History of the Barnes Bluegrass Music Festival
In 1972, Jim and Eleanor Barnes began their adventure and started their first Bluegrass Music Festival. The festival is the oldest active festival in the state of Illinois.
From the first year at the Ponderosa Camp ground to our 34th year at the Mercer County fairgrounds, the Lord has permitted us to keep up the tradition of the music of the rural America in the manner of which it was played from its origin in the early 1900's through to its current popular growth of the present.
Jim recalls that his first exposure to a bluegrass festival was a festival put on by Oliver and Mary Smith at the Knox County fairgrounds near Galesburg, IL. Soon thereafter we began a monthly jam session at the Eagles Hall in Matherville, IL just to see how much interest there would be. The area was evidently hungry for the music- these jam sessions lasted several years. This venue served as a first time stage exposure for many musicians and these monthly sessions were a wonderful way to pass the long winters until the summer festival season began.
The Barnes family was becoming talented musicians in their own right, but needed a place to perform. The first Aledo festival was used as a starting point for the Bluegrass Redheads, though their first 'real' stage experience was at Drakesville, Iowa. The original name of the band was the Poverty Point Pickers, but the name gave way for obvious reasons: the hair, not the wealth!
In July of 1973, the first Bluegrass Music Weekend was held at the Ponderosa Campground near Aledo, IL. Much local speculation accompanied the approval of the entertainment license by the County Board. (The word "festival" was not endorsed by the local populace in those times). Word of mouth publicity gave the event a slow but steady growth and in 1975 the festival was moved to the Mercer County Fairground where it is still held today. This area was much more suitable for campers as well as the locals coming out for the day. The festival hosted ten bands the first year and we are proud to see many of the first time festival-goers still with us. We are also very proud to have helped launch some now nationally known musicians.
So what have we accomplished in over 30 years? Simply to arrange a time and place for some really good bluegrass music and perhaps to set the launch for other up and coming musicians. For many, it's "old-home week." A family reunion of sorts.
In 1996, daughter Cathy (Wonderlich) began her official duties as the event producer. Cathy, along with the Children's Therapy Center of the Quad Cities (formerly Easter Seals) has turned the festival into a successful fundraiser to benefit children with disabilities. This allowed Jim and Eleanor to sit back a bit, spend a bit more time visiting and even getting to listen to a whole show without being called away!
The festival continues thrive even after the passing of Jim in early 2006. In 2008 the festival became incorporated as "Barnes Family Bluegrass Music Festival, Inc". The legacy of his festival will continue for many years to come.