Carl Junction Bluegrass Festival Celebrating 28 Years

By Heather Reynolds

A timeless festival that brings the community together, the 28th Annual Bluegrass Festival in Carl Junction, Missouri, is scheduled for Sept. 27 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. in Center Creek Park, 201 Valley Lane, and features artists and performers from all over the Four States. There is no entrance fee to attend.  

Nick Howard, the executive director of the Carl Junction Area Chamber of Commerce and the organizer of the event, has been attending the bluegrass festival for many years. As the event organizer, he oversees planning, entertainment booking, vendor coordination and community outreach to ensure the festival runs smoothly.

“I have attended the festival each year for many years, but I first got involved in 2023 as part of the Chamber’s event support team. Over the years, I’ve worked in multiple roles—helping with logistics, coordinating volunteers and connecting with musicians and vendors.

Love for the festival is a common feeling among people of the area. Nick enjoys the ways the event brings people together. He has a lot of reasons to enjoy the festival and everything it brings to Carl Junction.  

“I love how the festival brings together people of all ages who enjoy music, food and small-town charm.”  

Bluegrass is an American roots music genre with influences from Appalachian folk, country and blues music. It features acoustic instruments like the banjo, fiddle, guitar, mandolin and upright bass. Bluegrass music is best known for its fast tempos and skilled picking of instruments. Bluegrass was founded in the 1940s, and the name bluegrass comes from a band called Bill Monroe and the Blue Grass boys.    

This year’s festival hosts a number of performers from around the Four States. The four bands playing this year are Living on the Edge, Borderline Bluegrass, Koza Swamp Band, and Whiskey Mash Band. Performances begin at 10 a.m. and continue until 6 p.m.  

“We host a mix of professional and local bluegrass bands from Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Kansas. Each group brings their own style ranging from traditional bluegrass to modern interpretations,” Nick said.  

The festival, however, is more than just bluegrass. This year’s focus is more on children and the arts and crafts they can do at the event. Also, local food vendors will be in attendance and providing food to the more than 18,000 attendees that frequent the park during the festival.  

Nick said, “This year, we are having a bigger focus on kids and crafts. We are celebrating 28 years with expanded kids’ activities, such as a bounce house, face painting and petting zoo, and having more craft vendors than in years past. Also, we are bringing back our Shop with a Cop Car Show, which helps raise funds to provide Christmas gifts for children who are less fortunate.”  

Nick said community spirit keeps people coming back to the festival each year. “The sense of community, the quality of music and the warm, family-friendly atmosphere keep people returning year after year. Many say it’s like stepping back into a simpler, friendlier time.

“Guests travel from all over the Four-State Area—and some even from across the country—just to experience the charm of the Carl Junction Bluegrass Festival.  

“It has grown from a small local gathering into one of the largest community events in the region,” Nick continued, “attracting thousands each year and adding more entertainment, food options and activities while keeping the heart of bluegrass music at its center.  

“The Carl Junction Bluegrass Festival is more than music—it’s a tradition that celebrates community, craftsmanship and the joy of gathering together. Whether you come for the music, the food or the fellowship, you’ll leave with memories that last a lifetime.”

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