Lovegrass Music Festival brings ‘experience’ to Defiance Brewing Co. Saturday for free event featuring new beer
By JAMES BELL
Hays Post
At 3 p.m. Saturday, The Lovegrass Music Festival Association and Defiance Brewing, 2050 Old Highway 40, are teaming up to bring a “Lovegrass Experience” to Hays.
The day will feature food, games, a benefit raffle and area bands to raise awareness and funds for the annual fall bluegrass music festival at the Wilson Lake State Park.
“We are a 501(c)3, and so we're a nonprofit, and we like to keep our festival free,” said organizer Aimee Riegel.
She said that over the last few years maintaining the festival has been challenging, but it has continued and grown with events like Saturday’s benefit helping spread awareness and funds.
“Besides our festival — which is our main culminating event each year — we have in the last two years broadened our scope to provide music not just at the lake but also in other areas, such as Hays. We've done some activities over Wilson at the Midland Hotel. We are also partnering with Great Bend Alive at the end of April for an event down there as well.”
While The Lovegrass Music festival may center on music, Saturday’s event will also feature a popular area activity.
“Branson Kyle from the Hays Cornhole League is going to be organizing a cornhole tournament,” Riegel said. “They're very passionate about this project, and you can sign up ahead of time.”
The tournament will kick off the day’s festivities at the brewery’s taproom, with signup beginning at 3 p.m.
“There are two different leagues, pro and then social league,” Riegel said. “That's the first event, and then we've got music kicking off at four o'clock with three bands.”
Bartlett will open the musical offerings at 4 p.m., followed by 80 Proof Alice and Haymakers. Each band will perform for about an hour.
“Both of those bands are going to be playing for absolutely no charge as a donation to the festival,” Riegel said. “So, if you come on out, bring some money to tip the bands. That way, they can make it worth their time.”
She said she is especially excited to bring Haymakers to Hays.
“They're doing a fundraiser down in Garden City for the Tumbleweed Festival, (which is) run by Valerie Smith,” Riegel said. “They're doing that on Friday. And then, funny enough, they're coming here to do our fundraiser the next day.
“They play more blues, bluegrass, folk-type music and Americana. They're really wonderful.”
Haymakers are set to take the stage at 7 p.m.
Following their set, Riegel said they would host a jam session open to everyone.
“If you have an instrument and you want to come play, we're going to keep the taproom open as long as there are folks out there that want to play and partake,” she said. “Come out, bring your guitar, bring your banjo, bring your spoons, whatever it might be, and join us for some jamming.”
Defiance Brewing Brand Master Brett Straight said hosting an event like the Lovegrass Experience is a part of their mission.
“Any time we get an opportunity to support local music, and live music, we're all about it,” he said.
And with the upcoming event, they hope to support the organization.
“What we were focused on was just being able to provide an experience where people can come out,” Straight said. “There's no obligation that you have to spend any money. You can just come out and enjoy the festival, but what we hope is going to happen is that people are going to purchase the custom-made pint glasses that we had made.”
Custom stickers were also designed for the event and will be available.
A fundraiser raffle is also planned.
“There's been some wonderful people that donated some great prizes,” Straight said.
“We really had an outpouring of sponsorships,” Riegel said. “I think it's really interesting, considering our festival is in Wilson at Wilson Lake in Russell County, we usually target those areas for sponsorships for our main festival. But for the smaller events, I believe, getting the word out and collaborating with Defiance, and having that known name and recognition has been really helpful for us to be able to procure certain sponsorships.”
“People have been really wonderful. And helping this event, I was really blown away, actually. So, we want to thank all of those that have made this possible, and especially Defiance. They are going to be helping out too, they've just been wonderful to work with.”
Part of the support included the brewing of a beer to match the event.
“We wanted to try something that is oriented around Bluegrass,” Straight said. “So, we came up with a Blueberry Pie Gose. It's called Tap That Grass, and we will be showcasing that on Saturday.”
For more information about the Lovegrass Music Festival, visit lovegrassmusicfestival.com.
