Blue Waters festival returns to Medical Lake

Every year in Medical Lake, the Blue Waters Bluegrass Festival turns Waterfront Park into a hub for bluegrass musicians and fans. Over three days, the festival assembles both local and traveling artists for a lively, gregarious celebration of the genre.

Blue Waters has been an annual tradition since 2002, and previous lineups have included the likes of the Steep Canyon Rangers, Dan Tyminski and Della Mae.

This year’s roster includes Kathy Kallick and Laurie Lewis, both of whom have played with long-standing bluegrass group Good Ol’ Persons, and the Growling Old Men, a California-based acoustic duo that’s appeared on the radio program “A Prairie Home Companion.” Also on the docket is a tribute to the late Hazel Dickens, a pioneering bluegrass musician and activist whose work influenced artists like Lucinda Williams and Emmylou Harris.

But Blue Waters is as notable for its music as for its sense of camaraderie. Participating musicians tend to pop up on one another’s sets, turning the whole weekend into a sort of extended jam session, and music is known to spill out into the campsites after the festivities have ended.

The event isn’t just about the featured performers. The schedule also offers an open mic show on Friday and a gospel singalong on Sunday. Blue Waters also offers a youth camp that teaches young participants the ins and outs of various instruments, and the headlining musicians conduct workshops throughout the weekend, teaching their tricks of the trade.