Campers Filling Field for Annual FreshGrass FestivalBy Jack Guerino, iBerkshires Staff
10:38PM / Friday, September 19, 2014 | |
 Campers setting up at FreshGround at Noel Field Athletic Complex. The FreshGrass festival at Mass MoCA runs through Sunday. |
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Campers descended upon the city to claim a spot for the FreshGrass bluegrass Festival at Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art this weekend.
Although many of the concertgoers utilize established parking areas throughout the city, the more explorative music fans are setting camp at Noel Field.
Disanti Field has been split up into 175 campsites known as FreshGround, a take off on the successful SolidGround used during Solid Sound. Campers arrived throughout the day Friday to set up their camps and meet with other bluegrass enthusiasts. The parking lot behind Joe Wolfe Field has been split up into 25 recreational vehicle and camper spots.
Camp attendees said they expect FreshGround location will be close to full by the end of the day.
These concertgoers will be shuttled over to Mass MoCA in buses when the concerts begin.
Volunteers from ROPES program, operated mostly by local police, will supervise the campground. Sixty percent of the proceeds will go to the summer youth program.
Overflow parking can also be found behind the Big Y and in the district courthouse parking lot.
The three-day music festival hosts more than 40 acts and includes names such as Emmylou Harris, Railroad Earth, The Carolina Chocolate Drops, and Béla Fleck and Abigail Washburn.
Major performers will take the main stages, but there will be pop-up concerts in the museum's galleries and courtyards.
This year FreshGrass will expand on its music competitions. Bands that enter can win $15,000 in prizes that include studio time in Nashville. There will be multiple contests for different kinds of performances judged by industry professionals.
The festival ends Sunday.
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