County Bluegrass Festival in the running for International Bluegrass award

5 years ago

FORT FAIRFIELD, Maine — Northern Maine’s homegrown County Bluegrass Festival is among the contenders for the International Bluegrass Music Association’s event of the year. 

Now in its 14th year, the County Bluegrass Festival runs twice each summer at the Farm Park pavilion and RV campground in Fort Fairfield and once in the winter at the Presque Isle Inn and Convention Center. 

“We’ll be going to Raleigh, North Carolina, at the end of September and will be able to attend a special luncheon where the award will be presented,” said Stev Rogeski, who runs the event with his wife Nancy. 

“Of course we would love to win, but the nomination is equally exciting for an event way up here in Aroostook County, Maine.”

The International Bluegrass Music Association represents the global bluegrass community and the County Bluegrass Festival will vie for the top event with festivals held in Texas, New York, Virginia and the Canadian province of Alberta. 

The County Bluegrass Festival usually draws around 500 people to the summer shows who come to listen to stage performances and late-night improvisation sessions by 10 or more bands from around the United States and Canada, Rogeski said. 

“We get our show done early at 9 o’clock on purpose because our customers want to go back out to the field to jam in campgrounds,” Rogeski said.

The next County Bluegrass Festival will be held over a long Labor Day weekend, Aug. 29 to Sept. 1. 

For information, visit http://countybluegrass.com/.