Welcome to the third edition of Music in the
Forest - a day long celebration of music, a great part of
a family weekend! From bluegrass to the blues - with stops
along the way for everything from zydeco to swing - the festival
brings together the sounds of American music among the beautiful
pine covered mountains in the Los Padres National Forest.
It's no wonder this area has been called "the
best kept secret in California." Yet it's just
a few miles west of Interstate 5. Pine Mountain is an easy
drive from Southern California, the San Joaquin Valley, and
the Central Coast. The area's motels and convenient camping
at Mil Potrero Park, and other nearby campsites, make the
Music in the Forest weekend one that a growing
number of families are adding to their yearly schedule.
The Kern County region is rich with musical
tradition - from the "Bakersfield sound" of country
music to the gospel tradition of our churches, from the folk
ballads of the Dust Bowl to the blues clubs that could once
be found in every major city on Highway 99. This year's lineup
includes country favorite Pam
Lowe, blues-singer guitarist Peach,
and, back by popular demand, the zoot suited Chesterfield
King and the Sultans of Swing.
Our artists and craftspeople are no less diverse.
Some crafts are as old as quilting or the making of hand made
guitars, others as modern as website design. An arts and crafts
section of the festival grounds presents a cross-section of
the best we can find, including featured artist, master gourd
painter
Alex Villalva.
Combine all this with low ticket prices
- and a classic car show that goes on in the morning
of the festival - and Music in the Forest is
a family entertainment bargain.
Presented through the Forest Arts Coalition,
the festival is a fundraiser for arts and music in the El
Tejon School District. The website can provide you with information
on performers, lineups, tickets, maps, local lodging and camping.
Or call 661-242-5130 for more information.
You will probably want to bring a flashlight
and sweater for the evening festivities. It sometimes gets
a bit chilly in the mountains after dark.
