Bluegrass On The Plains to take 2018 off

The Bluegrass On The Plains festival has been among the fastest-growing weekend music events in our industry. Launched in 2011, it had reached full capacity at the University Station RV Resort in Auburn, AL by 2014, a year after receiving the IBMA’s Momentum Award for Event of the Year.

That’s because promoter Mathan Holt does things in a big way. He had built the RV park to accommodate Auburn football fans, and it’s a first class venue. For several years he publicized the festival at both the World Of Bluegrass and SPBGMA conventions, hosting a variety of performers in showcase rooms, and advertising Bluegrass On The Plains Far and wide.

Mathan’s love for the music is evident to anyone who knows him, or attends the festival each May, before the summer heat in Alabama makes inside activity a bit more attractive. But he is also a successful local businessman with his hands in several ventures, and a former county commissioner.

And these additional commitments, especially with regard to one he has recently started, are necessitating that the popular festival skip next year’s event. But Holt says it’s just a temporary suspension.

“Due to the magnitude of my newest business venture, I am going to need to take 2018 off from the festival production business. It takes a lot of people, hard work, and time to produce Bluegrass On The Plains and I’ve tried to present the very best that bluegrass has to offer. I want to thank everyone—the fans, musicians, vendors, and staff—for the unwavering support. But please be assured, this is not the end of Bluegrass On The Plains. We’ll be back in 2019, bigger and better than ever!”

Fans can make plans to attend two years from now, where the festival is sure to feature the hottest acts in bluegrass once again.

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About the Author

John Lawless

John had served as primary author and editor for The Bluegrass Blog from its launch in 2006 until being folded into Bluegrass Today in September of 2011. He continues in that capacity here, managing a strong team of columnists and correspondents.