BY RYAN E. SMITH
BLADE STAFF WRITER
It’s the rare music festival that makes room in the schedule for a wedding, but bluegrass lovers can consider it a bonus this weekend at Winterfest No. 19 Bluegrass in Super Class in Perrysburg.
Nineteen-year-old Stanley Efaw will eventually take center stage during the two-day event to perform with his father and grandfather as a member of the Bluegrass Mountaineers, but before that he’ll be busy taking the big plunge. As someone who has attended the festival since he was a tot, it seemed only natural.
“He always said that was his favorite place that we played,” said his father, Larry, the event’s promoter.
“He’s been saying for a couple of years, ‘When I get married I want to get married in Perrysburg.’ I never thought that he meant during the bluegrass show.”
The nuptials aside, there will be plenty of people making sweet music together at the festival that will take place tomorrow and Saturday at the Holiday Inn French Quarter. Last year, it attracted close to 450 people each day, Larry Efaw said.
This year’s line-up includes the bluegrass heavyweight duo Dailey & Vincent, which had an impressive showing at the 2008 International Bluegrass Music Awards. The honors garnered by the group consisting of Darrin Vincent and Jamie Dailey included best emerging artist, album, entertainer, and vocal group. They are scheduled to perform here tomorrow.
Other participants in the festival will be Goldwing Express, The Larkins, Bluegrass Mountaineers, and more.
“They’re all top-notch performers,” Larry Efaw said. “It’s a family-oriented music event.”
For those musicians in the audience who would like to bring their own instruments, there will be opportunities to jam, too.
“We’ve got a special room for that where they can go in and jam,” he said.
Winterfest No. 19 Bluegrass in Super Class takes place tomorrow and Saturday at the Holiday Inn French Quarter in Perrysburg. Music starts at 12:30 p.m. tomorrow and noon on Saturday and ends at 11 p.m. both nights. General admission tickets are $23 each day or $45 for the weekend. Kids 12 and under are free. Information: Bluegrassmountaineers.net or 330-388-7280.
Originally published in The Blade on Thursday, January 8, 2009
Jamie Dailey, left, and Darrin Vincent will be at this weekend’s bluegrass festival in Perrysburg. (ASSOCIATED PRESS )