Join the Rainier Bluegrass Festival in Celebrating 30 Years

*Article by Rebecca Sanchez, originally published on ThurstonTalk.com July 24, 2024.

The summertime Rainier Bluegrass Festival is a laid-back music event that requires no tickets and no fancy preparations, and it’s all happening during the Rainier Roundup Days weekend of activities. If you enjoy the bluegrass music of fiddles, banjos and mandolins, grab your lawn chair or picnic blanket and get settled to take in the show. If you are also a bluegrass player, perhaps bring your instrument and join a jam session. Celebrating 30-years of gathering annually for picking and jamming sessions and stage performances from bluegrass bands, the festival runs August 22-25, 2024, at Wilkowski Park in Rainier.

In collaboration with We Love Rainier, fiddle player David Wuller has been organizing the Rainier Bluegrass Festival get-together for the past eight years. Nonprofit We Love Rainier doesn’t charge admission for its events and bands donate their time and talents. Both players and visitors set up campsites, some attending the whole weekend or stopping in with their instrument of choice to join other players for jam sessions.

“A jam is an informal group of people,” Wuller says. “They just get together, sit around in a circle and take turns choosing and playing a song tune, and everyone gets a turn to play it together or one at a time. The people can be complete strangers or longtime friends. Usually, the jam circles are very inclusive and will welcome people of almost any skill level because we all start somewhere, and people are accepting and encourage beginners.”

An open mic opportunity beginning at 3 p.m. on Friday, August 23, is for all bluegrass musicians – anyone who wants to perform on stage whether it’s a solo or group performance. The crowd may hear upright bass, guitar, banjo, mandolin or fiddle performances.

Both Friday and Saturday schedules have optional jamming sessions with Friday starting at 5 p.m. and Saturday including times before the afternoon and evening bluegrass shows. Bands come from as far away as Oregon and Camano Island and include names such as Roosevelt Road, Asher and Friends, Lewis County Pickers, Hardshell Harmony, Wolf Mountain, Band of Friends and Free Range.

“As a player, what I like is that you could say it’s ‘the people’s music,’” Wuller says. “Generally, it’s quite simple music as far as music structure and it’s not very complicated for playing, and it’s just good fun music. Bluegrass festivals are just nice, family-friendly events. It's relaxed, laid back, and it’s not super loud. It’s not like going to a rock festival.”

At the end of the first two evenings, players gather together again, continuing the picking and jamming sessions. On Sunday morning, people meet at 9:30 a.m. for coffee, donuts, and the gospel music jam.

Wilkowski Park is the hot spot for Rainier Bluegrass Festival campers. No reservations are required for dry camping, and a donation of $35 to We Love Rainier, Washington group is suggested. For anyone arriving to camp before the August 22 festival start date, camping fees go through the City of Rainier.

Rainier Roundup Days begin with a Friday night, live band and street dance right in the center of town, next to Rainier City Burgers and Pizza. On Saturday, August 24, the City of Rainier puts on a parade starting at 11 a.m.

“It’s a small country parade,” says We Love Rainier Chairman of the Board George Johnson. “It lasts 45 minutes to an hour and is three blocks long. You never know who’s going to be in the parade. It’s generally a lot of fun.”

Time between events allows people to step over and attend the parade, check out vendors, the bake sale, and the corn feed and head back for the Saturday bluegrass show times.

Sitting around on a summer afternoon or evening sharing music is what bluegrass players and listeners alike have been making a summer weekend out of for three decades. Crowds include an estimated 250 people at Wilkowski with chairs and picnic blankets on the grass.

Last managed by the Rainier Lions Club, Wuller took over the yearly event planning when the previous event leaders were ready to pass the baton.

“We were there at the first Pickers Jam in 1990 when Art and Char had it over by the racetracks, before it moved to the park,” Merry Hart of the Lewis County Pickers says. “It was always something we looked forward to, kind of an end-of-the-season topper! We have often played on the stage and been involved with setup and cleanup.”

Players and visitors return year after year, bringing their families and their instruments and having a great time.

“Sundays were always very special back then,” Hart says. “Art put up a big tent, and we put bales of hay around in a big circle and had an open, everybody-sing Gospel show. We had coffee and doughnuts, and it was a great way to end the festival. Precious memories indeed!”

For additional details about the bluegrass event and for contact information, check out the Rainier Bluegrass Festival website. For information about additional Rainier Roundup activities, call Rainier City Hall.