From September 4–7, local arts organizations Crooked Tree Arts Center, Blissfest Music Organization, Lavender Hill Farm, and Great Lakes Center for the Arts are coming together to present the second annual Bluegrass by the Bay.
Get ready for an exhilarating showcase of toe-tapping melodies and soul-stirring performances at various Emmet County venues. The 2024 lineup of bluegrass musicians and bands includes Henhouse Prowlers, Wilson Thicket, Sierra Hull, and the Del McCoury Band. Tickets for each performance are sold individually through the hosting venue’s website. See the Bluegrass by the Bay schedule below for details.
A new offering this year is the Bluegrass by the Bay All-Access Pass, which gets you tickets to all four concerts and food and drink tickets for the Henhouse Prowlers Pre-Party. To purchase a Bluegrass by the Bay All-Access Pass, visit greatlakescfa.org. All-Access Pass lanyards will be available for pick-up at the September 4 Henhouse Prowlers Pre-Party at Crooked Tree Arts Center (CTAC).
BLUEGRASS BY THE BAY SCHEDULE:
Wednesday, September 4 | 7:30PM | Pennsylvania Park | FREE
Enjoy a free performance by Henhouse Prowlers, a quartet founded nearly two decades ago with the simple desire to play original and powerful bluegrass. And while bluegrass is the undeniable foundation of the foursome’s music, the band bends and squeezes the traditional form into a keenly developed sound all their own.
Before the evening concert, Crooked Tree Arts Center welcomes attendees to join them on the Bidwell Plaza at 6:30PM for drinks and inspired bites. A cash bar and free popcorn will be available, and alcoholic beverages purchased at CTAC or within the Social District are permitted in Pennsylvania Park for the performance.
Special thank you to Petoskey Area Visitors Bureau and Downtown Petoskey for supporting the Bluegrass by the Bay kick-off event!
Thursday, September 5, 7:30PM | Crooked Tree Arts Center
Wilson Thicket, presented by Crooked Tree Arts Center and Blissfest Music Organization, is a quartet of Michigan’s top singers, instrumentalists, and songwriters with combined decades of performing experience. Known for playing old-school favorites, creative covers, and dynamic originals, Wilson Thicket delivers powerful vocal harmonies and stunning instrumental mastery no matter the song. Tickets available at crookedtree.org.
Friday, September 6, 7:30PM | Lavender Hill Farm
Regarded as a master of her instrument, Sierra Hull is a four-time recipient of IBMA’s Mandolin Player of the Year and the first woman to ever receive this distinction. A two-time Grammy-nominated artist and songwriter, Sierra has graced the stages of Carnegie Hall, the Grand Ole Opry, and the White House with her unique bluegrass sound—she is an acoustic artist not to be missed! Tickets available at lavenderhillfarm.com.
Saturday, September 7, 1:00–3:00PM | Pennsylvania Park | FREE
Get in on the bluegrass spirit and join fellow players and listeners of all skill levels at the Bluegrass Jam in the Park, hosted by Blissfest Music Organization and Straight Forward Bluegrass Band. Bring your instrument or a chair to soak in this free musical experience in downtown Petoskey.
Saturday, September 7, 7:30PM | Great Lakes Center for the Arts
Wrapping up Bluegrass by the Bay is hall of famer and two-time Grammy winner Del McCoury. An Evening with Del McCoury at Great Lakes Center for the Arts will provide the nascent sound of bluegrass that has charmed the masses throughout Del’s 60+ year career. With a long history of performing and being a Grand Ole Opry veteran, Del and his band won’t disappoint. Tickets available at greatlakescfa.org.
No matter if you’re a lifelong bluegrass fan or just dipping your toe into the All-American genre, you’re welcome to join in on the excitement as the Northern Michigan performing arts scene presents Bluegrass by the Bay.
For more information about Bluegrass by the Bay, visit: petoskeyarea.com/events/
For lodging information while attending Bluegrass by the Bay, visit www.PetoskeyArea.com
