Nevada County Fairgrounds hosts signature musical events

THE NEVADA COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS IN GRASS Valley is home to the annual Nevada County Fair, the Draft Horse Classic, and the Country Christmas Faire. Located under tall pine trees, the fairgrounds are commonly referred to as “California’s Most Beautiful Fairgrounds.”

But that’s not all: the Fairgrounds also host some of the region’s signature music festivals and outdoor concerts, including the Strawberry Music Festival, CBA Father’s Day Bluegrass Festival, Music in the Mountains’ SummerFest, California WorldFest, and KVMR’s Celtic Festival & Marketplace. It also is home to the Sierra BrewFest, the oldest, continually running brewfest in California.

“Each year, these festivals draw thousands of entertainers, musicians, tourists, and music enthusiasts from across the United States to Nevada County,” says Rea Callender, chief executive officer of the Fairgrounds. “This creates considerable value to our community, as well as to the Fairgrounds. They each have a hugely positive economic impact on our community by creating jobs, increasing business for our local merchants, and increasing tax revenue.

“By generating additional revenue for the Fairgrounds, it allows us to be stronger and to continue to be a valuable resource for our community.”

Festival-goers come to the Fairgrounds with their instruments in tow, ready to laugh, play, sing, dance and eat and drink.

The Fairgrounds’ forest and meadow camping, ideal for families with tents, campers and RVs, is a big draw for the festival attendees. Festival-goers bring their favorite lawn chairs, blankets and picnic goodies and spread out on the vast lawns in front of the stages. For a pastime, Lions Lake offers fishing for children.

“Nestled in the heart of the Sierra Nevada foothills, charming gold rush towns Grass Valley and Nevada City are just minutes away, with restaurants, stores and recreation,” observes the Strawberry Festival.

FESTIVALS AT THE FAIRGROUNDS

STRAWBERRY MUSIC FESTIVAL
May 26-29
StrawberryMusic.com

California Bluegrass Association
FATHER’S DAY BLUEGRASS FESTIVAL
June 16-19
FathersDayFestival.com

MUSIC IN THE MOUNTAINS SUMMERFEST
June 22, 26 & 28
MusicintheMountains.org

CALIFORNIA WORLDFEST
July 14-17
WorldFest.net

SIERRA BREWFEST
August 27
MusicintheMountains.org

KVMR 20th Annual
CELTIC FESTIVAL & MARKETPLACE
Sept. 30-Oct. 2
KVMRCelticFestival.com

GENTLE GIANT

The Gentle Giant monument marks the entrance to the Nevada County Fairgrounds and symbolizes the spirit of California’s pioneers. The working horse played a large role during the California Gold Rush. Internationally known sculptor Todd Andrews created the massive and powerful 44-foot-long bronze monument in 1997.

Andrews’ other sculptures include six 22-footlong panthers that grace the entrance to the Carolina Panthers football stadium in Charlotte, N.C., two 4-foot-tall bronze dolphins for the Mirage in Las Vegas and a 20-foot-tall bronze mermaid for a five-star resort in the Caribbean.

(Photos: Alan Sheckter, fairgrounds; Laura Fitzgerald, Gentle Giant)

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