From staff reports
The time slots are filling up for the 11th annual Oil Country Bluegrass Festival.
Court Appointed Special Advocates of Venango County and the Oil City Arts Council are teaming up to host the festival.
This year’s festival is slated for Friday through Sunday, Feb. 23-25, at the Days Inn located at 1 Seneca St., Oil City.
All proceeds from the festival will benefit the sponsoring non-profit organizations.
Over the past 10 years, the Oil Country Bluegrass festival has become one of Oil City’s most popular annual entertainment events, drawing near capacity crowds each year, organizers said.
“This great community event might not be possible without the support of our many sponsors I am extremely grateful to them and thank them for their pride in community and willingness to support us,” said Cinnamon Evans, CASA executive director and festival coordinator.
This year’s festival will feature outstanding bluegrass bands that donate their time and talents, with each band performing a 30-minute set.
The festival hours will be from 6 to 9:45 p.m. Friday; from 1 to 10:45 p.m. Saturday; and from 9 to 10:30 a.m. Sunday.
The band line-up and their playing times are always subject to last-minute changes, organizers said.
At present, Friday night’s performance schedule is:
6 p.m. – Slab Furnace Roadies
6:30 p.m. – Gravel Lick
7 p.m. – The Pine Valley Boys
7:30 p.m. – The Dempseytown Ramblers
8 p.m. – Matt Efaw and Rural Free Delivery
8:30 p.m. – Tug Creek
9:05 p.m. – The Pine Valley Boys
Saturday’s line-up is:
1 p.m. -Keep Off the Grass
1:30 p.m. – Matt Efaw and Rural Free Delivery
2:15 p.m. – Earth Angel
3 p.m. – Tug Creek
3:30 p.m. – The Storm Honeys
4 p.m. – Barrett Brothers Family Band
4:30 p.m. – The Allegheny Drifters
5 p.m. -Gravel Lick
5:30 p.m. – East of Enon
6:00 p.m. – Mocking Bird Morning
6:30 p.m. – Echo Valley
7 p.m. -Well Strung
7:30 p.m. -The Casual Hobos
8 p.m. – Hidden Drive
8:30 p.m. – Southside String Kings
9 p.m. – Lonesome Lost and Foggy
9:30 p.m. – Sweaty Already String Band
10 p.m. – Well Strung and Friends – Acoustic Mayhem
Sunday morning’s lineup is:
9 a.m.- East of Enon
9:30 a.m. – Southside String Kings
10 a.m. -Trapper Dan and Glimpse Above
Most performances will take place on the fifth floor of the Days Inn in the Riverview Ballroom which offers a view of the Allegheny River.
Other performances will take place in other areas of the hotel, including some pick-up band performances in the Drake rooms, the lounge and other first floor areas.
There is no admission charge for attending the festival, but donations are accepted. Other monies raised in support of the non-profit partners will be realized from half and half drawings; guitar; mandolin, banjo and basket raffles; and, from festival T-shirt sales.
Many CASA, Arts Council, and community volunteers will be on hand to help out with the three-day festival.
“We can’t begin to thank our great volunteers enough … they are invaluable to us and are largely responsible for our festival being such a success each year,” said Dan Feroz, Oil City Arts Council president.
The hotel management will offering reduced lodging rates for the festival.
Food will be available at the hotel, with continental breakfasts, Friday evening specials, a Saturday evening buffet, and food served in the lounge as well as on the fifth floor at various times during the festival.
Organizers said food is also available at numerous other surrounding restaurants or cafes in town.
Bluegrass festival-goers can also take the opportunity to enjoy shopping at local businesses, Transit Artist Studios and community specialty shops, they added.
This year’s festival committee members and organizers are Cassandra Evans, Cinnamon Evans, Dr. Brad Fell, Heather Faunce, Dan Feroz, Greg Knox, Ron Shoup and Shelly Walters-Thomas.
“We are looking forward to a fabulous bluegrass festival again this year,” committee member Ron Shoup said.
“Attendees will be provided with information pertaining to other activities or entertainment going on in the community during the same weekend. Those who are lodging at the Days Inn will receive a hospitality bag filled with information about the festival, our sponsors, tourism opportunities, and information about our community,” he added.
Individuals needing more information about the festival may contact the following individuals by email: Cinnamon Evans at oilcountrybluegrassfestival@gmail.com; Dan Feroz at danferoz@hotmail.com or visit www.ocartscouncil.com; www.casaofvenangocounty.org or www.oilcity.org.
