Charlie Poole Music Fest

"It's going to be a fabulous family week-end," says Louise Price, Director of the Charlie Poole Music Festival, June 11-13 in Eden, "with lots of food and fun in addition to the music."  

Food vendors make up a lip-smacking list, with barbeque, fish fry, pork chops, Italian ices, Stonefield Cellars wine, gourmet coffee and pastries, as well as the regular festival fare of hot dogs, hamburgers and funnel cakes. The barbeque guy is from Lexington and the fish fry folks are locally famous and will also be offering fried sweet potato pies.  

Charlie Poole T-shirts and embroidered shirts and bags will be available, plus a variety of CDs,  limited edition banjo charms, prints, and many other items.  

The Little Ramblers children's area, sponsored by Sheetz, will be in full swing from 11AM  until dark on Saturday, according to expert leader Tina Hart, who will be welcoming children from pre-school through 6th grade. She has plans for bubbles, Frisbees, decorating fans and wrist bands, face-painting, and more, while parents enjoy the music---competitions will be in full blast all day into the evening, with occasional concert interludes. Children 12 and under are admitted free with a paying adult.  

Places are still available for the River Ramble Saturday morning, which promises to be an adventure in itself. The $50 charge covers everything needed for the river excursion, plus a special souvenir T-shirt, a lunch voucher, and full admission to the whole festival week-end.              

And of course the music is the main point, with a full evening concert Friday, presenting headliners from near and far, plus competitions all day Saturday, starting with the Youth Division in the morning and many categories all afternoon and evening, all with $5000 in cash prizes and ribbons for winners. Sunday morning at 9:30 there will be an opportunity to learn about the history of country music with noted scholar Bill Malone - free and open to the public.              

See the web site, www.charlie-poole.com, for full information about the festival and the River Ramble, or call 336-623-1043. The Grassroots Program of the Rockingham County Arts Council and Rockingham Tourist Development Board help support the festival.