LISSA ALEXANDER
reporter@pqbnews.com
A Grammy-nominated bluegrass band is headed back to Coombs for the Bluegrass Festival starting July 31, after their first-class performances at the festival in 2011.
“We did very well that year,” said organizer Linda Thorburn, adding that Special Consensus, a renowned bluegrass band from Chicago, was definitely a big draw that year.
Besides the Grammy nomination for the band’s 16th album Scratch Gravel Road, Special Consensus gets regular airtime on Sirius XM Radio.
The group formed in 1975 and since then members have won numerous awards and been featured extensively in Bluegrass publications around North America and beyond.
Some other prominent bluegrass bands coming to the festival this year are Jeff Scroggins & Colorado from Colorado, the Bix Mix Boys from Edmonton, Alberta and Dysfunction Junction from Seattle.
“That’s supposed to be the hottest bluegrass band from Seattle,” said Thorburn.
This is the Coombs’ Bluegrass festival’s 36 year, and this year marks the second time it has won the Reader’s Choice Award for the favourite event attended with RV’s by RV West Magazine.
New at the festival this year there is an upstairs outdoor pub which Thorburn describes as “rodeo style” with a view of the stage.
A popular part of the festival is the free workshops offered all weekend long in the Coombs Hall including bluegrass beginner harmony singing, an intermediate bluegrass circle jam, and workshops on fiddle, guitar, banjo and more. People can check the schedule online and simply show up for the workshops.
The festival runs from Thursday, July 31 to Aug. 3. A four-day weekend pass is $80, $60 for youth under 18 and kids under 12 are free. Day and evening passes are also available and there is camping on-site.
For more information visit www.coombsbluegrass.com or call 250-752-0383.