KnockanStockan Festival, 24-26 July 2009

Thanks to Charleen Hurtubise of the Little Ass Birds for news of the KnockanStockan Independent Music Festival at Lacken, Co. Wicklow, and for the following release from Sarah Canadia of the festival team:

Now in its 3rd year and wearing a 'best small festival' award around its neck, the festival run by musicians for music lovers has declared 2009 the year that 'you're a festival'!

Over three days some of Ireland's greatest bands and entertainers will congregate as a collective to put on a show as never seen before on these shores, while still holding true to its original ethos as a barrier-free, open, and very welcoming festival. The festival site will feature 4 amazing stages with over 130 acts, a high-quality Vendors' Market, a chill-out area, poetry & performance arts, creative workshops, fantastic camping, and much more.

At a quarter of the price of the bigger festivals, the emphasis is on good music, not money making. KnockanStockan is located in Lacken, Co. Wicklow on a beautiful site overlooking the Blessington Lakes. This year’s festival will, as always, be woven together by the crew (who all work for free), the local community, the farmer, and YOU!

KnockanStockan 2009 weekend camping tickets are available for only €65 online or in the KnockanShop (Eamonn Doran's), Road Records, City Disks, and Om Diva. The festival of 2009 that’s NOT to be missed!!!

The flyer above (click to enlarge) lists the bluegrass-related acts on the bill: the Little Ass Birds themselves (who will also be playing the Dunmore East Bluegrass Festival a month later), Anthony Furey and the Young Folk Band, the Cotton Pickin Rodeo Clowns, Enda Reilly, Lisa O’Neill, NC Lawlor, the Cujo Family, the Prairie Dawgs, the River Valley Band, and Tupelo. For full details, see the KnockanStockan Festival website.