The Northern California Bluegrass Society website has returned to action after some much-needed software maintenance. The NCBS daily news will return tomorrow (August 31) at 10:00pm.
There will be no September Highlights tomorrow evening, but coverage will be available later in September.
Thanks for your support!
The NCBS National Bluegrass Stolen & Missing Instrument Page is linked off the left column on this website. This is a free service for both theft victims and used instrument buyers that provides a central reporting location for the recovery of stolen or lost bluegrass instruments.
Musicians should immediately SELF POST information about stolen instruments. Instrument buyers should CHECK the page prior to purchase of any used instrument. The page is searchable.
The 24th Annual Northern California Bluegrass Society Good Old Fashioned Bluegrass Festival will be held August 10-13, 2017.
Ah, the first festivals of the fall season are upon us. There are the big ones — Strawberry, Hardly Strictly, & American River — and there are the charming small festivals, such as McCloud, Columbia, Fiddletown, & Lost Sierra.
Many folks will travel out of state for major music events like IBMA, Pickin’ In The Pines, Burning Man & Four Corners. The beloved Kings River festival will not happen this September, but the revived Julian festival has returned!
Join your NCBS Friends all around the area and throughout the month for some festival fun! Here is a look at the September fests:
SEPTEMBER
August 28-September 5 – BanjerDan (Still the only bluegrass!), Burning Man Contradance Camp, Burning Man Festival, Black Rock City, NV.
1-4 — Strawberry Music Festival, Westside, Tuolumne.
2-4 — Four Corners Folk Festival, Reservoir Hill Park, Pagosa Springs, CO.
2-5 — San Francisco Folk Music Club Labor Day Campout, Boulder Creek Scout Reservation, Boulder Creek.
3 – Front Porch Music Festival, Wente Vineyards, Livermore.
3-4 – Santa Cruz Mountains Art, Wine, & Music Festival, Garrahan Park, Boulder Creek.
10 – Santee Bluegrass Festival, Town Center Park, Santee.
10-11 – McCloud Mountain Bluegrass Festival, Hoo Hoo Park, McCloud.
16-18 – Millpond Music Festival, Millpond County Park, Bishop.
16-18 — Pickin’ In The Pines, Fort Tuthill County Park, Flagstaff, AZ.
16-19 – American River Music Festival, various venues, Coloma.
17 – Fiddlers’ Jam, Fiddletown Community Center, Fiddletown.
18 — Julian Lions Bluegrass Festival, Frank Lane Park, Julian.
21-25 – Berkeley Old Time Music Convention, various venues, Berkeley.
22-25 – Lost Sierra Hoedown, Plumas Eureka State Park, Graeagle.
23-25 – Unity Festival, Russian River, Guerneville.
24 – Columbia Fiddle & Bango Contest, Gazebo Park, Columbia.
September 27-October 1 – IBMA World Of Bluegrass, Raleigh Convention Center, Raleigh, NC.
September 30-October 2 — Hardly Strictly Bluegrass, Hellman Hollow, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco.
The 2016-2017 Northern California Bluegrass Society Board of Directors was elected on August 13 at the Good Old Fashioned Bluegrass Festival in Tres Pinos. The new board will serve until elections are held in August 2017.
Incumbents Bruce Bellochio, Eric Burman, Bruce Edmundson, Mike Fisher, Penny Godlis, Michael Hall, & Mike Russell were re-elected.
Longtime Society volunteers David Field of Santa Cruz and Allan French of Mountain View were elected to the nine-member board.
Uriah Langmeyer and Alison Steele from the 2015-2016 board did not run again, but will continue to be involved in NCBS activities.
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Benitolink Coverage of the Good Old Fashioned Festival (8/15/16)
The Northern California Bluegrass Society Walker Creek Music Camp Scholarship Fund is accepting donations for student scholarships at the Fall 2016 Camp, set for October 6-9. A NCBS committee manages the fund and awards the scholarships to students in need of financial assistance.
Donations can be sent to:
Northern California Bluegrass Society/Santa Cruz Bluegrass Society
PO Box 390846
Mountain View, CA 94039-0846
Attn: NCBS Walker Creek Music Camp Scholarship Fund
The Northern California Bluegrass Society, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization aka the Santa Cruz Bluegrass Society, accepts donations and disburses scholarships. Donations to the NCBS fund are tax-deductible as allowed by law. Donors should consult their tax advisors. The Federal Tax ID No. is 94-2907716.
Donors who do not need a tax deduction may donate money directly to the camp. Thanks for your support!
Ingrid Noyes (not NCBS) runs the camp, which is held each spring and fall. Information: Walker Creek Music Camp,
SUNDAY, August 14
9:00am — Extended Roots
10:00 — Cliff Compton and Mountaintop (Gospel Plus)
11:00 — Courthouse Ramblers
Noon — Dim Lights
1:15pm — Kids On Stage
2:15 — Mountain Fire Band
3:15 — Blue Summit
4:15 — Damdave & The Left-Hand Band
The 23rd Annual NCBS Good Old Fashioned Bluegrass Festival runs August 11-14, 2016 at the San Benito County Historical Park in Tres Pinos, 7 miles south of Hollister.
SATURDAY, August 13
10:00am — Rambling Minors
11:00 — GrassKickers
Noon — Sidetrack
1:00pm — (Workshop/Lunch Break)
2:00 — One Button Suit
3:00 — Vintage Grass
4:00 — Brookdale Bluegrass Band
5:00 — (Workshop/Dinner Break)
6:00 — Stray Hollow
7:00 — Glad to Be Here
8:00 — Susie Glaze & The Hilonesome Band
9:00 — Sidesaddle & Co
The 23rd Annual NCBS Good Old Fashioned Bluegrass Festival runs August 11-14, 2016 at the San Benito County Historical Park in Tres Pinos, 7 miles south of Hollister.
FRIDAY, August 12
First Stage
Noon — Tomas & Friends
1:00pm — Edgewood Mountain Boys
1:45 — Down The Road Ramblers
2:30 — Sage & The Coyotes
Main Stage
3:00pm — Amazing Dr. Zarcon’s Breathing Machine
4:00 — Wildcat Mountain Ramblers
5:00 — Pacific Drive
6:00 — Barwick & Siegfried
7:00 — Shepherd Canyon Band
8:00 — The Vivants
9:00 — Kitchen Help
The 23rd Annual NCBS Good Old Fashioned Bluegrass Festival runs August 11-14, 2016 at the San Benito County Historical Park in Tres Pinos, 7 miles south of Hollister.
OLD FASHIONED FUN AT THE FESTIVAL: The Northern California Bluegrass Society’s Good Old Fashioned Bluegrass Festival is fun, relaxed, intimate, and close-to home. This weekend’s Thursday-Sunday gathering features 25 great California bands on the main stage and many more bands on the ‘tweener stage. Plus, the First Stage beginning at Noon on Friday will feature four more exciting bands.
The GOF offers flushy restrooms, hot showers, shade in the audience area, a low-power broadcast of the stage to the camp, excellent sound, tent & RV camping, children’s activities, a raffle, the NCBS election, food and craft vendors, nominations for the Northern California Bluegrass Awards, and easy handicapped access, along with plenty of fun jamming! The GOF is a benefit for the NCBS and helps the Society’s volunteers provide services to area bluegrass community all year long.
NEW! — The San Benito County Historical Park is set in a beautiful valley of ranches and vineyards. The park is engaged in the process of upgrading all facilities and features a lovely historical village that is perfect for jamming. The Historical Park is right next to Bolado Park, 7 miles south of Hollister in the community of Tres Pinos.
TICKETS: There will be plenty of tickets at the gate.
Gate Prices:
3-Day Adult $95
2-Day 75
1-Day Sat. 50
1-Day Fri or Sun 40
Youths (Ages 13-17) – above prices discounted to $50/40/30/25
Seniors (65 & above) – above prices discounted to $85/70/45/35
Children (12 & under) – FREE
Thursday Ticket $15. Gates open at NOON on Thursday.
CAMPING: Camping is FREE with all multi-day tickets. The water is the same as at Bolado Park, so bring water for drinking purposes. No RV hook-ups this year. If hook-ups are needed, they are available next door at Bolado Park, but a vehicle will be needed. Walking from Bolado Park to the Historical Park on the highway is not advised.
MUSIC SCHEDULE:
There are no stage performances on Thursday afternoon, which is reserved for jamming and socializing.
(The ‘Tweener Stage alternates with the Main Stage.)
FRIDAY, August 12
First Stage
Noon — Tomas & Friends
1:00pm — Edgewood Mountain Boys
1:45 — Down The Road Ramblers
2:30 — Sage & The Coyotes
Main Stage
3:00pm — Amazing Dr. Zarcon’s Breathing Machine
4:00 — Wildcat Mountain Ramblers
5:00 — Pacific Drive
6:00 — Barwick & Siegfried
7:00 — Shepherd Canyon Band
8:00 — The Vivants
9:00 — Kitchen Help
SATURDAY, August 13
10:00am — Rambling Minors
11:00 — GrassKickers
Noon — Sidetrack
1:00pm — (Workshop/Lunch Break)
2:00 — One Button Suit
3:00 — Vintage Grass
4:00 — Brookdale Bluegrass Band
5:00 — (Workshop/Dinner Break)
6:00 — Stray Hollow
7:00 — Glad to Be Here
8:00 — Susie Glaze & The Hilonesome Band
9:00 — Sidesaddle & Co
SUNDAY, August 14
9:00am — Extended Roots
10:00 — Cliff Compton and Mountaintop (Gospel Plus)
11:00 — Courthouse Ramblers
Noon — Dim Lights
1:15pm — Kids On Stage
2:15 — Mountain Fire Band
3:15 — Blue Summit
4:15 — Damdave & The Left-Hand Band
Festival ends at 5:00pm
DIRECTIONS:
South on Highway 101 to just past Gilroy.
Exit right, then left over bridge on Highway 25 and go
southeast towards Hollister.
(Follow signs to Pinnacles National Park.)
Go through Hollister, then continue south on 25.
Exit I-5 at Highway 152 (Pacheco Pass) and go west
towards Gilroy.
Turn left on Highway 156 just past Casa de Fruta and go
south towards Hollister.
Go through Hollister, then continue south on Highway 25.
Take either Highway 101 (or Highway 1 to Highway 129 to 101)
north & east towards San Juan Batista.
Turn on Highway 156 near San Juan Batista and go east towards
Hollister.
Go through Hollister, then continue south on Highway 25.
FROM HOLLISTER:
Drive south on Highway 25, following signs to the Pinnacles and Bolado Park
The San Benito County Historical Park is 7 miles south of Hollister on Highway 25 (and 2 miles south of the town of Tres Pinos).
Turn right and go over the bridge into the park.
Gas stations, food stores, etc. are plentiful in Hollister and limited in Tres Pinos.
PETS: DOGS ARE ALLOWED, but must remain in the designated Dog Camping Area.
CAMP BROADCAST: KGOF will provide a low-power broadcast of the stage to the camp on your FM radio.
WEATHER: Sunny & beautiful. Thursday: High 77, Low 54. Friday: High 82 Low 56. Saturday: High 88, Low 56. Sunday: High 86, Low 55. Depending on the wind, there may be some light smoke in the air from a distant forest fire.
SEE YOU AT THE FESTIVAL THIS WEEKEND!
And remember, all of your friends will be there!
