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From right, Mike Luddeni of Ormond Beach and his friend Lisa Cummins of The Villages stop to listen to a spur-of-the-moment bluegrass jam by fellow enthusiasts Mike Elas, seated, and Bob Tice of St. Augustine, guitarist Lynn Healy of Fleming Island and banjo player Brian Lappin of Flagler Beach. -
Rhonda Vincent, accompanied by her band, The Rage, speaks to the crowd at the 14th Annual Palatka Fall Bluegrass Festival at Rodeheaver Boys Ranch on Thursday. -
Positively Putnam FL
Twice a year, in springtime and fall, Palatka goes Nashville at the Rodeheaver Boys Ranch when thousands of bluegrass fans roll into the ranch in their RVs and trucks and sedans for a bit of banjo, guitar and mandolin.
The 14th Annual Palatka Fall Bluegrass Festival kicked off Thursday with five of the event’s bluegrass acts, including headliner Rhonda Vincent & the Rage.
“This is just an amazing weekend,” said Vincent, as the band prepared to play a final song of their first set.
At least 11 bluegrass bands were expected to perform during the three-day festival that ends Saturday night. The annual bluegrass events are held to help keep funds flowing for the Rodeheaver Boys Ranch, which exists to help at-risk young men.
Music fans like Lisa Cummins look forward to the unique atmosphere of the festival.
“A great thing about bluegrass festivals is like, right now, we’re gonna go up and shake and howdy with the actual performers,” the Villages resident said as Vincent milled about chatting with the audience near an ice cream concession stand. “Where else can you do that?”
Cummins was accompanied by her friend, Mike Luddeni, of Ormond Beach. This was Luddeni’s first bluegrass festival and he was even enjoying the parking area after just the first few minutes there.
A group of bluegrass fans had formed an impromptu jam session near the back bumper of a Ford F-150. Cummins had asked them to play, “Angeline the Baker” and the group kindly obliged.
Flagler Beach banjo player Brian Lappin, Bob Tice and Mike Elas of St. Augustine, as well as Lynn Healy of Fleming Island, all retuned their axes to D for the song and belted it out in the grassy parking area during the festival’s intermission.
Cummins heartily sang along.
Asked what their band’s name was, Lappin jokingly replied, “Um… Brian, Bob, Lynn and Mike,” eliciting a hearty chuckle from his compatriots.
It’s the not-so-secret secret of bluegrass festivals.
“Sometimes there’s a heck of a lot of talent sitting in the seats, and they’re drawn to the talent on the stage,” Cummins said, adding that, at night, the campsites around the boys ranch come alive with music. “There’s a lot of musicians and singers in the audience, and they’re here to appreciate, you know, the best of the best that come here.”
The festival runs through Saturday evening at the boys ranch, 380 Boys Ranch Rd, Palatka.
For questions about concert tickets, contact Evans Media Group, 386-385-3500. For questions about the boys ranch, or to make RV site reservations, call 386-328-1281.