The Brookdale Bluegrass Festivals, presented  by Eric & Barbra Burman, and sponsored by the Northern California Bluegrass Society at the Brookdale Lodge between 1999 and 2009, lives on as the Boulder Creek Bluegrass & Old Timey Festival, March 5-7, 2010 in downtown Boulder Creek (about two miles from the original location).

The line-up has just been announced:  Harmony Grits, Faux Renwah’s Spur Of The Moment, Stoney Mountain Ramblers, Laura Lind & The Tea Sippers, Mountain Drive, Page Brownton’s Sidetrack, Common Cents, Julio In Glasses, High Tone Sinners, Research & Development, Heathen Hill, Dam Dave & The Hot Damn Band, Regina Bartlett, Ben Laney & Apryl Gilbert, and Bobby Carr.

Eric & Barbra Burman’s Brookdale Bluegrass and the Northern California Bluegrass Society will continue the Brookdale Bluegrass Festival tradition with a March 5-7, 2010 event in downtown Boulder Creek. The Boulder Creek Bluegrass & Old-Timey Festival will take place at various venues and will be headquartered at Scopazzi’s. Many well-known area bluegrass and old time musicians will perform. Details soon on this website!

The Brookdale Bluegrass Festivals (1999-2009) were originally held in December and March each winter at the Brookdale Lodge in the town of Brookdale. The new location is about two miles north on Highway 9.

The Winter 2009 Brookdale Festival – held this weekend in exile from its namesake  venue, organized at the last minute, and facing steeply-falling evening temperatures — turned out to be a very special bluegrass gathering after all. Eric and Barbra Burman invited the local bluegrass community up to their Bonny Doon ranch to enjoy performances in the elegant Music Room of their new barn, gather around a roaring outdoor fire, and warm the hearts of their friends with jams all day long and into the night. The memory of our late friend Yodeling Lady Lolita (who always loved a good time!) was well-served with historic videos of her singing, and with songs sung and glasses raised in her honor. Will the “Brookdale” festival survive beyond this 18th renewal? We certainly hope it does. It is too much fun to lose!

The Festival: Eric & Barbra Burman welcome us to their 18th Brookdale Bluegrass Festival sponsored by the Northern California Bluegrass Society. The event will be held at the famed Burman Ranch in Bonny Doon on Friday & Saturday, December 4-5, 2009 (not at the Brookdale Inn & Spa). It will be small and fun with great bands, great jamming, and great bluegrass friends!

Tickets: Daily tickets are only $20. There will be plenty of tickets, but you MUST purchase advance tickets or call (831) 460-9196 to reserve your space before coming up the mountain, as special parking arrangements are needed, and you will need to get the details. Advance tickets can be purchased on the festival website
<www.brookdalebluegrass.com>.

Band Schedule:

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 4:

5:00pm - Gates open

5:00-7:00pm - Jamming

7:00 - Hightone Sinners
8:00 - Last River Band
9:00 - Page Brownton & Sidetrack
10:00 - Regina Bartlett

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 5:

10:00am - Gates open

10:00am-7:00pm - Open Mike & Jamming

7:00pm - Common Cents
8:00 - Stoney Mt Ramblers
9:00 - Harmony Grits
10:00 - Faux Renwah

There will be evening jamming following the stage performances.

Yodeling Lady Lolita Memorial: In addition to the performances, there will be a number of opportunities to remember and honor the late NCBS icon Yodeling Lady Lolita Ferrell, who died on November 14 after a long illness. There will be songs, stories and documentary films a-plenty. All proceeds from the festival will benefit Lolita’s family.

Weather: Partly sunny both days with a high of 64 on Friday and 60 on Saturday. Low on Friday night 37 and on Saturday 34. All performances and other gatherings will take place INDOORS.

The Burman Ranch: This bluegrass gathering will take place high on a ridge above the Pacific, with performances held in a second story music room in the new ranch barn, and jams in the main residence, a cabin, and the barn.

Food: Meals at the festival will be potluck. Please bring any meat you wish to grill, your drinks, and a contribution for the potluck.

Overnight Arrangements: Call ahead to make arrangements if you wish to stay overnight.

Location: 551 Winter Creek Road, Bonny Doon, CA. From Highway 9 in Felton, take Felton Empire Grade Road to the top of the mountain, then straight ahead as road becomes Ice Cream Grade Road, then down the hill several miles to Winter Creek Road. Right on Winter Creek Road to the large horse corral on the left. (Call ahead for more details.)

Supplies: There are grocery stores in Scotts Valley, Santa Cruz, and Ben Lomond.

Fun: This relaxed event will be the perfect wintertime bluegrass gathering — and remember, all of your friends will be there!

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 4:

5:00pm - Gates open

5:00-7:00pm - Jamming

7:00 - Hightone Sinners
8:00 - Last River Band
9:00 - Page Brownton & Sidetrack
10:00 - Regina Bartlett

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 5:

10:00am - Gates open

10:00am-7:00pm - Open Mike & Jamming

7:00pm - Common Cents
8:00 - Stoney Mt Ramblers
9:00 - Harmony Grits
10:00 - Faux Renwah

There will be evening jamming following the stage performances.

The Faux Renwah, a longtime Brookdale Bluegrass Festival favorite, will headline the Winter 2009 renewal. Promoters Eric & Barbra Burman have announced that this event will be held in a new location in Bonny Doon (not at the Brookdale Inn and Spa). Advance tickets may be purchased on the festival website. The event honors the memory of the late Yodeling Lady Lolita and is sponored by  NCBS. Here, Faux Renwah performs “Soldier’s Joy” with a clogger on the main stage at the Strawberry Music Festival on YouTube.