If anyone had told me six years ago I would become a bluegrass fan, I would have scoffed. However, that was the first year I attended what was then known as Southern Ohio Indoor Bluegrass Festival. Husband, Jack, and his best childhood friend, Pete, from the St. Louis area, talked me into going with them.

I was just along for the ride, but the bluegrass bug had me by the end of the weekend. The contagious energy that abounds and raw talent embraced me. Since 2018 we have missed very few.

With every festival we make new friends from other states and Ohio. The artists share awesome stories about their lives and music.

The Joe Mullins Family does a stellar job producing the festival, and Joe Mullins and the Radio Ramblers serve as the host band.

Mullins offered, “I started the fall Southern Indoor Bluegrass Festival November, 2003, using only a portion of Roberts Centre. We expanded to twice a year in 2006, adding a March festival. Soon we grew to use the entire convention center.

“The festivals were only two days for many years. We planned to expand, and add Thursday evening to the events beginning the fall of 2020. Of course, nothing happened in 2020. Two weeks before our March festival, COVID shut down all entertainment activities.

“One year later I had helped a team from Miami University complete a book titled ‘Industrial Strength Bluegrass, Southwest Ohio’s Musical Legacy.’ I produced an album of all star bluegrass recordings for Smithsonian Folksway Records using the same title. The March 2021 festival was planned around the release of the album. But restrictions were still in place, prohibiting a full festival. So we planned a dinner theater setting in the Roberts Centre allowing 400 guests in person, and a pay per view broadcast online. It was a huge success for launching the album. The International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) awarded album of the year honors to the record in September, 2021.

“We launched our full festivals with three days of entertainment in November, 2021, and rebranded as the Industrial Strength Bluegrass Festival. We were back on track with March and November festivals in 2022 with much support from Ohio Tourism and Clinton County Convention and Visitors Bureau. The IMBA voted the festival the event of the year for 2022.

“Over the past 20 years, the festivals have entertained ticket buyers from 36 states, and many foreign countries. For the November, 2023 festival we had over 2,000 tickets sold throughout the USA, including guests from Oregon, Nevada, California, Iowa, and dozens of Canadian fans were able to attend for the first time since 2019. Still the biggest number of attendees are our neighbors in Ohio and the surrounding states.”

Neil Rosenberg is the professor emeritus of folklore at Memorial University of Newfoundland. He is the author of “Bluegrass: The History” and co-author of “Bluegrass Odyssey” and “The Music of Bill Monroe.”

In the aforementioned book he wrote: “Bluegrass music originated with Kentucky born mandolinist/singer Bill Monroe and his Blue Grass Boys. Monroe assembled his definitive band in 1946-1948, with guitarist Lester Flatt, banjo picker Earl Scruggs, fiddler Chubby Wise, and bassist/comedian ‘Cedric Rainwater’ (Howard Watts). In cities of southern Ohio, such as Cincinnati, Dayton. Hamilton, Middletown, Springfield and the surrounding areas, the radio broadcasts of the influential group were especially popular with the many people who had recently moved in from the upland south.

“This music, which almost everyone at the time identified simply as ‘hillbilly music,’ came in person to Dayton in February, 1947, when Monroe (then 35) played before an audience of over 4,000. For several members of the crowd, the concert had a life altering impact, leading to careers as professional bluegrass musicians.

“Some Kentuckians like Robert Osborne, father of Bobby, and others were leaving the subsistence of the farms or dangers of the coal mines for safer and more lucrative factory work. Many headed to Ohio because of a relative already there. Those who were old enough when they left, to remember the old home are likely to still think of it as home, but they also created a new home, and a new way of life in Ohio — changing the culture and their own in many ways. With a new way of life came new musical traditions.”

One special highlight each year is a booth for Dolly Parton Imagination Library. Various artists take turns reading to children. Last fall, Ricky Scaggs was accompanied by 8-year-old, Annabelle Smith, daughter of performers, Kenny and Amanda Smith, as moderator.

Only the children were permitted to ask questions. I asked Annabelle to share some of what the little ones asked: What is your favorite candy? What do you think Heaven will be like? What is your favorite Christmas present you received?

The festival has something for everyone, including vendors, music lessons and jam sessions. The spring festival will be held March 21-23 at the Roberts Centre. I can’t wait!

For more information, visit www.industrialstrengthbluegrass.com