MARYSVILLE – Gather your family, jump in the car and head to the beautiful countryside of Union County for the 11th Annual Covered Bridge Bluegrass Festival, Sept. 22-23.
Less than a half hour from Dublin and 15 minutes from Marysville, this festival takes you on a fun, family adventure to the historic Pottersburg Bridge, one of Union County’s 19th century covered bridges, at 17141 Inskeep-Cratty Road, North Lewisburg. The festival features kids’ activities, 11 bluegrass and folk bands, food, history, art and bus tours of Union County’s covered bridges.
A Gem of a Festival
“The Covered Bridge Bluegrass Festival is quite a gem of an experience that you will not find anywhere else,” says Mardy Hanlon-Stolte, chairperson of the festival. “We welcome visitors to join us for a special weekend of delicious comfort food, foot-tapping music and charming arts and crafts, all set in quaint, relaxing surroundings.”
Music Schedule
Saturday, Sept. 22 on the covered bridge stage:
Bill Purk 8:30-10:30 a.m.
Daniel Dye and the Miller Road Band, 11:30 a.m -1:00 p.m.
Rock Island Plow Co., 1:30-2:30 p.m.
Tyler Williams Band 3-4 p.m.
Sugarcreek Bluegrass, 5:30-7 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 22 on the festival pavilion stage:
Glenn Park Banjo, 10:30-11:30 a.m.
Howard Sayre, 12:30-1:30 p.m.
Jim Bard, 2:30-3:30 p.m.
Rivers Edge, 4-5:30 p.m.
Sunday, Sept. 23 on the covered bridge stage:
Mad River Railroad, noon-1:30 p.m.
Bill Purk and The Muleskinner Band, 2-4 p.m.
Sunday, Sept. 23 on the festival pavilion stage:
Ira Chaiffetz, noon-3 p.m.
Kids’ Activities
The following will be available both days:
The Kids Zone, sponsored by Primrose Schools, featuring farm animals, a face painter and balloon artist.
Free wagon rides, noon to 4 p.m.
An art and crafts tent
An archery trailer provided by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources and Attaboyz Archery.
Food
A variety of delicious food will be provided by several vendors throughout the festival and at these special festival events:
Breakfast on the Bridge, Saturday, 8:30-10:30 a.m., served by the Union County Rotary Club
Ice Cream Social on the Bridge, Sunday, 1-3 p.m., featuring ice cream and pie
Coffee on the Bridge, Sunday, 10 a.m., before the 10:30 a.m. Community Worship Service on the Bridge
Covered Bridge Tours
Bus tours of Union County’s covered bridges will be offered during the festival, $10 for adults and $5 for children 12 and under. Tours will start on Saturday at 10 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 3 p.m. and on Sunday at 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. Pre-register at unioncounty.org/event-registration/.
Maps will be available for those who want to tour on their own along the Big Darby Plains Scenic Byway.
Local History
Presentations and booths will feature Union County’s historic bridges, Union County and World War II history, and the history of Scotts Miracle Gro, which is celebrating its 150th anniversary this year.
Painting Class
The Marysville Art League will offer its Coffee and Canvas painting class Saturday, 10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. and Sunday at noon. Pre-register at unioncounty.org/event-registration/.
Festival admission is $5, and free for children 12 and under. For more details, visit the festival website, coveredbridgefestival.com, or call the Union County Convention and Visitors Bureau, 937-642-6279.
Bluebird Retirement Community is the festival’s presenting sponsor; Walnut Crossing Assisted Living and Memory Care, the music sponsor; and Honda of America Manufacturing, Inc. and the Ohio Arts Council are grantors.
Dinner on the Bridge sold out
Dinner on the Bridge, a popular reservation-only event held on the Pottersburg Bridge the night before the Covered Bridge Bluegrass Festival, sold out again this year, the Union County Convention and Visitors Bureau reports.
