Nominated IBMA Event of the Year 2005 & 2007!

The Minnesota Bluegrass & Old-Time Music Festival
August 7-10 2008
El Rancho Mañana, Richmond, MN

Workshop Area

Workshops at the Minnesota Bluegrass & Old-Time Music Festival are meant to be "hands-on" workshops (H.O.W.). In other words, they are for people to bring their instrument, get it out, and actually learn something they didn't know before. That is not going to happen with just one instructor and a large crowd of people, so we limit each of these workshops to seven pre-registered people. That is why there are only eight chairs at each workshop tent. To sort out who gets to sit in one of those chairs, you must reserve a spot by signing up ahead of time at the workshop tent.

Sign-up sheets for the day will be posted at the workshop tent at 10:00 AM each day. Advanced level workshops (tent A) are intended for players with several years experience and beginning level (tent B) workshops are intended for those just starting out. If you're not lucky enough to be one of the seven, or you are interested but don't have an instrument, you are welcome to "audit" the workshop by standing and observing from the back.

FRIDAY & SATURDAY WORKSHOPS

Autoharp Workshops. All levels on Saturday at 11:00 AM with Mike Seeger (Mike Seeger).

Banjo (Bluegrass) Workshops. Level A on Friday at 4:00 PM with Jason Davis (Grasstowne). Level B on Friday at 4:00 PM with Benji Flaming (Monroe Crossing).

Banjo (Old-Time) Workshops. Level A on Saturday at 4:00 PM with Riley Bougus (Dirk Powell Band). Level B on Saturday at 4:00 PM with Evie Ladin (Stairwell Sisters).

Bass (Bluegrass) Workshops. Level A on Friday at 12:00 PM with Justin Kolb (Brennen Leigh) and Saturday at 1:00 PM with Jamey Booher (Grasstowne). Level B on Saturday at 1:00 PM with Kathe Liners (Ivory Bridge).

Bass (Old-Time) Workshops. Level B on Friday at 12:00 PM with Martha Hawthorne (Stairwell Sisters).

Fiddle (Bluegrass) Workshops. Level A on Friday at 1:00 PM with Tom Schaefer (Ivory Bridge). Level B on Friday at 1:00 PM with Lisa Fuglie (Monroe Crossing).

Fiddle (Old-Time) Workshops. Level A on Saturday at 2:00 PM with Mike Seeger, and on Saturday at 5:00 PM with Sammy Lind (Dirk Powell Band). Level B on Saturday at 2:00 PM with Stephanie Praus.

Guitar (Bluegrass) Workshops. Level A on Friday at 11:00 AM with Bill Liners (Monroe Crossing), on Friday at 2:00 PM with Steve Gulley (Grasstowne), and on Saturday at 11:00 AM with Art Blackburn (Monroe Crossing). Level B on Friday at 11:00 AM with Art Blackburn (Brennen Leigh), on Friday at 2:00 PM with Lincoln Potter (Ivory Bridge), and on Saturday at 11:00 AM with Lincoln Potter (Ivory Bridge).

Guitar (Old-Time) Workshops. Level A on Saturday at 3:00 PM with Dave Furniss (Poor Benny). Level B on Saturday at 3:00 PM with Sue Sanlin (Stairwell Sisters).

Mandolin (Bluegrass) Workshops. Level A on Friday at 5:00 PM with Alan Bibey (Grasstowne). Level B on Friday at 5:00 PM with Matt Thompson (Monroe Crossing).

Mandolin (Old-Time) Workshops. Level B on Saturday at 5:00 PM with Caleb Klaudner (Dirk Powell Band).

Resophonic Guitar Workshops. Level A on Friday at 3:00 PM with Phil Leadbetter (Grasstowne). Level B on Friday at 3:00 PM with Lisa Berman (Stairwell Sisters).


H.O.W. = Hands-On-Workshops: Intended for pickers with instruments and limited to seven people. Sign-up sheets posted 10AM each morning at Workshop Tent. Demo Clinics and demos are open to all comers. L-A: Level -Advanced, for players with several years experience. L-B: Level- Beginner, for those just starting out.

Workshop Area Sunday - Open Demo Day
Got hobbies? It's demo day at the workshop tents, and we have open spots you can fill with show-and-tell. Maybe you have an unusual instrument, a special technique, an interesting hobby, or whatever, that you would like to share with other folks?  Then sign up for one of the open times and give a demonstration about it! There will be ten open times between 12:00 PM and 3:00 PM on Sunday. The sign-up sheets will be at the workshop area all weekend. As slots get filled in we'll announce them from the other stages. All we need is the name of your demonstration and the name of the person that will be giving it. The subject does not even have to be music related, just fun for all ages.

12:00 Demo A: open. Demo B: open
1:00 Demo A: How You Can Build Yourself A Bass with John Olson.
Demo B: Banjo Set-Up with Lawson Peets
2:00 Demo A: Playing The Saw w/Adam Wirtzfeld.
Demo B: Playing The Jug w/Rob Davis
3:00 Demo A: open. Demo B: open