SNOW HILL — With most people feeling the crunch from a hectic holiday season, the Lower Shore Land Trust (LSLT) is offering area residents a chance to take a break for an evening with the 3rd Annual Get Bluegrass event.
Sporting the tag line “Chase Away the Holiday Blues,” Get Bluegrass will feature local beer, local music and comfort food like barbeque.
“It’s an event where you can kick off your heels, blow off some steam and have a little fun,” said Kate Patton, executive director of LSLT.
Get Bluegrass is one of two major fundraising events that LSLT hosts every year. Because they don’t receive any public funding, the events are critical to keeping the agency effective.
“The land trust has been working to conserve farms and forests since 1990 and these fundraising events are really the lifeblood for our organization,” said Patton. “It connects people to what we do in a really fun kind of way.”
The goals of LSLT are to promote responsible conservation across the edge of the Eastern Shore. Preservation of natural land and the protection of resources are at the top of the group’s list. The land trust prides itself on working on the frontlines with property owners, Patton explained.
“These funds really allow us to work on what we need to accomplish and we work in Worcester, Wicomico and Somerset counties to help farmers and landowners, protect their land from development and identify conservation and restoration programs that they’re interested in,” she said.
On top of the fundraising, LSLT does compete for some grant funding, but that money will often be restricted in how it can be applied, leaving the events like Get Bluegrass the main source of flexible income for the land trust.
But while all money raised goes to a good cause, LSLT wants to reciprocate by giving all attendees an amazing bluegrass festival.
“It’s really kind of a celebration of what we’re doing locally,” Patton said. “I think it resonates with the farmers and the community that we’re proud of what we’ve got.”
The event, which usually draws in crowds of 200 or more, will feature beer from shore craft brewers and music from bluegrass favorites such as Chester River Runoff and Saltwater Stringband. New for this year will be Magnolia Grove.
A ticket will come with a commemorative pint glass and a free first beverage with a cash bar open for the rest of the festival. There will be a silent auction as well.
It begins at 6 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 20. at the Old Snow Hill Fire Hall on Green Street. Tickets for the event are $20 in advance and $25 after Dec. 15. For more information contact 410-641-4467. Tickets are available online at www.lowershorelandtrust.org
Priceless Each Friday, 52 Weeks a Year!