He said the festival is a fundraiser for RiversEdge and the Hamilton Parks Conservancy, which are both nonprofit groups. Other than David Shaw’s Big River Get Down and the Whimmydiddle Country Music Festival, the concerts that are part of the RiversEdge series are free, and are put on by a group of volunteers.
The 2020 lineup will feature JJ Grey & Mofro, Anderson East, The Infamous Stringdusters, The Steeldrivers, Charley Crockett, Larkin Poe, Sierra Ferrell, The Tillers and Tall Tall Trees.
Helms said JJ Grey & Mofro and The Infamous Stringdusters will play together on Friday night. Previously, the two acts played together on the same stage at Red Rocks Amphitheatre. Larkin Poe will be returning to Hamilton after performing at the RiversEdge concert series in 2018. Cincinnati-based band The Tillers will round out the 2020 lineup, representing the local and regional talent on the bill.
“The last time JJ Grey & Mofro and Grammy-Award-winning The Infamous Stringdusters were in the same spot was at Red Rocks, and now we’re doing it in Hamilton, Ohio, which I think is pretty incredible,” Helms said.
With a mix of country sounds at the core of Whimmydiddle, there will be a variety of musical genres showcased each evening, from progressive bluegrass and Americana to rock-blues and more.
“It’s going to be a good lineup of different styles of music that people are going to enjoy,” Helms said.
The concert lineup was announced by video prior to the March 13 Sierra Ferrell concert at the Fitton Center, which was live-streamed for locals and fans on Ferrell’s Facebook page. More than 300 listeners gathered online for the concert. Ferrell was joined on stage by fiddle player Nate Leath. Vocalist Audrey MacAlpine also performed on several songs.
“That was a fantastic performance. It sounded incredible, and they were really great people. Sierra Ferrell is originally from West Virginia, and she lives in Nashville now. For a duo, there was a good amount of sound coming from the stage,” Helms said.
“Everybody else is canceling shows, and we had this camera crew already hired, set up and paid for. Luckily for us, Lifeboat Digital Media has done live-streaming. So, they were here, and they set up the live-stream, and they did a fantastic job with it. … The feedback we got was that a lot of people were happy that they could watch it online,” he continued.
The cost of a 2-day VIP pass for Whimmydiddle is $100, and includes access to the VIP deck, bar and pub tables, reserved front-stage viewing and four food/drink vouchers each day. No 1-Day VIP tickets will be available. A general admission two-day pass is $62, and there is limited availability. A general admission ticket for Friday, Aug.14 only is $35, and a general admission ticket for Saturday, Aug. 15 only is $35.
To purchase tickets, and to get the latest details, go to www. www.whimmydiddle.com, or visit the RiversEdge Facebook page at www.facebook.com/HamiltonRiversEdge. Refunds will be issued up to 30 days before the event. Gates open on Friday at 4:30 p.m. and on Saturday at 3:30 p.m.
RiversEdge at Marcum Park is located at 116 Dayton St. in Hamilton. This is the fifth year for the festival and the fourth consecutive year of the two-night concert format. The event has drawn more than 3,000 people to the park on one night. Last year, concertgoers traveled from more than 17 different states for Whimmydiddle.
2020 WHIMMYDIDDLE LINEUP
Friday, Aug. 14
JJ Grey & Mofro — 9:30 p.m.
The Infamous Stringdusters — 8 p.m.
Larkin Poe — 6:30 p.m.
The Tillers — 5:30 p.m.
Saturday, Aug. 15
Anderson East — 9:30 p.m.
The Steeldrivers — 8 p.m.
Charley Crockett — 6:30 p.m.
Sierra Ferrell — 5:15 p.m.
Tall Tall Trees — 4:30 p.m.
Note: Schedule subject to change.
About the Author