OSCEOLA — The 29th annual Osceola Bluegrass Festival opens today, Aug. 17, and runs through Sunday. What makes the festival different from others in the area is its cost — free. Proceeds help fund scholarships and support other events in the area.

About 10,000 people attend the festival ever year according to festival chairman Tom Krueger.

There will be a pancake and sausage breakfast from 7 to 10 a.m. both Saturday and Sunday. There will be food vendors, children’s activities and local businesses.

While the festival has been around for almost 30 years, Krueger said that it became focused on bluegrass music in 1991. He has been chairman of the festival for 18 years.

“It’s something that actually draws people from outside the community,” he said.

Most of the musicians who perform come from Michigan, Ohio and southern Indiana. There will not be a pie auction at the festival this year. Except for that, Krueger said, everything should be the same. Because the event is sponsored by local businesses, the festival is able to be free and open to the public.

The festival will be at Fern Hunsberger Park on U.S. 933 between Elkhart and Mishawaka. For information call 674-8878 or 674-8768 or go to www.ocba.us.



The music lineup for the Osceola Bluegrass Festival



Friday

5:30 p.m. Misty Mountain

6:15 p.m. Twenty Three

7 p.m. Dave White & Company

7:45 – 10 p.m. Open Stage Jam Session

10 p.m. Twenty Three



Saturday

10 a.m. Opening ceremony

10:30 a.m. King and Queen crowning

11 a.m. Patchwork

11:50 a.m. Twenty Three

12:40 p.m. Lonesome Meadow

1:30 p.m. Eagle Creek

2:20 p.m. Lonesome Country

3:10 p.m. New Country Grass

4 p.m. Off “N” Running

4:50 p.m. Patchwork

5:40 p.m. Twenty Three

6:30 p.m. Lonesome Meadow

7:20 p.m. Eagle Creek

8:10 p.m. Lonesome Country

9 p.m. New Country Grass

9:50 p.m. Off “N” Running



Sunday

9:45 a.m. Solid Praise Church Services

10:30 a.m. Reset stage and announcements

10:45 a.m. UpHill Climb

11:35 a.m. New Country Grass

12:15 p.m. Debbie Werbrouch’s Apple Corps

1 p.m. Annoucements

1:10 Misty Mountain

2 p.m. Sent

2:50 p.m. Bus Kelver’s Frog Jumping Contest

2:50 p.m. UpHill Climb

3:40 p.m. New Country Grass