Festival returns in Aiken

The Aiken Bluegrass Festival is back and bigger than ever.

After taking a year off in 2009, the Aiken Bluegrass Festival - hailed as one of the largest in the Southeast - returns on May 14 and 15 at Highfields Showgrounds.

Festival organizers Steve Groat and Christian Schaumann are introducing several new features to the festival to make the event a weeklong celebration.

The main days of the festival will be May 14 and 15, and camping is available on the festival site. However, the music starts a few days earlier with pre-grass on Tuesday, May 11 poolside at The Willcox with Taylor Creek.

"We have planned a whole week of bluegrass," said Schaumann. "We are really excited to be getting downtown involved."

Pre-grass continues in downtown Aiken on Thursday, May 13 at the Aiken Brewing Co. and Soiree. Live bluegrass music will be featured at both locations.

On May 14, the festival officially kicks off with a Friday night barbecue. Tickets are $45 and include an open bar of beer, wine and liquor and a barbecue dinner while enjoying the live music of Whiskey and Easy, Doug and the Henrys and the Dixie Bee Liners.

After the barbecue, Town Mountain will perform at the Aiken Brewing Co. in downtown Aiken starting at 10 p.m.

On May 15, the festivities get cranked up again with the first "Tour de Fat Pants," a mile bicycle ride to the festival grounds. The ride starts in the parking lot of the Hotel Aiken and ends at Highfields Showgrounds.

Participants in the ride who are 21 and up will receive a free beer from New Belgium Brewing Co., the official beer of the Aiken Bluegrass Festival, and anyone under 21 will receive a free Italian ice. Participants in the ride are encouraged to dress in costumes to add another element of fun to the ride.

Music kicks off at the festival site on May 15 at 11 a.m. and continues until after 11 p.m. Tickets for May 15 only are $10 in advance and $15 at the gates.

"The festival is very family-friendly, and there are extensive children's activities, as well as games such as bocce ball and a bean bag toss for adults," Schaumann said.

Children's activities are available throughout the entire festival and include Appalachia-themed fun, such as seed spitting competitions, instrument making and more.

The Aiken Bluegrass Festival is a fundraiser with proceeds benefitting STAR Riding and Driving, which enriches the lives of children and adults with disabilities through safe therapeutic interaction with horses.

New Belgium Brewing Co. has signed on as a major sponsor and Fat Tire, 1554 and Mothership Whit flavors will be available in addition to other selections. Food vendors and concessions will be on site.

Camping is $10 per night or $15 for both nights. RV hookups are available for $20 for two nights. Coolers are permitted at campsites but not at the music site. On May 15, wristbands will be issued and re-admittance is permitted.

For more information visit www.aikenbluegrassfestival.org.

Contact Rachel Johnson at rjohnson@aikenstandard.com.

Aiken Bluegrass Festival Line-Up

Pre-grass

Tuesday - Taylor Creek will play poolside at The Wilcox (no cover)

Thursday - Live bluegrass at Aiken Brewing Co. and Soiree

Friday barbecue - Gates open at 5 p.m.

6 to 6:45 p.m. - Mamie Foreman (Whiskey and Easy)

7 to 8 p.m. - Doug and the Henrys

8:15 to 10 p.m. - Dixie Bee Liners

Friday After-grass at the Aiken Brewing Co.

10 p.m. - Town Mountain (no cover)

Saturday

10 a.m. - Tour de Fat Pants bike ride

11 a.m. - Taylor Creek

12 p.m. - Flipside

1:15 p.m. - Kenny George Band

2:30 p.m. - Dixie Bee Liners

4 p.m.-4:30 p.m. - Open Pickin' Session

4:30 p.m. - Iron Horse

6:15 p.m. - Acoustic Syndicate

8 p.m. - Town Mountain

Jam Session

Children's Activities:

* Jug band instruments

* Drum maze

* Pasta necklaces

* Bubbles

* Walking sticks

* Sunflower speed spitting contest

* Pioneer-living cabin - churn butter, gather eggs, wash clothing, stir a pot of soup, play with rag dolls, shell and grind corn and pump water

* Campsite - paddle a canoe, fishing, roasting marshmallows and more

Tickets are available at the following locations:

* www.aikenbluegrassfestival.org

* Aiken Brewing Company

* New Moon Cafe

* Rock Bottom Music

* Hotel Aiken

* Boots, Bridles and Britches

* Mellow Mushroom (Augusta)