Of Music To Enjoy!

Northern California Bluegrass Society Members will enjoy a big month of bluegrass music in May, “Bluegrass Month:”

MAY

3 — Goat Hill Girls, Summit House, Los Gatos. (NCBS welcomed)

6 ā€“Ā NCBS/SCBS Santa Cruz Bluegrass Fair, Duck Pond Stage, San Lorenzo Park, Santa Cruz. FREE.Ā (Note new Sunday date)

10 — Wildcat Mountain Ramblers, Summit House, Los Gatos. (NCBS welcomed)

12 — Train Jam, Historic Depot Museum, Santa Clara. (NCBS welcomed)

17 — Blue Summit, Summit House, Los Gatos. (NCBS welcomed)

Riverdance Farms

18-20 ā€”Ā Berkeley Bluegrass Festival, Freight & Salvage, Berkeley. (NCBS welcomed)

24 — Thursday Bluegrass Series, Summit House, Los Gatos. (NCBS welcomed)

25-27 ā€“Ā Pick & Gather Festival, Riverdance Farms, Livingston (near Merced). (NCBS welcomed)

31 — Thursday Bluegrass Series, Summit House, Los Gatos. (NCBS welcomed)

These are the official NCBS events for the month!