The KOA Kampground in Myrtle Beach, SC will be the site for this year’s inaugural Sea Mountain Fiddlers Convention and Bluegrass Festival in May.
The Rivertown Bluegrasss Society in Conway is the sponsor of the festival, which is being billed as the 1st annual event, with Alan Bibey & Grasstowne as the host band. Alan lives in nearby Surfside Beach, and hosts a mandolin and guitar camp there each year.
Bluegrass lovers across the southeast will be enticed by the fact that Sea Mountain is both an instrument and band competition, and a full fledged stage performance as well. Competitions will be held during the day, with the touring bands going on after dinner. Thursday night will offer an open stage and jamming, with the contest running Friday and Saturday.
The purse for the convention winners is also likely to attract a lot of folks, with $1,000 for the top band and $300 for each instrument. Contests are open for banjo, guitar, mandolin, fiddle, and flatfoot dance – plus bluegrass band – and only 12 competitors will be registered in each category. Pre-registration is open now, and the first 12 will be accepted for each event. Registration fees are $20 for the individual instruments and $40 for band. Links to a application form can be found on the Sea Mountain web site, as can a complete list of contest rules.
In addition to Bibey & Grasstowne, who will appear both Friday and Saturday evenings, Sea Mountain will offer music from Carolina Blue, Wayne Henderson & The Virginia Luthiers, and several other traditional bluegrass bands. The winners of the band competition will also perform a full set on Saturday afternoon.
The Myrtle Beach KOA boasts many amenities for visitors, with plenty of sites for RV or tent camping, plus a covered pavilion for the music, a pool, fishing, a dog park, bike rentals, and multiple rental cabins. The beautiful beach is only a few steps away, plus all the shopping, dining, and night life that Myrtle Beach is known for.
Attendees can also choose to stay at one of the many hotels in the area and simply purchase a festival ticket.
Sea Mountain Fiddlers Convention and Bluegrass Festival runs May 2-4. Both the festival organizers and the KOA are excited about this new venture, and are looking forward to hosting this event each spring for many years.
Full details can be found online.
