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Northwest to host first bluegrass festival in October

Senatobia, MS (04/03/2018) — When Kentucky-born mandolin player Bill Monroe and his brother Charlie parted musical ways in 1938, Bill started his own band called "Bill Monroe and the Blue Grass Boys" as a tribute to his home state.

Monroe, the "father of bluegrass" and his band appeared on the Grand Ole Opry stage in 1939 bringing a new style of "traditional" country music to the forefront. That music originated from the basic styles of music that people who migrated to America in the 1600s from Ireland, Scotland, and England brought with them. Bluegrass is authentically American music.

This year, the Northwest Mississippi Community College Foundation will be co-sponsoring the first Ranger Bluegrass Festival presented by Gateway Tire, which will be held at the Northwest Farm on Saturday, Oct. 13, 2018. Festival hours are 9 a.m.- 9 p.m.

The event is a one-day music festival featuring nationally-recognized, award-winning bluegrass bands. The primary goal of this event is to raise funds for scholarships to benefit Northwest students, while sharing an appreciation of bluegrass music and culture.

Tickets are available at Eventbrite.com. Advance tickets for adults are $12 for adults, $8 for children/students and $30 for a family pass. Festival activities include six performing bands and musicians on the main stage, a bluegrass competition, bluegrass jamming and parking lot picking, a free children's activity area, food trucks, arts and crafts area, demonstrations and more.

Slated to appear at the festival are Mike Compton and Joe Newberry, Missy Raines and the New Hip, Barefoot Movement, Xaris Waltman, Alice Hasen and Andy Ratliff.

For more information about the festival, visit our event page at the Northwest Rangers Facebook page.

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