On Saturday, April 15, Growing Rural Opportunities (GRO), local nonprofit that supports agriculture in Polk County, will host the first annual GRO Fest, a music festival to celebrate and support the farmers of Polk County. The festival will feature live performances by The Hackensaw Boys, Aaron Burdett Band, Letters to Abigail and the Bald Mountain Boys. The event will also showcase a number of local food, beer, and wine vendors, such as Mountain View BBQ, Pisgah Brewing and Overmountain Vineyards.

Headlining musical act, The Hackensaw Boys are an electrifying bluegrass group out of central Virginia who are known far and wide for their high-energy shows. They’ve performed at some of the biggest American outdoor festivals – Bonnaroo, Telluride, and All Good, among others – and toured internationally across Europe. The Hackensaw Boys have also been featured nationally on NPR and were nominated for an Independent Country Music Award in 2012.

The show will also feature Saluda’s very own Aaron Burdett. Burdett’s singular songwriting talent was recognized by Our State Magazine when it named his song, “Going Home to Carolina,” as the winner of its first Carolina Songs competition in 2012.

Also playing, are Letters to Abigail and the Bald Mountain Boys. Letters to Abigail is a genre blending duo playing a mix of classic country with Americana Folk. The Asheville based Bald Mountain Boys offer high octane bluegrass jams and will anchor the start of GRO Fest with their overarching sound.

“We are really excited to host this event for Polk County and continue to build the strength of support for farmers.” said GRO’s executive director, Patrick McLendon. “We want to make this a magical night for everyone to come and enjoy some fantastic music.”

The event will be held at the Harmon Dairy in Green Creek and features expansive views of the mountain landscape and colorful sunset. Harmon Dairy has been in the Harmon family for more than six decades. This event will be a celebration of farming heritage in the community and the resiliency of agriculture in the face of 60 plus years of change.

For more information about the event and ticket information, visit growrural.org. Several food trucks will have dinner options available for purchase and local beer/wine will also be on sale for those wishing to partake.  A limited number of VIP tickets will be sold and will include admission, premiere parking, seating, food and drinks.

Harmon Dairy is located at 335 Harmon Dairy Lane in Columbus. Gates will open at 5 p.m. and the show will continue until 11 p.m.

– article submitted by Patrick McLendon