Thousands to travel to Carl Junction for annual bluegrass festival

Kimberly Barker, The Joplin Globe, Mo.
·4 min read

Sep. 23—CARL JUNCTION, Mo. — The annual Carl Junction Bluegrass Festival, billed as the largest and longest running event of its kind in the region, is celebrating its 25th anniversary with more than 13,000 people expected to attend the milestone year.

The two-day, family-friendly event kicks off on Friday afternoon with the Carl Junction Bluegrass 5K Glow Run/Walk at Bulldog Stadium, 300 Keeney Drive. Packet pickup is slated from 2 to 5:30 p.m. at the Carl Junction Area Chamber of Commerce. Registration must be completed at the chamber office before 5:30 p.m. Friday.

The cost to participate is $30 for the 5K race and $12 for the Kids 400-Meter Fun Run. All participants will receive a finisher's medal and a race shirt. The top finishers in each race will also receive a trophy. The race course will start and finish at Bulldog Stadium.

The Kids 400-meter Fun Run begins at 6 p.m. Friday at the stadium followed by the 5K at 6:30 p.m. Live entertainment will be provided from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. by Red Bridge Bluegrass Band from Ozark during the race. The event is free and open to the public. The 5K is sponsored by Stone's Corner Pharmacy.

The Carl Junction Band Boosters will be providing concessions Friday with proceeds to support the high school band. There will be hamburgers, hot dogs, nachos, snacks and drinks. Seating will be provided in the stadium. The run will go on rain or shine.

Cavanaugh Studyvin, executive director of the Carl Junction Area Chamber of Commerce, said the 5K isn't new to the festival but had been absent several years until now.

Saturday will be packed with nine bluegrass bands; a beer and wine garden supported by five local breweries and wineries; 20 food vendors; over 60 booths featuring crafts, artists and businesses; and a kids area.

"This will be the biggest bluegrass festival we've ever had in the past 25 years," Studyvin said.

Bluegrass music will be played from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday in Center Creek Park, 201 Valley Lane. Parking and admission are free. VIP parking is $5, and donations are welcome.

Bands on Saturday include Pickers' Post Band, Redings Mill Road, Spillwater Drive, Route 3, Berry Wynn & Fly By Nite, Po' Anna, Borderline, Finley River Boys, and That Dalton Gang. Saturday's festivities are sponsored by Joplin Floor Designs.

"Some of those bands are favorites that have been around with us for 10-plus years because we definitely wanted to keep that nostalgia with the 25th anniversary, but then we also have big bands in the bluegrass scene that haven't been with us for a very long time," Studyvin said. "We also brought in top-tier bluegrass bands that haven't played with us in a few years, and to have them come back to the festival is really neat to see this year."

Studyvin said the Carl Junction Bluegrass Festival is often a family tradition for both attendees and performers.

"It's something that they come to every single year," she said. "Kids grow up coming to the festival, and then when they get married and have their own kids, they bring their kids to the festival. It's really neat to see it become a tradition for so many who attend."

New this year is Explore the Park in the kids area where people of all ages can make their own banjo, explore Carl Junction history, create woolly ornaments, attend educational workshops, see displays and more.

Explore the Park is funded by a $10,000 grant from the Missouri Humanities Council, which partnered with the Missouri Division of Tourism and the Missouri Arts Council. It is also free and open to the public. Free Carl Junction Bluegrass coloring books illustrated by Brooks-Elizabeth Billings will be given out while supplies last.

"We are one of nine festivals that received this grant in Missouri, and the point of the grant is to highlight and bring humanities, history and art to festivals throughout the state," Studyvin said. "We're the only one out of the nine that's in the Southwest Missouri area. We received the grant at the end of August.

For more information or to see a full schedule of events, visit https:// carljunctioncc.com/ bluegrass-festival.