Carolina Bible Camp Bluegrass Festival on Sept. 10 in Mocksville

Published 12:00 am Saturday, September 3, 2022

MOCKSVILLE — The 10th annual Carolina Bible Camp Bluegrass Festival is the place to be for kids and for the young at heart. It will be held this year on Sept. 10.

Still admitted free with a paying adult, children 12 and under will love the special activities planned just for them, including an outdoor easel for painting, old-fashioned sidewalk games and free crafts. (Children 12 and older will enjoy them, too.)

The nonprofit crisis pregnancy and adoption organization, AGAPE of North Carolina, is sponsoring the kids’ activities tent.

At 1:45 p.m., bluegrass artist Carley Arrowood will greet kids and talk about growing up to be a professional musician.

Arrowood was only 10 years old when she heard a 4-H friend playing bluegrass fiddle. That inspired her to begin studying violin in the Suzuki method. She later joined the Hendersonville Youth Orchestra and later began touring.

Also on hand to talk about their professions will be N.C. State Highway Patrol Trooper B.K. White; cardiology ICU Nurse Keysha Kendrick; teacher Sherie Conner, and preacher Gustavo Prato. Parents are invited to bring cell phones to this photo opportunity to make special photographs of their children with these uniformed professionals.

Middle School teacher Charity Watkins will lead children on a nature walk from 2:15 p.m. to 3 p.m., including a Bible lesson. At 3 p.m., Andy King invites kids to join him at the Ga-Ga Ball Pit near the Kids’ Tent to learn how to play the fun and fast-paced game of Ga-Ga Ball.

Kids are invited to meet at the Kids’ Tent at 4 p.m. and prepare to introduce the 2023 festival’s lineup.

The Swicegood Group Picker’s Place (large shelter) is the place to be if you like participating in your picking. All ages are invited all day. A special kids’ segment, Music with Miss Laura, will take place from 1-1:30 p.m. (Children under 10 years old should be accompanied by an adult, please.) Some percussive instruments will be provided but bring your own stringed instruments.

Master Baker Bonnie Watkins has created a special confection to celebrate the 10^th annual festival. The large, three-layer sheet cake will feature two chocolate cake layers, one red velvet layer, and lots of creamy melt-in-your-mouth icing. How big will it be to feed this festival crowd? Watkins says there will be 10 pounds of butter, 54 eggs, 20 pounds of powdered sugar, and an entire cup of vanilla extract. A brief but special cake-cutting ceremony will take place at noon in the dining hall.

Tickets for the 10^th Annual Carolina Bible Camp Bluegrass Festival are on sale now at www.cbcbluegrass.com. The lineup includes international favorites The Kruger Brothers; Junior Sisk Band; Carley Arrowood Band, and Big Ron Hunter. The festival, the 2019 and 2021 winner of the statewide Carolina’s Finest “Best Festival” award, will also offer two special workshops with brothers Uwe and Jens Kruger for an additional fee.

Always held the second Saturday in September. The camp’s scenic 68-acre property featuring rustic cabins and the unique “Front Porch Stage” serve as the backdrop for the event.

Tickets for the all-volunteer produced Carolina Bible Camp Bluegrass Festival 2022 are on sale at www.cbcbluegrass.com. Ticket prices remain $15 in advance and $20 at the gate; children under 12 are admitted free with a paying adult.

Gates open at 10 a.m. Parking is free.

Carolina Bible Camp is located at 1988 Jericho Church Road in Mocksville. For more information, contact CBC Bluegrass Festival Executive Director Lisa Brewer at 336-262-6325.