Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
The third edition of the Palouse Music Festival will be Saturday, July 26, at Hayton Greene Park. Originally the Palouse Bluegrass Festival, the event has shifted under the auspices of the Palouse Arts Council, now culminating with dancing in the park for the last set.
“We did that last year with The Senders and now it’s going be a thing,” said Paul Smith of the Arts Council.
This year’s final two-set performance will be by Simba and the Exceptional Africans, a Moscow-based group playing world beat.
“Everyone else I know who’s heard them says they’re fabulous,” Smith said.
While musicians perform through the day, there will be arts, crafts and antiques for sale as well as food and the annual beer garden sponsored by Paradise Creek Brewery.
Food will be offered by the Palouse Lions Club hamburger trailer and a new food truck by Will Hume, who recently ran Vlad’s, a corner pita stand in Moscow.
“He’ll be marinating meat and grilling it up,” said Smith. “He’s bringing food for 200 and I bet he’ll sell out.”
Music will begin at 11 a.m. with a welcoming 50-minute set of gourd banjo, fiddle and Afghan rubab instrument from Smith.
“Minstrel show tunes, but how a black player would’ve played them,” said Smith, a former world music professor at WSU.
Following him will be John Elwood and Matt Zook of Elberton/Garfield, playing traditional American and Celtic music. Singer-songwriter Bart Budwig of Pullman takes the stage next, after which Floating Crowbar of Rosalia/Spokane step onto the stage in the shade for traditional Irish music.
Next up will be Shiloh Sharrard of Moscow with her guitar.
“She sings old country and new country that sounds old,” said Smith.
Pullman folk singer Dan Maher will perform next.
“Dan Maher is an institution,” Smith said. “American folk and the British Isles.”
The Exceptional Africans will then play two sets after the Palouse Subterranean Blues Band.
Tickets cost $10 for adults with kids age 6-15 $5 and under-6 free.
Garth Meyer is a former Whitman County Gazette reporter.
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