Bluegrass fest booms despite gray skies

MADRID — The gray skies and soggy fields did nothing to dampen the spirits of bluegrass fans in town Saturday.

Toes tapped, lyrics were yodeled and banjos were strummed at the town's 19th annual Bluegrass Festival. People came from as far away as Quebec, Texas and Arizona to hear the music and take part in the festival.

"We have 350 campers this year," said Les E. Haas, Madrid, one of the event's organizers. "It was down somewhat last year, but this year we find our attendance is back up where we expected and where we hoped it would be."

Past years have generally seen about 300 campers, but this year, even more people are coming in them than usual, according to the festival's organizers.

"It just seems to get bigger," said Tammy M. Hawkins, Potsdam, the event's other main organizer. "Even now, one camper comes in with five or six people rather than one or two because of the economy."

Even the dismal weather did nothing to stop the party. A sudden thunderstorm Friday night flooded the sound booth in 18 inches of water. Had the town's fire department not been on hand to pump it clear, there would have been no music, according to Mr. Haas. As it was, revelers set up their lawn chairs and danced to the twangy tunes well into the night.

There are eight bands scheduled to play throughout the three days of the festival, which ends today. Fans of some of the bands follow them, traveling around the country to hear their favorite groups, Mr. Haas said.

"One of the things that's really popular is the bands with kids," he said. "The 16- to 20-year-olds. Those kids can play instruments like their hands are on fire."

The weekend-long festival has more than just music. There are vendors selling items from crafts and jewelry to belt buckles and cowboy hats. Food, fireworks and a trailer with antique banjos are there as well.

"We got everything we could think of to lend to the festival atmosphere," Mr. Haas said.

Though not all the campers perform on the bandstand, many are musicians who brought along their instruments. Throughout the campground, which takes up most of the park on the Grasse River, there are groups of people jamming with guitars, banjos and even ukuleles. Many come year after year.

"We're here every year. I just enjoy it here. They're all good bands," Donald D. Barney, Oswego, said.

The Bucks Bridge native and his family come to see their friends and family in the area as well as listen to the music.

"I've been here since last Saturday," he said. "I was the first one through the gate. I always come a week early."

Most of the money the festival generates — and organizers expect to make a few thousand dollars by the end of the weekend — goes to pay for the festival itself, Mrs. Hawkins said. Whatever is left goes to the town, to be used for next year's festival or to maintain and improve the park's facilities.

"When everything's said and done, it's not a profit," she said. "But look at what draws them; look at all the people."