Bluegrass festival returns to Hartland

EAST HARTLAND — Hartland-area residents both young and old will once again have the opportunity to kick up their heels at the annual Hartland Hollow Bluegrass Festival.

The festival, now in its tenth year, takes place this Saturday, Sept. 19, at the Berg Field in East Hartland. The music begins at 10 a.m. and continues throughout the day, with the last of 10 bands taking the stage at 7 p.m.

Although no alcohol is allowed at the site, vendors offering food and drink will be on hand throughout the benefit concert. And field pickers — musicians who bring their own instruments and play impromptu pieces together in the festival’s outlying areas — are also welcome.

The event is sponsored by the Hartland Board of Selectmen’s office and the town’s Recreation Department. Admission is $20 per person, and free for children under 12.

All proceeds raised will go to benefit the Girl Scouts’ Camp Alice Merrit, as well as town projects.

Second Selectman Magi Winslow, one of the event’s volunteer organizers, said the money raised through the festival is placed in a separate, audited fund.

Over the years, Winslow said the money has allowed the town to purchase signs, tables, chairs and other incidental items without dipping into town’s main coffers.

“We’ve done a little bit of everything with that money,� she said.

The idea for the festival first took shape 11 years ago, when Jennifer Abalan, Recreation Department chairman and Hartland animal control officer, began taking bass lessons from legendary country and rockabilly musician Bill Flagg. Flagg was inducted into the Rockabilly Hall of Fame in 1999.

“He started teaching me a little bluegrass, and I really liked it,� Abalan said.

A short time later, the Hartland native decided to hold a music festival that would not only benefit the town’s bottom line but also promote and provide a performance space for area bluegrass musicians and music lovers.

So, with Flagg’s help as musical director and a small handful of dedicated town volunteers, the first Hartland Hollow Bluegrass Festival was held in 1998. East Hartland resident Art Sorensen, however, took over the musical director reins four years ago. Sorensen will also serve as this year’s master of ceremonies.

Abalan said last year would have been the event’s 10th anniversary, but a hurricane forced organizers to cancel the show.

Still, attendence at the fundraiser has remained strong and steady over the years.

The festival attracts about 800 people each year to the Berg Field, Winslow said.

In addition to town officials, several local organizations also do their part each year to support the festival — including the Hartland Historical Society, the elementary school’s eighth grade and the Hartland Land Trust.

Abalan said the participation of area musicians coupled with the hard work and dedication of town volunteers makes for a family-friendly environment at the festival.

“It just seems like another occasion that we can get together and share in something we enjoy,� she said.

Winslow agreed.

“In these times, it’s nice to have something fun and affordable that’s local,� she said. “It’s just a nice social event.�

For more information, call 860-844-8526, 860-653-6246 or 860-653 6800.