Gamblefest

Leap of Faith by Vendor Marianne Lerbs

2008-05-12T07:52:00.006-04:00

Of all people in this festival, that make music their livelihood and do this on a full time basis, (all of them top of the line musicians and national re-known performers), it was a leap of faith that fiddle player Janine Newfield and myself, made the front page of the Sunday Newspaper, the St. Augustine Record. To all you musicians that performed at the festival, you should all have been on the front page.

I went to the Gamble Rogers Festival 2008 at the St. Johns Fairgrounds, so I could listen all the music I could hear, watch every performer that I could play their songs and instruments, and gather all the positive feelings and magic that the festival goers like myself crave so that we can muster until the next one comes along.

I do fine arts for a living, music is a beautiful part of it. So when a good Music festival comes long, I set up my face paint vendor's booth, so I can work a little and take time to go see as many talented musicians as possible. As a side, I bring along with me, my acoustic guitar and a micro pink Ukulele that I got last years from Grampa's Music, which stopped Steve Coyle on his tracks when he was strolling by. He came by the booth and played us a tune with the small pink uke, as I was painting a pirate face on a small buccaneer.
If you ever heard Steve performing with his acoustic guitar (and making you laugh at the same time) you would agree, this was quite appropriate.

I saw and heard Mary Flower masterfully finger picking and Sam Pacetti playing like he has a couple of extra fingers on each hand (He said he is an alien from another planet and I believe him).

I danced many times when I went to enjoy the music performances. To me, The best complement you can give to any musician who is playing good music - besides listening - is to dance to their tune and move some dirt under your feet.

I never met Gamble Rogers. I made a point on taking a break from my face paint booth to go see the videos and find out who this man was. It was a small peek at this big-hearted person with a sense of humor that matched his tremendous skill as a musician. I hope that, - wherever he is -, he is laughing out loud with me on this one after watching my expression while I was singing this traditional Spanish song with Janine in the photo published on the cover page of the newsletter.

As for Janine, now, those who have heard her play the fiddle, know she can play it. She's a veteran festival performer and a beautiful and powerful violin virtuoso, both with classic and folk music. I could not let it pass when she wanted to play with me. It was just a leap of faith...

Marianne Lerbs
www.lerbs.com

Photo by Daron Dean

Festival FAQs

2008-04-28T19:55:00.004-04:00

To ask a question leave a comment at the end of the post or email info@gamblefest.com.

Q. Will dogs be allowed?

A. No, it's county policy not to allow dogs at the Fairgrounds. An exception would be dogs for visually-impaired individuals.

Q. When and where can I see the Gamble Rogers video performances?

A. 12:00 PM and 3:00 PM on Saturday at the Baby Grand Theatre stage. There will be two complete (and different) 50-minute sets screened.

Q. What time can I arrive for Friday camping?

A. Camping tickets ($20 for the weekend or a night) will be sold starting at noon on Friday.

Q. Will there be food for sale?

A. Yes, a variety of vendors will have food for sale, including veggie options.

Q. Can we bring a cooler with food and/or beer?

A. No coolers allowed in the festival/stage areas. Coolers are permitted in the campground.

Q. What kind of beverages will be sold?

A. Beer, sodas, and bottled water. All profits from beer and soda sales go to support the non-profit mission of the Gamble Rogers Festival.

Q. Do we need chairs?

A. There will be folding chairs at every stage and permanent bleachers at the Big Top Stage (sitting cushion recommended). Bringing your own chairs will give you more comfort than the festival’s rented chairs.

Q. What if we buy a Saturday day ticket then decide to stay for Saturday night?

A. You’ll need to return to the entrance to purchase tickets for the Saturday evening show.

Q. How does the new site at the Fairgrounds compare to the old site at the Amphitheatre in temperature? What kind of clothing should we bring?

A. The Fairgrounds is more open than the Amphitheatre. Some stages will be partially shaded; most of the trees are in the campground area. All stages are covered but if you’re prone to feel chilly at night when a breeze comes up you may want to bring a layer or two. The forecast is calling for highs around 80 and lows in the 60s.

Q. Is there a charge for parking?

A. No, parking is free. General parking entrance is the second gate after you turn off SR207; first gate is for performers, vendors, and volunteers. Follow the signs to parking (and please don’t run over any parking lot volunteers!)

Q. Will there be in and out privileges?

A. Yes, but your wristband will be required for re-entry to the festival.

Q. Are there any RV camping spaces available? How about primitive camping?

A. No RV spaces are left; there is plenty of primitive camping space available.

Have questions? Click the “Comments” link at the bottom of the post.

Saturday Headliners Robin & Linda Williams Video

2008-04-28T09:34:00.002-04:00

Nationally-known performers Robin & Linda Williams and Their Fine Band perform Saturday afternoon at 4:20 then headline the evening show at Gamble Rogers Festival. Featured often on the Prairie Home Companion radio show, host Garrison Keillor says of the duo, “Individually their voices can melt cheese and in duet they can do all-purpose welding.”

See and hear for yourself on this video:

President's Letter to Festival Fans

2008-04-28T08:21:00.003-04:00

Dear Friends:

Hello and welcome to the 13th Annual Gamble Rogers Festival. This year brings some new and exciting changes that we think will make everything much more memorable for all of you. First off, the festival itself is on the move...from the Amphitheatre to the St. Johns County Fairgrounds! Why? The answer is simple - we think you deserve more! More room, more music,more people; more of pretty much everything folks want in a festival -heck, we even have room for that camper you haven't used in fifteen years so load it up and drive on over.

It also seemed a shame to us that so many festival-goers may never have had the pleasure of seeing our friend Gamble Rogers perform, and we felt it was about time we changed that, too. So, large screen recorded performances of Gamble in concert will be shown on Saturday at the Baby Grand Theatre Stage. We hope all of you will go on over and make his acquaintance - like all of us who knew him, you'll be glad you did!

And now, from changes to challenges! Our greatest hurdle next year will be overcoming across-the-board funding cuts for non-profit organizations in our county. We need your help and we're not going to be shy about asking for it, because we know you'll want to give it. Please look for the donation boxes at the festival. And if you don't want to donate at the festival, don't worry, you can send your check anytime to: Gamble Rogers Festival, c/o Paul Linser, 6713 Hidden Creek blvd., St. Augustine, FL, 32086. This really is your chance to make a difference!

Thank you all and I'll see you at the Fairgrounds!

Peace,

Paul Linser

Carolina Chocolate Drops on YouTube

2008-04-28T05:46:00.003-04:00

Friday night's headliner, the Carolina Chocolate Drops, explain their motivation and inspiration for playing up-tempo hill country string music in this video:

Come on out Friday and enjoy a free fish fry with your paid admission and experience the foot-stompin' good times of the Carolina Chocolate Drops along with the Aaron O'Rourke Trio, Mary Flower and Stevie Coyle. Show begins at 7:00 PM.

Sneak Peek at Gamblefest Layout--Oklawaha County

2008-04-23T07:48:00.009-04:00

The 13th Annual Gamble Rogers Festival happens May 2-4 at the St. Johns County Fairgrounds, SR207 6 miles west of I-95. This year we're trying to re-create the atmosphere of Oklawaha County, the mythical locale where guitar picker and storyteller Gamble Rogers created a colorful cast of characters.

Here's a sneak peek at the layout of the festival:

Detailed Schedule (By Artist) Posted!

2008-04-19T08:14:00.005-04:00

Find your favorite performers, when and where they’ll appear on the eight (8!) stages of the Gamble Rogers Festival by using this link: http://www.gamblefest.com/schedule.htm. We’ve had numerous requests for a schedule format where you can readily find your favorites and see at a glance where they’ll be performing. This is our first shot at it; your comments are welcome.

GAMBLEFEST WIRED!

We’ll have a wifi hotspot (no password required) around the festival office. The office is the white building that looks like a school house, on the east side of the festival grounds. The hotspot is brand new so we’re not sure just how big the footprint will be. So if you just HAVE to check your email during the festival that should be possible. We hope to be blogging the latest festival happenings, time permitting, and your comments and feedback are welcome.

Remembering Gamble...by Lis Williamson

2008-04-16T08:36:00.002-04:00

As I began to write my very first Gamble Gazette, I wanted to write about the man himself. There are so many new folks in town and I thought this would be a good time to acquaint them with Gamble on a little more personal level. As I cut and pasted my way through an endless sea of tributes, I realized I would have to write and write and write to tell you everything I’d like you to know about Gamble Rogers.
What kind of man would inspire a small group of friends and admirers to start a music festival in his honor and struggle to keep it going for twelve years no matter what? What kind of person would move folks to write such heartfelt and memorable stories about him and what he gave to each of them? He continues to inspire those who attend the school and visit the park named in his honor.
He was a pretty amazing guy and I still miss him as if he left just yesterday.
For those who never knew him, I suggest you do the research yourself and get to know the wonderful world of Gamble Rogers. Buy his recordings and learn about his legacy. See what in the world keeps us all in awe of his kind spirit and unique music and stories. Check out that guitar playing. Wow! Visit www.gamblerogers.com to experience Oklawaha County.
For those of you lucky enough to have had him in your life, it’s time to visit an old friend. For those who never met him, there’s no better time to make his acquaintance. You’ll be glad you did.

Gamblefest Blog Heralds Upcoming 13th Annual Festival

2008-04-14T15:13:00.000-04:00

The 13th Annual Gamble Rogers Festival, May 2-4 at the St. Johns County Fairgrounds will be bigger than better than ever! Over 70 performers will gather to perform, camp and jam to celebrate the rebirth of legendary Oklawaha County.

Complete festival information is located at www.gamblefest.com, the official website of the festival. We hope to update this blog frequently both prior to and during the festival to have the latest news re the happenings at the festival.

We hope to see you at Gamblefest!