The City of Cayce’s 9^th Annual Congaree Bluegrass Festival will feature  a larger show  on Oct.  1 and 2. 

The Congaree Bluegrass Festival begins at 11 a.m. on Saturday. Admission is only $10 for adults and children 12 and under free.  Sunday’s Gospel show will kick-off 1 p.m. and is free to all.  Visit congareebluegrassfestival.org for more details.

After the disappointing cancellation of the 2015 event due to the massive flooding, Cayce is bringing the festival’s most star studded talent line up to the Historic Columbia Speedway Event Facility at 2001 Charleston Highway.   The festival is expanding  with exciting  exhibitions of our military through history and an exciting display of art.  The event for the first time will run a second day highlighting Gospel Bluegrass.  “Gospel music has always had a tremendous influence on Bluegrass and we hope to pay tribute to that by adding a day to our festival that is devoted to gospel music and fellowship” said event chairman, Danny Creamer.

The festival is growing and expanding to provide great entertainment for a wide range of patrons.  We are trying to provide an array of attractions that will appeal not only to the Bluegrass fans but also to the family that wants to enjoy a Saturday afternoon without knowing anything about Bluegrass music. We hope the Art show, Hayride, kids area, and the Military through time exhibitions will peak some interest and they will be exposed to the incredible magic of Bluegrass music.

They will have an opportunity to not only listen to the great music on the main stage, but will be able to hang around the jam tent and listen to players of all talent levels Jam impromptu.  There will also be interactive art exhibits like pottery, Tatting, Painting, Blacksmiths and instrument making.  There will be demonstrations of Banjo, Mandolin, and guitar playing for patrons to put their hands on these great instruments.  States John Banks of the festival staff.

Saturday’s event will include a full Art Show as well as, traditional dance exhibitions of Clogging and Square Dancing other children’s interactive activities, and always popular festival food.   An added attraction in 2016 will celebrate the military through time with different era encampments.   The exhibitions will include Vintage Military Vehicles provided by a local charity Military Vehicle Collectors of South Carolina.

The festival headliner is Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver. With nearly 40 albums to their credit, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver have multiple Grammy, Dove, ICM, IBMA and SPBGMA Award nominations, and are 7-time winners of IBMA’s Vocal Group of the Year.    All of these accolades were on the heels of Lawson’s induction into the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame at the Ryman Auditorium on September 27, 2012.  The other acts sharing the stage on Saturday include the Edgar Loudermilk Band featuring Jeff Autry, Wilson Banjo Co., and Slope Valley.   Sunday, the stage will feature the bands The Southern Gospel Express, Left Lane and The Thomas Family, all performing traditional gospel bluegrass music.