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SOMERSET, Pa. – The distinct picking sounds of bluegrass will resonate at this festival.
The Friends of Laurel Hill will sponsor the 16th annual Laurel Hill Bluegrass Festival Saturday and Sunday at Laurel Hill State Park in Somerset.
The event will include bluegrass music, food vendors, local artisan vendors, children’s activities, wagon rides, a church service and a 5K race.
“The goal of the festival is to be a free community event that’s open to all people,” said Kimberly Peck, Laurel Hill’s environmental education specialist. “We had record numbers at the festival last year with close to 15,000 people for the weekend. It’s become a staple for people in the summer, and it’s probably the busiest weekend for our campground at Laurel Hill and Kooser.”
Bands scheduled to perform include Moose Lodge Revival, Sweaty Already String Band, Caledonia, Tussey Mountain Moonshiners, Nu-Blu and Tiger Maple String Band.
“We’re looking for a little bit of variety. We have multiple bands come back year after year who are fan favorites, but we also want to have opportunities for new bands,” Peck said. “It’s all bluegrass music and it fits the atmosphere here in the mountains, but the variety in the genres of music that are played are a bit different with each band.”
There will be an array of food vendors on hand selling typical festival food, including barbecue, hamburgers, gyros and ice cream.
Local artisans will be selling their handmade items.
The Mountain Laurel 5K will start at 8:30 a.m. Sunday. The scenic, dog-friendly run/walk traverses shaded woods along Jones Mill Run and Laurel Hill Lake on a maintained pedestrian and bike path.
“We say it’s ‘not just another walk in the park,’ ” Peck said. “The nice thing about it is we use trails internally in the park, so it’s definitely scenic. In August, in the mountains, we tend to start to have cooler mornings, so hopefully it’ll be a good temperature and time to be in the park.”
Registration will start at 7:30 a.m. the day of the event.
In addition, this year’s Laurel Hill Bluegrass Festival T-shirts and hats will be available for purchase at the Friends of Laurel Hill tent. Proceeds will benefit next year’s festival.
“It’s a very relaxing time and a great place to spend the entire day,” Peck said. “The scenery is stunning and you’ll hear really good music echoing through the mountains. We hope people will get to learn more about their own backyard and the fun you can have along with an appreciation for the public spaces we have in Pennsylvania.”
Those attending are asked to bring their own canopy tents, lawn chairs or blankets.
There is no admission fee.
For more information and a schedule of events, visit www.laurelhillbluegrass.com.
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