American Heritage Music Festival kicks off 2024 Summer Music Festival Series

Har-Ber Village and Grand Lake Festivals are excited to announce three major Summer Music Festivals in Grove for 2024. The American Heritage Music Festival is June 6, 7 & 8 this year, the Jana Jae Fiddle Camp & Music Fest is always Labor Day Weekend, this year Aug. 30, 31 & Sept. 1, and the second Old-Time Gathering & Music Festival is October 18 & 19. 2024 is going to be a great music festival year!!

Grand Lake Festivals is extremely pleased to partner with Har-Ber Village for two of these festivals. “This is wonderful synergy and a win-win for everyone involved,” commented Shirley Adams, Chair of the festivals. The American Heritage Music Festival and the Grand Lake National Fiddle Contest will bring lots of musical performers, jamming, and competition fun to Har-Ber Village June 7 & 8, with popular emcees Bob Fjeldsted, National Fiddler Hall of Fame President, and Gerry Lay, outstanding singer and multi-instrumentalist guiding the events and Ron Young singing the National Anthem. Music all weekend features many outstanding bands including bluegrass band Possum Trot, Parkhill Pickers, Janet Stowers Band, Bob Fjeldsted Trio, Prairie Breeze String Band, Josh Wills Group, and World Champion bones player Barry Patton joining renowned Hee Haw fiddler, Jana Jae, for exciting entertainment at the Event Center and throughout the Village. Stellar fiddle champ Judges Jacie Sites, Joe Sites, and Paul DeWeber, will also perform! Festivities kick off at Snider’s Camp Thursday, June 6, 7:00 pm, with the Honeycreek Gamblers contest and stage performances by Clint Walker, Prairie Breeze String Band, Shelley & Karen, Coleman Sisters, Festival Fiddlers, Jana Jae & Friends, and more.

Har-Ber Village Executive Director, Nicole Reynolds, is offering a reduced special festival admission fee of $7.50 for Friday and Saturday activities, with demonstrations and exhibitions in addition to all the music. Reynolds said, “There is lots going on in the Village, and we want all area families and friends to be able to come and enjoy this wonderful festival.” The Village will be alive with music and live demonstrations all up and down Main Street and throughout the Village. Saturday will feature the Grand Lake National Fiddle Contest as fiddlers from around the country vie for cash prizes in their age categories and the Grand Champion prize of $1,000. Registered contestants plus one receive all-event wristbands when they enter. Save with $6 Early Bird Registration before midnight, May 15!!  Visit https://www.grandlakefestivals.com for a Schedule and to register for contests online with PayPal.

The Jana Jae Fiddle Camp & Music Fest, August 30, 31 & Sept. 1, will be held at the Foundation Free Will Baptist Church, north of Grove, graciously opening its doors to the musicians and groups. Not just for fiddles, all acoustic instruments are welcome, from bass, guitar, mandolin, and cello to ukulele and rhythm bones, spoons, and djembe drums! Over 20 instructors are on hand to perform and teach. “We’ll have a fiddlin’ good weekend!” according to Pastor Sam Smith, whose son Colton is a fiddler. Pastor Smith has been generous to donate use of the church and its wonderful technical capabilities for the educational Fiddle Camp & Music Fest. This spacious location will afford more private spaces for workshop pods, as well as shaded outdoor areas for rehearsing and jamming. Sept. 1, Sunday, a Gospel Music Jam is featured, and a finale program put on by workshop groups is open to the public at 3:00 pm.

October 18 & 19, Har-Ber Village will host the second Old-Time Gathering & Music Festival, presented by Grand Lake Festivals. Music of several genres will fill the Village as will demonstrations such as print making, weaving, blacksmithing, and several interesting talks on the history of this music and its resurgence. The festival will culminate with a Contra Dance organized by Glen Schmidt in the Event Tent, with caller Susan Downs and the Silver Dollar String Band. The public is invited to participate!

Grand Lake Festivals is a 501c3 nonprofit organization dedicated to promote Oklahoma and the performing arts by providing educational workshops, festivals, and performances. Grand Lake Festivals thanks all volunteers and sponsors, including Cherokee Nation Businesses, the Oklahoma Arts Council, the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Fiddler Hall of Fame, the Grove Area Chamber of Commerce, the Grove Convention & Tourism Bureau, Grand Lake Association, the Grand Area Creative Alliance and area newspapers, radio and tv stations.  Area businesses are invited to sponsor, and area residents to volunteer and enjoy the vibrant energy of these festivals.

For info, call 918-786-8896 or 918-786-5780, and visit www.grandlakefestivals.com