Tacoma and the award-winning movie O Brother Where Art Thou, have more in common than you think: both are bringing bluegrass music back to center stage.
After its third consecutive nomination, Tacomas annual Wintergrass music festival was named Event of the Year by the International Bluegrass Music Association on Oct. 27.
Wintergrass staff, Earla Harding, Patrice ONeill and Stephen Ruffo, accepted the award in the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tenn, which bluegrass favorites Alison Krauss and Ricky Skaggs hosted.
Wintergrass took the highest honor among two fellow nominees: The Minnesota Bluegrass and Old Time Music Festival from St. Cloud, Minn., and RockyGrass from Lyns, Colo. Wintergrass was recognized for its uniqueness, overall experience and ties to Tacomas art-fueled revitalization.
In its 13th year of existence, the Wintergrass festival hosts an array of performers during the course of a February weekend within and around downtown Tacomas Sheraton Hotel.
The 2006 Wintergrass festival will run from Feb. 23 to 26. The City of Tacoma is one of the core sponsors of Wintergrass.
