Great news for fans of bluegrass and acoustic music in southern California. The popular Huck Finn Jubilee festival will return this year after a one-year hiatus.
The festival in Ontario, CA had been run for 40 years by founders Don and Barbara Tucker, until Don’s passing in 2012. Originally staged in Victorville, the site was moved to Ontario when their convention and visitors bureau assumed management of the event in 2013. An effort to supersize the festival in 2016 failed to live up to expectations, and it ceased operation at that time.
Now Huck Finn is set to ride again this year, in the fall rather than on its traditional June dates. It will run October 5-7 in Ontario. When new proprietors Nikki and Roger learned of the festival’s cancellation, they made inquiries and eventually purchased the brand to keep the Jubilee alive.
Both executives at a Los Angeles marketing firm, the couple wanted to preserve what they had enjoyed at Huck Finn, saying “It’s important that we honor the tradition of this festival because the community deserves it, and we want to take you on the musical journey that we experienced.”
To introduce themselves to the bluegrass community, Nikki and Roger created this video.
They have assembled a team of experienced professionals to assist, including Josh Trivett and Moonstruck Management as talent buyers, and Adam Kirr of The Bluegrass Marketer as publicist.
A new web site is up, but with many details yet to be announced.
No artists for 2018 have been named, but management promises a mix of traditional and more contemporary bluegrass, along with local food vendors, craft beer, arts and crafts, plus camping, fishing, and full access to park amenities for children and families.
Keep an eye on the site for more details to be posted early in May.
