Music in the Park

Pickin' and Grinnin' on a Beautiful Summer Evening

Paul Smith and Peter Schwimer of “Fern Hill” play before the trees and a comfortable audience at the 4th Pick & Grin Festival at Winolequa Park on Friday.

My latest assignment was a great way to end the week.  I was asked to cover the Pick & Grin Festival at Winolequa Park just outside of Winlock.  Usually it is a place for fastpitch games and Easter egg hunts, but this was not something I ever imagined!  What a great venue for music.  The big beautiful trees, a natural sloped amphitheatre and nearly perfect summer weather made the event an absolute joy.

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A cooling breeze and temperatures near 80 degrees among the big trees at Winolequa Park and Washington Bluegrass Association President Willie Hill couldn’t help but be in a good place. “You just can’t beat this for bluegrass”, he said just before going on stage with members of the Snipes Mountain Bluegrass Band from Zillah, WA.


This is the 4th year of the Pick & Grin Festival at Winolequa Park. It included great performances, jam sessions and workshops.

Enthusiasts from all over the west coast converged on Winlock to watch noted regional bluegrass performers. For many, this is just another weekend on the road of bluegrass. Winlock is noted as the stop before the big event in Darrington, WA on July 16th and 17th. The tour returns to our area on August 13th-15th with the 26th Mt. St. Helens Bluegrass Festival at Toledo.

The group “Fern Hill” Peter Schwimer, Paul Smith, Randy Oman, Steven Bond and John VanBrocklin played Friday at Winlock’s beautiful Winolequa Park venue during the 4th Pick & Grin Festival.

Paul Smith (left), Peter Schwimer (middle) and Randy Oman of the Portland area group “Fern Hill” harmonize at the 4th Pick & Grin Festival at Winolequa Park on Friday evening.

For a complete gallery of Fern Hill images please go to GAP Photo.biz