Arts & Entertainment
Village Prepares for Inaugural Bluegrass on the Green Festival
With the help of local institutions and friends, Down Home Guitars owner has turned his dream of a free outdoor music fest into a reality.
This story originally ran July 6, 2011. The 2012 Frankfort Bluegrass Festival runs from Saturday, July 14, through Sunday, July 15. Go to the festival's website for a complete schedule of performances.
This time last year, a bluegrass festival in downtown Frankfort was just a dream for owner Steve Haberichter. But every time he looked out his front window to , he could just picture the fest coming to life.
Thanks to a huge cooperative effort by the , the Chamber of Commerce, the and numerous businesses and individuals, as well as a newly formed nonprofit group, the first-ever Bluegrass on the Green Festival will be held this weekend.
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The free event begins at 10:30 a.m. Saturday with the Iron Skillet Jam, hosted by Tom Smith, Haberichter's business partner. Smith and the musicians that come to the weekly Down Home Guitars jam sessions will start the music, but anyone who would like to play is welcome to come up on stage and join them, Haberichter said.
A full day of music follows with a mix of regionally and nationally known bluegrass groups, each with their own style. Several of the players also have local or personal connections to Haberichter.
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Like Greg Cahill, the banjo player from The Special Consensus, a nationally known group that he formed in 1975. Cahill and the band will play from 6:15-7:30 p.m. Saturday and then close the fest Sunday.
"I used to teach with Greg at a music store on the south side (of Chicago). That's where I first met him," Haberichter said. "When we first opened here, he was the first act (to play on the store stage). He was the president of the International Bluegrass Music Association, and he's really helped me get the word out that this is a great place to play."
Maro Kawabata, a Down Home Guitars instructor, also has his own band composed of nationally known bluegrass musicians called Sunset Drive, which performs Saturday night.
Another Down Home Guitars favorite that has played the indoor stage to rave reviews is The Hillbenders.
"They're a great up-and-coming band who is just getting bigger and bigger on the stages of America," Haberichter said. The band will play 7:45-9 p.m. Saturday and 1:45-2:45 p.m. Sunday.
New to Frankfort will be Steve Smith and Chris Sanders, an award-winning acoustic duo from Las Cruces, N.M., whose specialty is bluegrass and gospel.
Other regional favorites include: The Henhouse Prowlers, Bluegrass Escape, Leadfoot String Band, The King Family and Nathan Blake Lyman. The full performance schedule can be found on the festival's website.
While the main action takes place on the stage at Breidert Green, the grassy area north of the Grainery will feature a picking tent, where musicians are welcome to "set a spell" and just play. A children's activities tent will feature arts and crafts (led by Frankfort Park District); Yoga by You with Danette Goodwin; a kid-friendly bluegrass instrument demonstration; frog races; hula hoop dances; music with Patty Trig (who wrote and sang "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer); and Mr. D's Magic Show. also will be facilitating a community painting project and sponsoring the Dream Hat Lady, who will lead a hat craft.
A handful of food and merchandise vendors will be set up around the Green, including locals like Pam Biesen, , and the . Downtown merchants also will be offering sidewalk sale deals, and of course, the Sunday t still will be 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Sunday.
"It's a great family event," Haberichter said. "It's very rare for a family to go out these days and do something for free, and it's all done because of donations and the support of the town and so many local merchants and people. In particular, Sue Fillipp of the Downtown Frankfort Partnership and Andy Goodwin have been a tremendous help putting this together."
Bluegrass on the Green Festival
When: 10:30 a.m.-9 p.m. Saturday, July 9; and 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday, July 10.
Where: Breidert Green, Kansas and South White streets
How much? Free
More info: Check out the festival's website for a complete schedule and list of performers. Volunteers are still being accepted to help work the festival. Contact amanda@downhomeguitars.com for information.
