Becky Buller
The Bear on the Square Mountain Festival will take place in Dahlonega the weekend of April 16-17.
"It's exciting to celebrate our 20th Bear on the Square by bringing back musicians and bands who have been Bear and Dahlonega favorites over the years," said Glenda Pender, president of the festival.
Ms. Pender, who also does the booking for the MainStage concerts at the yearly event, drove home the point of past Dahlonega connections by specifically mentioning a songwriter/instrumentalist/singer, Becky Buller, and a band, Chris Jones & the Night Drivers.
"Becky spent a lot of time in Dahlonega back in the days of the Folkways Center of the Georgia Mountains, and she made several appearances on the Mountain Music and Medicine Show. Her career has flourished, and in 2015, Becky won three International Bluegrass Music Association awards for Recorded Event of the Year, Emerging Artist of the Year, and Songwriter of the Year," said Ms. Pender. "Chris Jones, founder of the Night Drivers, appeared on the Bear stage three times during the festival's early years. Chris has gone on to win an IBMA Songwriter of the Year award and is an award-winning host on Sirius XM, while his band members have eight IBMA awards among them."
The list of MainStage performers on Saturday and Sunday at the 20th annual Bear festival includes many popular returning bands which have attracted large and appreciative crowds to the big tent. Even those first-time groups on the Bear stage include members who have appeared there in the past with other groups. Once again this year, admission to the festival's MainStage concert tent will be free.
The complete list of 2016 performers includes the following:
* Becky Buller
* Chris Jones & the Night Drivers
* BlueBilly Grit
* The Georgia Crackers
* Jason Kenney, Seth Livengood and CaroMia
* John Lilly
* Threadbare Skivvies
* Locust Honey
* Crooked Mile
* Georgia Pick & Bow All-Stars
* Ugly Cousin takes the stage for the Country Auction and Dinner on Friday night, April 15.
The Sunday Morning Gospel Jam, one of the event's most popular programs, will again be led by Pender and will feature gospel songs from many MainStage performers as well as other regional and local musicians.
The Bear on the Square Festival celebrates the culture of the Southern Appalachians through the presentation of music, traditional craft and folkways. Held in and around Dahlonega's Historic Public Square, the yearly festival will get underway with pre-event activities starting around mid-day on Friday, April 15. Early-arriving local and visiting pickers will begin the jamming on the square, which will go on all weekend.
The other Friday event will be the Live and Silent Country Auction that night in the MainStage Tent, which features music, food and wine. A juried Artists Marketplace on Saturday and Sunday spotlights traditional mountain crafts and artist demonstrations. Other highlights of the weekend include storytelling, kids' activities, free music workshops/demonstrations on Saturday and Sunday; an Acoustic Open Mic event and dance team demonstrations on Saturday; and Master Music Classes on Sunday.
For more details about the festival, including the complete lineup and more information about performers and artists, schedules, and updates between now and the event, visit www.bearonthesquare.org.
Chris Jones and the Night Drivers