Music, arts festival will be this weekend at Country Campground
NEW CASTLE – Happiness and Harmony Music and Arts Festival will be this weekend, May 18-20, at the Country Campground near New Castle on Rt. 311 next to Craig Creek Mercantile.
The festival is sponsored by Deep Roots Production LLC with part of the proceeds going the Alzheimer’s Association, said Deep Roots spokesman Dustin Lee.
Andy Dillon, Adam Cuba, Katydee Wertz and Whitney Fauber put finishing touches on "Heart House," a sculpture they created out of vines which is on the site of the Happiness and Harmony Music and Art Festival scheduled for Friday and Saturday, May 18-20, near New Castle. Photo by Gwen Johnson
Lee said promoters expect 18 local and nationally known bands and performers between Friday afternoon, when music is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. and 3 a.m. Sunday.
Gates will open Friday morning at 9 a.m. Amplified music will be performed on the Main Stage until midnight, and non-amplified music on the Acoustic Stage from 4 p.m. Friday until 3 a.m. on Saturday.
Music is scheduled to start again on Saturday at 1 p.m. until midnight on the Main Stage and 2 p.m. to 3 a.m. Sunday on the Acoustic Stage.
Entertainment will include a variety of music, from rock n’ roll to blues, jam-style bands and music produced electronically, Lee said.
The Main Stage will be set up in the campground’s lower field. The Acoustic Stage will be in the camping area. Music will be lightly amplified, Lee said, so it will not carry out of the camping area.
Tickets can be bought by Internet, from performing bands and at the Main Gate. Advance tickets are$25-$40 for and $50 at the gate. Tickets will allow access to all events, activities and primitive camping for both days. Only 20 RV camping passes will be available for $20 per recreational vehicle. RV camping includes power and water hook ups.
There will be kid-friendly interactive arts and crafts, Lee said, to help keep children busy while parents enjoy themselves. In addition to live entertainment, there will be vendors with crafts, clothing, jewelry and more, Lee said, as well as some food available for purchase.
Attendees will be encourage to go to local restaurants, he said.
No one under the age of 18 will be permitted at the festival without a legal guardian. Alcohol is prohibited, as well as illegal substances of any kind, Lee said. Also, prohibited are firearms, glass and pets. Coolers will be allowed but checked. Anyone violating any of the restrictions will be escorted off the grounds with no refund, Lee added.
He said this is the 5th time Deep Roots has put on a concert like this one. “Even the times we held the concerts and didn’t charge, we always passed the hat for donations to help a particular non-profit organization.”
Lee said the group earmarked a portion of their proceeds to go to the Alzheimer’s Association this year because the concert is being held on the camp ground founded by the late Tony Reynolds, who succumbed to the disease.
For more information or to make a reservation e-mail happinessandharmony@yahoo.com or type in Happiness and Harmony Festival.
