Historic Granville- Tennessee’s Mayberry Town is known for bluegrass, and the Heritage Day event on May 29th will be the highlight of the year with the Uncle Jimmy Thompson Bluegrass Festival. Uncle Jimmy was born in the Granville Community and was the first performer on the Grand Ole Opry stage. This years festival will be the best since its beginning in 2002 as being a part of Heritage Day.
This years festival will feature a return of the Youth Fiddle Competition for ages 7 thru 17 with first place award of $225.00, second place $175.00 and third place $125.00. The Sutton Ole Time Music Hour developed Kids for Bluegrass in January where young musicians have been given the opportunity to showcase their talents and to perform with the band each Saturday night. The festival is encouraging this year's performers, as well as kids from all over Tennessee to perform on May 29th at the Pruett Stage.
The festival will also feature the Uncle Jimmy Thompson Champion Fiddle Competition with registration from 10:00 to 11:00 am. Competition begins at 12:30 and has a entry fee of $5.00. Each contestant performs three songs- breakdown, waltz and fiddlers choice. Three place cash awards will be awarded of first place $225.00, second place $175.00 and third place $125.00. The Grand Champion will be invited to play at the Birthplace of Bluegrass Music at the Ryman Auditorium. The festival will feature a full day of bluegrass with One Way Out Bluegrass Band performing at 10:00 a.m. and 2:15 p.m., Silver Point Bluegrass Band performing at 11:15 and 3:00 p.m., Bluegrass Solutions performing at 4:00 p.m. The festival is being sponsored by Cracker Barrel Old Country Store and Bates Ford of Lebanon. For more information call Jimmy Bilbrey at 931-510-7770.
The Sutton Ole Time Music Hour weekly bluegrass dinner show will take place at Sutton General Store with dinner served at 5:00 and 6:30 with bluegrass music beginning at 6:00 p.m. The featured band will be Bluegrass Solutions. Reservations are required by calling 931-653-4151 or on line at granvilletn.com.
The 23rd Granville Heritage Day on May 29th will feature a large antique car show, tractor & engine show, parade, craftsmen of yesteryear, crafts, children rides and entertainment, great food all over town, Civil War Living History Demonstrations, Pioneer Village, Sutton Historic Home tours featuring Contributions of Women, Farm to Table Museum, Mayberry I Love Lucy Museum, Granville Whiskey Decanter Museum, Whistle Stop Saloon & Ice Cream Parlor, Daniel Barber Shop Museum, great shopping and much more. Admission to the festival is $5.00 which includes admission to all the above and parking is $5.00 per car. For more information visit granvilletn.com.