1 Day, 9 Bands, Tons of Vendors, Fun for the Whole Family!

Garrett County’s First Annual Big Funky Blues Festival, will be held on Saturday, August 12, 2023, at the Garrett County Fairgrounds. The gates will open at 10:00 a.m. for the all day festival, and run until 9:00 p.m. in the evening! This special event is brought to you by OMG Relax, a relaxing gift shoppe and medical breakthrough massage spa located in the heart of Garrett County. A portion of each ticket sold will benefit Camp Caring, Inc., a local non-profit that runs a summer day camp for special needs children in Garrett County.

Nine (9) BIG name bands will perform on the outdoor main stage ~ Tommy Lepson & The Bad Dawgs, Sonny Petrosky’s Don’t Tell Suzy, Dave Chappell Band, Daryl Davis and Friends, Mary Shaver Band, Patty Reese Band, Eric Scott Band, WPG Trio featuring Brad Collins on sax, and the Nighthawks! Browse the many fine, local crafters and artisans that will be set up in the beautiful AG Hall!  

Outside on the grounds, in close proximity to the main stage, will be axe throwing, glass blowing, blacksmithing, as well as a huge kid’s zone! Check out everything we have to offer in the Big Funky Kids Zone! Enjoy a short walk to the food court,  This will feature a large array of incredible, mouthwatering food and desserts! Beer, wine and a large selection of non-alcoholic drinks will be available as well.

We suggest that you bring chairs and /or blankets and get comfortable. Pop-up canopies will be permitted, however, placement will be restricted to a designated area. Plan as you would for any outdoor festival.

OUTDOOR MAIN STAGE

Big Funky Band Lineup

Tommy Lepson & The Bad Dawgs

Singer Tommy Lepson, is nationally recognized as a Hammond organist, songwriter, guitarist and engineer. He is a member of the WAMA Hall of Fame as well as being the recipient of multiple WAMMIEs (Washington Area Music Awards). His gritty and flexible R & B voice is capable of conjuring images of James Brown one moment and Sam Cooke the next.

Don’t Tell Suzy

"Sonny Petrosky is a consummate performer, laying down solid bass grooves and strong vocals for some of the best of Mid-Atlantic musical groups"

Dave Chappell Band

Dave Chappell, a Washington, DC native, is one of the most sought after and respected musicians in the area. For the last several years, he has won the Washington Area Music Awards (WAMMIES) for 'Musician of the Year', 'Rock Instrumentalist of the Year', and 'Roots Rock Instrumentalist of the Year'. He has performed with Rock and Roll Hall of Fame legends Jerry Lee Lewis, Sam Moore of Sam & Dave, Percy Sledge, Johnny Johnson, and guitar wizard, Danny Gatton. He can be heard frequently at area clubs such as JV's Restaurant, State Theater, the Birchmere, Bethesda Blues and Jazz, The Music Cafe and Picadilly's Pub - performing with DC area favorites Tommy Lepson and Bruce Swaim. And from time to time, Johnny Neel from the Allman Brother's Band and Gov't Mule.

Daryl Davis and Friends

Daryl Davis (born March 26, 1958) is an American R&B and blues musician and activist. His efforts to fight racism, in which, as an African American, he has engaged with members of the Ku Klux Klan (KKK), have convinced a number of Klansmen to leave and denounce the KKK. Known for his energetic style of boogie-woogie piano. Davis has played with such musicians as Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis, B. B. King, and Bruce Hornsby.

Mary Shaver Band

The Mary Shaver Band plays sweet soul, blues and rock n roll around Virginia, Maryland, Washington DC, Baltimore and Pennsylvania. The band can soothe you with a soft soul ballad or pull you in with traditional hard core blues standards. Mary’s high energy vocals are sustained by gutsy guitar riffs, masterfully executed by Keith Grimes. Raice McLeod’s skillful and soulful drumming seals the group’s foundation. The Mary Shaver Band is a force with which to be reckoned.

Patty Reese Band

Patty Reese is a fan favorite and critic’s choice in the Mid-Atlantic region and over the years and she's collected enough WAMMIES (Washington Area Music Awards) to fill the a major DC pothole. Awards include Album of the Year, Artist of the Year and Roots Rock Band and Vocalist as well as national songwriting awards.

Eric Scott Band

Washington, DC singer /songwriter and bassist Eric Scott has thus far had an interesting musical and life journey. As an artist and sideman, he has toured internationally, sharing the stage with B.B. King, Mavis Staples, Aaron Nevile, REO Speedwagon, Pink Floyd's Roger Waters, and many more. He's written, produced, and released 4 solo albums, and his music has been featured on ABC-TV, Showtime, Cinemax, The wB, as well as several indie and major motion pictures. His singing voice has been featured in international and regional ad campaigns for HGTV, NAT GEO, Ford, Chevy Jeep, Chrysler, DC Lottery, and many more., He is a 15-time Wammie winner, as awarded by the Washington Area Music Association (WAMA).

WPG Trio featuring Brad Collins

Gary Grainger began playing bass with his older brother, drummer Gregory Grainger. In the late 70s the pair joined Pockets, recording for Columbia Records, and toured extensively with a package headlined by Earth, Wind And Fire. He first attracted wide attention in the late 80s, playing electric bass with John Scofield on tour and on several recording sessions, including two late 80s Gramavision albums, Blue Matter and Loud Jazz. After leaving Scofield he teamed up with the band’s drummer, Dennis Chambers, forming the funk band, Graffiti. He has also recorded with Carl Filipiak and Haakon Graf. In the late 90s he began working with his brother in a fusion band, designed to display the highly empathetic nature of their musical relationship as well as Grainger’s composing skills

Nighthawks

A hard-driving Washington, D.C.-based bar band with strong Chicago blues roots, the Nighthawks were formed in 1972 by harpist and vocalist Mark Wenner and guitarist Jimmy Thackery. The band earned a reputation as a solid outfit through more than a decade of touring and recording projects with John Hammond and former members of Muddy Waters' band. Thackery left in 1986, but Wenner regrouped around longtime members Jan Zukowski on bass and Pete Ragusa on drums. Trouble, their 1991 release on Powerhouse, was a blend of blues, R&B, and rock influences, with a typically energetic sound born from thousands of gigs across the country. Subsequent efforts included 1993's live Rock This House, 1996's Pain & Paradise, and 1999's Still Wild. A collection of live performances from 2001 saw release in the spring of 2002 as Live Tonight. Since then, the band has stayed active delivering such albums as 2006's Blue Moon in Your Eye, 2009's American Landscape, and 2015's Back Porch Party. In 2017 they returned with All You Gotta Do, which included a version of Brenda Lee's "That's All You Gotta Do."

Date & Time: August 12th - 10am-9pm

Location: Garrett County Fairground

270 Mosser Rd, McHenry, MD 21541

Ticket Prices

$20: Ages 3 - 12

$55: Ages 13+

Free Ages 3 and under

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