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Record crowd expected as festival honors Earl Scruggs
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Among the groups slated to play at the 32nd Bluegrass Festival at Mossy Oak Music Park are the Larry Gillis Band and the Daughters of Bluegrass. - photo by Photo provided
Staff Report
Updated: Apr 13, 2012, 12:24 AM
Published: Apr 13, 2012, 12:27 AM

If it’s traditional acoustic music played in the best bluegrass and gospel style that you enjoy, then you’ll certainly want to be on the Old Louisville Road in Guyton from April 18-22 for the 32nd Bluegrass Festival at the beautiful 34-acre Mossy Oak Music Park.

"We are again expecting and preparing for what looks like it will to be our largest crowd ever," said Rebecca Rose, who along with her husband, Russell, and her father, Allen Lanier and family, host the festivals on their family farm two miles out of historic Guyton.

The April festival is dedicated to and will honor the life and enormous contributions made by the great banjo master Earl Scruggs, who passed away recently.

The park encompasses 34 acres and provides camp sites for more than 500 motor homes, trailers and tents. Music fans who frequent the bluegrass festival circuit in 2011 voted Mossy Oak Music Park one of the "best outdoor music venues in the Southeast."

"Our April lineup of entertainers reads like a ‘who’s who’ among the best touring bluegrass bands," Rebecca Rose said. "They’re coming here to entertain us from Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama and North Carolina."

On this year’s program are the special headliner group, The Daughters of Bluegrass Band, plus the Gary Waldrep Band, the Golden Valley Boys, the Tina Adair Band, the Larry Gillis Band, the Heather Berry Trio, Mindy Rakestraw, Gina Britt, Becky Buller, Frances Mooney and Fontana Sunset, and hosting is The Lonesome Whistle Band.

Members of each of the military branches will be recognized and special guest retired U.S. Marine Neal Corbin of Rincon again will present the colors during the ceremony.

The park has a covered theater/pavilion that seats more than 700, a large lighted parking area, an on-site daily flea market, a full kitchen, playground, museum, bath house, vendors, dump stations, and a number of other amenities.

"Everything our great staff does here is focused on making our guests welcome and well entertained. If it’s traditional bluegrass and gospel music in an alcohol-free environment that folks like, then we have the place for them. Just bring along a lawn chair, sit back and enjoy," Lanier said.

"We are particularly honored to have representatives of the Moss Creek Marine Group from Bluffton, S.C., with us and they are bringing a banjo signed by the late Earl Scruggs. They will sell chances as a fundraiser for support of the personal needs of our currently deployed military personnel," Lanier added.

The five-day festival program, now in its 11th year, begins with a covered dish supper Wednesday at 6 p.m. with an "open stage" beginning at 7 p.m. Music starts at noon each day and runs to 10 p.m. on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. It concludes with a special gospel and worship service on Sunday at 8:30 a.m.

Tickets are $20 daily or $40 for the full five days; half-price for children 12-15; and those under 12 are free. Camping with hookups is $15/$20 per night. Tent camping is $5 per night.

For camping reservations and additional information, call 772-5142 or 772-3467 or visit the Park on the Web at www.mossyoakmusicpark.com.
Savannah, Richmond Hill, Tybee ready for July 4 celebrations
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Staff Report
Updated: Jul 1, 2016, 8:36 PM
Published: Jun 29, 2016, 7:10 PM

The Savannah Waterfront Association will hold its annual 4th of July celebration, including fireworks, Monday on River Street from 4-10 p.m.

VIP seating for viewing fireworks will be available for active and retired military and will be on a first-come, first-served basis.

The Hypnotics will perform from 8-10 p.m., including a patriotic set during the fireworks to complement the show.

The fireworks sponsored at 9:30 p.m. Guests are encouraged to park off of River Street since the Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police Department will close the street from 6 p.m.-3 a.m.

Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police are gearing up for this weekend’s July 4th and First Friday festivities; and ask the public to be mindful of traffic conditions in the Downtown area.

In anticipation of potential road delays, Metro will increase traffic and foot patrols in the Downtown festival area, starting Friday afternoon. Officers also will patrol Hutchinson Island in greater force to assist with traffic flow, prevent bottle-necking and help move motorists safely. To ensure safety and help minimize delays, motorists are asked to be vigilant, patient and co-operative.

Public parking lots on River Street will close on Monday at about 3 a.m. until early Tuesday afternoon. River Street will close to vehicular traffic Monday at 3 p.m. and will reopen early Tuesday morning.

All traffic and parking laws will be enforced on in Downtown Savannah and Hutchinson Island. Vehicles parked in the roadway, or in a manner that obstructs traffic will be towed at the owner’s expense. Please note that parking vehicles on the Truman Parkway and Talmadge Bridge also is dangerous and illegal.

Interstate 16 will be available to drivers leaving the firework show. To leave Downtown, traffic originating from points beyond Bay Street will be directed away from Martin Luther King Boulevard to other routes, such as Whitaker and West Bay streets. Westbound traffic on Bay Street will be directed to East Lathrop Avenue to access I-16 via Louisville Road.

Police recommend use of city parking garages, where drivers will be given maps for the easiest Downtown exit routes following the firework display. Motorists are encouraged to plan ahead, expect delays and heed posted signage. The key components of the traffic plan include:

Prohibiting traffic from turning southbound onto Whitaker from Bay. Westbound traffic on Bay Street will be directed to alternate routes to I-16 through East Lathrop and Louisville Road, or through Garden City.

Parking garage traffic will be routed southbound on MLK, Whitaker and Price streets.

Alternate routes to I-16 are West Gwinnett and 37th streets. Price Street also can be used to get to 37th Street, which will take traffic to westbound I-16.

Additional signage will be deployed to assist drivers in locating the alternative routes to I-16.

Traffic may be heavy along Highway 80 for those leaving Tybee Island’s fireworks display. There is a slight potential for shallow coastal flooding due to King Tides July 4.  At this time, this flooding is not expected to close Highway 80. Remember if there is shallow coastal flooding:

Traffic headed toward Wilmington Island via President Street should flow as usual.

Also please remember that the city curfew law remains in effect for this event.  All persons 16 years of age and under must be off the streets at 11 p.m. unless accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. Officers will be enforcing this ordinance.

As always you can stay up to date with the latest on the Festival, road closures and other related updates by following the Twitter feed @SCMPD, Facebook or www.scmpd.org.

Richmond Hill will host 4th of July events Saturday, starting with Star Spangled Cars and Coffee from 9-11 a.m. Car owners can bring in a car and interact with other automobile enthusiasts. Visitors can bring the family to view the cars and tour the Richmond Hill History Museum, formerly the Henry Ford Kindergarten. Admission to the event is free and coffee can be purchased for 25 cents with a $1 donation to the museum. This event will take place at the Richmond Hill History Museum located at 11460 Ford Ave. 

Fort McAllister will hold its 4th of July celebration Saturday from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. with living history programs including demonstrations of Civil War drills and rifle and cannon firings. Visitors can participate in old fashioned games including sack races, an egg toss, wheel barrow races and a Civil War-era baseball game. Fresh watermelon will be available.  Admission for this event is $8 per adult (18+), $5 per Youth (6-17), under 6 are free. For more information, call (912) 727-2339.

Richmond Hill will kick off its annual Red, White, and Blue Independence Day Celebration at J. F. Gregory Park located at 521 Cedar St. For more information, visit www.richmondhill-ga.gov or call (912) 756-3345.

Tybee Island changed the date of their annual  fireworks from Sunday, July 3 to Monday, July 4. The Independence Day celebration will held be at the Tybee Island Pier and Pavilion with a fireworks extravaganza. It will be held from 9:30-10 p.m.