Beginning this Thursday, June 12, and running through Father’s Day, Sunday, June 15, the California Bluegrass Association (CBA) will celebrate a full half-century of music and community when the 50th Annual Father’s Day Bluegrass Festival fills Nevada County Fairgrounds with four days of nonstop picking, singing, and fellowship. What began in 1975 as a modest gathering now stands as one of the West’s premier acoustic-music events, beloved for its family-friendly atmosphere and legendary late-night jam sessions beneath the towering Sierra pines.
Golden-Anniversary Lineup
Grammy winners The Travelin’ McCourys headline an all-star roster that also features chart-toppers Gibson Brothers, California favorite AJ Lee & Blue Summit, dobro-guitar virtuosos Rob Ickes & Trey Hensley, traditional powerhouse Junior Sisk Band, and festival mainstays Laurie Lewis & the Right Hands and Good Ol’ Persons, both returning for special reunion sets. A “50 Years of Togetherness” showcase reunites Lewis with longtime collaborator Kathy Kallick, honoring the festival’s earliest years.
Three Stages, Round-the-Clock Music
Main Stage — marquee acts and golden-anniversary sets
Vern’s Stage — rising and established artists in an intimate garden setting
Pioneer Stage — songwriter spotlights, youth open mics, and informal showcases
Late Saturday, the separately ticketed “Fifty Years of Passing It On” midnight concert transforms Ponderosa Hall into a club-style listening room, where Lewis and a circle of young pickers trace the festival’s musical lineage (11:30 p.m.; $25).
Family & Youth Programs
Kids on Bluegrass youth showcase
CBA Youth Academy (ages 8–16)
KidFest activity zone
Free daily instrument workshops, fireside chats with bluegrass legends, and evening square dances
Camping & Community
Full-festival passes include onsite camping, with limited RV hookups and all-hours jam sessions. Nearby Grass Valley and Nevada City offer additional lodging and dining.
Gate Prices
Pass Type Adults Teens (13–17) Kids ≤ 12
Four-Day $275 $80 Free
Single-Day $35–$100 — Free
California Bluegrass Association members receive discounts. Tickets and complete festival details are available at www.fathersdayfestival.com.
About the CBA
Founded in 1975, the nonprofit California Bluegrass Association is powered entirely by volunteers dedicated to preserving and promoting bluegrass, old-time, gospel, and other traditional American acoustic music. Through festivals, concerts, and educational programs, the CBA fosters a welcoming, intergenerational community where music is shared, taught, and celebrated.
Venue
Nevada County Fairgrounds
11228 McCourtney Road, Grass Valley, CA 95949
