Huck Finn Jubilee facts for kids

The Huck Finn Jubilee Bluegrass Music Festival, or just The Huck Finn Jubilee, is a fun annual music event. It lasts for two days and takes place in Ontario, California. This festival happens in the fall at the Cucamonga-Guasti Regional Park.

At the Jubilee, you can enjoy live bluegrass music. There's also RV and tent camping, plus lots of traditional "Americana" activities. You can go fishing, explore a special kids' zone, and find tasty food and drinks. The festival also features live art, music workshops, and local vendors selling arts and crafts. It's known as the biggest bluegrass festival on the West Coast! Famous musicians like The String Cheese Incident, Ralph Stanley, Steve Martin & the Steep Canyon Rangers, and Rhonda Vincent have played there.

In 2016, the Greater Ontario Convention & Visitors Bureau stopped sponsoring the festival at the park. But don't worry! A family bought the event in 2017 and brought it back in 2018. The Huck Finn Jubilee is still going strong, celebrating over 40 years of music and fun! You can find more details on their website: huckfinn.com.

The Jubilee's Story

The Huck Finn Jubilee started way back in the early 1970s. It began in Norco, California. Don Tucker and his family founded the festival in 1976. It was first held at the Mojave Narrows Regional Park in Victorville, California. The festival usually took place on Father's Day weekend.

In its first few years, the festival was a big hit. It mostly featured local bluegrass bands. About 7,000 people came to enjoy the music!

Famous Musicians Join In

In 1989, a famous bluegrass musician named Bobby Osborne called Don Tucker. He wanted to play at the festival. After Bobby Osborne's performance, Don Tucker started inviting more national music stars. Big names like The Country Gentlemen, The Seldom Scene, and Earl Scruggs played at the Jubilee.

In 2001, the Huck Finn Jubilee received a special award. The International Bluegrass Music Association named it the "bluegrass event of the year." That's a huge honor in the bluegrass world!

New Home and New Dates

Don Tucker passed away in 2012. The festival then moved to Cucamonga-Guasti Regional Park in Ontario, California. This happened the very next year. In 2014, Michael Krouse and the Greater Ontario Convention & Visitors Bureau took over the festival. They wanted to make sure the fun continued.

Later in 2014, the festival organizers made a change. They decided to hold the festival every year in June. This helped with planning and avoided clashing with other big music festivals. In 2017, the festival moved to the fall. This was to enjoy cooler weather. It also helped avoid many other festivals happening in Los Angeles during the summer.

In 2020, the festival was held online. It was a virtual event because of the times. You can always check huckfinn.com for the latest news. You can also follow them on social media:

• Twitter: @Huckfinnjubilee
• Facebook: Huck Finn Jubilee
• Instagram: @huckfinnjubilee

Amazing Performers

Many famous musicians have played at the Huck Finn Jubilee. Here are just some of the amazing acts that have performed:

• Sam Bush
• The String Cheese Incident
• Ralph Stanley
• Rhonda Vincent
• Del McCoury Band
• Johnny Cash
• Cherryholmes
• Alison Krauss and Union Station
• Willie Nelson
• Robert Plant
• John Prine
• Yonder Mountain String Band
• Mumford & Sons
• Peter Rowan
• Leftover Salmon
• Béla Fleck
• Chris Thile
• Steve Martin and the Steep Canyon Rangers

Images for kids

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  Roy Clark at the 2007 Huck Finn Festival

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  Rodney and Doug Dillard (The Dillards) at the 2007 Huck Finn Festival

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  Cherryholmes at the 2007 Huck Finn Festival

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  Cherryholmes at the 2007 Huck Finn Festival

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  Huck Finn Jubilee and Bluegrass Festival in 2009