ENTERTAINMENT

7th annual Front Porch Bluegrass Festival returns

BILL NUTT
CORRESPONDENT

Technically, the Front Porch Bluegrass Festival has a totally misleading name.

The event takes place in a park, not on a porch. The music performed is not limited to bluegrass but also includes folk, acoustic blues, and gospel.

However, the appellation “front porch bluegrass” – conjuring the image of a down-home, old-timey gathering – perfectly describes the festival, according to Ed and Christy Hemmes, the husband and wife who organize the event.

“When we see people (at the festival) enjoying the music and having a good time, we know we’re doing the right thing with this,” says Christy Hemmes.

The 7th annual Front Porch Bluegrass Festival and Pig Roast will take place, rain or shine, this Saturday, July 11, at Gazebo Park in Chester. A large tent will be set up for the performers, and visitors are welcome to bring chairs.

The festival begins with two acts - the band Saturday Morning and the duo Bianca and Skylar – composed of students from West Morris Central High School.

Other performers include small combos and solo artists. One act, the Hontz Family, has the distinction of being fourth cousins by marriage to one of the legends of American roots music, Johnny Cash.

The festival is more than just a chance to hear live music for free. The event raises funds for BYG (Big Youth Group), a service organization comprised of seven churches in Morris, Warren, and Hunterdon Counties.

Since 1992, BYG has sent services teams to needy parts of the country. In recent years, those trips have concentrated on the Appalachian region. This summer, a total of 120 people will travel to Sullivan County, Tennessee.

Their primary goal is to work on substandard homes, Ed Hemmes says. He cites such problems as leaky roofs, rotting floors, and mold-infested drywall. “A lot of these houses are in desperate need of repair.”

But the BYG volunteers bring something more intangible to the residents of the repaired homes, Christy Hemmes says. “You don’t know how grateful those people are that someone is willing to travel hundreds of miles to help them.”

During the BYG trip to West Virginia in 2008, the residents were so grateful that they held a party for the BYG volunteers that included live bluegrass music.

“That was what gave us the idea to have our own bluegrass festival,” says Christy Hemmes. “We fell in love with that music and wanted to bring it back here.”

In addition to live music, the festival will feature a BYG store, selling a variety of clothing and merchandise. Crafters and vendors from New Jersey and adjacent states will also be selling their wares.

Admission to the Fort Porches Bluegrass Festival is free. But patrons are urged to purchase food, including pulled pork, chicken wings, and waffle sundaes. All proceeds from food sales go to BYG.

The festival has grown since 2009. “We have more vendors this year. We have more activities for children, like face painting,” says Ed Hemmes.

Besides raising funds, the Front Porch Bluegrass Festival also tries to raise awareness. Christy Hemmes says she is always pleased when she hears people tell hear that they first learned of BYG through the festival.

Ed Hemmes adds that volunteers for the actual service teams are also welcome. “You don’t have to know how to use a saw,” he says. “The most important skill we look for is the willingness to help other people.”

7th ANNUAL FRONT PORCH BLUEGRASS FESTIVAL

WHAT: Festival of live music from 13 musical acts, primarily in the genres of folk and bluegrass. Event raises funds to send young people on annual service trip to Appalachia by the Big Youth Group (BYG). Food for sale. Children’s activities and vendors.

WHEN: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, July 11. Rain or shine.

WHERE: Gazebo Park, Main Street, Chester

ADMISSION: Free. Funds raised through food sales and donations

INFORMATION: www.frontporchbluegrassfestival.com

SCHEDULE: Times and performers subject to change

10 a.m. - Opening ceremony

10:05 a.m. – Saturday Morning

10:30 a.m. – Bianca and Skylar

11 a.m. - Eric Kahler & Luke Liddy

11:50 a.m. - Honky Tonk Scoundrels

12:40 p.m. - Hontz Family

1:30 p.m. - Keith Wilson

2:20 p.m. - Omar Mendez

3:10 p.m. - Mason Jar Rebellion

4:00 p.m. - Gil LeDuc & the Schooley’s Mountain Band

4:50 p.m. - Kevin Kinsella

5:40 p.m. - Wee Doggies

6:30 p.m. - Monday Night Pickers

7:20 p.m. - Sonrise Mountain Revival