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rown Mountain Lightning Bugs. Honey Magpie. Downeast Dulcimers. The Red Clay Ramblers. The Ol’ Front Porch Music Festival drew bands who’ve only recently had their first radio play as well as those who’ve been on the circuit, and winning Tony awards, for more than four decades. All came to play on the porches of Oriental for the Festival’s fourth year.

Dennis Cash, a member of America’s Old Time Music Hall of Fame, plays an autoharp outside of Marsha’s Cottage.

Decades ago, impromptu jam sessions were common on the front porch of the Ol’ Store at South Water and New Streets. In 2014, Dottie Osmun and Leslie Kellenberger, with the help of local volunteers and musicians, guided the effort to create a bluegrass music festival inspired by memories of those pick-up sessions.

Saturday morning finds Green Creek Bluegrass at the Wiggs-Thompson porch.

One of many upright basses seen around the festival. This one was on the porch of The Thompson Home.

Green Creek Bluegrass, closer.rt

Originally a single-day festival, the OFPMF this year became a two-day event. Grammy Award winner Dom Flemons, formerly of the Carolina Chocolate Drops, performed at the Old Theater Friday night. Several musicians kicked things off, playing four porches on Friday afternoon. Among them, the Pamlico High School Jazz Band who were appearing at the OFPMF for the first time. (They were one of two jazz acts to play this year at the fest that was first conceived as a bluegrass event but which has grown more musically diverse – folk, country, Americana, gospel – each year.)

On Saturday the Village Market had artists selling their works while across the street, Lou Mac Park became the Food Park, a first for the fest. At a dozen booths, festival-goers could buy grab and go food from local non-profit organizations who had partnered with Oriental restaurants.

The Gospel Ensemble draws in their audience from a porch on Freemason St.

The Gospel Ensemble in a moment of rest.

Dulcimers were also in abundance on Saturday.

Bentley Smith of Salty Paws belts it out while covering Bob Dylan.

The Brant Island Strings play the porch of the Cartwright House.

Country singer Brittany Jean is from Brewster, a small town in Washington state.

And her guitar.

As is customary, tip jars were set out to collect from those who might be inclined. The ‘jar’ was up to the musician’s interpretation.

One interpretation of the tip jar with sign clearly displayed.

Another takes advantage of the use-what-you-have approach.

The porch of the Roe home, featuring the Brown Mountain Lightning Bugs.

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Rachel Hurwitz of Honey Magpie covered Will you still love me tomorrow? It could be heard next door at The River Neuse Suites…

… where a wedding was underway. Both the wedding march and Carole King’s song could be heard as the bride was escorted down the aisle.

Bob Jones returns this year to play the porch of The Village Gallery.

A mandolin waits on the Main Stage.

Harbor Sounds’ Paul Sykes grins at the camera between songs.

Dixie Gatlin on fiddle.

Frederick Ingram on Factory St.

Frederick’s see-through guitar.

Nautical Wheelers hosted MacMcWilliams on their porch and a wine tasting on their lawn. Mark Hoff sat in.

The Downeast Dulcimers, true to their name, feature a dulcimer section…

…and at least one fiddle. Not pictured: an upright bass. Listeners at the Inn at Oriental were treated to Shenandoah and a cover of Yellow Submarine.

Chris Daniels of Saltwater Gold plays the Main Stage.

Detailing on a Red Clay trombone.

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Chris Frank of The Red Clay Ramblers.

Rob Ladd at the drums.

The part of drumming you don’t see from the audience. Piglet water available as needed.

A trumpet waits in the wings.

Jack Herrick multitasks, playing the trumpet while supporting the bass.

A painted mountain scene covers the bottom of Herrick’s upright bass.

Herrick subtly shifts audience attention to the keyboard.

Rambler Bland Simpson.

Shiny bits on the drum kit.

Larry Summers sells raffle tickets for a banjo or mandolin to benefit Sound Rivers.

The banjo’s back side.

Posted Tuesday October 10, 2017 by Allison DeWeese