One of the most beloved events in the annual bluegrass calendar is the Musicians Against Childhood Cancer festival, held in late July near Columbus, OH.
Not only does MACC present four days of top flight bluegrass entertainment, the festival benefits the St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, TN. An all-star talent roster donates their time to help raise money for St. Jude’s, and the event is managed by Darrel and Phyllis Adkins, who lost their daughter Mandy to cancer in 2000.
This year, the Adkins are also raffling a fine, handmade guitar for St. Jude’s. It is a careful replica of Tony Rice’s legendary 1935 Martin D-28 Herringbone – the Clarence White guitar – made by Tod Sams, and valued at $5000.
Tickets for the raffle are $10, and can be purchased online. The drawing will be held during the festival’s last night (7/23), and the winner need not be present to win.
Here’s a brief video the Adkins put together to express the atmosphere of the MACC.
Last year’s festival generated $30,000 for St. Jude’s. Full details can be found on their web site.