The Gettysburg Bluegrass Festival is widely viewed as the official kickoff of the annual bluegrass festival season. It may not always be the very first major outdoor festival of the year, but given its size and the caliber of talent they feature, Gettysburg has earned the reputation as the first big’n of the year.
The 2010 event, which just concluded, saw two Gettysburg firsts. A new stage was unveiled, which from all reports, earned high praise from audience members and performers alike. But what really captured people’s imagination was a bluegrass wedding that was performed on stage, something that had never been seen in the 30 years the festival has been in existence.
It was held on Saturday afternoon (5/15), with Rhonda Vincent providing the musical setting for the nuptials of Hank Janney, longtime MC at the festival, and Linda Lookadoo, a bluegrass show promoter. The couple met at the Gettysburg fest several years ago, and after being friends and professional acquaintances for a few years, started dating about 5 years ago.
I guess a Gettysburg Festival wedding was the inevitable conclusion. Congratulations to the happy couple!
You can find more about their bluegrass wedding in a piece in the Hanover, PA Evening Sun. Rhonda Vincent has a number of photos from that day on her website as well.
