Riverbend Bluegrass Festival - Ocilla, GA - Preview

Riverbend Bluegrass Festival opens its Spring event on April 17 and runs through the 19^th this week. Located near Ocilla, GA, this festival is a delight for fans of traditional bluegrass. This year’s spring festival headlines Grasstowne, Lou Reid & Carolina, The Chapmans, and features Ernie Thacker, who has been recovering from a serious accident for some time. Also featured in the lineup will be Jerry and Tammy Sullivan, Skip Grounds & Ramblin’ Grass, and the house band Riverbend Bluegrass Band. Jo Odom will be the emcee and sound will be provided by Gene Daniell. While the grounds are now filling up, there is still plenty of room for those who decide to attend. The weather forecast calls for sunny and warm on Thursday and Friday with a chance of rain and thunderstorms on Saturday. Evenings should be comfortable.

Jo Odum (emcee)

The Riverbend festival grounds are located on a family farm a few miles south of Ocilla, GA. Camping and the performance shed are located in a pecan grove and on out onto an open field. Water and electric sites are provided as well as rough camping. There is a wash house with showers and flush toilets. On one side of the festival cotton is grown, while on another there’s a peanut field. The Riverbend Baptist Church is a mile or so down the road, and the Church provides tasty meals for festivals in a cinder block building at the rear of the performance area. It would be hard to imagine a more rural, more appropriate, or more enjoyable setting for a bluegrass festival.

This festival is a surefire event. It’s well located for folks from Georgia and Northern Florida as well as for snowbirds still heading home. Stop and give it a try.

Lou Reid & Carolina

Lou Reid

Christie Reid

The Chapmans

Bill Chapman

John Chapman

Jeremy Chapman

Jason Chapman

Phil Leadbetter (Grasstowne)

Steve Gulley (Grasstowne)

Alan Bibey (Grasstowne)

Jayme Booher (Grasstowne)

Jason Davis (Grasstowne)