Most of this "Bluegrass Ramble" concerns the Christmas Party held at the Amelia Family Campground each 1st Saturday in December.
To say it was cold in Amelia this past December 6th would be an understatement. But, the cold did nothing to diminish the fun and the celebration of Bluegrass and Christmas at the Amelia Family Campground. I arrived earlier than in past years and found myself at the campground by noon on Saturday. There were many already there ahead of me, but there were still many more to arrive. The music wasn’t scheduled to begin until around 2PM with a very nice line up of bands.
Those of you who have never been to the Hutchinson Family’s Bluegrass Christmas Party may be wondering how bands could possibly play music in an outdoor pavilion if it was as cold as I said it was. I can understand that, but now I’m gonna tell you how. John and his boys and their extended families wrap the entire pavilion with Tyvek paper. This is that strong white paper most houses are wrapped with before siding or brick is added to the exterior. After wrapping the pavilion they install two gas operated space heaters and by the time the music is ready to start the pavilion is as warm and cozy as can be.
When I got to Amelia I found that I was kind of sore. I was wearing too many layers of clothing. I had on so many shirts and sweaters and jackets that my arms wouldn’t hang at my sides but were sort of sticking out a bit. If you’ve seen the great Christmas movie, "A Christmas Story" about the kid who wanted Red Ryder BB Rifle for Christmas, then you’ll remember how his Mom dressed him and his little brother with so many clothes they could barely move. Well, that’s sort of the way I felt. Because I couldn’t get my arms straight down by my sides my shoulders actually did begin to ache. But; and this is a very important but! I was not cold! No! I was as snug as that old bug in a rug!
The music started up pretty much on time and wow was it good. Some of the bands took the time to learn some of the Bluegrass Christmas songs like “Christmas Time’s A-coming” and “Christmas Time is Near.” The Bluegrass bands changed every 30 minutes and played constantly throughout the day and then there was the food. Oh ,yeah! The food. Skeeter and Carroll Hutchinson were busy stirring pots of potato soup and navy beans, while Sweet Brenda fixed hot dogs and fried her famous hush-puppies. Just about every family that came brought some kind of dessert. I pigged out on desserts and had a lot of fun socializing with friends old and new.
My friends Richard and Cris Morgan from Durham, NC came up again this year and with Ralph and Amy Westfall and Lynette Dooley and Kevin we were warm and snug in Richard & Cris’s motor home. We jammed for several hours and told stories and lies and once in a while we even told the truth. But, none of us ever knew exactly when that truth was told. And, dang it, I forgot something. Every year I always pass around a big tub of candy canes to everyone in the pavilion. But, we were having so much fun in Richard and Cris’s camper that I plum forgot about it. Oh, I went out 2 weeks ago and bought the candy canes and I had them with me in the car. But, I simply forgot. I’ll try to remember next year. Golly, have we got to wait a whole ‘nother year for the Hutchinson Bluegrass Christmas Party???
Yes, we do, but we can still come over to Amelia and help celebrate the 30th year of the Central Virginia Family Bluegrass Music Festivals at the Amelia Family Campground. Each 3rd weekend of May and August, John, Ferne and the entire Hutchinson clan host these two great Bluegrass events. As I said this will be the 30th year, so by now you should remember the dates, but just in case, go get that calendar down off the wall and mark those two weekends.
"NUFF SAID"
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