The fall music festival season is kicking off strong in Central Florida in the coming weeks, and the small town of Waldo is once again bringing back bluegrass.
The Dixieland Music Park Fall Bluegrass Festival will start Monday and run through Nov. 2 at the Dixieland RV Park with a lineup that enlists the talents of acts such as The Boxcars, Goldwing Express and MC Jo Odom.
Organized by Ernie and Debi Evans, the festival marks only one of several ventures the married couple helms. Leading their company, Evans Media Source, they also tour the U.S. as The Florida State Bluegrass Band.
This year marks the sixth year of the festival, which debuted in 2009.
Unlike other music festivals, the event balances live music performances with a seemingly endless supply of dining events. The most notable of these events occurs on Monday with a full-blown, smoked-rib dinner.
“(My family) looks forward to the food,” said Gainesville resident Mary Jacobs. “It helps us meet new friends and families and give the festival a more intimate setting.”
This will be the third year the Jacobs family has attended the festival.
“We have seen (The Florida State Bluegrass Band) many times and love everything the Evans do for the community of Waldo,” Jacobs said.
The intimate atmosphere of the festival can also be seen in activities such as the “Face-2-Facebook” event, which shows attendees how to connect to new friends via social media platforms.
“All of the activities we have from the time our guests arrive until the time they leave are about building relationships in every corner of our festival,” Ernie said.
This year marks new innovations for the Dixieland RV Park venue. Unlike many camping festivals, the camping sites for the bluegrass festival now feature outlets for electrical appliances. A heated pavilion also sits on site, ensuring performances will occur rain or shine.
Tickets can still be purchased on evansmediasource.com. Advance tickets cost $47, and tickets will be available the day of the festival. Single-day tickets can also be purchased for various prices.
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To get ready for the event, check out these songs from some of the bands on the bill:
Tyler Wilson Band – “Lonesome River”
Goldwing Express – “Long Black Train”
The Boxcars – “You Took All The Rambling Out Of Me”
Remington Ryde – “Long Gone”
[A version of this story ran on page 8 on 10/23/2014]
