Bluebirds & Bluegrass - This Weekend

Dauset Trails in Jackson is one of those places...well, it's sort of hard to describe...but it's one of those places where you just feel right with the world when you're there. I think there's just something about the spirit of the place - the woods, the animals, the history. It's one of my family's favorite places to go and just hang out for the day. We check out the animals, explore and just soak up the atmosphere. It's always a mini-adventure of sorts. But I've seen couples there too, so apparently, it's also date-worthy.

Every year around this time they have this huge festival-type event called Bluebirds and Bluegrass. Oh my gosh – SO...MUCH...FUN! My dad loves bluegrass music, so I developed a healthy liking for it. It's not my absolute favorite genre to rock out to, but there is just something really extraordinary about bluegrass musicians. First of all, you've got to be a real musician - a really talented musician - to do the things that bluegrass folks do with those instruments. And some of the absolute best bluegrass bands will be strumming their banjos at Dauset Trails during the festival. The guys of The Packway Handle Band from Athens, GA are five pieces of a musical menagerie that I just can't get enough of. We caught their performance at the GA Music Hall of Fame last week and they were a-mazing! The Redline Express is another one of those unforgettable five-part bands whose music sounds like what I would imagine a bluegrass symphony to sound like (that's probably a strange analogy, but I just mean that they have a clean, classic style that makes my listening ears quite content). You do not want to miss these guys - and two exquisite ladies! I can't claim first-hand knowledge of the other two bands - the Danley Family and Staber & Chasnoff - but they have to be pretty spectacular to be sharing the stage with the two former groups.

Before I get carried away with the music...okay, I'm already there...but here's something else that might interest you - it's FREE!

The festival also includes an Easter egg hunt for kids at 11:00 a.m. One note - don't be late for this. You really need to line up for the hunt before 11:00. There will be kids' activities galore throughout the day. From a moonwalk to the spider-bungee jump to rock-wall climbing (and much, much more), kids - and daring adults - will have plenty to entertain them.

You can take a picnic basket, but there will be food and drinks for sale, too. And really, who's going to pass up the opportunity for a little festival food?

So pack up the family or your date or your buds and head on up to Jackson for a little Bluebirds and Bluegrass - you won't be disappointed! It's all happening this Saturday starting at 10:00 a.m. For directions, check out the Dauset Trails website at : www.dausettrails.com/News.htm .