June, 2023It's Festival season! The biggest Bluegrass Festival and Music Camp in the West is just a week and a half away in Grass Valley, CA. If you haven't made your arrangements to attend all or just a part of this amazing event, click here to get started! NNBA will have a booth there, so make sure to stop by. Of course, the dedicated volunteers who will be staffing that booth would sure appreciate it if you could give them a bathroom/meal break, too. If you'd like to sign up for an actual "shift" in the booth (day and time of your choosing), that would be greatly appreciated, too! More info? - contact us at info@nnba.org | | |
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Newsie Bits We're still accepting newsie bits for our Summer Newsletter (deadline July 15). Send us stories and pictures about your personal Bluegrass experiences or bands or artists. Send us informational articles on topics related to Bluegrass music -- travel articles, festival reviews, Music Camp descriptions. Want to nominate someone for "Member Spotlight" or give us "tips" about topics you'd like us to feature? Send it all to info@nnba.org Check out the new Forum on the website! There are three different sections -- Marketplace (buy/sell/trade), Gigs, Jams, Shows Announcements, and General Discussions. Click here to have a look around. Board Business - We had a very productive NNBA Board Meeting last week. Remember, we're a Membership organization, and always interested in what members have to say and suggest to us. The Board meets the 1st Thursday of every month, and you're all welcome to attend. You can find our Meeting Agendas and Minutes on the website here. Some Jams Canceled in June -- since so many folks are going to be at the Grass Valley Festival (where the jamming is EPIC and goes on 24 hrs-a-day!), the following Jams are canceled for June: Wed. June 14, Old Time Jam at the Mountain Music Parlor and Thurs. June 15, Fiddle Tune Jam at the Mountain Music Parlor. If you can't make it to Grass Valley, check out the Jamming Resources on our website, and learn some new stuff! Build Your Bluegrass Repertoire Class meets Wed. June 7, 6:30 at 627 Sunnyside Dr, Reno (1st Congregational Church). This month's tune is Lonesome Road Blues, and every Bluegrass instrument will learn a lead and rhythm part. We'll also cover previouly learned tunes, Red Wing, In the Gravel Yard, 8th of January and Banks of the Ohio. Printed materials, practice recordings and instruction are provided for all tunes. Free for NNBA members; non-members $5 a session (or just join NNBA -- it's only $15 for a whole year!). Email us with any questions. |
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Festival Bits Thanks to the many folks that are signing up for or renewing their 12 month NNBA Memberships! Did you know that, as a member, you receive a Discount Code good for $10 off on Festival Passes during the Early Bird period (until July 30)? Since memberships are only $15 (Individual) or $25 (family), your membership will completely pay for itself as soon as you purchase tickets! Members also receive a Member Number, which you can use to purchase Festival Add Ons like the Chuckwagon Supper on Thursday and the Jam Camp. More Add Ons will be added soon, too! Membership information is here. Speaking of tickets, we're right in the middle of the Early Bird period (April thru July) where Festival Passes are only $40 for members ($50 for non-members). Festival Passes get you into the Friday and Saturday shows at Bowers Mansion Park. Both days feature great music, the Beer & Wine Garden and Food Trucks. Friday show is 4-8 pm and features 2 local bands as well as the Regional favorite, "The Bow Ties". Friday show ends with dancing the Virginia Reel to live string band music from The Rough Edges! |
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Saturday is the Big Day - gates open at 9am, bands, workshops, vendors, Beer and Wine Garden, food trucks, kids' activities all day, including the amazing Po' Ramblin' Boys from East Tennessee! So get your Early Bird Passes now! Starting July 31, Pass prices will go up. Single day tickets will go on sale then, but the deals are happening NOW! |
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Another great video from our 2023 Festival Headliners! |
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VOLUNTEERS WANTED! Thanks to all that have already signed up! This year we ARE giving you t-shirts! Of course, we're asking a lot of Volunteers this year -- 6 hours commitment, to be specific. But you can spread that 6 hours over the 4 days of the event (or you can volunteer at our Booth at Grass Valley!). There are LOTS of duties that need doing, before, during and after the event, and we'll work with you to create a schedule that will allow you to do the things at the Festival that you want to do. Click the button to learn about the percs and requirements to be a Volunteer. | | |
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About NNBA NNBA has been around since the 70's! Incorporated in 2004 as as a 501c3 non-profit arts and education organization, NNBA receives partial funding from the Nevada Arts Council, the National Endowment for the Arts as well as regional grant sources such as the Robert Z. Hawkins Foundation. NNBA is also a membership organization, and memberships constitute a significant portion of our annual revenue. We've seen a decline in memberships in recent years, with the pandemic and all. So, we're striving to offer more bang for your buck, and hope you'll join (or re-join)! A 12-month membership is only $15, and you get significant discounts on events (up to $20 off Festival passes! free twice monthly Beginner classes! and more!). Click here for more membership information. |
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