Music Festivals

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PancakeBill

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Joined
Apr 9, 2005
Posts
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Location
Benson , AZ.
RV's are the best way to go to festivals.  Get in, set up and you are there.  Host jams, have a place to go for lunch, you can't beat it.  These next 6 weeks as we are selling the home, and getting ready to move, we will be attending 2 major festivals, Grey Foix Bluegrass in Ancramdale, NY and then Podunk in East Hartford, CT.  At both I host Bill's Pancake Jam, and some of you here have experienced my pancake breakfasts.  They are becoming world famous. (well, someone in England had some). 

Anyone else get into the festival scene?  I love it, great way to spend close to a week.  In fact, some folks are already in line at the fest in NY.  Have been for a week.  Landowner is OK with it, and they get prime sites on the hill. 

Bluegrass is our thing for these events, but other genres probably do this too. 

Rhythm & Roots is another fest, this features many genres, from Cajun and Zydeco, to bluegrass to some southern rockabilly and blues.  Charlestown, RI in Sept.  We won't be going to this one though.

Anyone else?
 
Hi Bill,

We haven't been to any festivals except the one you organized in West Springfield, MA for the Highland Games. I would like to do some of those. John Merideth, who used to be on the forum, has gone to many blue grass festivals when he had the big coach. All the years we lived in Vernon our neighbor was a dobroe player in a blue grass band and now emcees the festivals. We've seen him play a couple of times at a nearby campground where he has a trailer.

When in the festival in Podunk? Perhaps we could meet you there with or without the coach. We're only about 20 minutes away.

 
Bill a number of years ago we attended a jazz festival at Idlewild CA when we had our class C and it certainly was a great way to go.  We ended up parking on a local street for the night since we didn't really want to drive down the mountain in the dark.  We were living in the Palm Springs CA area at that time. While there we also drove the C over to Mission Bay CA for the International Hydro Races and were able to park it outside the pits for free since we are/were good friends with a fellow that was head of the safety board for the races.  It was great to be able to head back to the RV to rest or for lunch and our friends did too.
 
Jim,  Podunk is at the city park in East Hartford.  We will be there from Aug 4 to Aug 7 early.  (leaving for family get together in RI)  Not sure how getting into camping area will work unless you get a ticket for the event, day pass or whatever. 

 
BillnRI said:
Jim,  Podunk is at the city park in East Hartford.  We will be there from Aug 4 to Aug 7 early.  (leaving for family get together in RI)  Not sure how getting into camping area will work unless you get a ticket for the event, day pass or whatever. 

Thanks, Bill. I'll check around and see where to find tickets. We are very close to East Hartford. Hope we can get together while you are there.

 
RV's are the best way to go to festivals.  Get in, set up and you are there.  Host jams, have a place to go for lunch, you can't beat it.
 

Our things are the Ashland Oregon Shakespeare Festival and its neighbor the Peter Britt Music Festival over in Jacksonville, OR.  Not quite set up in the festival but there are good RV parks nearby and you get to watch some great theater, usually two or three Shakespearean plays and 3-4 modern.  The Britt supplies great tunes a few miles away at the same time.  Their tunes range from those of Jean-Pierre Rampal to ZZ Top.  See the website at http://www.brittfest.org/.  The festival is absolutely fantastic no matter what your musical preference.  Southern Oregon rocks in the summer!

Another festival of great interest to the forum here is the Blythe Bluegrass Festival, to be held in 2006 on Jan 20-22, just a hop skip and a jump away from Quartzite.  Lots of bands, some of them even worth hangin with a new rope.  ;D    The Colorado Jazz Festival is held there February 17-19.
 
Jim  You are back in CT now? 

If you go to podunkbluegrass.com you can find tickets.  Thurs or Fri would be the least expensive day tix.  Well, Sunday is, but we have to leave early.  Pets are allowed.  Then again, come for the fewst, bring the coach and the cats and enjoy.  $75 pp for Th thru Sunday camping included.

Have to see what this Blythe fest is, some year we will get to Quartzite.

Have to check schedule for FL and area now.
 
Bill,

Yes, we are back in CT. Not sure if we can bring the coach. Our genset has been acting up and I haven't had time to play around with it. I found the tickets for sale but didn't check to see if any were still available.

If you have some spare time you could come a couple of days early and stay at our daughter's. Electric is available as well as water. Dump is about 15 minutes away and the festival is probably about 20. Don't know if I'll be workiing but it isn't looking good at the moment. We could at least spend some time together and perhaps even take a bike ride if you have yours with you.

 
Death Valley 49ers Encampment has a great music competition program, along with lots of other events  and is RV friendly with large campgrounds within walking distance. It is held in the area of the main visitor center.

It is held  in November each year and this year Nov 10-13.

Here is site for many Country and Western festivals and events I ran onto looking for the dates of the 49ers Encampment.

http://www.westernmusic.org/eventcalendar.html
 
Good morning
When we went to Grey Fox that is where we camped.  Just about a straight shot back from the silo in the middle.  Last 2 years we went, (04, 05) we had a Grey Fox created sign with Bill's Pancake Jam  on it.  I would host a jam at the camper, cooking pancakes for any wjo came and jammed.  We now live in FL and it is just too far for our easy attendance.

Bill
 
Doing the bluegrass thing down here in Va.  You and you pancakes are always welcome down this way?
 
Did Merlefest, NEPA, Grey Fox, Wind Gap, AFBA, Gettysburg, and will do the Delaware Valley Bluegrass festival in Woodstown, NJ on Labor Day.  Great times, and free rough camping is included with many festivals.  Some are at campgrounds where some hookups are available at additional cost.

I get bored camping at campgrounds.  Not sure why people do it.

http://www.docsbluegrass.net/bluegrass-festivals.html

 
My dream is to visit Burning man in Black rock desert, Utah. Anobody?s familiar? But that does need some serious RV customization/ rent one, coz of the alkaline dust ?
 
SeilerBird said:
Burning Man is at the Black Rock Desert but that desert is located in Nevada, not Utah.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burning_Man

is burning man worth it? i have never been there. but heard so much abt it.
like its a trip u must go in ur lifetime
 
Grey Fox is legendary, but too far now.  We will be heading tp the Grand Targhee Bluegrass next month, I think it will be our 7th year.  Great one, but not Grey Fox.  Next will be some down in FL.
 
I have been attending High Mountain Hay Fever in Westcliffe CO for several years and it is my favorite festival. The setting is amazing. This will be the 3rd year that I have had my RV there. Prior to that I stayed with a friend who lives there. Also in June I  attended Pagosa Folk & Bluegrass in Pagosa Springs CO for first time. The main reason I went was to see Del McCoury. His show was awesome. I agree, RV is the way to go.
 
For camping music festivals in Montana we have the Rockin' the Rivers in Three Forks, MT (headwaters of the Missouri River) - which is mostly 80's rock.  And the Red Ants Pants Festival in White Sulphur Springs, MT - which is country.  The BluesFest in Billings draws some great artists, but is less of a camping festival.
 
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