Yes, it’s just October, and it seems like the 2019 Father’s Day Festival in Grass Valley is still right there in the rearview mirror, but in fact, lots of folks are busily at work putting together a great experience for the 2020 festival week.
CBA Summer Music Camp
Sunday afternoon of June 14 will mark the beginning of the twentieth CBA Summer Music Camp. Every camp just keeps getting better, and the twentieth anniversary year will be no different. Camp Directors Tina Webster and Peter Langston are in the midst of pulling together another amazing team of camp instructors, and planning electives and activities that will keep campers happy for the days we will all be together learning, jamming, and enjoying each other’s company.
Camp runs through Wednesday the 17th, so mark your calendar now and jump on registration when it opens at noon, February 7. You can follow the developments of camp at the website http://cbamusiccamp.com/.
The Youth Academy
As Camp wraps up, we transition to the Festival, and to the Youth Academy. The Academy is a four-day music camp for 8 to 16-year-olds, both beginning and intermediate players. It is held on the Nevada County Fairgrounds during the 45th Annual CBA Father’s Day Festival Week.
The Eighth Annual Academy will start Wednesday, June 17, at 1PM, and will go through Saturday.
Registration opens 2/15/2020 at www.cbaweb.org. There is space for 50 students—register your favorite young musician as soon as you can, as the Academy always fills up. $100 scholarships are available while funds last to help with costs. And, please consider donating to the Academy—there are lots of deserving young musicians who are ready to keep the bluegrass tradition alive.
For more information contact cbayouthprogram@gmail.com.
Vern’s Stage
The Vern’s Stage Committee has announced an open call for bands for the 2020 CBA Father’s Day Bluegrass Festival. There are a limited number of slots available from Thursday, June 18 through Sunday, June 21. They expect to fill up to 18 slots of 35-minute sets.
The submission process is open until midnight, November 1, 2019. This year’s process is slightly different from past years: bands submit their materials directly via a web form rather than by nomination of their CBA Area VPs. However, VPs will be invited to endorse up to three bands each from their areas. Be sure to invite your Area VP to one of your upcoming shows and impress them with your chops! You can find the list of CBA Area VPs at:
NOTE: To be eligible to play Vern’s Stage, bands must: (a) play bluegrass and/or old time music; (b) be California-based; and, (c) be non-touring outside the state. Also, if you have played Vern’s in the last two years (2018, 2019), then you are not eligible to play the stage again unless you’re a youth band—bands with a majority of members under the age of 18 are eligible in consecutive years.
For further details on submission requirements and to submit your band, see:
The 2020 Festival
Last but not least is the 45th Annual CBA Father’s Day Festival, the premier event of the California bluegrass season. While the festival website is being revamped, you can visit the Festival Facebook page for updates and information @cbafathersdayfestival. (https://www.facebook.com/cbafathersdayfestival)
While you wait for the Camp and Festival, remember there are lots of great bluegrass events throughout the state. Keep an eye on the Breakdown and the CBA Website for updates, calendars, and inspiration.
See you in Grass Valley (Lodi, Bakersfield, etc., wherever the music takes you!)
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PS If you’re looking for some Halloween-themed bluegrass tunes, follow my Spotify playlist at https://open.spotify.com/user/124597365/playlist/5JeNijLKutlbfMzs10M2RS?si=Le3IyEa3TaCtcp5AEtkLqA
