Rockingham County offers tons of music this weekend

This Friday the 13th will bring more fun than bad luck in Rockingham County.

The kick-off of the 13th Annual Charlie Poole Music Festival in Eden and the second Friday cruise-in in downtown Reidsville are good reasons to get out of the house.

Charlie Poole Music Festival — Youth activities

Aside from packing some great entertainment, the 13th Annual Charlie Poole Music Festival will offer youth workshops for the first time. Jim Vipperman, a master musician from Mount Airy, will lead two workshops for youth Friday at the festival.

“I think it’ll be a great addition to the festival,” said Louise Price, president of the advisory board for the Charlie Poole Music Festival. “One of our main goals is to preserve this musical heritage and the way to do that is by keeping the young people involved.”

Vicki Longhofer, executive director of the Rockingham County Arts Council, agreed.

“The bluegrass tradition is part of this region,” she said. “There is a following among young people and we hope to increase that.”

Longhofer said Vipperman is bringing 20 violins to the Charlie Poole Music Festival, to give the children a hands-on experience with music. Vipperman will teach the young people using his technique of playing by ear.

The purpose of the youth workshops is “to offer a really wonderful art experience for young people,” according to Longhofer. Price encourages young people interested in bluegrass music to take advantage of the opportunity to learn from one of the masters.

“This is world class,” she said. The first workshop, designed for grades one through six, will begin at 4 p.m. The second workshop, designed for grades seven through 12, will begin at 5 p.m. Violins will be provided.

Longhofer said the N.C. Arts Council recommended Vipperman, who has conducted the Junior Appalachian Musicians program in Surry County for several years.

The Rockingham County Arts Council is sponsoring Friday’s youth workshops through the Grassroots program of the N.C. Arts Council. Piedmont Folk Legacies coordinates the Charlie Poole Music Festival. To pre-register for a youth workshop, call (336) 349-4039 or e-mail .

Other youth activities at the Charlie Poole Music Festival include youth competitions Saturday morning. Youth registration will begin at 9 a.m. Saturday, and youth competition will begin at 10 a.m.

Price said this is the third year the festival has offered youth competitions. She said young people haven’t come out in large numbers, but those who have had extraordinary talent. Price is confident more young people will participate in the competitions this year, judging from the group of local teenagers who showed up at the Charlie Poole kick-off concert at Chinqua Penn Plantation on Sunday afternoon.

Price said she knows there’s a lot going on this weekend — including high-school graduations — but she encourages people to come out and experience bluegrass, true Americana, music at its finest.

“I think a lot of folks will come out and have a good time,” she said.

Youth under the age of 15 will be admitted to the Charlie Poole Music Festival for free. Adult tickets are $25 for the whole weekend and $15 for the separate Friday and Saturday events. The 13th Annual Charlie Poole Music Festival will be held at the Eden Fairgrounds on old N.C. 87/ Oakland Avenue.

The Front Porch Wine Tasting
Get ready for the Charlie Poole Music Festival at a wine tasting from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday at The Front Porch at 702 Washington St. in Eden. Charlie Poole tickets and memorabilia will be available. Dave and Jesse Smathers will provide live entertainment.

Second Friday Cruise-In

Join the EZ Street Cruisers’ Car Club Friday evening for the second Friday cruise-in from 6 to 9 p.m. in downtown Reidsville. Owners of cars that are 25 years or older are welcome to register. Slinky Face will provide live music in the Southwest Market Street parking lot. Guitarist Erin Moran, the group’s newest member, will join founding members – bassist A.J. Sutton and drummer Pete Lewis – to create Slinky Face’s signature sound.

Meanwhile, “Ginger & Larry” will provide entertainment inside the Backstreet Buzz Coffee House at 234 S.W. Market St. from 7 to 9 p.m. Many of the downtown shops and restaurants will be open. For more information, call Diana Moran, coordinator of the Reidsville Downtown Corporation, at 349-1045 or Robbin Miller with the EZ Street Cruisers Car Club at 349-8911.

Second Saturday Songwriters’ Soiree

The Second Saturday Songwriters’ Soiree at The Gallery at 217 S.W. Market St. in downtown Reidsville will feature the talents of “Blaine Ziglar & the Phantom Vibrations.” Doors open at 7:30 p.m. and the event begins at 8.

Concert in the Park

Come out to Freedom Park in Eden for a concert Saturday from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. The Almost Country Band will perform in the Eden Kiwanis Amphitheater. Bring your lawn chair or blanket. Admission is free.

Night Bass Tournament

Lake Reidsville will hold a night bass tournament Saturday. The tournament begins at 7 p.m., with weigh-in at 2 a.m. Cash and trophies will be awarded. Pre-registration is $50 per two-person team in advance and $60 the day of the tournament. For more information, contact Lake Reidsville at 349-4738.

Father’s Day at Chinqua Penn

Dads can tour Chinqua Penn Plantation for free Sunday (Father’s Day) when accompanied by a paying adult. Sunday tour hours are 1 to 4 p.m.

Take Two

Head down to Danville, Va., on Friday to listen to Phil Vassar and Bucky Covington in concert at the Carrington Pavilion. Tickets are $35 for reserved seats or $20 for lawn seats. Gates open at 6 p.m. Advance tickets are available until 5:30 p.m. Thursday. To buy tickets, call the Danville Welcome Center at (434) 793-4636. Tickets will also be sold at the door for an extra $2 fee per ticket.

To get to the Carrington Pavilion from Reidsville, follow U.S. 29 North/ 58 East (Danville Expressway). Take the Goodyear Boulevard exit. At the top of the ramp, turn left onto Goodyear Boulevard. Turn right onto Industrial Avenue, which becomes Craghead Street. Turn right at the Crossing of the Dan.

Staff writer Miranda Baines can be reached at or 349-4331, ext. 35.