Cartersville DDA & Main Street Program Gear Up for Cartersville Bluegrass & Folk Festival

CARTERSVILLE, GA – Cartersville Downtown Development Authority and Main Street Program is pleased to announce plans for the Second Annual Cartersville Bluegrass & Folk Festival, scheduled for Saturday, October 18, in downtown Cartersville. The inaugural event last year featured 13 bands on two stages, a Kids’ Corner, and drew more than 2,000 attendees. The 2014 event is sure to be bigger and better as outside vendors are being sought, the time has been extended to 9 PM, and the lineup features local, regional and even nationally known artists. The event is free of charge to attend.

“It was amazing to see the final product come together last year when we held the first Cartersville Bluegrass & Folk Festival,” said Cartersville DDA/Main Street Manager Tara Currier. “It took months of preparation, as any event this size certainly would, and overall was a great success. We wanted to start fairly ‘small’ in our first year, limiting the number of vendors and the time of the event. We are excited to grow the festival this year, both in terms of outside participation, and hopefully crowd numbers with such a full schedule of events throughout the day.”

Scheduled for Saturday, October 18, the Cartersville Bluegrass & Folk Festival will be held from 11:30 AM to 9:00 PM. Musical entertainment will kick off on the Main Stage at 11:30 AM with Scarlet Wool Band (formerly known as Purely Acoustic). Held in Friendship Plaza, next to the train depot, the Main Stage will feature a different band every hour on the half hour as follows: 12:30 PM – Luther’s Mountain Band; 1:30 PM – Max and Maggie; 2:30 PM Grass Backardz; 3:30 PM – Old Mill Road Band; and 4:30 PM – Cherokee Cutups. The headliner for the Main Stage will feature The Little Roy and Lizzy Show. Little Roy, of the legendary Lewis Family, has won numerous awards as Entertainer for his banjo playing. Lizzy Long has also been recognized for her strong vocals and fiddle playing. The duo performs all over the country, entertaining audiences with the variety of string instruments they can each play, storytelling and harmonizing.

Located in the bay area of the former fire station, the Firehouse Stage, sponsored by Cohutta Fishing Company, will feature a different band at the top of each hour beginning at Noon with Rick Mckee. Additional performers include: Natalie Goodwin – 1:00 PM; Fish & Picks – 2:00 PM; Jamie Henderson & Friends – 3:00 PM; Windfall – 4:00 PM; and the Firehouse Stage Headliner, Rolling Nowhere, performs at 7:00 PM. Born in the North Georgia hills and defying current genre classification, Rolling Nowhere has been described as a Psychedelic Junkyard Roots band with a sound that evolves with every show. Their sound combines Classic Country, Old Timey Folk, Blues Roots and Psychedelic Rock ‘n’ Roll.

Offering plenty of fun for the kids again this year, the Kids’ Corner, sponsored by Coosa Valley Credit Union, will feature bounce houses, fountain fishing, face painting, coloring activities, and more. Kids’ activities will be available from Noon to 5 PM.

New this year is vendor opportunities to anyone wishing to sale, advertise or promote their products or services. Vendors must complete an application by June 1 to be considered for the event.

If businesses or individuals are interested in getting involved with the event, sponsors of all levels and volunteers are greatly needed to ensure the success of the Second Annual Cartersville Bluegrass & Folk Festival. Additional information is available on the website at www.cartersvillebluegrass.com, or feel free to contact DDA Manager Tara Currier at 770-607-3576.

Be sure to check the website, www.cartersvillebluegrass.com, often for updates and news on the Cartersville Bluegrass & Folk Festival, or call 770-607-3480.