Loudoun Bluegrass Festival, Set for May 11

Break out the banjos! The 4th annual Loudoun Bluegrass Festival is set for May 11 at the Loudoun County 4H Fairgrounds in Leesburg.

Proceeds for the event, sponsored by the Rotary Club of Dulles International Airport, help pay tuition for local students who otherwise could not afford college and provide funds for other charitable donations.

The festival runs from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and the sponsors are hoping the crowds, which have doubled each year, continue to grow again this year. There will be pickin’ contests, workshops, bluegrass and old-time jam sessions, a band competition, an old time barn dance with music provided by The Hotseats, food, local wineries, kids’ activities and, of course, the headliners: Audie Blaylock and Redline and The Quebe Sisters Band!

Audie Blaylock and Redline—Audie was a nominee for 2012 Bluegrass Vocalist of the Year, while band member Jesse Brock has won an IBMA (International Bluegrass Music Association) Mandolin Player of the Year award. The band’s hit single, “A Natural Thing” was No. 1 on Bluegrass Today. Check out their website at: http://audieblaylock.com/

The Quebe Sisters Band—Tight harmonies, great arrangements and a trifecta of fiddles. Check out their website at: http://www.quebesistersband.com/

Visit www.BlueGrassLoudoun.com to see video clips from last year’s festival, links to YouTube of the bands, to register for the contests, and to buy advanced tickets for $15.

The festival has a Facebook page as well. https://www.facebook.com/pages/Loudoun-Bluegrass-Festival/184095358297620