The first-ever Bash in the Burg went off without a hitch, offering patrons a country music festival with a small-town, family-friendly appeal.

The festival featured local group South 62, as well as performances by Steve Dean, Clayton Smalley, Keith Burns and Timothy Baker, all of Nashville, Tenn. Local vendors also took part, including Merritt Estate Winery, Basil and Bones, Aces Kettle Corn and Sandy’s Candies. The fire department operated a beer barn and a food tent as well.

Jeff Lewis, a member of the band South 62 and resident of Frewsburg, said he was happy to help organize the event and make a difference in the community. “Our band is doing really well right now — we have a song on the country music charts — ‘Talk of the Town.’ It’s really rolling,” Lewis said. “Grassroots Promotions promotes us, and we made friends with all these folks in Nashville. I grew up here in Frewsburg and ever since I’ve been in music, I’ve always wanted to have a big music festival here. Finally, I had the right connections with the right folks.”

Lewis said the Frewsburg Volunteer Fire Department was in need of a fundraiser this year as the annual Gala Days again could not be held. He said the Bash in the Burg event was held to raise funds for the firefighters, but also supported the local midget football program through a can drive.

“I wanted to get the community together, and it’s nice to see everybody here without masks,” Lewis said. “We are able to hang out again and have fun. This is only our third gig since COVID, so we’re just getting back at it. People are sitting here and enjoying the day — no stress, no pressure — it’s just all fun. Everyone needs a big dose of that.”

South 62 has played recently in various areas across the region, including Warren, Pa. and Franklin, Pa. Lewis said the band will be heading down to Nashville in October. He said fans should keep an eye on the band’s social media and YouTube pages to stay updated with what they are doing.

“We’re trying to share on our social media every step of this with everybody who wants to hear it so they can experience the whole ride with us,” he said. “Good or bad, we put it up there.”

Steve Dean, musician and songwriter, said he jumped at the chance to be part of the music festival.

“John Griffin is a good friend of mine and he is a record promoter with Grassroots in Nashville. He and Jeff (Lewis) hooked up on this and they put this whole thing together a few months ago,” Dean said. “With COVID and everything, live music went away for us for at least a year and a half. So I’m just thankful to be here in Frewsburg and out in a beautiful part of the state, playing some live music.”

He said making sure people have a little happiness in their lives is truly important. COVID has taken a toll on everyone, including musicians.

“Especially since COVID, people are starving for some live music and entertainment,” Dean said. “We haven’t had anything — we’ve been locked in our houses. I jumped on this as soon as I heard about it because I think it’s a great opportunity to be able to bring some joy to some people in the community. It’s been a hard time, and it’s not over either. I hope they can get it under control. But we’re trying to look on the bright side — and this is a bright side right here.”

Dean said he hadn’t been to Frewsburg before but has greatly enjoyed his time in the area.

He has written several well-known country songs over the years, which he performed during the festival, including “Round About Way” that was performed by George Straight; “Southern Star,” performed by Alabama; and “Watching You,” performed by Rodney Atkins.

“A lot of people will say I don’t really know ‘Watching You,’ what is it about?'” Dean said. “And I say ‘Well, it’s about a little boy watching his dad, you know,’ and they go ‘Oh, the Buckaroo song!'”

He said he has been writing songs since he was 9 years old.

“I’m from Little Rock originally — there’s a lot of music there, but there’s no music business there,” Dean said. “My dad suggested when I got out of college that maybe I should go to Nashville. I thought about New York and California, but I’m kind of a homebody. I went over to Nashville in 1980, and I’ve been there ever since.”

Dean said he enjoys helping people, which is what drew his interest with the Bash in the Burg event. Most recently, he said he has been working on a project to help Veterans called Freedom Sings USA.

“I just love it,” Dean said. “We write Veterans stories. It’s been a real-life change for me.”

He said the organization is based out of Chattanooga, Tenn., but throughout the pandemic, they have expanded their reach nationwide. More information can be found on Facebook or FreedomSingsUSA.org.

“We’re trying to help as many Veterans as possible,” he said.

Dean mentioned that everyone should focus on helping others – including the artists behind the music they enjoy.

“Every chance you get, support live music and support the artists,” Dean said. “That’s how a lot of artists and writers make their living – they used to sell product. A lot of that is being downloaded for free these days, which has pretty much killed the songwriting industry.”

Dean urged the public to pay for their music to support the musicians and songwriters they enjoy so they can keep making music.

Cory Lauffenburger, Frewsburg Fire Department president, said the Bash in the Burg could replace the Gala Days, depending on the success of the event.

“Attendance goes down on the Gala Days every year and it’s harder to get the ride companies to come through because of New York state laws,” Lauffenburger said. “This was brought up two months ago to us by Jeff Lewis, and our town supervisor, Russ Payne. If it goes over big, this could be an every year thing.”

Lisa Piazza, a volunteer with the fire company, said pre-sale ticket numbers were in the 400-500 range before the event, but the total number had not been accounted for yet.

“We missed so much last year with COVID, so we’re really trying to re-coop some of that money that helps the fire department operate,” she said.

Lauffenburger said the department wasn’t able to hold their annual Turkey Party, gun show, fish fries and other events over the past year. He said he was hopeful to see the music festival become a popular event going forward.

Lauffenburger said he was thankful for the volunteers from the fire department who made the event possible. He said the grounds needed to be cleaned up and made ready for the event, as they had not been used the previous years. Lauffenburger said the volunteers at the department were often working 40-50 hours a week at their full-time jobs, only to come in for calls at night while also getting ready for the event. While it was a large undertaking for the department, Lauffenburger said it all came together in time.

“We thank everyone for their support — hopeful this gets bigger and bigger every year,” Lauffenburger added.

He said the fire department will host other events throughout the year, including a gun raffle and a Turkey Party. For updated information on the events, Lauffenburger said to keep an eye on the department’s Facebook page. Questions can also be addressed through Facebook Messenger, as the department makes an effort to check the account regularly.

For those who could not make it to the event, but would like to make a donation, he said checks can be sent to P.O Box 590, Frewsburg NY. Lauffenburger said tours of the fire department and opportunities to see their equipment are also available on Tuesday evenings.

County Executive PJ Wendel said he was glad to see the community come together to support a good cause in a family-friendly way. He said he was glad to see the band, South 62, coming together with the community to benefit the fire department.

Wendel said he understands the need for fundraising for volunteer fire departments as they are not funded. While some departments are funded through the municipalities they serve, many outlying fire departments are not. However, he said he can see the event being a great success for the fire department going forward.

“The opportunities are endless,” Wendel said of future music festivals. “The best part about it is that it’s safe, family-friendly and has grassroots. This is just people relaxing – not commercialized – just hanging out.”

Wendel said he looks forward to seeing the event return year after year. He said there are ways to grow the festival, that he believes will be forthcoming.

“It’s could explode into a big event, and I think it’s great for the community,” he said. “This is what community is about, and these are the (important) things we have here in Chautauqua County.”