Ukuleles, mandolins, hammered dulcimers, banjos, and guitars will all be in the spotlight March 21-21 at the annual Fretboard Festival now in its ninth year.
Fretboard Festival takes place March 21 and 22 at the Kalamazoo Valley Museum and Kalamazoo Valley Community College's Anna Whitten Hall.
Over the years the Kalamazoo Fretboard Festival has expanded the amount and diversity of the bands, workshops, and vendors. Variety is what makes it such a great two days to spend with no matter who you are, says Chris Falk, special events coordinator for the museum.?
Throughout the free event, instrument designers talk about their trade to festival goers, workshops on stringed instruments are offered, and there are live performances by area musicians. This yearly event is a salute to all stringed instruments – especially those that are crafted in this part of Michigan, say festival organizers.
There also will be 40 vendors in the museum and Anna Whitten hall. Luthiers, music clubs, radio stations, and music-oriented organizations are participating.
Food will be available from Aramark food service in Anna Whitten Hall. Sound production will be provided by Ian Gorman.
A performance by the roots musicians of Dragon Wagon kicks off the festival. The band calls its sound "bluegrass folk rock with a shot of Irish whiskey." The group formed in Ann Arbor in 2008 has played across the country, and has been featured in many festivals, Dragon Wagon currently is nominated for a Detroit Music Award.
The festival continues from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday.
Musicians featured at Fretboard Festival are: Kaitlin Rose, BenJammin Educational Music, Seventh Son Blues Band, Ninth Street Bridge, Megan Rae, Bob Rowe and The Green Valley Boys, Rachael Davis, the Play-In Contest Winner and acoustic guitarist Bryan Warren, Los Bandits, Fried Egg Nebula, and The Mainstays.
A complete schedule can be found here.
"The festival has expanded from 8 to 13 bands on 3 stages," says Falk. "We have increased the amount of workshops from five to 10. And we have more vendors than ever before at 40 over the last 2 years. Our attendance has doubled in that time. The variety and diversity of the bands, workshops, and vendors make for an two-day family friendly adventure as the festival is dispersed throughout the Kalamazoo Valley Museum."
Source: Dawn M. Kemp, Kalamazoo Valley Community College
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