Charm City Bluegrass Festival facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Charm City Bluegrass Festival |
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Charm City Bluegrass Festival 2015
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| Genre | Bluegrass music |
| Location(s) | Baltimore, MD |
| Years active | 2013–19, 2021– |
| Founded by | Jordan August and Phil Chorney |
| Website | Official website: http://charmcitybluegrass.com/ |
The Charm City Bluegrass Festival is a fun music event held every April in Baltimore, Maryland. It started in 2013. This festival brings together local, regional, and national musicians. It celebrates the long and interesting history of bluegrass music in Baltimore.
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History of the Festival
The Charm City Bluegrass Festival began in 2013. It was first called the Charm City Folk & Bluegrass Festival. Two friends, Jordan August and Phil Chorney, wanted to share bluegrass music with everyone. They wanted to show off Baltimore's rich bluegrass history. In 2017, the name was shortened to Charm City Bluegrass Festival.
The first festival was a huge success. It was held at the Union Craft Brewery. Famous musicians like Tony Trischka and Tim O'Brien (musician) performed.
Moving to Druid Hill Park
For the second festival, the event moved to Druid Hill Park. This park was much bigger. The number of people attending almost doubled! Well-known artists like Jerry Douglas and Sierra Hull played music.
In 2015, the festival returned to Druid Hill Park. They added a second stage for more performances. Bands like The Travelin' McCourys and The Wood Brothers were part of the lineup.
The festival stayed at Druid Hill Park in 2016. Ricky Skaggs and Steep Canyon Rangers were among the performers. That year, they also added the Bluegrass Academy. Here, musicians gave free lessons and talked about their music.
After the 2016 event, the festival won an award. The International Bluegrass Music Association gave it the "Momentum Award for Event of the Year." This was a big honor!
Later Years and a Documentary
The festival continued to grow. In 2017, it featured groups like The Lone Bellow and Seldom Scene.
In 2018, a documentary film was released. It was called "Charm City Bluegrass: A Renewed Baltimore Tradition." The film showed how the festival helps keep bluegrass music alive in Baltimore.
The festival expanded to two days for the first time in 2018. Headliners included The Travelin' McCourys and The Devil Makes Three (band).
No festival happened in 2020 due to a worldwide health situation. The 2021 festival was moved to January.
Awards and Recognition
The Charm City Bluegrass Festival has received several awards:
- 2014 - Baltimore Magazine: "Best Festival"
- 2015 - Baltimore Magazine: "Best Music Festival Readers Choice"
- 2016 - International Bluegrass Music Association: "Momentum Award for Event of the Year"
Past Festival Lineups
Here are some of the artists who have played at the festival each year:
2013
Location: Union Craft Brewery Dates: April 27, 2013 Artists included: Tony Trischka, Tim O'Brien (musician), Cris Jacobs, and Caleb Stine.
2014
Location: Druid Hill Park Dates: April 30, 2014 Artists included: Jerry Douglas, Noam Pikelny & Friends, Sierra Hull, and Cris Jacobs.
2015
Location: Druid Hill Park Dates: April 25, 2015 Artists included: The Travelin' McCourys, The Wood Brothers, Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen, and The Seldom Scene.
2016
Location: Druid Hill Park Dates: April 30, 2016 Artists included: Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder, Keller Williams & The Travelin' McCourys, Steep Canyon Rangers, and Sierra Hull.
2017
Location: Druid Hill Park Dates: April 29, 2017 Artists included: The Lone Bellow, Cabinet, Seldom Scene, Cris Jacobs, and Lonesome River Band.
2018
Location: Druid Hill Park Dates: April 27–28, 2018 Artists included: The Devil Makes Three, The Travelin' McCourys, The SteelDrivers, Jeff Austin Band, Billy Strings, and Larry Keel Experience.
