The 34th National Old Time Country & Bluegrass Festival & Contest is one of the world's greatest traditional acoustic music events. Hundreds of acoustic musicians come from around the world to participate.

Dates for 2009 are Aug 31 through Sept 6.

Location is the Plymouth County Fairgrounds 500 4th Ave., NE, LeMars, Iowa, 51031. Easy to get to from Highway-3 which runs east and west through LeMars.

ADMISSION: We keep our ticket prices down so that anyone and everyone that wants to celebrate America's musical heritage can participate. We are far below the normal ticket price for a similar event.

Daily Adult - $15
Daily Senior (over 70) $12
Daily under 18 - FREE
7-Day Pass - $55 (no
further discounts)
Prices are subject to change.

LODGING: Some of the best motels in the midwest are available in LeMars. We encourage early reservations since we filled every room in 2008. We even sent some of our attendees to Sioux City and Cherokee.
Our official Motel is:
SUPER-8 712-546-8800
Other motels in LeMars are:
BAYMONT - 712-546-4910
HOLIDAY INN - 712-546-1700
AMBER INN - 712-546-7066
BEL AIR - 712-546-4189

RV CAMPING: You can camp on the fairgrounds for a low fee of $12 per day which includes an electric hook-up. There are some 30amp and a lot of 20amp. There are water taps available to fill your water tanks for free, and there is a dump station just outside the fairgrounds you can use for free. There is a pumper truck that will also come around, but there is a fee and he must be arranged for in advance. Free hot showers and flush toilets are more than adequate. You can RV camp, and tent camp, without using electricity for $8 per day. Car parking on the grounds is $2 per day.

CELEBRITIES: The National Traditional Country Music Association annually inducts deserving individuals into America's Old Time Country Music Hall of Fame at this event. Every year holds big surprises as celebrities show up for the honors. In just 2008, over 50 honorees were inducted, among them the Blackwood Brothers; Johnny Bond; Willie Carver; Bill Clifton; the Delmore Brothers; Stan Hitchcock; Dick Kimmel; Allen Karl; Maddox Brothers & Rose; John McEuen; Ronnie Reno; Frank Ray;Ola Bell Reed; Spike & Vallie May Stroop; Dusty Spittle from New Zealand; Hal Willis, to name just a few. 2009 will be even more interesting. We will add their names as they become available.

One prospect is to name Clayton McMichen "Old Time Fiddler of the Century." His daughter Juanita plans on being at the festival to accept. She hopes to bring with her the only living musician that worked with McMichen, Slim Bryant, who played guitar and co-wrote songs with McMichen. He also co-wrote songs (Mother Queen of My Heart)and recorded with Jimmie Rodgers. He is 100 years old, still active and still giving guitar lessons.

MEDIA: We were excited to have Stan Hitchcock from the Country Music Network, and Blue Highways TV with us in 2008. We received word from Patrick Gotsch who founded RFD-TV, that he will be with us in 2009.

AMERICA'S OLD TIME COUNTRY MUSIC HALL OF FAME to be inducted at LeMars, 2009.
The nominations and inductees for 2009 will be listed here as they become available.

RURAL ROOTS MUSIC COMMISSION's CDS OF THE YEAR will be listed here as they become available.

ARTS & CRAFTS vendor space is available on a first come first serve basis. We accept rustic hand-made crafts first, but just about anything is acceptable. We do not accept items for sale that are of a sexual or violence nature. 10'x10' spaces are available indoors (locked at night) and outdoors. We do not provide tables or canopies. Cost is $10 per day, minimum four days. Vendors can get gate passes at half-price. Vendors must apply for applications at P.O. Box 492, Anita, Iowa, 50020, or e-mail bobeverhart@yahoo.com for further information.

CONCERTS - There are over 250 major shows during the 7-day event and nearly as many minor ones. Some of them are:
Welcome Home Show
Old Time Radio Show
Troubadour Show
Americana Show
Dinner Bell Show
Classic Country Show
Country Cousins Show
Original Songs Show
Thursday Night Opry
Backwoods Country
KWMT Radio Show
Old Time Bluegrass
Log Cabin Music Show
LeMars Jamboree
Hall of Fame Show
Hillbilly Music Show
Saturday Night Opry
Cowboy Church
Country Breeze Music
Sunday Opry
Sunday Night Finale
Old Time Kitchen Show
Old-Time Melodies
Morning Coffee Show
Tuesday Frolics
SongFest
Cornfield Country
Oak Tree Opry Show
Early Rooster Show
Front Porch Jamboree
LeMars Hometown Opry
Midlands Review
Old Time Vaudeville
Country Music Late
Rural Roots Show
Dusty Attic Music
Sandhills Music Show
Rising Sun Gospel
Haymow Frolics
Hootenanny Folk Show
Tin Pan Alley Show
Corn Crib Music Show
Music Memories
Pioneer Music Show
Homestead Music Show
Farmland Music Show
Sunshine Music Show
Old Time Medicine
Hee Haw Shindig
Danny Dee Show
LeMars Happy Valley
Midwest Jubilee
Gypsy Music Show
Music Treasures Show
Sioux City Sue Show
Crackerbarrel Country
Heroes Country Music
Saturday Morning Show
Old Radio Services
Covered Wagon Show
Song Catcher Show
Sunday Concert
Larry Harms Gospel
Gospel in Gloaming
Rising Dawn Gospel
Wally James Revival
Sunshine Gospel
Sunrise Gospel
Sawdust Trail Gospel
Pat Rumeilote Gospel
One on the Mountain
Log Cabin Dulcimer Show
These are just a few of the major shows. Shows happen all the time, sometimes spontaneously, and if you included jam sessions, expect to see another 50 or 60 of these.

MUSICAL PARTICIPANTS - They come from around the world, some of them the best in the world. More than 600 players show up for this once a year gathering with their acoustic instruments. We have everything from the most professional and celebrated artists to beginners.

OAK TREE OPRY ROADSHOW INTIMATE CONCERTS - New in 2009, the regulars that perform on the Oak Tree Opry in Anita, will host a special guest. Our Oak Tree regular will perform for 15 minutes and then introduce a celebrity who will preform for 45 minutes. This will take place at one of the smaller stages, and should give us an excellent opportunity to provide you with more time for your favorite artist. These names will be posted here as they become available.

LOG CABIN DULCIMER GATHERING & FOLK MUSIC SHOW, also new for 2009. The front porch of the old Log Cabin, somewhat removed from the rest of the activities, provides an ideal quiet place for small gatherings of those who like to hear soft music from dulcimers, harps, harmonicas, and old-time folk artists. No sound system, just the front porch and you. Hosted by the Downhome Dulcimer Club.

INTERNATIONAL SHOWS & PERFORMERS - In 2008 we had 36 participants just from the country of New Zealand. We expect many of them back in 2009, along with some new ones. In 2009, we also expect performers to come not only from New Zealand, but also from Australia, Holland, Ireland, Austria, France, Poland, England, Canada, Czech Republic, and Japan. We will list their names as they become available here...
Greta Elkin, Ireland
Ben Steneker, Holland
Carmen Steneker, Holland
Renaud Martin, France
Many of our international guests like what they call 'Homestays." Someone living in LeMars (and the immediate vicinity) who share their home, providing a place to sleep, sometimes food and help with transportation. It's an exciting and pleasant way to help out performers, with the participants making lifelong friends. Check with bobeverhart@yahoo.com for needs in this area.

DANCES have always been a focus of 'saving' our upper-Midwest traditions and customs. We've converted one of the large buildings into a dance hall, and host old-style dances six of the seven nights of the festival. Expect to find everything from old-style clog dancing to polka partys. The Texas two-step, and even an old-time cowboy dance is scheduled. We always try to have the Kenaston Family (known as the danciest dance in the west) play for at least one of our dances, usually Friday or Saturday night, please check schedules for their dance night. Also expect to get free 'dance instruction' if you don't know how to dance, it's all fun, and it's all part of our great upper Midwest rural heritage.

JAM SESSIONS are a vital part of what we do, and have been since we started this event 34 years ago. Over the years, the reputation of our festival has attracted some of the best pickers in the world. The many different stages of ability is well represented, but the really fun ones are when international players gather together with our versatile pickers for a session unbelievably good. All levels, all entertaining, all welcome.

CONTESTS have taken place ever since this festival was started. Over $4,000 in prizes, awards, and cash are given away. In 2008, we gave recording studio time away from Tesco Studios, R&H Studios, and StarTracker Studios. We also gave a Dobro away (courtesy of Don Taft), and an acoustic guitar (courtesy of Doug VanHorn). 1st and 2nd place winners of the Band Scramble won pizzas from Godfathers and Pizza Ranch in LeMars. The contests are open to anyone, although you cannot have made more than 60% of your annual income from musical performances. We encourage your paticipation, and have professional judges available to tell you what's right and wrong with what you are doing.
Entry fees are $5 per contest entering (at least 10 minutes before that contest starts), and there must be 3 or more to justify a contest. Nearly all of the contests take place on the weekend. The 25 Contest Categories are:

Piano
Clog Dancing
Fiddle (Jr/Sr/Open)
Over-50 Singing
Cowboy Poetry
Storytelling
Yodeling
Acoustic Bass
Acoustic Guitar
Harmonica
Band Scramble
Mixed Country Singer
Accordion (Jr/Sr)
Dobro
Bones & Spoons
Banjo
Oldtime Country/Bluegrass
Bands
Harmony Singers
Junior Performer
Mandolin
Songwriting (reg. & gospel)
Miscellaneous

Judges score sheets are available after the festival is over, once they have been rechecked. A self addressed stamped envelope will get you yours.

SHOWCASES - After 34 years of doing this festival, we have garnered to us a large number of talent buyers. Crackerbarrel Restaurants is one that has not only used talent from this event, but does their own old-time music festival at their restaurant in Council Bluffs, Iowa. Wal-Mart has been active, as has Silver Dollar City in Branson, Missouri, which has also used a large number of talent from this festival. There are also about a dozen, and more, other festival producers at our event each year. We do not know when exactly they are looking at talent, but we have several showcases that we direct them to. This is open to anyone that wants to audition their talent for potential gigs and work. We make no guarantees, but we know that we have been quite successful in this. This year Patrick Gotsch who owns RFD-TV will be at the festival, and guess what he will be looking for. Those wanting to 'showcase' need to send cds, bios, photos, and regular mailing address for us to send gate passes and scheduling. Send to P O Box 492, Anita, Iowa, 50020.

WORKSHOPS - They take place every day, in the early morning and afternoons at the workshop-contest stage. You can expect workshops from professionals who are willing to share their musical abilities, how they play, why they play like they do, and encourage your own playing abilities. You will find workshops in everything from clog dancing to harmonica playing, guitar picking to songwriting. It's all free, just show up for those you are interested in, as listed in the program, and don't forget to thank the pro who is doing this for you for free.

FOOD - We have some of the best food in the upper midwest available for you in the Food Court located under the trees in the middle of the fairground layout with picnic tables and benches. Longhorn provides great chicken, fish, curly cue potatoes, salads, and a host of other items. Culvers Restuarant provides butter burgers, cheese burgers and all the regular fast food items. Wright's Tailgater has some of the best beef steak, prime rib, pork chops and other meat items all char-broiled right in front of you. You'll also be able to get bar-b-que, and sometimes Greek or Cajun food.

Don't forget the free POTLUCK which takes place on Monday night at 6pm at the Main Stage Building. To participate you must bring a couple of dishes, keeping in mind we invite our foreign guests to share, as well as some others that aren't able to bring dishes. It's all FREE, so come and join in the fun. We provide hundreds of pieces of broasted chicken from the great Lallie's Restuarant in LeMars.

Watch for updates as they are available.