Looks like heaven, right? Well, you can visit this very place on January 13-15 for the fifth annual Baygrass Bluegrass Festival, the premier Bluegrass, Old time and Americana music event in the Florida Keys. We attended last year and were bowled over by both the concentration of awesome live music and fantastic round up of (mostly) Florida craft breweries. We got to know the organizers during the lead up to Buskerfest Miami 2016 and they are not only fabulous people, but have packed this year’s fest with even more offerings. And lucky you, Islamorada is a just a brief 90-minute trip down US 1. Tickets for the main event Sunday are just $20 til January 14 and $25 at the door.
If you want to make a weekend of it, there are FREE events on both Friday and Saturday. January 14 features a Square Dance (yeehaw!) at picturesque Morada Way (where there’s also a fantastic artwalk every third Thursday) full of food, beer and all-ages activities. January 15, the party moves to oo-tray, a delicious farm-to-table restaurant, where five different bands will jam til the early morning. Sunday is the main event, where 13 bands will perform on 2 separate stages in Founder’s Park (heaven pictured above) 11am – 7pm. The lineup this year includes two Buskerfest Miami alumni:
The Copper Tones joined this year’s Buskextravaganza and left an impression. They describe their sound as ‘Soulgrass,’ which is perhaps too simple a term for their blending of blues, bluegrass, Motown, rock and about a dozen other genres. You can look forward to reimagined standards and fresh originals from a band that is redefining and expanding the local music scene in South Florida.
The Wynwoods had been blessing Lagniappe with weekly roots music shows over the past several years. That sadly ended when violinist James Schlender moved to Nashville to pursue his music career. Baygrass is getting the band back together! James again joins Taber Onthank, Alejandro Elizondo and Geoff Saunders (all prominent Miami musicians in their own right) for a jam that is sure to be full of surprises.
Our bags are packed and the motel is booked! You do the same and be sure to come say ‘hi!’ We’ll be near the front row ;-).
Much Love,
The Buskerfest Miami Fam