BAKER: On the shores of the Chesapeake Bay, music mission and community come together at the Annapolis Baygrass Music Festival. I'm Preston Baker for Delmarva Public Media. I spoke with founder and CEO Ron Peremel about how it all began and what makes this festival so unique.
PEREMEL: When I lived in Boulder, Colorado, I would go to the Telluride Bluegrass Festival and got turned on to bluegrass Americana roots music. It just really became my happy place. So I had this idea of taking a music festival that could reach thousands of people and leveraging that to actually touch people immersively through the music, as well as love of the Bay and my desire to help it, and that's what Baygrass is.
BAKER: Baygrass was born for more than just music. Ron says it was a way to connect his passions for both live performance and environmental stewardship.
PEREMEL: People really are affected by coming to the festival just by coming. That ties to our motto of "Every Jam Saves the Bay."
BAKER: The festival was dedicated not only to bay conservation efforts, but also towards raising awareness about mental health, shining a light on an important issue.
PEREMEL: When I started the festival, I brought in John Way who runs The VA Way, which is a nonprofit providing mental health tools and resources to veterans and musicians and all different types of people.
BAKER: The festival setting is a big part of the experience. Sandy Point State Park provides beautiful waterfront views, open skies, and a natural backdrop that makes the music feel even more special for everyone who attends.
PEREMEL: Sandy Point State Park is just north of the city of Annapolis, overlooks the Chesapeake Bay, the Bay Bridge, the Sandy Point Lighthouse. There's nothing better to convey the mission than that, so it really does have people just sitting there enjoying the music, looking out. It all comes running through people.
BAKER: And the festival is designed to be an experience for everyone.
PEREMEL: It's more than just a music festival. So many things for every age group, we have a phenomenal kid zone with programming all day long, the workshops from Oyster Recovery Partnership where you'll learn how to shuck like a pro throughout the festival grounds. We have in the beer garden on the beach in VIP area, cornhole and mini ping pong and fun activities and games that they provide.
BAKER: Music, community education and conservation all come together making Baygrass one of the cleanest and greenest festivals in the country.
PEREMEL: A lot of the festivals don't get it. You see a lot of trash, a lot of plastic water bottles. We ban all of that, and took it out of the festival. We have water stations for everybody everywhere. We have a no single use plastics requirement, we have compost, recycling, and trash bins manned by our green team who will help people and instruct them as to where things go.
BAKER: The artist lineup has been carefully curated to give audiences one of a kind experience, blending diverse genres and creating mashups that keep the energy fresh throughout the festival.
PEREMEL: The music is steeped in roots music and progressive bluegrass, and then we kind of branch out from there a little bit. One of the big things that we do is create very strong opportunities for collaboration. When you're blending different bands and different artists, Bt really creates a special show.
BAKER: From the first spark of the idea, to a full festival on the Bay, Baygrass blends music, purpose, and unforgettable experiences. On September 20th and 21st, Sandy Point State Park will once again come alive with artists, workshops, and a community united by music and a mission. All thanks to Baygrass Festival. Visit baygrassfestival.com to purchase your tickets today. I'm Preston Baker for Delmarva Public Media.
