MerleFest is an "Americana" music festival held on the grounds of Wilkesboro Community College in Wilkesboro, NC. It is a totally family friendly festival with great venues and performers representing a wide variety of musical styles. It ain't all "traditional" and it features groups "on the way up." It does feature old stand byes such as Ralph Stanley, Sam Bush and Bela Fleck. The best part is entering the back pack inspection area and watching the members of the local Baptist churches (especially trained in sniffing out liquor - I often wonder where they get their training) go through suspect back packs - it is a "no booze" venue.
My faves this year were Bearfoot, the Lovell Sisters, the Avett Brothers, the Carolina Chocolate Drops and of course Doc Watson. I hadn't heard Donna the Buffalo in previous years so it was fun to listen to a jam band for a while.
