By Lisa Brewer

Festival Director

It’s been nearly seven years since a handful of board members and bluegrass fans said: “Let’s put on a party with a purpose.”

From that moment forward, the Carolina Bible Camp Bluegrass Festival has grown in every festival category while remaining committed to the Bible as its inspiration to “send another kid to Camp.”

Here are seven reasons to attend the annual festival at the camp near Mocksville, set for Saturday, Sept. 8.

Music. There are  seven performing artists this year. Grammy-award winner Alison Brown; multi-Grammy winner Bobby Hicks, Mark Kuykendall and Asheville Bluegrass; Tim White & Troublesome Hollow; Fireside Collective; The Snyder Family Band; The Trailblazers with Ivy Phillips, and Dwight Hawkins. The $15 advance ticket price is a great value, and kids under 12 are admitted free.

For Kids. There is an abundance of free activities for kids at the Kids’ Activities tent sponsored by AGAPE of North Carolina. The festival volunteers, called Servants, supervise children’s creative play with a variety of arts and crafts and recycled materials. A unique coloring page to save the date for next year, old-fashioned sidewalk games like marbles and jacks, and free face painting are also included. The 68-acre campus provides plenty of outdoor areas to explore, including safe and fun playground equipment. The Olympic-plus size pool is fenced and closed during the festival. You’ll have to come during summer camp for that.

Food. The festival features many delicious food options. Choices include Southern comfort foods made from scratch at the dining hall just behind the Front Porch Stage; the award-winning Gunny Smitty’s Hot Dog food truck; Carolina Shaved Ice; Baked With Love home-baked desserts and breads; the CBC Coffee Café for hot and cold coffee beverages, and the popular CBC Canteen for the genuine camp snack experience. All prices are reasonable. If you go hungry, it’s your own fault.

Auction. One-of-a-kind items are available through the exciting and easy online auction, or simply show up at the CBC Hexagazebo in person to bid on your items. The Swicegood Group, a leader in real estate and auctions, manages this activity so all goes smoothly.

Shopping. You can shop but don’t drop. The festival’s vendors include a unique assortment of apparel, jewelry, handbags and accessories, home goods, artwork, woodwork, hand-crafted soaps, and so much more. Don’t try to buy it all at once; take a break and return to your lawn chair for a musical interlude. Pace yourself.

Weather. Don’t sweat the weather. The large professional grade tents will keep you shaded and covered. Historically, the weather on this date has been made to order. And, there are plenty of beverages both iced and hot to keep your body temperature feeling “just right.”

Family Friendly. This festival is the best family friendly event in North Carolina. With no alcohol and no smoking, tobacco, or vaping permitted, you can feel good about bringing guests of all ages. Families with young children will enjoy renting a cabin (complete with bunkbeds) for a real camp experience. The Comfort Inn & Suites and Days Inn of Mocksville, official hotel sponsors for the festival, offer generously discounted rates to festival attendees.  Registered nurses staff a first aid tent; handicapped parking and assistance is available, and volunteers called “Servants” work hard to make your festival experience an unforgettable one.

Guests always feel great about spending the day at Carolina Bible Camp Bluegrass Festival because of the purpose of the event, which is simply to “Send another kid to Camp.”

This all-volunteer festival is a fundraiser for the non-denominational camp, whose scholarship fund makes sure that every kid who wants to go to camp can do so. No child has ever been turned away from Carolina Bible Camp due to a lack of resources. The camp promotes Bible study and wholesome recreation in a rustic yet comfortable setting, and the festival helps fund that purpose.

How many more reasons do you need?

Visit www.cbcbluegrass.com for more information. Come home to CBC in the wonderful town of Mocksville.