12th Annual "PreddyFest" May 21st, 22nd & 23rd, 2009 Memorial Weekend Bluegrass Festival Franklinton, N. C.

Has PreddyFest really been happening for twelve years?  Gosh, it’s hard to believe!  Rodney started his festival as a picking party and as it grew and grew he realized that the only thing to do was to make it into a full blown festival.  Once held on the first weekend in August I used to call PreddyFest SweatyFest it was so hot. 

Last year Rodney decided to move his festival to the 1st weekend in June and wouldn’t you know it.  That weekend last year was the hottest of the entire year.  This year the long running festival called The Bass Mountain Bluegrass Festival was cancelled, so Rodney quickly chose to move his festival to that weekend, the weekend of Memorial Day.  I have a feeling this will be the charm and PreddyFest will be the best yet.

All camping is in the rough and it is free with a 3 day ticket.  Advance tickets are $50 if ordered by May 9th.  That’s a $10 savings over the at the gate price.  PreddyFest is easy to get to.  simply drive south into North Carolina.  Get off I-85 at the Rt. 56 exit and take Rt. 56 east to Green Hill Road.  Turn north of Green Hill Road and it’s a short 4 miles to PreddyFest. 

Things get underway on Thursday with: Sourwood Mountain followed by Lost Co. 35, and Constant Change.

Then on Friday the bands performing are: Hagar’s Mountain Boys, Samantha Casey & The Bluegrass Jam, GrassStreet, Lorraine Jordan & Carolina Road and Roby Huffman & The Bluegrass Cut-ups.

There’s a great line-up on Saturday, too with: The James King Band, Al Batten & Bluegrass Reunion, Michael Cleveland & The Flamekeepers, Barry Scott & Second Wind and The Grass Cats.

Michael Cleveland is the IBMA Fiddle Player of the Year and his album is Instrumental Album of the Year 2008. With Roby Huffman & The Bluegrass Cut-ups on Friday’s show and Al Batten & The Bluegrass Reunion on Saturdays show you can be guaranteed of two great traditional Bluegrass bands.  There are none
finer.

Contact Rodney Preddy at 919-494-7471 or via internet at www.PreddyFest.com.  Or write via email rpreddy@touchnc.net or U.S. mail at PreddyFest, 2284 Green Hill Road, Franklinton, North Carolina, 27525. PreddyFest offers a nicely shaded concert area with concessions and hot showers.