Bluegrass is a uniquely American form of roots music, drawing on traditional string instruments like banjos, fiddles and mandolins to create a genre of music that combines country, jazz and blues. The term "bluegrass" comes from musician Bill Monroe's Band, the Blue Grass Boys, who helped create the sound and style of bluegrass. This style of music is concentrated in the southeastern United States. The Franklin Bluegrass Festival is a multi-day September festival that brings some of the best bluegrass bands to rural Kentucky.
Franklin, with a population of nearly 8,000 people, is located in south-central Kentucky. The entire city totals less than eight square miles and the Bluegrass Music Park is nestled in the middle of rolling green hills. About 30 miles north of Nashville, the home of country music, Franklin celebrates bluegrass each September.
Some of bluegrass' most prominent performers have appeared over the past decade at the Franklin Bluegrass Festival, which is hosted by the Williams & Clark Expedition. Rhonda Vincent, The Grascals, The Dillards and Lonesome River Band are just a few of the artists who have graced the main stage. A ticket entitles concert-goers to a seat on the lawn for the two-day festival. Performers take the stage rain or shine.
There are no hotels at the festival site but many in the surrounding area, including a Holiday Inn Express that offers special deals to festival attendees. Bluegrass Music Park is designed to accommodate RV's and offers numerous pull-through spots with water and electrical hook-ups. It is also possible to rent one- and two-bedroom cabins. Budget travelers bring a tent and camp under the stars. There are no shower facilities at the park but inside the clubhouse are full bath amenities. A coin-operated laundry facility is also available.
Festival attendees can pack a picnic or buy meals from an on-site vendor. Bluegrass Music RV Park has a full kitchen available at the outdoor gazebo. Additionally, grills are open for public use. The on-site store sells tools for barbecuing, Kentucky barbecue sauces and concessions like ice cream.
Attendees can buy tickets for either one or both days, with a combination weekend pass the most economical option. Children age 12 and under get in free with a paying adult. RV hook-ups and a camping permit are a separate fee. Guests can set up lawn chairs on a first-come, first-served basis beginning the day before the festival starts.
While in Franklin, visit the historic Simpson County Courthouse and Simpson County Jail, both of which date back to the late 19th-century. Kentucky Downs Racetrack hosts the annual Kentucky Cup Turf Stakes in September and year-round horse races. Country legends John Cash and June Carter got married at the Franklin United Methodist Church in 1968.
