The West Michigan Bluegrass Music Association will kick off its 16th annual Fallfest Bluegrass Festival Thursday with a potluck and a jam session, and continue the fun all weekend long.

The association is a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving and promoting bluegrass music in Michigan.

“I love bluegrass music and I love the people,” said Dave Simmonds, president of the WMBMA.

The WMBMA promotes bluegrass through family-friendly events with live music and events, especially through their spring and fall festivals such as Fallfest.

“We have gotten larger in two respects: people and activities that we have,” Simmonds said. “Way back it was just music on stage and instrument workshops, which we still have, but now we do more and more for the families.”

Indeed there is no shortage of activities at Fallfest. Along with the live music and instrument workshops are crafting sessions, pie eating contests and even a Van Scramble where people can enter their names and are drawn at random into groups to practice songs with each other and then perform on stage.

“The festivals are good family fun and entertainment with good music that people aren’t even aware that they like until they listen to it,” said Paul Pope, MBMA social media director, who is known throughout the WMBMA as “Bluegrass Paul.”

The festivals include performances by nationally recognized bluegrass musicians as well as local musicians and groups.

“I’m proud of the organization and the festivals we do,” Pope said. “As a lover of bluegrass music it’s important to support the art form.”

Simmonds said he WMBMA’s mission to introduce more people to bluegrass music, which they have been doing through their events and festivals for over 16 years.

“It’s not just our association’s mission, it’s mine personally,” he said.

Paul said anyone near Kent County who wants to help with kids or camp out should come to festival, not just bluegrass aficionados.

Fallfest 2011 will be held Friday through Sunday at the Kent County Fairgrounds in Lowell, Mich.

A potluck will also be held on Thursday at 6 p.m. with a jam session immediately following.

Tickets can be purchased in advance from the WMBMA website for $20, or at the door for $25.

For more information about Fallfest, visit www.wmbma.org

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