News from the 6th New Richmond Bluegrass Festival

The New Richmond Bluegrass Festival is one month away and preparations are well underway for our sixth edition. If you haven't already done so, visit our web site (www.newrichmondbluegrass.com) and fill out our questionnaire for a chance to win a pair of weekend passes to the festival which will take place Labour Day weekend.

The Muellers, Ray Legere & Acoustic Horizon, Janet McGarry & Wildwood, Caledonia Drive, Blue Horizon, WindyCreek , Timberland Express, Jan Purcell & Pine Road and our host band, Silver Fox will be on hand to entertain music fans.

Maine-based family bluegrass band The Muellers has put in a lot of mileage bringing their high-energy blend of traditional and original bluegrass to audiences across the country during the last few years, but they know that they still have many more miles to go—no small task for a band in which the majority of musicians are still too young to drive. Audiences across America are taking notice of this up-and-coming act.

Caledonia Drive, is a relatively new bluegrass group, but their members are well known to Maritime bluegrass fans and New Richmond Bluegrass Festival goers of past years. Ron Savoie, has played with the acclaimed Canadian Grass Unit, Acoustic Horizon and others. He is one of the top mandolin players in the country and has won “mandolin player of the year” awards from the Eastern Canada Bluegrass Awards association. Music fans who attended the New Richmond Bluegrass Festival three years ago will remember Calvin DeLeavey and David Lewis who played with Backroads and who quickly became very popular with festival goers after graciously accepting to fill in at the last minute. Ron Girouard played with True Blue, who has been crowd favourites in several appearances in New Richmond.

Up and coming Blue Horizon brings a touch of youth to the festival. They ranked seventh out of 126 bluegrass bands at the SPGBMA competition in Nashville in February of this year and have a total of nine Eastern Canadian Bluegrass Awards nominations in the last two years. Their second CD, “No Stoppin’ Now” was released last December.

Free rough camping with the purchase of a weekend pass is available on site from Thursday to Sunday ($5 per additional night, Monday through Wednesday). For anyone looking for accommodations in the area, you'll find the coordinates of nearby lodging below.

Hotel le Francis (1-800-986-4405)
Auberge Cascapedia Lodge (1-800-809-4462)
Hotel New Richmond (1-800-218-0409)
L'Auberge Stanley House Inn (1-418-392-5560)
Au Fin Gourmet Restaurant & Motel (1-418-392-4704)
Hôtel New Richmond (1-800-218-0409)