The Mayville Bluegrass Festival will feature Gene Johnson and Gregg Welty
Chautauqua Rails to Trails will present the 2025 Mayville Bluegrass Festival this weekend at Big Inlet Brewing.
The festival takes place on Saturday, August 16 and includes a special “Sunday Sessions – Bluegrass Edition” on August 17. Proceeds from the event will benefit the Chautauqua Rails to Trails organization.
The Bluegrass Festival began in 2003 as the brainchild of a group of Chautauqua County citizens wanting to bring a family-friendly event to the lakeside community. It ran for 7 years in Lakeside Park and featured a host of regional and national performers, Including Vassar Clements, Rhonda Vincent, Tony Rice, Chris Hillman, Norman Blake, Dan Hicks and his Hot Licks, John McCeuen, and Peter Rowan.
This year’s Mayville Bluegrass Festival will be continuing its expansion to include national acts, featuring the return of Grammy winner Gene Johnson and the Night Sun Reunion, as well as multi-award winner and banjo virtuoso Gregg Welty with his band, South 79.
The show will be rounded out by other award-winning acts, including Doug Yeomans and Mountain Run, Creek Bend feat. the Panfil Brothers, Blue Mule Bluegrass, The Beard and the Bird, Michael Gerholdt’s Doc Watson Tribute, Bill Ward and Friends, Sally Schaefer and Tyler Bagwell, Old Dawg Bluegrass, and The Big Inlet Bluegrass All Stars.
Festival organizer Bill Ward says he anticipates the tickets for the festival will sell-out. Ward hosts a 2:00 pm Sunday Sessions event featuring a variety of special guests throughout the Summer season. The August 17 edition will feature a host of special guests including Cattaraugus County’s Blue Mule Bluegrass.
Chautauqua Rails to Trails (CR2T) is a non profit corporation whose reason for existence is to acquire, develop and maintain multi purpose recreational trails for public use on or near abandoned railroad rights of way. CR2T provides safe, attractive trails for non motorized trail users.
Presale tickets are $30 for adults and free for children under 12. They are available at zeffy.com (search Mayville Bluegrass Festival) or at Big Inlet Brewing, 6169 Elm Flats Road, Mayville, New York 14757.
Doors open at 10 am, August 16. While there is some seating available at the venue it is recommended that attendees bring lawn chairs. No coolers or pets. There will be food vendors on site. For more information, visit cr2t.org or the Mayville Bluegrass Festival Facebook page. Free Camping is available. For information regarding that or other MBF questions, call 716-753-2800
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