The 2023 music festival scene is winding down but there is still time to enjoy a weekend listening and dancing to a variety of world-class artists as the 1 Annual Sugar Pine Music Festival, kicks off October 19 and runs through October 22 at the Nevada County Fairgrounds.
Organizers of Hangtown Music Festival came to the Nevada County Fairgrounds a year ago after moving the event from Placerville, knowing it would be the last year for that music festival, and returned this year with something new. The Sugar Pine Music Festival boasts a lineup covering a variety of genres and includes local talent as well as acts who perform on a larger scale.
Event spokesperson, Rebecca Sparks said the inaugural Sugar Pine Music Festival brings a variety of genres to appeal to larger audiences, “It’s pretty eclectic, but we’ve got a lot of funk, and some rock, a touch of electronica, and then some bluegrass too and acoustic music, so we’ve really got a lot of variety that is really downright great music.”
The same group produces the High Sierra Music Festival which was one of the first to mix genres and it has become organizer’s signature. The spirit of Sugar Pine Music will be the same but on a smaller scale.
Two stages will keep the music going from Thursday to Sunday. Some of the 20 featured musical acts include Dead Winter Carpenters playing on Thursday and Friday. Friday the very popular ALO will also perform, and patrons will not want to miss the Beastie Boys Tribute, paying homage to 50 years of hip hop.
Saturday will include Grateful Bluegrass Boys, Diggin Dirt, and local favorites Caltucky who play Sunday as well.
Taking the stage Saturday evening, Mike Campbell & The Dirty Knobs will be a special treat for Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers fans. Campbell was the lead guitarist of the Heartbreakers and co-wrote a number of popular hits including “Refugee”, “Here Comes My Girl”, “You Got Lucky”, and “Runnin’ Down a Dream”.
Boston’s funk band, Lettuce closing out Saturday night.
On Sunday festival goers will not want to miss locals Broken Compass Bluegrass, or the Garcia Grisman Tribute. Sparks described the Garcia Grisman tribute, “What it is, is a kind of Old and In the Way tribute. It’s Joe Craven who is also our emcee and Jim Kerwin (bass player), Stu Allen who is a very well-known guitarist in the Grateful Dead style who does a mean Jerry Garcia impression and Andrew Collins (mandolin) and they are all doing these Garcia Grisman tunes which I know is going to be special here.”
Moontricks is sure to win over some new fans when they perform Sunday evening before Jennifer Hartwick Band closes out the festival. “She is a vocalist like you wouldn’t believe and also a trumpet player, “ Sparks said.
In addition to the great musical line-up, the weekend will include lots of vendors with your last chance to get festival wear for the season, she said, ”Garments you just can’t get anywhere else, and lots of activities for the kids”. Sparks said, “We have a kid’s zone. We have a pumpkin carving activity on Saturday which we then have the pumpkins lining the foot of the stage which is really cool.”
Of course, there are plenty of food and beverage vendors on site, “We have everything from Gyros to Mexican food. Tahoe Blue vodka is a sponsor and Three Sheets Brewing is our beer sponsor and Gold Vibe Kombuchary will be there.”
Organizers are thrilled to be able to hold the festival at the Nevada County Fairgrounds, Sparks said, “We absolutely love it there. The fairgrounds are just unparalleled with their beauty and the layout. It is so great. We are just so happy to have the opportunity.“
“We do have the local discounts for any Nevada County residents. They are only available at the gate because you have to show ID.” There are discounts for both single day for multi day tickets as well. “ Sparks explained. Nevada County residents from Penn Valley to Truckee can save as much as $20.00 per ticket, depending on the day and with proof of residency. Camping is included in multi-day passes and more information is available on the festival website https://sugarpinemusicfest.com.
A special feature of this festival is that part of the bar tips will be donated to a local food bank. Sparks explained, “Every year we have a local beneficiary for some of the tips money. The tips get split out for the bartenders, but they also share it with a local nonprofit and this year it’s going to be the Nevada County Foodbank so tip heavily because lots of those funds will go straight to the food bank.”
For festival goers or for those just wanting to check out a festival, Sugar Pine Music Festival has something for just about everyone and is well worth checking out, Sparks concluded, “It is an intimate, lovely community, where people from all ages can have a fun time and hang out together, relax and listen to some mighty fine music.”
Cover Photo Jennifer Hartswich is set to perform at the the 1st Annual Sugar Pine Music Festival, October 19 through October 22 at the Nevada County Fairgrounds | Dani Barbieri related_content_uuid3f523cec-8df2-43a6-b09d-3fffa5944b90/related_content_uuid
