By By KEVIN SCOTT CUTLER
Lifestyles & Features Editor
Five venues will offer nonstop, free entertainment Saturday during the second-annual Beaufort County Music Festival.
Performers will appear from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Turnage Theater, an outdoor stage near the waterfront, the Washington Civic Center, the Beaufort County Traditional Music Association stage (sponsored by Tranter’s Creek Resort) and the BCTMA jam tent, according to organizers Joey Toler, Rob Cuthrell and Vail Stewart Rumley.
The Turnage performances will feature an “eclectic” selection of music, Rumley said. The BCTMA venues will offer traditional styles of music, Cuthrell said.
“There’s something on the schedule for everybody,” Toler added.
The schedule of musical events for Saturday is as follows:
• Turnage Theater — Bill Ebison Gospel Review, 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.; Burning Down Alliance, 11:45 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.; Michael Pilgrim and Don Mercz, 12:45 p.m. to 1:45 p.m.; Fambly Band, 2 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.; Lightnin’ Wells, 2:30 p.m. to 3:30; and Tongia Holley, 3:45 p.m. to 4:45 p.m.
• Outdoor stage — Kristen McRoy, 10:15 a.m. to 11 a.m.; Fambly Band, 11 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.; Sinful Savage Tigers, 11:35 a.m. to 12:35 p.m.; Possum Creek, 12:50 p.m. to 1:45 p.m.; Tried &Blue, 2 p.m. to 2:45 p.m.; Carolina Still, 3 p.m. to 4 p.m.; and Lee Hudson, 4:15 p.m. to 5 p.m.
• Civic Center — clogging workshop, 11:30 a.m. to 12:10 p.m., followed by Fambly Band; Green Grass Cloggers with Carolina Still, 12:25 p.m. to 1 p.m.; country and western dance with Russ Varnell and his Too Country Band, 1:15 p.m. to 3:15 p.m.; and contra dance with caller Simon Spaulding, 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m.
• BCTMA stage — songwriters circle, 10 a.m. to 10:45 a.m.; Jason McGillivray, 11 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.; Mac Jam, 11:45 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.; Roger Allen, 12:45 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.; Kristen McRoy, 1:45 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.; Fambly Band, 2:30 p.m. to 3 p.m.; Tony Williamson, 3 p.m. to 3:25 p.m.; Jack Lawrence, 3:35 p.m. to 4 p.m.; and Super Jam with host Michael Pilgrim, 4:10 p.m. to 5 p.m.
• BCTMA jam tent — open jam, 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.; jam with “Big Poppa” Sid, 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.; open jam, 12:30 p.m. to 2 p.m.; jam with Roger Allen, 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.; Alice Gerrard, 3:15 p.m. to 4 p.m.; Fambly Band and open jam, 4 p.m. to 5 p.m.
The festival opens Friday evening with a Turnage concert featuring Lipbone Redding and the Lipbone Orchestra, followed by the Holy Ghost Tent Revival. Show time is 8 p.m., and tickets are $12 per person for general admission and $10 per person for age 12 and under. Tickets may be purchased by calling the Turnage box office at 252-975-1191 or online at www.turnagetheater.com.
Another Turnage concert has been scheduled for Saturday evening. That one showcases the musical talents of Alice Gerrard, Jack Lawrence and Tony Williamson. Show time and ticket prices are the same as Friday’s concert.
On Sunday, beginning at noon at the outdoor stage on the site of the future Festival Park, an old-fashioned gospel sing is planned. Hostess for this event is former radio gospel music personality Mae Rodgers. Performers include Jonah Taylor &Friends, Thursday Night Jam Ladies, Unshackled and Shirley McNeil &The Gospel Singers of Faith. The music will range from old-time gospel to contemporary Christian.
The Beaufort County Music Festival is presented by the Beaufort County Arts Council in association with the Beaufort County Traditional Music Association, Downtown Washington on the Waterfront, Flanders Corp. and PC Sound. Other sponsors include the Turnage Theater, City of Washington, Beaufort County government, N.C. Estuarium, PotashCorp Aurora, Edward Jones/Rod Cantrell, Tranter’s Creek Resort, Down on Mainstreet, Washington Tourism Development Authority, David’s Trash Service, North Carolina Arts Council and the National Endowment for the Arts.
For more information on the Beaufort County Music Festival, visit www.beaufortcountyartscouncil.org.