The Mayville Bluegrass Festival returns this weekend. Past performers are pictured.

MAYVILLE – Chautauqua Rails to Trails is excited to present the 2025 Mayville Bluegrass Festival Saturday, Aug. 16 on the grounds of the Big Inlet Brewing facility just outside the Village. There will be a special “Sunday Sessions – Bluegrass Edition” the following day. Proceeds from the event will benefit the Chautauqua Rails to Trails organization.

The MBF began in 2003 as the brainchild of a group of Chautauqua County citizens wanting to bring a family-friendly event to the lakeside community. It ran for 7 years in Lakeside Park and featured a host of regional and national performers, Including Vassar Clements, Rhonda Vincent, Tony Rice, Chris Hillman, Norman Blake, Dan Hicks and his Hot Licks, John McCeuen, Peter Rowan.

This year’s Mayville Bluegrass Festival will be continuing its expansion to include national acts, featuring the return of Grammy winner Gene Johnson and the Night Sun Reunion, as well as multi-award winner and banjo virtuoso Gregg Welty with his band, South 79.

The show will be rounded out by other award-winning acts, including Doug Yeomans and Mountain Run, Creek Bend featuring the Panfil Brothers, Blue Mule Bluegrass, The Beard and the Bird, Michael Gerholdt’s Doc Watson Tribute, Bill Ward and Friends, Sally Schaefer and Tyler Bagwell, Old Dawg Bluegrass, and The Big Inlet Bluegrass All Stars.

Gene Johnson, a Sugar Grove, PA native, played in numerous Bluegrass bands before becoming a founding member of country supergroup, Diamond Rio. A standard-bearer for the Western NY Bluegrass scene in the ’70s, Johnson then went on to perform with national Bluegrass acts, JD Crowe and the New South, the Country Gentlemen, and Eddie Adcock.

His band at the Mayville festival will be a reunion with some of the folks he played with in Chautauqua County, including Butch Amiot, a long-time David Bromberg Bassist.

“I’m always excited to get together with these folks at this particular festival,” Johnson says, “It’s also really nice to get a chance to play for fans and old friends in Chautauqua County.”

“They say nothing makes you a better banjo player than a North Carolina birth certificate.”

This could not be truer for Raleigh, North Carolina born Gregg Welty. After moving to Western New York at a young age, he grew up listening to the sounds of his father’s banjo playing, Eric Welty, the 1993 National Bluegrass Banjo Champion. In true like-father-like-son fashion, Gregg quickly became well-known within the local Western New York, Pennsylvania, and Ohio bluegrass scenes. He eventually began competing in national bluegrass banjo contests. Gregg holds more distinct state banjo championship titles than any other banjo player.

Festival organizer Bill Ward is looking forward to a sold out show. “I think we’ll realize a full sellout of the limited ticket sales, so folks should take advantage of the presale deal.” He added, “We are grateful to Rails to Trails for keeping this train going. The musicians are pumped, and we expect a very energetic show.”

Ward hosts a 2 pm Sunday Sessions event featuring a variety of special guests throughout the summer season. The Aug. 17 edition will feature a host of special guests including Cattaraugus County’s Blue Mule Bluegrass.

Chautauqua Rails to Trails (CR2T) is a non profit corporation whose reason for existence is to acquire, develop and maintain multi purpose recreational trails for public use on or near abandoned railroad rights of way. CR2T provides safe, attractive trails for non motorized trail users.

Presale tickets are $30 for adults and free for children under 12. They are available at zeffy.com (search Mayville Bluegrass Festival) or at Big Inlet Brewing, 6169 Elm Flats Road, Mayville, New York 14757.

Doors open at 10 a.m., Saturday. While there is some seating available at the venue it is recommended that attendees bring lawn chairs. No coolers or pets. There will be food vendors on site. For info visit cr2t.org or the Mayville Bluegrass Festival Facebook page.

Free Camping is available. For info regarding that or other MBF questions, call 716-753-2800.