National Traditional Country Music Assn.

This amazing festival has been in existence since 1976.  The first location was in Council Bluffs, Iowa.  After six years there, the fairboard demanded that they set up a beer tent.  Bob Everhart refused to allow that to happen, so they kicked the festival out.  They ran a counter-competitive one for two years.  Bob Everhart moved the festival to the Pottwattamie County Fairgrounds, where it was located for 21 years.  After a complete change in the fairboard and hugely exorbitant increases in rent and fees, it was moved to the Harrison County Fairgrounds in Missouri Valley, Iowa.  It was there for five years, but a dispute between the city and the fair caused the event to move again, this time to its current location at the Plymouth County Fairgrounds in LeMars, Iowa.

 

Celebrities scheduled for 2011: Charley Boyter and a complete "Down-Under Australian Country Music Show" - Jim Ed Brown, Grand Ole Opry - Chicken House Opry from Mountain View - Norville Dollar TV host from St.Louis - Peter Danny Daskalov  from Czech Republic - Bob & Charyl Duff a fundraiser auctioneer from California - Greta Elkin from North Ireland, Europe's finest yodeler - Johnny Ray Gomez perhaps mid-America's finest accordionist - Red Johnson recorded "There's A Grand Ole Opry Show Somewhere" for Capitol Records - Sherwin & Pam Linton recorded "The Cotton Kings" - Little Roy Lewis & Lizzy Show  from Georgia, of the famous Lewis Family - Michael Montana grandson of Patsy Montana, hosts a tribute to his grandmother -Eddie Pennington from Kentucky picks like Merle Travis true champion - Betty Rydell popular vocalist from Minnesota - Walker & Bill Rainey from Nashville, DJ with show around the world - Jake Simpson Fantastic young fiddler from Oklahoma - -Joyce Shaffer Colorado vocalist for patriotism - Ben & Carmen Steneker Holland's 'father of country music -Terry Smith wrote "Far Side Banks of Jordan" for Johnny & June Carter Cash - Smokey Smith Mr. Country Iowa very famous promoter and performer - June Webb from Florida, performed with Roy Acuff and Hank Williams Sr.

Performers scheduled for 2011: The Jacob Austin Band (Tx); Annie & Teri Avery (Ia); Bobby & Joy Awe (Ia); Ron Affolter (Mn); Rick & Harriette Andersen (Ia); David Andersen (Mo); Pat & Wayne Boilesen (Ne); Matt Boone (Tn); Kenneth Brinton (Ne); Naomi Bristow (Canada); Paul & Collette Burnett (Ia); Shirley Butt (Canada); Bruce Bernhart (Mn); Jim Ed Brown (Tn); Bonnie & Bob Banks (Ia); Rich Bellert (Mn); David Lewis Beck (Ks); Charley & Sandra Boyter (Australia); Peter & Dianne Lindsay (Australia); Ken & Mandy Lindsay (Australia); Jamie Davis (Tasmania); Sean Benz (Mn); Chicken House Opry (Ar); Punjo Reed (Tx); Lucy Jackson (Tx); Mike Osborn (Ar); Ike Thurn (Ar); Kathy Voss (Ar); Marvin Judd (Ar); John & Paula Nordrum (Ar); Jerry & Helen McCullough (Ar); Loyd & Nora Stephens (Ar); Dar May (Ar); Jay & Patty Kent (Ar); Junior Fulks (Ar); Jane Parker (Ar); T.J. Casey (Mt); Jim Reader (Canada); Janet Cline (Ne); Duane Miller (Ne); Crystal River (Ok); Cookie Eller (Ok); Jody Bill Green (Ok); Stan Gray (Ok); G.C. Moore (Ok); Herb Battenfield (Ok); Kathy Cash (Tn); Harold Condray (Mo); John Cox (Ne); Thomas & Dorothy Craven (Tx); Peter Danny Daskalov (Czech Republic); Bob & Charyl Duff (Ca); Geno Dunn (Tx); John & Marjorie Duttwiler (Ia); Don Diemer & Sarah Clark (Co); Down Home Dulcimers (Ia); Fred & Dorothy Techau (Ia); Dakota Prairie Cloggers (SD); Erica Howell (SD); Maynard & Debbie Dahl, (Ia); Dan Danielson (Ia); Norville Dollar (Mo); H C Derksen (Ia); Scott Davison (Ia); Donnie DeCamp (Ia); Danny & Donna Dee (Ia); Ed & Kathy Dovel (Ne); Dale & Caroline Eichor (Ia); Lyle Edwards (Ia); Chad Elifrits (Mo); Dave Elifrits (Ne); Greta Elkin (North Ireland); Anna Erickson (Mn); Bob & Sheila Everhart (Ia); Scott & Anna Froemming and 5 children (Mn); Flickertail Holler (ND); Seth Mulder (ND); Teressa Franken (Ne); Mike Felten (Il); Paul Flora (Tx); Wilbur Foss (SD); Barb & Dale Frazier (Ia); Joyce Fratt (Ne);  Jordan & Ray Garner (Australia);Johnny Ray Gomez (Ne); Bonnie Guitar (Wa); Charley & Sandy Good (Ia); Don Grubb (Ia); Marcia Greve (Ne); Kathy Graeve (Ia); Highway 52 (Ia); Annie Rude (Ia); Horn Twins (Ok); Cody Heeren (Ia); Lawrence & Donna Harms (Mo); Merlyn Hansen (Ia); Francis & Jeannie Hahn (Ia); Homeward Bound (Ia); Helen Weselmann (Ia); Clarence Hayden (Mo); Emma Lin Heyen (Ia); Tom Hawk (Md); I-35 Bluegrass Band (Mo); Jeremy Peiter (Mo); Red & Flo Johnson (Mn); Audrey Johannsen (Ia); Mark & Sue Jenkins (Ne); Wally James (Fl); Jones Boy's Band (Ia); Rick & Michael Jones (Ia); Paul & Linda Johnson & 5 children (Ia); Johansen Sisters (Ne); Julie Couch (Ne); Andy Juhl (Ia); Tammy Klingensmith (Ia); Kenaston Family (Ne); Roger & Sharon Kenaston (Ne); Vanessa Kenaston (SD); Bob Kenaston (Ne); Jay & Joyce Kelly (Ne); Bob Keim (Ne); Kramer Sisters (Ne); Janet Jeffries Beaurais (Ne); Kanesville Boys (Ia); Perry Burkum (Ia); Jill Devault (Ia); Matt Dickinson (Ia): Coner giles (Ia); James Nordmeyer (Ia); Danny Sabra (Ia); KG & The Ranger (Wi); Karen Gogolick (Wi); Rick Roltgen (Wi); Terry & Julie Kooi & 4 children (Ia); Little Roy Lewis & Lizzy (Ga); The Link Family & 5 children (Mo); Sherwin & Pam Linton (Mn); Wayne & Wendy Longtin (Ia); Kenny & Janete Luellen (Ne); Jim & Bwev Lillo (Oh); Bill Lear (Mo); Fred Larson (Ia); Jack Langley (Ia); Marge & Arlyn Lund (Ia); Maggie Mae (Wi); Bill Marnin (Ia); Mason Jar (Ia); Michael Murphy (Ne); Lee & Deanna Muller (Ks); Movylene (Ia); Cincy Moriston & Rick (Ia); Michael Montana (Al); Keith Miller (Ia); Chari Miles (Mi); Jerry & Sharon Mescher (Ia); Ben McClure (Ia); Paul & Mattie Maloy (Ok); Jim & Judy Malone (Ne); Rayne Magill & Family (Ne); Matney Sisters (Ia); Jamie Nutt (Ne); Dan McElroy (Ne); Arnie & Ruby Newquist (Ne); Jody Nix (Tx); Bill "Hoot" Nish (Ia); Jerry Neeman (Ne); Kenny & Marie Oseth (Ia); One on the Mountain (WV); Jim Hughes (WV); Jerry & Maggie Hughes (WV); Red Shoen (Tx); Shirley McCord (Tx); Molli & Jerry Ophoven & 4 children (Mn); Elaine & Paul Peacock (SD); Walt Peterson (Ia); Janie Preston (Tx); Mary Channer Paul (Ne); Maria & Roger Petersen (Germany); Ervin Pickhinke (Ia); Art Peterson (Ca); The Punches Family (Mo); Jonathan Lee Pickens (NM); Eddie Pennington (Ky); Betty Rydell (Mn); Thurman Rinehart (Ok); Dwayne Reed Family (Ne); Abe Reddekopp (Mo); Poppy Rasmussen (Wi); Rancheros (Ia); Bob Richter (Ia); Lawson Rudd (In); Walker & Bill Rainey (Tn); Ralph & Nathan Stanley (Va); Jerry Schafer (Mi); Chris Schurman (Ne); Jake Simpson (Ok); Tom Smith (Tn); Jerome & Shirley Shelton (Mn); Jeremiah Strohl (Ne); Jerry Stevenson (Mo); Bertha & Mary Swatzell (Tx); Jim Savarino (WV); Sundown Pete (NM); Joyce Shaffer (Co); Harv Schmid (Ne); Jackie Shewey (Ne); Larry Seldon (Mn); Jeannie Seely (Tn); Ben & Carmen Steneker (Holland); Terry Smith (Tn); Christian Scholl (SD); Silver Creek Cloggers (Ia); Jerry & Sharon Hytrek (Ia); Kathy Smith (Ia); Andy Stanley (Mi); Smokey Smith (Ia); Walt Schuver & Old Friends Band (Ia); Leon Seiter (Mi); Janine Sherry (Mn); Larry Schafer Larimiah (Ia); Hank Singleton (Al); Sandy Creek Pickers (Ne); John & Jason Shaw (Ne); Josh Slone & Coal Town (Ky); Don Taylor (Mo); Don Taft (Ia); Frank Tuma (Ia); This Side of Sunday (Ia); Dwayne Riche (Ia); James Urbauer Family (Ne); Sandy Uttley (Pa); Darrell Veencamp (Ia); Gary & Janet Weideman (Ia); Gordon Wilcox (Canada); Paul Wold (Ne); Troy Way (Ia); Tom & Bernie Worrell (Fl); June Webb (Fl); Perk Washenberger (SD); Bobby Yates (Fl); Maynard Zipf (Ne)

 

There are ten stages functioning for seven days, accommodating a massive number of performing artists, well over 650, in an acoustic format.  This means electric guitars (the exception being the bass), drums, karaoke, synthesizers, and sound-altering devices are not allowed.  Our destination in music is "EXCELLENCE"  It always has been, and it will continue to be.  Excellence to us means doing something very common in a very uncommon way.  We want the very best entertainers that we can get to perform for our audience.  BUT, we also want to keep our open door policy of providing beginners a good stage to perform on, an opportunity to share their talent, new as it might be, and encourage them every step of the way to join all of us who are in pursuit of excellence. There is always something new at this event, always something exciting, and always something incredibly entertaining.  This of course would not be possible without an audience, our friends, our families, our helpers, our volunteers, our fellow performers, and our supporters.  We hope you have the most fun ever, and if you don't like what's going on at one stage, simply move to another.  It's a constant parade of some of the best old-time traditional classic country, folk, and bluegrass music you're going to find anywhere else on planet earth.  Sometimes it comes from another country, maybe the country your original ancestors came from. What we consistently try to do, is to keep it 'country' and by that we mean the old styles, the old traditions, the old culture, the 'rural' conotation, whatever got us to this point in time.

 

ADMISSION

For a seven-day 9am-midnight festival presented on no less than ten stages, the cost of seeing this event, which includes all the celebrities and all the extras like a Tipi Village; workshops; showcases; free watermelon; free ice cream; free pot-luck; is incredibly low.  Following are the latest prices.

One day admission for single adult $15 (anyone under the age of 18 is free)

Seven-day pass is $65 

RV Camping on a nice flat grass surface - $13 per day with electricity

RV & Tent Camping under shade trees - without electricity - $9 per day

Arts & Crafts rental space 10'x`10' Indoors & outdoors (you provide canopy) $70 which includes one free 7-day gate pass

 

HERE'S A FEW IF'S-AND'S-and BUT'S & FAQ's ABOUT THE FESTIVAL

WRIST BANDS should be worn (or at least visible on your body) at all times, especially if you are leaving the grounds or entering at the main gate.

PETS are allowed and welcome at the festival.  You have to keep them on a leash, and do not take them inside the buildings or in the food court area.  Lots of grass for them to run.  PLEASE pick up after them.

WATER TAPS are available to fill your water tanks free of charge.  There are several locations on the grounds, but they must remain open for all, so please do not hook-up and then not disconnect.  It's a sharing situation.

DUMP STATION is just outside the grounds on the main road as you turn left to exit. It's right across the road from Archies Waeside Restaurant.  It's free.

PUMPER TRUCKS are available to pump your RV on site, but they must be called. They do come on a regular basis, usually it's about $20 a pump.

GARBAGE CONTROL Sheila and I have to clean the grounds after you leave, so PLEASE help us by putting your trash in the receptacles provided.  Thank you very much!

TOILETS & SHOWERS are available at three locations.  Outside entrance between the Main Stage and Dance Hall; the newest and largest is by the One on the Mountain Stage by the Round Barn, and beneath the huge grandstand.  Toilets are everywhere.

CAR PARKING is in designated areas only.  The fee is still $2 a day to park your vehicle on the fair grounds.  Your cars are free if they come in with your RV, but you must park them close to your camper at all times.  Do not park in any fire lanes, or blocking a road or someone else's vehicle, or anywhere near the food court.

RV CAMPING is first come first serve for electric hook-ups.  That means the 30-amp disappears first.  You can run an air conditioner on 20-amp, but not any other electrical devices at the same time.  We have a generator area, and lots of dry camping spots which includes tents.

MOTELS Holiday Inn Express 712-546-1700; Baymont Inn 712-546-4910; America's Best Value 712-546-8800; Guesthouse (in Marcus, Iowa) 712-376-4844; Amber Inn 712-546-7066

FREE FOOD This is one of the very few events you will go to that provides free food. There's usually something available at the Tipi Village all the time, but you have to accept what's cooking in the big pot.  There is a free pot-luck on Sunday evening just prior to the Monday start of the festival.  All can share, it's main purpose is to treat our volunteers and helpers.  Bring side dishes or whatever you can. There is also free watermelon and free ice cream on designated days.  Watch for this at the festival.

ARTS AND CRAFTS have slowly diminished over the years, but we still have space available for anyone wanting to sell things.  We appreciate and favor anything that is of a pioneer nature, but we have room for all EXCEPT we do not want noise making items, or items of a sexual or violence nature.  No guns or knives allowed.  It costs $70 for the week (same amount of money we pay per square footage) for a 10'x10' space whether it be inside, or outside (you provide your own canopy). For those setting up vendor spaces, please unload your vehicles first and remove them from your location, and then finish settin up.

FESTIVAL FOOD We believe we have some of the best festival food available at any event in America.  All of it is top-notch, and delicious.  All of the vendors pass strict Iowa State food serving laws.  Try Ken Wright's amazing char-broiled steaks.  You'll agree they are the best ever.  He has pork chops and many other meat items, all served in dinner form or just as a sandwich.  Culver's Restaurants is one of Iowa's most popular eating establishments.  They serve a 'butter burger' that will make you think twice about eating at any other fast food restaurant anywhere.  They fry their burgers in butter. Their full menu is available at the festival.  From Oklahoma the Longhorn provides excellent chicken and fish, Mexican food and tacos, along with a stunning array of potato and soft drink options.  And don't miss the 1919 root beer stand.  Delicious tap style home-made rootbeer combined with Blue Bunny ice cream makes for a memory. Don't forget there's some amazingly good restaurants in LeMars, the most famous and oldest is just a short walk to the corner of the fairgrounds.  Archie's Waeside is a steakhouse supreme.  Try their aged meats, you'll agree.  Try them all.

CD'S AND BOOKS FOR SALE We can't begin to tell you how important it is to musicians and performers to sell CD's to their fans.  In today's world, this is how they put gas in the gas tank, and cheeseburgers in the stomach.  There is always an unusually high number of CD's and books for sale at this event.  Do try to take home as many as you possibly can.  Don't forget, Christmas is just around the corner, and you couldn't provide Grandma or Grandpa with a nicer small gift than one that features the music they love to listen to.  And for kids, there's lots of recording artists that have CD's just for them.  Great old songs too, even Bob & Sheila have some CD's they did for kids, featuring songs like "Down in the Valley"  Visit their table and see.  Take home some fun, some old-time entertainment, a gift that goes on remembering....for you.

HALL OF FAME INDUCTIONS & MUSIC AWARDS One of the things that YOU do that impresses our visitors is the standing ovations you give our performers when they win a contest, or are inducted into the Hall of Fame, or won an award from the Rural Roots Music Commission.  You started this very satisfying gesture yourself, and it also gives you a chance to stretch your legs.  So, we have lots of that going on this year, so keep up the good work, and continue to impress everyone that crosses our stages.

OAK TREE OPRY is located in Anita, Iowa, and it is still running at full steam.  We still have some excellent shows coming up at this little performance center.  Come see us at the Oak Tree, and catch our regulars at the festival all over the place; Bob & Sheila Everhart; Rick & Harriette Andersen; Francis Hahn; Marge Lund; and Jackie Shewey.

ADVERTISERS you hear this same plea from all the festivals you attend.  Please patronize our advertisers.  It's the same here in LeMars, everything from a cheap place to get a hair-cut to one of the best meals in town.  We have some wonderful sponsors, and their ads appear in the program we give out at the gate.  Please take time to visit them, and note the new ones this year like museums and shows that you would not normally know about.  Spend a few dollars with them, and hopefully that will encourage them to allow us to do the festival here in LeMars for a long time.

BOB & SHEILA EVERHART are off to Florida to appear on the "Tribute to Ed Sullivan" in Miami in mid-February, 2013.  Of course we will be looking for work going down, while we're there, and coming home, so any tip or help in that department is always greatly appreciated.  Boy it is tough to get any gigs unless they are arranged a year in advance, and we do have some already booked, but we can always use more to see us through.  We do some terrific old-time country, and the stories are sometimes as entertaining as the songs are.  Our specialty this year is dedicating a good portion of our show to 100 birthday celebrants: Woody Guthrie; Roy Rogers; Bill Monroe; and Minnie Pearl. Any help in this area would be greatly appreciated. We will be available nearly any day or night, so please call us at 712-762-4363 at our Iowa office, or 712-249-5989 our cell phone, or simply e-mail us at bobeverhart@yahoo.com