Saturday May 3rd and Sunday May 4th of 2014 is our next one. We’ll keep ya posted as we get it put together. The info below is about the one we just finished up:

Saturday May 4th and Sunday May 5th of 2013 we’re putting on a Humm-dinger of a two day show, and we’ll be trying out a lot of new things for 2013.  One of these will be  ”Ramona Music Days & Nights”, beginning with the Ramona Music Festival, music all week long (see 9 Days & Nights” under info tab), and culminating in our two day Ramona Bluegrass & Old West Fest.

Speakin of the Old West, at the east side Venue by the rodeo arena, we’ll be having a completely different format this year with our focus on Old West History, rather than the actor’s skits. There will be an ENCAMPMENT (which you will walk through as you come in our new gate location) where several outfits will be holed up for a few days as they make they’re way across the west….. Mountain Men, a Civil War Era camp, a saloon, a prairie schooner and the Cowboys….. maybe even a teepee. You’ll be able to visit their camps,  talk and learn about how life’s lived in the 1700 – 1800′s. We’ll still be having the (hardly, strictly) Old West Music as well on a third stage nearby. We’ve got some surprise last minute performers coming to that stage too.

Check out the “Encampment” page and pics at the “Lineup” tab >> “Old West Encampment” button.

Back at the West Bluegrass Venue, things have really come together for this year…… we’re fortunate enough to be having these 16 groups (including the Old West Stage performers) appear:

• Hot Club of Cow Town, swingin in from Austin on Saturday Night
• Head For The Hills  from Colorado on Sunday
• Chris Stewart and Janet Beazley and their Harmony Workshops
• Gone Tomorrow
• Lonesome Otis
• Chris Clarke & Plow
• Lacemakers
• Prairie Sky
• Shirthouse Band
• Judy Taylor 
• Taildraggers
• Next Generation Band
• Cowboy Jack
• Box Canyon
• Pony Tales
• Cowboy Angels
• All kindza Music Workshops  (see Music Workshops under “INFO” tab)
•      Mandolin led by Peter Lauderbach
•      2 Harmony Workshops by Chris Stuart & Janet Beazley
•      Hot Club of Cowtown FULL BAND western swing workshop
•     Fiddlemania led by Karen Orozco
•     Guitar, Bass, Banjo workshops as requests come in
• 
  
• And a whole lot of other wonderful things to do
•        Kid’s Korner
•        Fantastic Face Painting – these folks are terrific and really good!
•        A whole mess of wonderful Vendors
•        A bunch of bluegrass instruments that can be picked up and handled, presented by Jon Hasz
•        Fireside Storytelling after the Music dies down at the Big Pavilion Fireplace.

We have solidified commitments from these fine musicians and performers for helping us out at the 4th Annual Ramona Bluegrass and Old West Fest at the Ramona Rodeo Grounds in Ramona CA.

Some of these bands, along with some other fine musicians, will also be leading MUSIC WORKSHOPS during both days of the festival. This will be a great opportunity for kids – of ALL ages – to bring their instrument and play along with some great teachers for this fantastic learning experience. There will be workshops in Fiddle, Mandolin, and definitely Chris Stuart & Janet Beazley’s FANTASTIC HARMONY Workshops. We may add a guitar, banjo and/or bass workshop as the demand dictates. Check out the schedule and sign up instructions under the “INFO” tab.

We’ll also be doing a raffle for a brand new DEERING GOODTIME BANJO with gig bag. See the tab under “Tickets” for details about this fine instrument.

It’s guaranteed to be a great couple of days of music and festivities with both day & night jams, fireside story telling and impromptu break out jams in the camping area and the SOUTH-SIDE JAM IT UP area where band members mingle with all the other pickers and demonstrate some great licks, as well as anywhere you decide you want to set up and start pickin. That’s what makes a great bluegrass festival a jammin bluegrass festival!

Saturday May 4th we kick things off at 10am with “Gone Tomorrow” and continue this shindig until 9pm. when “HOT CLUB OF COWTOWN” closes out the day with some Django Reinheart style Texas Swing (7:30 – 9:00). I’m here ta tell ya that this is gonna be some mighty fine DANCE MUSIC so put on yer boots & hats & make sure and be there by 7:30 to KICK UP YER HEELS  and bring a can of red paint cause we’re planning on paintin the town! We’re hardly, strictly old school bluegrass on Saturday night and Hot Club will prove it to ya!

On Sunday the show starts at 11am and continues until 7pm. Sunday afternoon we’re tickled to tell you that “Head for the Hills” will be joining us. Colorado is known for groups with traditional bluegrass instruments playing in not-so-traditional bluegrass styles and H4TH is at the forefront of the Colorado Avant Garde of the edge of bluegrass. These guys are really terrific and if you haven’t heard them yet, give a bit of a listen on their website to hear how much ENERGY these guys put out!

Not to say you won’t get a Stetson full of really great ole traditional bluegrass music. Check out Lonesome Otis, for instance….. Chris, their guitarist makes the trip out from Nashville for our festival….. Tennessee Style ….. Chris Clarke will bring it on home with some good ole Appalachian style sounds….  Gone Tomorrow, Box Canyon and the Taildraggers mix it up with all manner of old and new bluegrass styles and Next Generation makes way for the younger folks comin up behind us oldsters with some fantastic licks. The Lacemakers mix in the old country historic aspects of our bluegrass instruments with the original Celtic touch. Chris & Janet, Prairie Sky and the Shirthouse Band show us what great harmonies are all about. Judy Taylor, the Cowboy Angels and Cowboy Jack Johnson along with the Pony Tails will be whippin up great tunes on the Happy Trails Stage.

Camping at this festival is becoming a favorite with so much space, trees, the creek and the jamming, Ramona Style…. Add in:    our great vendors, incredible musicians, the previous seven days of Ramona Musical Events, an Authentic Old West Encampment, lots of other stuff to do and the hospitality of the friendly folks in Ramona and you’ve got yourself an amazing down-home experience in store for your entire family!