Downeast Bluegrass & Oldtime Music Society
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Downeast Bluegrass & Oldtime Music Society

​Promoting & Preserving Bluegrass in
Eastern Canada

49th Annual NS Bluegrass Festival
Established in 1980, the Downeast Bluegrass & Oldtime Music Society is an incorporated,
not-for-profit organization who's objective it is To Promote and Preserve
​Bluegrass & Oldtime Music in Eastern Canada.
 
"It is our duty, not only as musicians, but as participants of this music form that it be like any other music form in history. It's our duty to allow bluegrass music to grow and flourish and at the same time retain the most important part of it, and that is the essence of the sound of real bluegrass music."
-Tony Rice (2013)

Important COVID-19 crisis announcement:   


We hope everyone is staying healthy, safe and isolated so we can put this COVID virus and its devastating affects behind us as soon as possible. We have been closely monitoring the NB, PEI and NS Health advisories, restrictions, and warnings, and after much discussion and dismay, feel the following decisions have become necessary.

NS Festival: This year’s 49th Annual Nova Scotia Bluegrass and Oldtime Music Festival is being postponed until July 22-25, 2021.  See the Festival Tab above for more information. 

Awards Show Weekend:  Member voting (only the voting) for this year’s 36th Annual Eastern Canada Bluegrass Music Awards will be suspended, and the corresponding categories will not be won or awarded. It is our hope that the Awards Show Weekend will still be possible, and we will continue monitoring the situation and reassess as necessary with regards to the Hotel and the show itself.  See the Awards Show Tab above for more details. 

Please stay safe, watch for more announcements, and continue enjoying all the live music being offered on social media, including our Downeast Bluegrass Covid-19 Jam page on Facebook. 


Click on the picture below to go to our Downeast Bluegrass COVID-19 Jam Page!

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Downeast Community Music Shows

     
   - No upcoming Community Shows scheduled




​Past Shows: 

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                    Porter's Lake, NS - March 29, 2020

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​Click the button below for more information about the
49th Annual Nova Scotia Bluegrass
​& Oldtime Music Festival

49th Annual NS Bluegrass Festival


The Society is made up of direct members to the Society plus all the members of five chapters:
  • Truro and Area Bluegrass Society
  • East Hants Bluegrass & Oldtime Music Association
  • Eastern Shore Bluegrass & Oldtime Music Association
  • Annapolis Valley Bluegrass & Oldtime Music Association
  • Clare Bluegrass Association
The objectives of the Society are:
  • To Promote and Preserve Bluegrass & Oldtime Music in Eastern Canada.
  • To organize and produce the Annual Nova Scotia Bluegrass & Oldtime Music Festival which is the oldest Bluegrass Festival in Canada.
  • To organize and produce the Eastern Canada Bluegrass Music Awards

We are registered with Joint Stock Companies of Nova Scotia, registration # 1253983, operating in accordance with our own Society By-Laws. A Board of Directors elected by the total membership ideally including at least one representative from each affiliated Chapter, and numbering between 7 and 13, look after the affairs of the Society. Included in the 13 possible Directors are the Society Executive (President, 1st and 2nd Vice-President, Treasurer, and Secretary) who are individually elected by the membership to take care of the day to day business of the Society.

The Society has various committees in place, which often call on members for assistance. We encourage all members to get involved and help out in various society projects!

Affiliated Clubs:
The Annapolis Valley Bluegrass & Oldtime Music Association based in Berwick, Nova Scotia.
Regular general meetings are held in October, January and April.
Club contact address: TBA
Contact; Brian Hazlett – President.
Telephone - (902) 684-0204
Email – bchazlett@ns.sympatico.ca 
Follow us on Facebook!

The Clare Bluegrass Association based in Meteghan, Nova Scotia.
Meetings are not held on a regular basis.
Club contact address:  PO Box 103, Meteghan Centre, N.S. B0W 2K0
Contact: Russell Leblanc - President
Telephone - (902) 649-2026
Email – clarebluegrass@hotmail.com
Web Site – http://www.clarebluegrass.org

The East Hants Bluegrass & Oldtime Music Association based in Lantz, Nova Scotia. 
Jams are held at the Milford Lantz United Church (2134 Highway # 2, Milford, NS) on the first Sunday of each month from October to May. Jam times are 1:30 PM to 7:30 PM. General meetings are held in December, March and May at the church and in September at the campout.

Club contact address: 53 Carolyns Way, Lantz, N.S. B2S 0E9
Contact; Jerry Murphy – Membership Chair
Telephone - (902) 883-7189
Email - jerrym1939@bellaliant.net
Website - https://easthantsbluegrass.weebly.com/

The Eastern Shore Bluegrass & Oldtime Music Association based in Porter's Lake, Nova Scotia.
Jams are held at École des Beaux-Marais (5261 Nova Scotia Trunk 7, Porters Lake, NS) on the second Sunday of each month from October to May. Jam times are 12:30 PM to 5:00 PM.
Club contact address:  130 Stewiacke River Park Road, MacKay Siding, NS, B0N 2J0
Contact: Michael Laycock – President
Telephone - (902) 639-9267
Email - rimsba@hotmail.ca

The Truro and Area Bluegrass & Oldtime Music Association based in Truro, Nova Scotia.
Jams are held at the École Acadienne de Truro (50 Aberdeen St, Truro, NS) on the second and last Saturdays of each month from September to May. Jam times are 1:00 PM to 8:00 PM.
Club contact address: PO Box 330, Stewiacke, NS, B0N 2J0
Contact: Leo MacArthur – President
Telephone: (902) 893-4271
Email: leofamacarthur@outlook.com

​Meet our Board of Directors: 

 President - John Simms (Salmon River, NS)
1st Vice-President  - Chantal O'Neil (Tracadie, NS)
2nd Vice-President - Sharon Lewis (Salmon River NS)
Treasurer - TBA         
 Secretary - 
Anne Langille (Stewiacke, NS)

Directors:
Nelson Langille - Stewiacke, NS
Art MacNeil - Lantz, NS
Angus Mackenzie - Lawrencetown, NS
Julie Dempsey - Berwick, NS
Bill Dempsey - Berwick, NS
Mike Meuse - Antigonish, NS
Eric Conrad - Seaforth, NS
​Barb Graves - Sackville, NS
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​A Very Special Thank You to ​our Sponsors! 

​Please support those that support us!

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