Winding Creek makes it a dozen
Annual bluegrass festival runs Aug. 18-21; country shows added this year
The sounds of mandolins and banjos will waft across western Howard County this weekend as the 12th annual Winding Creek Bluegrass Festival takes place Aug. 18-21. And this year country music fans will have a chance to enjoy their favorite musical genre as well.
According to founder and organizer Bob Auth, the festival has added a special line-up of country bands for the final day of the event. The Grace Scott Country Band, SouthRidge Country Band, and Doug Tyler Country Band will perform on Sunday, Aug. 21.
“We are doing country on Sunday because we wanted to attract that crowd,” said Auth. “We’d like them to come out and see what this whole program is all about. We’ve got the Grace Scott Band out of Logansport. They’ve become pretty popular playing at the state fair and all across the state.
“And we have Love 4 Zero. They are out of the Kokomo and Galveston area and do a really good job. They’ve won some awards. And then we have some classic country from the Doug Tyler Band. They’re a three-piece band doing old favorites.”
Of course, the meat and potatoes of the festival is bluegrass, and there is no shortage of entertainment over the first three days of the festival. The Grascals, Branded Bluegrass, the Kevin Prater Band, the Wayfarer's Band, the Bahler Golden Age Band, New Outlook, FireBox, and the Blue Holler Band Country all will be on-hand to share their love of music with those in attendance.
There is so much more to do at Winding Creek than listen to bluegrass music. Those in attendance are encouraged to make their own music, day and night. For those who might not know how to play, there are tutorial sessions on Sat., Aug. 20, for the fiddle, banjo, mandolin, and guitar.
Beyond the music, there are vendor booths filled with arts, crafts, and instruments. An antique tractor show takes place during the event, and there is even children’s programming. And then there is the food. Auth explained that some new dining options are being offered this year.
“We have Pizza King out of Burlington this year,” said Auth. “We also have West Point Church offering grilled ham salad sandwiches like you used to be able to get at the Kresge’s lunch counter. Main Street Christian Church will have fried fish and ham and beans. They also do biscuits and gravy for breakfast. And they’ll have meat pies, which as new for the festival this year.
“Then we have the Kokomo Area Lions Club with ribeye steak sandwiches, pork chops and beef and noodles. We have all the good food here. And we have kettle corn and home-made ice cream from the Carroll County Tractor Club, using an old hit-or-miss to churn the ice cream all day long. Sometimes it’s in time with the music; sometimes it’s not.”
As much as Auth enjoys the food and the vendors, Winding Creek really is all about the music for him.
“It’s the music,” said Auth. “The bands playing are wonderful, but it’s more than that. It’s people playing at their campsites and around the log cabin. We’ve added a big firepit with nice lighting. I expect there will be people playing music around it in the evenings. That’s the fun part for everybody.”
Tickets for the festival vary in price by day. General gate admission is $15 on Thursday, $20 on Friday, $25 on Saturday, and $10 on Sunday. Credit card and cash are accepted, and children 12 and under are admitted free. Students ages 13-22 qualify for a discounted rate, but must show a student ID.
“On Sunday only, if you come in and say you are here for We Care, we will donate $2 of your ticket to We Care,” added Auth. “If you say you are here for the cats, we will donate $2 of your ticket to Kokomo Community Cats TNR.”
The Winding Creek Music Festival runs through Sunday, Aug. 21. The event is held in western Howard County near County Road 100S and County Road 1000W. Maps and specific directions, as well as additional information, can be found on the festival website, http://www.windingcreekbluegrass.com/
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