Crick Pickin Bluegrass Summer Series to kick off Saturday, June 29

The Bluffs at Cedar Creek Campground, established in 2021, on 2011 Star Tannery Road, host a Summer Bluegrass Festival called Crick Pickin on the last Saturday of June, July, and August. The festival began in 2015. Owner Levi Pitcock describes it on his Facebook site as simply an old-school Bluegrass venue.

The 2024 season kicks off with Spencer Hatcher on Saturday June 29, high up in the wilds of Star Tannery.

Hold onto your hats, ladies and gentlemen. 2020 brought Spencer Hatcher back home. His strong country roots called him back to his hometown of Broadway, Virginia, where he continues to play country music at local venues accompanied by his younger brother and bass prodigy, Connor Hatcher. Since then, Spencer has become a social media sensation, earning over 800,000 followers, and amassing over 60 million views. Spencer has a burning desire and a huge dream of “making it big” in Nashville and the Country Music scene, carrying with him the support of all his hometown fans.

The local Tumbling Run Band will open up for Spencer Hatcher. In January 2023, the Tumbling Run Band was formed in Strasburg, Virginia. The members met at school and came together to explore their shared passion for Southern rock, blues, and country music.

Mountaineer Meat Smokers will be on hand serving up delicious barbecue. Gates open at 5 pm, music starts at 5:30 pm, same rundown as years past. Bring the entire family, a cooler and lawn chairs, $10 a person, kids 14 and under are free, and the show goes on, rain or shine.

Micah Howard and the Southern Ghost visit The Bluffs on Saturday, July 27.

The band travels north from way down in southeast Tennessee. Pairing yesterday's country music with a refreshing modern sound, outlaw and veteran Micah Howard began making music after receiving his first hand-me-down guitar from his father. When Howard left the Marine Corps in 2015, he decided to commit to music full time. Micah started combining classic country, southern rock, blues, southern Appalachian bluegrass, and a touch of 90's grunge rock reflective of the classic sound native to his southern roots.

3 on the Tree will open up the evening program. A blend of rock, blues, outlaw country and Americana music performed by Scottie, Dustin, and James pickin’ your favorite tunes.

Franklin's Smoking Barnyard will be serving up barbeque and Wells Hotbox specializing in making the next level street food.

The incredibly talented Short Hill Mountain Boys drop into The Bluffs on Saturday, August 24.

The Short Hill Mountain Boys, from Lovettesville, Virginia, play their own blend of Bluegrass, Old Time, Country and Folk music with a rare passion. Their harmony vocals and instrumentation are tight and practiced like the suit and tie bluegrass acts, but imbued with the authenticity, spontaneity and infectious good time of old time mountain music, in which they are well steeped. The Short Hill Mountain Boys’ love of the music and skilled musicianship makes converts of audiences new to the genre and is sure to draw and impress aficionados.

Opening up will be the powerful Winchester native Chris Huntt Jr. who is an up-and-coming singer/songwriter performing western country, Americana, and bluegrass! Armed with a blend of deep melodies and heartfelt lyrics, and a baritone voice that captivates the listener and puts them inside each song.

Franklin’s Smoking Barnyard and Wells Hotbox will be supplying great eats.

Located on Star Tannery Road (State Route 604), off Wardensville Pike (State Route 48/55), Crick Pickin is 13 miles northwest of Strasburg, 16 miles southwest of Stephens City, and 12 miles due east of Wardensville. Cedar Creek Valley is in the northwestern part of Virginia, between Little North Mountain on the southeast and Great North and Paddy Mountains on the northwest.

The Bluffs at Cedar Creek Campground is situated right on Cedar Creek, a rugged and historic stream. The high elevation (942 feet) equates to thinner air, which means less oxygen, and people tend to get a little crazy, sometimes, during the festival, so watch out, but still come. You do not want to miss the best outdoor concert experience in the Lower Shenandoah Valley.

Crick Pickin typically attracts 300 – 1,000 people who come together to create a small, intense musical community for an evening, 5 pm-10 pm. The folks indulge in a music they are passionate about for its power, skill, and history, which dates back to 1945, when it became a recognized genre. Bluegrass festival-goers celebrate the old traditional songs, and enjoy new interpretations of them as well.

The festival is definitely family friendly, with kids and dogs often given the run of the site after swimming in the swift moving Cedar Creek. There is plenty of convenient parking available in the grassy fields near the pavilion and stage. Arrive before 5:30 pm to grab a good parking spot.

Crick Pickin is open to day trippers. Try a small dose and see how you like it. Crick Pickin can be a great way to deepen your interest in and enjoyment of bluegrass music, and that is a good thing. Hang around the parking lot after the concert and take in the rolling hills and starry nights of the Cedar Creek Valley.

2024 is going to be a great summer and God bless Frederick County.