Our History
THE Beginnings
The Backbone Lake Promotion Association (started as Backbone Lake Preservation Association), the group that runs the Backbone Bluegrass Festival, was created to raise funds for dredging and restoring Backbone Lake in the early 1980s. Linzy Martin came up with the idea of hosting a bluegrass festival as a fundraiser. Eventually, Backbone Lake Preservation Association realized bluegrass festivals weren’t the best ways to raise funds. However instead of discarding the festival, they decided to update their name to Backbone Lake Promotion Association and alter their goal to preserve and promote bluegrass music and to promote tourism to Backbone State Park and surrounding areas.
(First flier for the festival, 1981)
The Hayfield years
The first 4 Backbone Bluegrass Festivals were held in a hay field from 1981 to 1985. The land was owned by the Lincoln Brothers' Farms, and after 4 years they needed to rotate crops. They made the land that the current location of the Backbone Bluegrass Festival is held on known to the Backbone Lake Promotion Association.
(Band performing at 2nd Backbone Bluegrass Festival, 1982)
THE performances
A wide variety of talented local, regional, and national bands have played the Backbone Bluegrass Festival. This includes Alison Krauss and Union Station, Special Consensus, the Cox Family, Mike Snider, the Bob Lewis Family, Bob Everhart, the Sally Mountain Show, the Faris Family, the Grascals, and the Kody Norris Show. Check out the bands that are playing this year here!
(Alison Krauss and Union Station at Backbone Bluegrass Festival, 1987)
Backbone Bluegrass mural
Snap a selfie at this mural, located at the south end of Strawberry Point. If you post it on Facebook, make sure to tag Backbone Bluegrass!
Our Partners
