Six weeks ago Tom Helbig cooked up this idea for a festival called canoegrass! Things have happened quickly: he built a website, created a logo, built a floating stage, started a Facebook page, booked 8 musicians, made t-shirts, ordered beer and ticket sales have started for the Aug 16-17 festival. Tom is quick to credit help from his friends that have helped turn his dream into a reality and invites you to join the fun. Tom also shared this will be a family friendly event.Canoegrass will be a weekend celebration of bluegrass music, the best of the human spirit and river life. The festival site will be banks of the Great Miami River, which will come alive with the best entertainers in the region. This isn’t your ordinary festival. Get ready to get wet, wild and jam all weekend long. The best seat in the house just may be from a canoe or tube!
You will find music everywhere; at camp, on your river trip and even on a floating stage. Some will be scheduled, some will not! Attendees are encouraged to help build the scene and jam everywhere you find the inspiration.
CampStage:
- Home of the Friday and Saturday night featured acts that includes some of the best bluegrass and roots performers in our region. Bring your dancing boots, a partner and shout “Take a Drink a Beer” all night long.
- Lineup includes Friday 7 pm (Bibs and Barefeet), 9 pm (Blue Caboose) and Saturday at 7 pm (Todd the Fox), 9 pm (Hickory Robot)
Tube Jam:
- This is what everyone will be talking about at Canoegrass! Borrow a tube or bring your inflatable to float on the Great Miami River during the Tube Jam floating stage shows. Cool off during these shows as the August heat will be in full force! Float around with friends and enjoy up and coming performers from our region.
- Lineup includes Friday at 5:30 pm (Jay Cullis and Dillon Brown), Saturday 5 pm (Holy Hickory)
- Open mic on the floating stage, Saturday 10 am – 2 pm
River Jam:
- On Saturday morning, the Great Miami River will play host to our paddling trips and streamside jam sessions. Make sure you stop and join a jam session along your journey. We encourage you to bring your own instruments, raft together with friends and jam your way downstream!
- Canoeing and kayaking trips, 10 am – 3 pm
There is so much to do beyond camping and music at Canoegrass! Check out all the fun you can have during the weekend:
Take a river trip
Rent a canoe or kayak and take a trip down the Great Miami River Saturday morning and paddle right up to the music! The Great Miami River is one of three designated water trails in the area providing beautiful scenery and great small mouth bass fishing. Rent a boat from Adventures on the Great Miami
Slip and Swing
- Canoegrass offers access to a stream-side rope swing for a splashing good time! We also claim to have the greatest slip and slide in the world. You will feel like a kid again no matter your age. Access granted with camping or day pass.
Canoe Jousting
- That’s right medieval jousting meets canoeing! Hop in a canoe and battle the opposition in a friendly match to see who can be the last one standing. Competitors will be required to wear a life jacket and helmet. We like things a little crazy so wear costumes and the wildest helmet you can find to distract your competition and give those on the bank a good laugh! Register Saturday morning by 1 pm at the camp office. Jousting begins at 2 pm. A single-elimination bracket will be created at close of registration. First place earns braggin’ rights and some of the coolest photos of all time!
Biking
- Canoegrass is across the river from the Great Miami River Bikeway and provides convenient access to over 300 miles of paved trail to explore. This is the largest connected bikeway network in the country. We highly recommend you bring a bike for the weekend. You can put on a bunch of miles or take a leisurely ride to Tipp City or the Tadmor Historic Site at Taylorsville MetroPark in between the action at Canoegrass.
Fishing
- We are on a river and there are hungry small mouth bass that live there! Pack a rod and try to land the big one from camp or on your float trip. Ohio Fishing License required.
Hiking
- Take a hike. Yes, we mean it! We are minutes away from some of the most beautiful hiking trails at Charleston Falls Preserve and Taylorsville MetroPark. Definitely, a great way to shake the hangover before action picks up at Canoegrass.
For ticket info please checkout the Canoegrass website.
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